Free The Blue Journal by L.T. Graham Page B

head. We owe him some answers.”
    â€œHe owes us some answers too, don’t you think?”
    â€œEasy Walker.” Gill, who spent more effort in maintaining his relationships with the local gentry than actually preventing or solving crimes, was not the sort of superior officer Walker was ever going to warm to. He had simply reconciled himself to the fact that Gill came with the job.
    â€œI’m happy to take it easy, Chief. It’s Doctor Knoebel who seems in a hurry to claim the body.”
    â€œWouldn’t you be?”
    â€œMaybe, but they tell me cremation is forever. I wonder what the rush is.”
    The chief let that go. “Make sure Jake does a thorough job on this,” he said.
    â€œOf course. Meanwhile, if Knoebel can get one of his doctor friends to sign a death certificate saying she died of natural causes, we can release the body today.”
    Gill frowned. “Look, Walker, this is a town where people don’t lock their doors, where they leave their cars in the driveway with the keys on the seat, where this sort of thing just doesn’t happen. Now my friends’ wives are calling, asking if they should be worried, if this was a random act or if we might have a serial killer on our hands.”
    â€œPeople watch too much television.”
    â€œMaybe so, but I work for those people.” He treated Walker to his sternest look. “And by the way, so do you. Go do what you have to, but be sure you don’t step on any toes along the way.”
    â€œI’ll dance around like Fred Astaire.”
    The chief shook his head. “Local reporters are all over, but I can deal with them. Problem is, we’re already getting calls from the New York stations. I want this wrapped up, and I want it done pronto.”
    â€œYes sir.”
    â€œWhat’d the psychologist have to say?”
    Walker recounted his conversation with Dr. Conway earlier that morning. “Not much help so far.”
    â€œWhat do you suggest?”
    â€œI told her we could get a court order, force her to cooperate.”
    â€œNot yet,” the chief said quickly.
    Walker had guessed what Gill would say about that—he was just a bit surprised the reaction came so quickly. “All the same, we need to apply some pressure, right?”
    â€œMaybe so, but we don’t want to turn this into any more of a media circus than it has to be.” He shook his head. “All I need is a local therapist giving up her patients’ secrets. God, we’ll all be on Entertainment Tonight before you know it.”
    â€œI also reminded Doctor Conway that the murderer might figure she was the one person Mrs. Knoebel would have confided in, the one person who could help us solve this case.”
    â€œYou believe that?”
    â€œI do. And I’ll tell you something else, I think Doctor Conway believes it. I think she realizes the danger.”
    Gill groaned like someone had just hit him in the solar plexus. “Wonderful.”
    Walker waited.
    â€œThat’s it,” the chief finally said, dismissing Walker with a wave of his hand.
    Walker returned to the room he shared with the two other detectives on the force. Officer Kovacevic was waiting for him.
    â€œYou don’t look happy, sir, if you don’t mind me saying so.”
    â€œGill’s in one of his moods, that’s all. What’ve you got?”
    â€œWe received preliminaries from Jake, the work from forensics, and the narratives on the area sweep.” He was holding the various reports.
    â€œAnything helpful?”
    â€œAfraid not. How’d it go with the psychologist?”
    â€œDoctor Conway? It was interesting.” Walker dropped himself into the old padded swivel chair behind his metal desk and took the papers Kovacevic held out for him. “As expected, she hid behind confidential privilege. I showed her the photos. Bet it was the first time she ever looked at a gunshot victim. For