“But if she wanted to get away she might pull a stunt like that.”
Decker said, “But why not wait a bit and then just announce you’re moving or taking a new job or retiring to go paint landscapes in Tuscany? Why do it that fast?”
White replied, “Because after what happened to Draymont, she was afraid the same thing would happen to her. She had to act fast and seized on the opportunity of our being there.”
Decker looked at her with respect. “Freddie, I think you might be right about that. Nice work.”
She smiled at him.
“What?”
“First time you called me Freddie. I like how you say it.”
Decker looked around the bedroom. “I’m thinking Draymont bought it in the study, then his killer left right away. Then the second person comes in, sees Cummins kneeling next to the dead Draymont, chases her upstairs, and kills her.”
“So the second killer was there and also seized an opportunity?” said White.
“He might have seen Draymont go down and then he goes after his real target, the judge.”
“Or she. Could Alice Lancer have killed Draymont? Maybe there was something between them we don’t know about. They might have been more than coworkers. Remember that Lancer’s neighbor recognized Draymont as being at her house a lot. She thought they were dating.”
“And then Lancer left Cummins alive to tell on her?”
“Your theory of two killers is not as plausible as Lancer having killed both of them,” noted White. “She uses a gun with Draymont because he was a big, strong guy and she didn’t want to take a chance of him overpowering her. Then she waits for Cummins to come downstairs, maybe to check on the noise the shots might have made. When she does, Lancer attacks Cummins with a knife, chases her all the way upstairs, and kills her right here. If Lancer and Draymont were lovers, maybe they had a falling-out and Lancer went all jealous when she found out about Cummins. It could happen. That would explain the frenzy of the attack on Cummins.”
“And Lancer stuffs old Slovakian money down Draymont’s throat?” said Decker.
“She worked at Gamma, she would know of the connection. It’s a distraction only. Same with the cut-up blindfold and the ‘res ipsa’ bullshit.”
“Well, if we can find Lancer, it might clear a lot of things up.”
“Let’s hope we do.”
He said, “Now, let’s just check the study.”
They trooped downstairs, and into the room where Draymont’s body had been discovered.
They both stopped so abruptly, they bumped into each other.
The electric blue light was slamming Decker from all corners.
They had just found Alice Lancer. However, she would not be telling them a damn thing.
Chapter 42
D?ECKER AND WHITE WATCHED AS Alice Lancer’s covered remains were wheeled out of Cummins’s house on a gurney.
Andrews spoke with Helen Jacobs, the ME, and then came over to them.
“She was shot,” said Andrews. “Two to the chest. Just like Draymont.”
“How long’s she been dead?” asked Decker. “Seemed to me that rigor had clearly passed.”
“Jacobs figures not too long after she got plucked from the hospital.”
Decker looked off into the distance, obviously processing this.
“But how did they get her body inside the house?” said Andrews. “And why take that chance?”
“Symbolic,” said Decker, glancing at him. “Draymont and Lancer, two peas in a pod. So the next question is obvious.”
Andrews nodded in understanding. “I asked Jacobs. She already checked. There’s rolled-up money in Lancer’s throat.”
“Shit,” exclaimed White. She looked at Decker. “Well, obviously Lancer didn’t kill Draymont and Judge Cummins, like I thought. This ties into your theory of there being two separate killers.”
“But other than the gun versus knife and professional hit versus frenzied attack, do you have anything else to base that on, Decker?” asked Andrews.
“Yeah, nobody stuffed Slovakian money into the judge’s throat,” noted Decker. “And if the killers were different, the person who stabbed Cummins would have no way of knowing about the money in the throat. It’s not like it was visible on the corpse.”
Andrews nodded in agreement. “Right. So we have three stiffs and no suspects. But what connection did Draymont and Lancer have, other than working together at Gamma, and Draymont being seen at her house?”