Long Shadows (Amos Decker, #7)(64)

“You should transfer up to DC, Doug,” said White. “From what I’ve heard, this stuff is a daily occurrence with Decker.”

“How do you not get your ass fired, Decker?” Andrews asked.

Decker said, “They know I don’t give a shit. It’s like body armor.”

Andrews looked stunned. “Why the hell didn’t I ever think of that?”





Chapter 44



O?KAY,” SAID DECKER AS HE finished both his beer and the last document he was looking at.

They were ensconced in a small conference room at Andrews’s office. Spread out over the table were the records Roe had provided. White munched on the last piece of cold pizza and looked out the window, where the sun had gone down hours ago.

“Not much here,” noted Andrews. “They worked cases together. Lots of them. They did the Perlman protection detail and two others in the same neighborhood. Didn’t know that many people needed security in that community.”

“Those people, or at least most of them, have money,” noted Decker. “And other people will always try to take that money away.” He sat back and rubbed his eyes. “We need to know more about Draymont and Lancer before they came to Gamma.”

Andrews said, “You think they might have known each other before Gamma? They were both in the DC area at the same time.”

“If they did, we need to find out.”

The door opened and a young woman poked her head in. “Doug, we finally got the CCTV footage from the hospital you requested.”

“I’d forgotten about that. What took so long?”

“It’s a hospital. They have other priorities, I guess.”

She brought in a laptop and set it down in front of them. “Just hit play.”

Decker said, “Is this just from inside the hospital? Or did they have footage from the parking lot, too?”

“Unfortunately, with the camera angles, there weren’t any clear images of them exiting the facility. And there was no footage of them getting into a car.”

She left and closed the door behind her.

They crowded around the laptop and Andrews hit the play button. It took a few minutes, but then they saw two men enter the admissions area from the entrance used by the ambulance crews. They flashed badges and approached Lancer on the gurney. One of the men spoke to her. Looking stricken, she slowly rose, climbed off the gurney, and was led out by the men.

“It looks like they were arresting her,” said White.

“Maybe she actually did faint,” noted Decker.

“We can put this out to the public and other police forces and agencies to be on the lookout,” said Andrews. He looked down at his phone, which had dinged. “Damn.”

“What is it?” asked White.

“We just got back some info on Kelly’s cell phone before it was turned off. She got a text from an unidentified phone, probably a burner, maybe shortly before she supposedly left for the store.”

“What did it say?” asked White.

In answer Andrews held up his phone. On the screen was a one-word message.

Decker looked at the time stamp. “So, minutes before Lancer walked into the conference room Kelly got a text telling her to run?”

“Yep,” said Andrews.

“And did that text come from Lancer?” asked White.

Decker rose.

“Where are you going?” said White.

“We’re going to see Patty Kelly’s husband.”





Chapter 45



THE LIGHTS IN THE HOUSE were all on and Steve Kelly answered on the first knock. He looked beleaguered and unfocused.

“I…I thought you might be the police with word on Patty.”

“Can we come in?” asked Decker.

He stepped aside and they moved into the house.

“Y-you’re not here to tell me that she’s—”

“No, we’re not,” said Decker. “We’re doing our best to find her. Alive.”

After they all sat down Decker said, “Your wife got a warning from someone shortly before she fled.”

“I don’t understand,” said Kelly. “A warning about what? And from who?”

“We don’t know, for sure. It came close to the disappearance of another person named Alice Lancer. Do you know her?”

“No, I don’t. Never heard of her.”

“And your wife?”

“She never mentioned that name to me. Who is she?”

“Someone of interest” was all Decker would say. “How about a man named Alan Draymont?”

Kelly shook his head.

Decker turned to Andrews. “Show him pictures of both.”

Andrews did so, and Kelly pointed at Draymont. “Now, I did see that young man once.”

“Where?” asked White.

“He was walking down the street and stopped to talk to Patty. I was inside reading the newspaper and saw them. When I asked her who it was, she said he was just asking for directions.”

“Did you believe that?” asked Decker.

Kelly looked offended. “Of course I did.”

Decker glanced around and saw some pictures on a shelf. He walked over to look at them. “Is this your wife, from some years back?”