Chapter 51

REID BOLTED UP THE STAIRS to Lawrence’s flat two at a time. Darby was in the hall waiting for him outside of the flat’s slightly ajar door. Another woman might have wanted comfort, but he knew his sister would think any such offer implied that he thought she was weak, so he simply met her eyes and nodded. “Rough?”

“I’m all right.”

“The SOCO van just pulled up behind me. They’ll process the scene. Tell me what you know, then you can leave.”

“I’m fine.” She swallowed, then spoke with considerable self-control. “We were to meet for a pub supper tonight, but he didn’t call and I couldn’t reach him. I was aggravated as I didn’t really want to have to babysit him, but as we were going to meet near here, I thought I might as well drop by his flat and see what was going on. The door was unlocked, and well—I found him. Garroted, it appears to me. No one else was here. I rang you and waited. End of story.”

“Hard scene to walk in on.”

“I’m fine.”

“Of course you are.” He nodded toward Lawrence’s flat.“Did you touch anything?”

“The door handle when I let myself in. Nothing else.”

“Did you check out the rest of the flat to see if anyone else was there?”

“I don’t think whoever killed him went to take a kip in the bedroom. So, no, I didn’t. I didn’t want to contaminate the scene.”

Reid had been thinking more of the possibility of another victim or of the killer exiting out of a window or another door. But Darby was Interpol, not regular police, nor had she ever had that kind of experience. At least she hadn’t interfered with the crime scene. And she’d called him.

“Good thinking.”

Darby said, “Ta so much.” Her voice was arrogant, but he knew she was upset, so he ignored it.

He got the times of her call and her arrival and the rest of the few details she knew.

“That’s good for now, Darby. You don’t have to stay.”

She nodded, but made no move to leave.

He tried to determine how much she wanted or needed from him. “Anne’s not at the flat. She’ll be gone until the weekend. Do you want to stay there for a few days?”

No one else would have seen it, that faint quiver of her lip as she hesitated.

He pressed her. “Come to the flat. Keep me company, why don’t you?”

“Maybe. Just for tonight.” Her tone had been grudging, but he could tell she was relieved not to have to be alone.

“Good. I’ll see you back there. Go on with you, now.” When she hesitated, he put his hand on her arm and pulled her into a quick hug. He heard her gulp back what he knew must be tears, then she pushed away from him.

When he saw her disappear down the stairs, he nudged the door open with an elbow and surveyed the grisly scene. He’d never liked DI Lawrence, but he’d never wished him dead, either. Especially not like this.

He turned, hearing the SOCO team coming up the stairs. Tilting his head to indicate the open door, he said, “In there, laddies.” Recognizing two smaller figures in the pack, he amended, “and lassies.”

Reid’s thoughts went to DC Parsons and a chill skittered up his spine. What were the odds that Ramsey, Parsons, and Lawrence had been killed by different people? Reid answered his own question. Not good. Had Lawrence been the leak? If so, it was permanently plugged now. If he hadn’t, what did that mean? Two cops working the same investigation had been killed. No, not just killed. Murdered. He’d warned his own team to be careful after DC Parsons had been killed, but Lawrence had been warned as well, and that hadn’t seemed to do any good.

If Von Zandt was behind these murders, it showed how completely ruthless the man was.To kill a cop was asking for trouble. To kill two cops was asking for war.

Reid doubted the man would blink an eye over killing a cop’s wife.