Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Before Gary could get a word out, Travers came into the office.
“This changes things.” He stared at the TV screen, his hands on his hips. “Christ.”
“Who was chasing her?” Gary asked. “Was it captured on film?”
“Apparently not.”
“But the news report said there were witnesses.”
“Two people. And neither of them was able to describe the pursuing vehicle or get a license plate. It doesn’t seem to have been a protracted pursuit. From what I saw, she lost control of the car.” Travers pointed. “I spy a familiar face.”
They peered at the TV. Del Maddox was standing next to an ambulance, talking with a paramedic.
“Good. He can tell us if it really is Dr. Phillips.” Gary gazed at the blackened, burned-out vehicle. “That had to have been some explosion. Was it the gas tank?” When Travers didn’t respond, Gary turned around.
Travers gazed at him, his face impassive. “Do you know what the chances are of a vehicle exploding after an accident? Have you any idea of all the safety features built into modern cars to reduce that risk?”
Gary stilled. “Are we talking explosives?”
“It’s a possibility. It might not have been the crash that killed her after all. She was probably dead the minute she got behind the wheel. But we’ll know more once the CSIs have crawled over the wreckage.” Then he grimaced. “Whatever caused it sure turned her car into a fireball.”
“And we’re right back at our dead end again,” Dan said, his tone gloomy.
Gary patted his shoulder. “You said she was scared of something. If this was no accident, maybe she had cause to be scared.”
Travers arched his eyebrows. “Something you haven’t told me?”
Dan relayed the feelings he’d encountered in Dr. Phillips’s house. “Now I know why they were so strong—she feared for her life.”
“Let’s wait until she’s been positively identified before we go any further.” Travers inclined his head toward the TV. “And that means letting Del do his work without you two asking questions.” Another glance at Gary. “As of now, you’re investigating Dr. Phillips’s death.”
Gary blinked. “Okay.”
“It makes sense. We’re now dealing with the death of a prominent figure—someone you were already looking at as a person of interest. So who else would I put on the case but you?” And with that, Travers strode out of the office.
Gary switched off the TV, then grabbed his phone. He scrolled through his contacts.
“What are you doing?” Dan asked.
“Calling Del.”
“But Travers said not to—”
“I won’t be on long.” He hit Call.
“Now is not a good time,” Del said when it connected.
“I know. I’ve been watching the news. You’ll be performing the autopsy on the crash driver?”
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll want to discuss it when you’re done.”
There was a pause.
“I thought you were investigating a dead drug dealer?”
“We were—until your two dead bodies turned up.”
“Well, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow. I’m done for the day.”
Gary frowned. “Are you okay?” He couldn’t remember Del sounding so terse.
“Gary, you’ve called me when I’m standing in the middle of an accident site. I’m struggling to hear you over the noise of that damn helicopter circling overhead. We haven’t even taken the body to the morgue yet, so forgive me if I’m not my usual cheery self. Tomorrow, all right?” He hung up.
“What’s wrong?” Dan asked as Gary placed his phone on the desk.
“I think I caught Del at a bad moment.” Except that felt like a vast understatement.
“Is this where I say ‘Travers was right’?”
“Not if you know what’s good for you.” Except he knew Dan was correct; he should have done what Travers said and waited. “Anyhow, the upshot is we won’t know anything before tomorrow.”
“I’ve been thinking about that cash withdrawal.”
“What about it?”
Dan cocked his head to one side. “What if she needed the money because she was being blackmailed?”
Gary frowned. “But for what? There’s been nothing to point to that conclusion. And five thousand dollars sounds like chicken feed.”
“Then maybe we should talk to Professor Martin again. He might be able to throw some light on this. Because Travers is right. This changes everything.”
“And we will talk to him. After we’ve spoken with Del.”
Gary knew what he was hoping for—that by some miracle the body in the car turned out not to be Dr. Phillips, but some other person who’d borrowed the car. Which was bad news for someone out there who’d lost a loved one, but good news for their investigation.
Because if anyone had the answers that could pull all the threads of these cases together into some kind of shape that made sense, it was Samantha Phillips.
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Del was at the sink, drying his hands. He turned his head as Gary entered and scowled at him. “For God’s sake. I’ve only just sewn her up.”
A black body bag lay on the stainless-steel table, zipped up.
“I’m sorry.” Gary held out the paper cup of coffee Dan had bought on their way to the medical center, along with a brown paper bag. “This is to make up for yesterday. You were right. I shouldn’t have called you while you were still at the scene.”
Del sniffed. “Is that a caramel macchiato?”
Gary nodded. “And a pecan brownie.” Years of dealing with Del had given him plenty of ammo.
Del folded the towel and walked over to them. “Okay, you’re forgiven.” He took the cup and inhaled deeply. “Damn, that smells good.” He glanced behind Gary. “Where’s your other half?”
Gary arched his eyebrows.
Del rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on. You think I don’t know? And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.”
“I didn’t think we’d been that obvious.” Apart from Riley Watson and Travers knowing, Gary thought he and Dan had done a good job of hiding their relationship.
Del smiled. “You want to know what gave you away? You seem happy. I don’t think you’ve been happy for as long as I’ve known you.
You always appeared to be carrying the weight of the world on those broad shoulders.
” Another smile. “I guess it’s easier carrying a burden when there are two of you.
” He paused. “And you didn’t answer my question.
Where is he? Not that I’m complaining about his absence, you understand. ”
“He’s back at the precinct. He had some calls he wanted to make.”
Del sipped his coffee and groaned. “If you bring one of these every time you visit, I promise never to growl at you again.” He gave Gary a sheepish glance. “I need to apologize too. Yesterday was not good.”
“At the risk of pissing you off again….”
He sighed. “Okay, I’ll tell you what you want to know.
Yes, I’ve identified the body. Samantha Diane Phillips.
I used her dental records—facial recognition wasn’t possible—but there was also the healed fracture of her right arm.
An injury she sustained a while back, according to her medical records. ”
Gary nodded. “The result of a beating.” The news crushed him. “Damn.”
Del gazed at him. “You didn’t want it to be her, did you?”
“Let’s just say that would have made our lives simpler.” He couldn’t imagine how Professor Martin was feeling right then. “Oh well. Is there anything else you can tell me about the condition of the body?”
“Nothing else jumped out at me, but you know I don’t like to report on my initial findings.
The full results will be available within the usual time frame.
Thanks again for the coffee and the brownie, but now I really need to get back to work.
” He flashed Gary a smile. “Good luck with your investigations.”
In other words, they were done.
Gary walked through the medical center, heading for the parking lot. Something didn’t feel quite right. Compared with their usual interactions, Gary couldn’t help feeling Del’s responses were a little short and somewhat dismissive.
Maybe it’s his workload. He’s stressed. That’s all it is.
His phone buzzed, and he retrieved it from his pocket, smiling when he saw it was Dan. “Hey.”
“Well? Was it her?”
“Unfortunately, yes. So get onto Professor Martin and ask if we can see him today.”
It was another long shot, but right then they had little else to go on.
What—or who—were you running from, Samantha Phillips?
He hoped Professor Martin had the answer.