The Fourth Deadly Sin by Lawrence Sanders Read Free Book Online Page A

human condition. Mostly it’s innocent stuff-just to help us all get through life a little easier. But in this case we’ve got a stiff on our hands. Yes, the widow and Samuelson might be lying-even if they’re not the perps. Maybe they have other reasons. Let’s find out.”
    “What do you plan on doing, sir?” Sergeant Boone asked curiously.
    “Me? I want to study those statements about the hassle Dr. Samuelson had with the Department’s legal eagles. The argument was about the doctor-patient relationship, which is supposed to be sacred under the law. Ha-ha. But here we have a case where a doctor has been knocked off and the Crime Scene Unit guys grabbed his appointment book. So now we know the names of his patients, but Samuelson claimed the files were confidential. The Department’s attorneys said not so; a murder was committed and the public good required that patients be questioned. As I understand it, they came to a compromise. The patients can be investigated, but they cannot be questioned unless they agree to it, because the questioning might involve their illness-the reason they were consulting Ellerbee in the first place. It’s a nice legal point, and could keep a platoon of lawyers busy for a year.
    But as things stand now, we can check the whereabouts of every patient at the time of Ellerbee’s death, but we can’t question the patients or examine their files unless they agree to it. Now isn’t that as fucked up as a Chinese fire drill?”
    “You think the patients will agree to answer questions?” Boone said.
    “I think if one of his patients chilled Ellerbee, he or she will agree to be questioned, figuring that if they refuse, they’ll be automatically suspected by the cops.”
    “Oh, wow,” Jason Two said, laughing. “You figure crazies can reason like that?”
    “First of all we don’t know yet just how nutty his patients are. Second, you can be a complete whackc, and still be able to think as rationally as any so-called normal man or woman. I remember a guy we racked up who was a computer whiz. I mean a genius. All his work involved mathematical logic. But he had one quirk: He liked to rape little girls. Except for that, he was an intellectual giant. So don’t get the idea that all of Ellerbee’s patients are dummies.”
    “When are we going to get started on the patient list, sir?” Jason asked.
    “Another thing,” Delaney said, ignoring Jason’s question.
    “I saw nothing in those cartons to indicate that anyone had thought to run the victim, his widow, his father, and Dr. Samuelson through Records.”
    “My God,” Boone said, “you don’t think people like that have jackets, do you?”
    “No, I don’t-but you never know, do you, and it’s got to be done. Ditto the Ellerbees’ two receptionists, the old ladies who own the art gallery, and the guy who leases the apartment on the top floor. Sergeant, you do that. Run them all through Records. For the time being let’s concentrate on the people who live and work in that townhouse. Plus Samuelson and Ellerbee’s father. After we’ve cleared them, we’ll spread out to friends, acquaintances, and Ellerbee’s patients.”
    They talked awhile longer, discussing how they’d divide up use of the Department car and how they’d keep in touch with each other. Delaney urged both men to call him any hour of the day or night if they had any problems or anything to report.
    Then the two officers left, and Delaney returned to his study. He called Deputy Commissioner Thorsen and was put through immediately.
    “All right, Ivar,” Delaney said. “We’ve started.”
    “Thank God,” the Admiral said. “If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”
    “There is something,” Delaney said. “The Department has a house shrink, doesn’t it?”
    “Sure,” Thorsen said. “Dr. Murray Walden. He set up alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs. And he’s got a family counseling service. A very active, innovative