The Seventh Commandment by Lawrence Sanders Read Free Book Online

includes daily distribution of food to those unfortunates who, often through no fault of their own, are without means to provide for themselves.
    "Tonight I want to talk to you about the environment. Not acid rain, the pollution of our air and water, the destruction of our forests and coastline, but personal environment, the pollution of our souls and the need to seek what I call the Divine Harmony, in which we are one with nature, with each other, and with God."
    He developed this theme in more detail during the following thirty minutes. He likened greed, envy, lust, and other sins to lethal chemicals that poisoned the soil and foods grown from it. He said that the earth could not endure such contamination indefinitely, and similarly the human soul could not withstand the corrosion of moral offenses that weakened, debilitated, and would eventually destroy the individual and inevitably all of society.
    The solution, he stated in a calm, reasonable manner, was to recognize that just as the physical environment was one, interdependent, and sacred, so the moral environment was one, and it demanded care, sacrifice, and, above all, love if we were to find a Divine Harmony with nature, people, and with God: a Holy Oneness that encompassed all joys and all sorrows.
    He was still speaking of the Holy Oneness when Wenden tugged at Dora's sleeve.
    "Let's split," he said in a low voice.
    She nodded, and they gathered up their coats and slipped away. Apparently neither the pastor nor anyone in that rapt audience noticed their departure. Outside, the mist had thickened to a freezing drizzle.
    "I've got a car," the detective said, "but there's a pizza joint just around the corner on Third. We won't get too wet."
    "Let's go," Dora said. She took his arm, and they scurried.
    A few minutes later they were snugly settled in a booth, breathing garlicky air, sipping cold beers, and waiting for their Mammoth Supreme, half-anchovy, half-pepperoni.
    "The guy surprised me," Wenden said. "I thought he'd be a religious windbag, one of those 'Come to Jesus!' shouters. But I have to admit he sounded sincere, like he really believes in that snake oil he's peddling."
    "Maybe he does," Dora said. "I thought he was impressive. Very low-key, very persuasive. Tell me the truth: How come you found time to catch him in action?"
    Wenden shrugged. "I really don't know. Maybe because he's so smooth and has too many teeth. How's that for scientific crime detection?"
    They stared at each other for a thoughtful moment.
    "Tell you what," Dora said finally, "I'll ask my boss to run Callaway through our computer. But our data base only includes people who have been involved in insurance scams."
    "Do it," the detective urged. "Just for the fun of it."
    Their giant pizza was served, and they dug in, plucking paper napkins from the dispenser.
    "How you coming with the Starrett family?" Wenden asked her.
    "All right, I guess. So far everyone's been very cooperative. The net result is zilch. Why do I have a feeling I'm not asking the right questions?"
    "Like what?" he said. "Like 'Did you kill your husband?' or 'Did you murder your father?' "
    "Nothing as gross as that," she said. "But I'm convinced that family has secrets."
    "All families have secrets."
    "But the Starretts' secrets may have something to do with the homicide. I tell you, John-"
    "John?" he interrupted. "Oh my, I thought you told me you were happily married."
    "Oh, shut up," she said, laughing. "If we're going to pig out on a pizza together, it might as well be John and Dora. What I was going to say is that I mean no disrespect to the NYPD, but I think the official theory of a stranger as the murderer is bunk. And I think you think it's bunk."
    He carefully lifted a pepperoni wedge, folded it lengthwise, began to eat holding a paper napkin over his shirt-front.
    He had a craggy face, more interesting than handsome: nose and chin too long, cheekbones high and prominent, eyes dark and deeply set. Dora liked his