Read Online Frenzy by John Lutz - Free Book Online

us?”
    â€œNo,” Sal said.
    â€œI sure have,” Harold said. “You guys are nationwide.”
    â€œThat’s right!” Duke seemed buoyed about Harold knowing that. “What we cover stays covered. I’m a sales rep. Reps and other Glow View employees are here from all over the—”
    â€œWhere are you from?” Sal interrupted.
    â€œSt. Louis.”
    â€œEast?”
    â€œWest. Missouri.”
    â€œAbout last night,” Sal said. “How did you happen to be looking out your door and see—most likely the killer—enter Andria Bell’s suite?”
    â€œI’ve been reading all about that in the papers,” Duke said. He seemed suddenly ill at ease. A paint salesman from Missouri caught up in murder in New York.
    â€œThat doesn’t exactly answer the question,” Harold said.
    â€œWell, I heard this knocking and thought it was on my door.” Duke looked off to the right, the way people are supposed to be doing when they’re lying. Harold didn’t think that common belief was true. Or is it to their left?
    â€œAnd . . . ?” Sal asked, looking straight ahead.
    â€œI mean, I thought . . .”
    â€œYou can speak freely, Mr. Craig,” Harold said.
    â€œWhy shouldn’t I be able to?” Duke asked. “And it’s not Mr. Craig, it’s Mr. Duke.”
    â€œMr. Duke,” Sal said, “you’re not in any way a suspect in this.” But even as he spoke, Sal wondered. Duke was a male in the same age group as D.O.A., and like a lot of other men, he fit D.O.A.’s general description.
    Sal told himself he was way off base, but he should keep an open mind. The way you had to do with Harold around.
    â€œOf course I’m not a suspect,” Duke said. “I didn’t mean that.”
    Harold flashed him a reassuring smile. He pretended to check his notes. Fishes. “What kind of knocking was it? I mean, hard and loud? Knocks close together? In a pattern? Like somebody had something important to relate to you?”
    â€œNothing like that. Just knocking. That’s why I went to the door and looked out in the hall. But there was nobody at my door.”
    â€œYou sound as if you were disappointed, Mr. Craig.”
    â€œIt’s Duke. I was, slightly. I was hoping it was one of the Glow View color people. If it wasn’t, I was gonna go down to the bar and look for somebody to talk with. Nothing else to do, I guess. I was waiting for the drying competition. You know, how long it takes different brands to set up in various temperatures and humidity.”
    â€œSound’s interesting,” Sal said, stifling a yawn.
    â€œLike watching paint dry,” Harold said, perfectly deadpan.
    â€œSo you saw a man and a woman at the door across the hall?” Sal asked, hoping to keep Duke on track.
    â€œYeah. I got a good look at the woman when she let him in.” He swallowed. “I found out later she was one of the victims. Andria Bell. She was the guide or chaperone for those young girls.” Duke looked slightly nauseated and absently touched his stomach. Swallowed hard enough that Sal and Harold heard phlegm crack. “Jeez, what a shame!”
    â€œWhat did the man look like?” Sal asked.
    â€œWell, he was kinda facing away from me. He looked pretty average. I think he had brown hair, but I’m not sure. He had on dark slacks and a gray or pale blue sport coat, I think.”
    â€œHow tall would you say?” Sal asked.
    â€œThink in terms of the door,” Harold said. He drew a fish.
    Duke looked at him.
    â€œThe door’s height is standard,” Harold said, “so you can use it as a guide to height.”
    â€œYeah, I guess you can,” Duke said. “I’d say he was right around six feet. Maybe a little taller, maybe a little shorter.”
    Good work, Harold. “What about eye color?” Sal asked.
    â€œOh, I never got that good