Page 12 of When You're Safe

“Someone is going to come into anawful lot of money with Quentin DeGrey being dead,” Finn said, looking around. “Dowe know if the victim owned all of this?”

“We don’t know that he was a victim,”Winters said. “We need to proceed cautiously. If we go around throwingaccusations about and we’re wrong, a family as powerful as the DeGreys couldmake our careers very difficult for us.”

Finn laughed, but it was a bitterfeeling that swirled around inside of him. “I’m not sure they could hurt mycareer any more. You can’t kill something that’s already dead.”

Finn felt the weight of his ownwords as they left his mouth. Was his career truly dead? He didn’t know forsure, but he hoped deep down that he could return to being a special agent. Ithad given him structure in his life; without it he felt like he might sink. He wonderedif he’d have to be more careful around the DeGreys if they could pull stringsagainst him reaching all the way back to Quantico.

Winters turned with a sympatheticlook on her face. Her head tilted slightly and she asked: “Is it that bad? I knowyou mentioned proceedings, but…”

Finn sighed. “My lawyer wants meto head back to the US and prepare for court hearings.”

“Finn, I’m sorry,” Rob said. “Youknow, maybe you should take their advice and—”

“You trying to get rid of me?” Finnasked.

“Not at all, old chap,” Rob said. “I’drather have you here, but not if it’s at the cost of—”

Suddenly, the door to the drawingroom opened, and in stepped a tall man in his forties. He was wearing a whiteshirt and pristine gray suit trousers. A gray tie was around the man’s collar,but Finn noticed that the collar to one side wasn’t fully set, as though theman had been in a hurry when putting the tie on.

His hair was brown and combed tothe side, but it was slightly ruffled, sticking up subtly as though the man hadbeen lying down.

Gwen appeared alongside him. Shenow looked more flustered than she had before. There was no sign of the coffeeshe had gone to get, and it was clear from the way she walked alongside the manthat she was giving him physical support.

The man held onto her arm for amoment as he stepped in, gave a frail smile, and then sat down in one of thechairs.

“Thank you, Gwen,” the man said. “Thatwill be all.”

She nodded and then turned toFinn. “I’m afraid I haven’t gotten that coffee for you yet, I’ll—”

“It’s okay,” Finn said, feelinglike she had enough on her plate. “Another time perhaps.”

She smiled, but this time her eyesdidn’t sparkle beneath the solitary light. They were tinged with worry. Ifanything, Finn would have said they were filled with sadness.

Gwen left, closing the door behindher, and then the man spoke from his chair.

His voice was soft, as though hehad been through a terrible shock. “I’m Stewart DeGrey,” he said.

It was then that Finn caught aslight whiff of something. He couldn’t be certain, but it appeared that the manhad been drinking.

“I’m Chief Constable RobertCollins,” Rob said. “I’m sorry we are meeting like this. Are you Maggie DeGrey’s…”

“Husband,” he said, his voicequivering.

“We’re sorry for your loss,” Winterssaid. “I’m Inspector Winters and this is Finn Wright, a consultant detective workingwith the investigation.”

“Consultant?” the man saidquietly. “I must ask that everything here be dealt with in the strictestconfidence. I thought I would be dealing directly with the constabulary.”

“You are,” Finn assured him. “I’ma special agent with the FBI…” He hesitated for a moment, not sure if that was eventrue any longer. But he continued, nonetheless. “I have experience with caseslike this, and so the Home Office has asked me to assist. Please rest assuredthat I am governed by the same confidentiality as any other officer here. Infact, if I were to divulge anything to the press, my country would make certainthat I paid dearly for that. You have my word that everything here will behandled as discreetly as possible.”

Stewart DeGrey looked at Finn fora moment and then nodded, sinking further into his seat. He placed his head inhis hands. “I’m not sure what I can do. Have you found the driver yet?”

“No,” Winters answered. “But we’recontinuing inquiries.”

“I don’t know how much more ourfamily can take.” His voice almost broke into a sob.

Finn was taken by surprise. Theman was being far more forthcoming than he would have expected, and far moreemotional, too. He thought he’d be dealing with that famous British stiff upperlip. Finn wondered there and then if it was all an act to gain sympathy, but hecouldn’t be sure.

“Mr. DeGrey,” Finn said, “we haveto share with you that we think it’s at least possible that Maggie was killedon purpose.”

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