'Get her and the boyfriend out of there as soon as possible,' Delaney advised. 'Then you can tear the place apart.'
'You have the warrants, sergeant?' Thorsen asked.
Boone tapped his breast pocket. 'Right here, sir. She's signed, sealed, and delivered.'
Thorsen remarked on the beauty of the morning; a bare sun rising in a strong sky. He said the papers had predicted rain, but at the moment it looked like a perfect July day.
It went with a minimum of confusion. The screening cars sealed off the block. Two uniformed officers were posted at the outer door of the apartment house. Precinct men began to set up barricades.
The others piled into the lobby. Uniformed men went first, hands on their holstered revolvers. The lobby attendant looked up, saw them coming. He turned white. Sergeant Boone showed the warrants. The man couldn't stop nodding.
They waited a few moments for the roof and corridor men to get in position. Then they crowded into the elevators, taking the lobby attendant along with them.
They gathered outside her door. Boone waved the others aside, then knocked on the door with his knuckles. No response.
He banged on the door with his fist, then put his ear to the panel.
'Nothing,' he reported. 'No sounds at all.' He gestured to the lobby attendant. 'Open it up.'
The man's hands were shaking so hard he couldn't insert the passkeys. Boone took them from him, turned both locks. The door opened a few inches, then caught on the chain.
'I've got a bolt-cutter in my car,' Sergeant Broderick said.
'Wait a minute,' Delaney said. He turned to the attendant. 'Gas or electric ranges?' he asked.
'Gas.'
The Chief stepped close, put his face near the narrow opening, sniffed deeply.
'Nothing,' he reported and stepped aside.
Sergeant Boone took his place.
'Police officers,' he yelled. 'We've got a warrant. Open up.'
No answer.
'They've got to be in there,' Thorsen said nervously.
'Should I get the bolt-cutter?' Broderick asked.
Boone looked to Delaney.
'Kick it in,' the Chief said curtly.
The sergeant stood directly in front of the door. He drew up his leg until his knee almost touched his chin. He drove his foot forward at the spot where the chain showed. Wood splintered, the chain swung free, the door slammed open.
They rushed in, jostling each other. The searchers spread out. Thorsen, Delaney, Dr. Ho, Handry, and Boone stood in the living room, looking around.
'Clean and neat,' the Chief said, nodding.
'Sarge!' Johnson yelled from the bedroom. 'In here!'
They went in, clustered around the bed. They stared down. The drained man with his raw throat gaping wide. The puttied woman wrapped in cloth as thin as a shroud.
'Shit,' Sergeant Boone said bitterly.
Delaney motioned to Dr. Ho. The little man stepped close, put two fingers to the side of Zoe Kohler's neck.
'Ah, yes,' he said gently. 'She is quite, quite deceased.'
He peered closely at the empty pill bottles but did not touch them. The vodka bottle was on its side on the rug, a little clear liquid left.
'Barbiturates?' Handry asked Dr. Ho.
'Ah, I would say so. And the liquor. Usually a lethal combination.'
Ivar Thorsen took a deep breath, hands on his hips. Then he turned away.
'You'll have to clean up this mess, sergeant,' he said. 'Do what you have to do.'
Thorsen and Delaney took the elevator down together.
'She killed him?' the Deputy said. 'Then did the Dutch?'
'Looks like it.'
'How do you figure it?'
'I don't,' Delaney said.
Outside, on the sidewalk, a crowd was beginning to gather. They pushed their way through. They walked slowly to the Deputy's car.
'I'll have to call a press conference,' Thorsen said, 'but I could use a drink first. How about you, Edward?'
'I'll pass.'
'I'll buy,' the Deputy offered.
'Thanks, Ivar,' Edward X. Delaney said, smiling briefly. 'Some other time. I think I'll go home. Monica is waiting for me.'
