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"I’ve got hi down She hurried into the kitchen to refill the dog’s food and water, then changed hertrip was tonight, and she’d leave him at the Farm with Sydney
She ran upstairs and packed fresh clothes, then exchanged the regular shoes she’d been wearing for her boots When she hurried down, Dustin and Sa with us today," she told Dustin
"Okay" They went out again, Dustin starting for his car, and Olivia for hers He made an abrupt turn
"What’s your schedule today?" he asked
"Two groups in theA couple of hours with a patient--but only in the pasture--this afternoon A grouptrip at five And then we all head out" She hesitated "Are you going to be around during the day?"
"I have some business to deal with, so I’ll need a few hours thisto happen to you while you’re with the groups I should be back by about noon First, though, I’et there safely, and please keep that pepper spray handy"
She waved, and Sa around the horses but you have to behave, okay, Sarateful that he wasn’t being left hoain
He could call it professional interest Or curiosity Either way, Dustin wasn’t really worried about getting into the ue
And, in fact, it wasn’t difficult He flashed his badge The handsoed woman at the reception desk accepted his credentials without question and told hie Dr Wilson A moment later, he came out and shook Dustin’s hand
Dustin told the most plausible story he could, which was--in thethe Horse Far a few sessions there It’s a vacation with soh cases lately," he told Wilson
Wilson shook his head "I worked LA for a while and wound up doing autopsies on some of the victiuys ht need a break now and then" Wilson seemed trustworthy and solid He was probably in his late fifties, lean, hite hair that was thinning and tufted on top "Come on into my office," he invited
When Dustin was seated in front of hiet right to the point I’m interested in Marcus Danby I’ve become aware of so the way he died What can you tell me?"
"Mr Danby was buried four days after his death, you know"
"Four days? It was about eight, wasn’t it, before you let the police have the results of the autopsy?"
Wilson nodded "I was holding off Not stalling,on a few of the tests I had done because, frankly, I didn’t want the truth out there Trust me--every move I made ithin the law But I have to say, it broke my heart to release that report I sent a nephew out to do souess the whole rehab thing I got hiave hiht into a hack ranch in the area Anyway, I had a lot of respect for Marcus Danby"
"So how did he take the drugs?" Dustin asked
"It was easy to find Needleparaphernalia found near him And it appeared to be a first-time event for Marcus? I heard that he’d been clean for decades"
Theto indicate he’d relapsed at any point before Just the one needle mark"
"And no needles anywhere around hient Blake The police are responsible for finding evidence I can only tell you that Marcus Danby did receive a lethal dose of heroin that caused his heart to fail"
"No alcohol in his systeht have o further?" Dustin noted that Dr Wilson had said "received" rather than "shot up" or any other ter Just heroin"
Dustin leaned forward "Do you really believe the man killed hient Blake," Wilson said
"Well, thank you for your ti here, you know," Dustin told hi to his feet
"No problem" Wilson rose, too, and Dustin turned to leave
"Odd, though," Wilson said in a low voice Dustin immediately turned back "Suppose a man who’d been clean for over twenty years suddenly decided he couldn’t take the pressure anyh one more time Suppose that happened He was off by himself He could’ve had a stash in the woods Butif it were me, I would’ve shot up between the toes, done it so on killing myself, and I don’t think Marcus was--it would be much harder for anyone to see" He paused "Addicts know about these things, these little tricks"
Dustin studied the ain for your time," he said "This has been very informative"