Lethal Outbreak by Malcolm Rose Page B

in and see how Lexi’s getting on.’
    Dominic was either comfortable with his innocence or completely confident that his guilt was well concealed. Carefree, he replied, ‘Okay.’
    Troy made for the door while, behind him, came the loud growl of the chainsaw, hungry for timber.
     
    Troy found Lexi peering slyly inside a ground-floor study. ‘Is that where he keeps his shirts?’ Troy asked with a grin.
    ‘I’ve done all that,’ she told her partner in a whisper. ‘I was just wondering if he’s converted a room into a lab. Nothing so far. I can’t be too long or he’ll get suspicious. But I’d like to check an outbuilding at the back.’
    ‘He’s busy. Listen,’ said Troy. ‘That’s his chainsaw. We’ll be okay while he’s making that noise.’
    Unseen, the saw’s motor idled for a few seconds and then revved into action once more.
    Together, Troy and Lexi crept out of the back door and into the rear garden. They crossed the lawn towards a wooden structure. It was too large and solid to call a shed, but not large and solid enough to be a cottage. They were half way across the grass when the chainsaw fell silent.
    Caught in no man’s land, they decided to carry on. But, when they were five metres from the door, Dominic’s voice called out, ‘No shirts in there.’
    They turned towards the detective. He was standing at the corner of the lawn with the saw still in his hand.
    Troy didn’t try to disguise the fact that they were having a sneaky inspection of his home. ‘What is in it?’
    Dominic lifted the chainsaw to waist height. ‘I take my gardening seriously. Tools. You can’t go in right now because it’s locked. No key on me.’
    ‘Never mind,’ Troy said. ‘Lexi’s finished anyway. We’re off.’
    ‘Good,’ Dominic replied.
     
    In the car, Troy muttered, ‘Strange he didn’t have a key for his shed. How did he get the chainsaw out?’
    ‘As far as I could see, if he’s got a chemistry lab, it’ll be in his hut.’
    Troy nodded. ‘We may have to go back but, for now, how did you get on?’
    Lexi tapped some keys on her life-logger. ‘He’s got one shirt with a button that could’ve made the impression. It falls within the error limits.’
    ‘I feel a “but” coming on.’
    ‘If it was the only button in the world that fits … Hey presto, we’ve got our man. But we don’t know how common it is.’
    ‘So it’s good evidence but south of definite. It keeps him on the hit list.’
    ‘Yeah.’
    ‘I’ve been checking out his record of arrests.’ Troy glanced at his own life-logger. ‘He’s bagged far more outers than majors. And that’s not all.’
    ‘Oh?’
    ‘There are some bits of kit that aren’t accounted for.’
    ‘Such as?’
    ‘He had some miniature surveillance stuff and he hasn’t returned it yet. Like a spy camera.’
    ‘What else?’
    ‘A couple of bugs.’
    ‘For listening or eating?’ Lexi asked with a smile.

SCENE 26
    Thursday 17th April, Lunchtime
    The Hungry Human was not a happy place. The waiter complained, ‘All of a sudden, the powers-that-be are coming down on mixed menus like a ton of bricks. I don’t know why. It doesn’t make sense. They seem to want us to cater for outers or majors but not both. That’s not what we’re about.’
    Lexi nodded. ‘So you’re still going to serve us? An outer and a major?’
    ‘Of course. It’s what we do.’
    ‘Good for you,’ Troy replied.
    They each ordered a lunch. While they waited, Troy whispered, ‘I want to gate-crash the TRAPTmeeting tonight but I can’t. Precious Austin might have warned them about me. She might even be there to point me out. We can’t send Dominic Varney in. He’s a pro at undercover work and he’s been before, but he’s looking more and more like a serious suspect. Sadly. And you can’t go because you’re an undesirable – an outer.’
    ‘There’s an obvious solution.’
    ‘What’s that?’
    ‘You go in disguise.’
    ‘Tell me you’re