She glanced around and caught first Tanaka’s attention and then Jael’s. Tanaka returned to her place at the front of the room while Jael moved to stand by the door. Once they were in place, Pat set her coffee mug down. As she moved to stand in front of the smart boards, conversations ended as everyone waited for news about the investigation.
“Let me start with the good news. Captain Santos made it through the night. Her condition has stabilized but she isn’t out of danger yet.”
She paused when the door opened once again. Seeing Culver and Santiago, she started to call everyone to attention. Before she could, Culver shook his head. While he moved to the front of the room, Santiago took his place next to Jael.
“I know each of you want to be part of the investigation into her shooting,” Pat continued. “However, we have other cases to work. Detective Tanaka, have you selected your team?”
Tanaka took a step forward. “I have, LT.” She glanced around the room and Pat had a feeling she was taking a mental roll, making sure those she’d selected were present. “I’ll be glad to have help from everyone here, when you aren’t working your own cases. But the team running point on the investigation is myself, Officer Murray, Detectives Sears, Nguyen, Norwood, Buttkowski and Timmons. I have tagged techs as well. Also, the DA’s Office has assigned ADA Zee Logan to the case. He’ll make sure we have warrants as we need them.”
“Thanks, Tanaka.” Pat gave a quick jerk of her head, indicating she was taking over again. “If you aren’t part of the lead team, you’re dismissed. I promise we will keep you up-to-date. In fact, when we finish here, I’ll come brief you. In the meantime, work your cases and be ready to brief me on where you stand in an hour.” She watched as those not named, with the exception of Marie, Jael and Culver, left. There were a few frustrated mutters. Since she expected them, she didn’t respond. She’d be upset to be left out as well. “The floor’s yours, Shelly,” she said as the door closed behind the last person to leave.
“Thanks, LT.” She activated the smart boards again and gave everyone a moment to study the information she’d posted. “The shot on the left is the best image we have of the shooter. So far, there’s been no hit on facial recognition. The techs are expanding their search. Unfortunately, it is easier than most people think to change their looks and FR isn’t as speedy or reliable as TV makes it seem.
“The second image is from the car rental. This is the man who rented the van we recovered overnight. GPS confirms it is the van the shooter fled in. But, as you can see, the man who rented the van isn’t our shooter.”
Pat frowned. That was not what she expected to hear. Judging from the grumbles, and a few curses, she heard from the others, they hadn’t expected it either.
“ID?” she asked.
“Bogus.” Tanaka waved off any interruptions. “The rental was made out to a Marcus Lawson. The company checked his ID and insurance information, even made a copy of it all. Unfortunately, it was fake. A damned good one, one of the best I’ve seen in years. But it was fake nonetheless.”
“And the real Lawson?” Pat asked.
“We’re going to pay him a visit when we finish here, LT,” Tim Nguyen said. “Sears left a message to call but we haven’t heard back from him.”
“Take backup with you. Chances are he’s simply a victim of identity theft, but let’s not run any risks.”
“Understood.”
“Detective, did you find anything in the van that might help?” Culver asked.
“Negative, sir, at least not so far,” Tanaka said. “It’s been hauled in and the techs are all over it. They might find prints or other forensic evidence we can use.”
“Tell them I said this case takes priority. If they give you any grief, let me know.”
“Yes, sir, thank you.” Tanaka turned her attention to the whiteboard again and the timeline Murray had put together. “Sears, Nguyen, after you track down the real Marcus Lawson, verify his story. Do deep runs on him to see if there is anything that pops, especially if there is any connection between him and the captain.”
“We’ve already started,” Jenny Sears assured her. “Depending on what he tells us, we may be asking Logan for warrants for his bank accounts and phone records.”
“Keep me in the loop,” Tanaka said and the two detectives assured her they would. “Norwood, I want you and Buttkowski to keep looking at everyone involved in the case the captain was set to testify in yesterday. That seems the obvious connection. So let’s either confirm it or rule it out and move on.”
“We’ve already spoken with the detectives from Assault/Robbery who worked the case. We’re meeting with the ADA in half an hour,” Norwood said.
“Good. Find out why he was so insistent the captain take the stand,” Pat told him. “She wasn’t part of the investigative team. He may know something we don’t. If you need someone to help pave the way, contact ADA Logan.”
“On it, LT.”
“As for you, Byron.” Tanaka looked at the retired detective and shook her head, a slight smile touching her lips, at the sight of the files spread out around him. “I’d like you to dig and dig deep into the captain’s cases over the last several years. See if anyone she’s put away has been released lately and if they threatened her at any time.”
“You got it.”
“If I may?” Jael pushed away from the wall near the door and walked to the front of the room.
Wondering what she had to say, Pat nodded.
“I stopped by the hospital on my way in this morning. Captain Santos was awake for a few minutes and I got a little more information from her.” She pulled out her phone, as if checking her notes. “LT, Tanaka, I’ve emailed you each a copy of the interview.”
Pat gave another nod, her brow furrowing slightly. Jael was playing it close to the vest and she didn’t like it.
“The captain did confirm that the shooter seemed familiar. She still can’t recall, at least not yet, why.” Tanaka and several others made a note of what she said. “She also said she’d received several emails last week that didn’t make any sense. She said they were warnings that she needed be careful. Unfortunately, they didn’t get any more specific. Because they weren’t direct threats, she ignored them.”
“Sergeant, I didn’t see those emails or I would have said something.” Marie’s outrage at not knowing was clear.
“I know.” She gave the woman a reassuring smile. “This is what’s important. The emails came not to the captain’s official email account but to her personal one. I know for a fact very few people have that address. So it’s either someone she knows or someone with the talent to find it out.”
Before she could say anything else, Marie began typing away on her laptop. “Do you have the log-in information for the account?”
“I do and we’ll get on that when the briefing’s over.”
Pat nodded in agreement. She trusted Jael to make sure nothing came from those accounts that could endanger the rest of them.
“Did Captain Santos have anything else to say?” Culver asked.
“Negative, sir. They’re still keeping her pretty sedated. I’ll head back over later today to see if she remembers anything else.”
“When do you think she can have visitors?” Sears asked.
Pat knew the question would come sooner or later. Cops wanted to be there whenever one of their number was injured. But with Sears, it was more. She and Mac had gone through the Academy together. They’d been best friends since then. That relationship had been strained, thanks to the machinations of a former IAB detective. In the time since, they’d both worked hard to repair it.
“They are still limiting who can see her, Jen,” Pat said for Jael. “Dr. Patek was very clear when I spoke with him earlier that he wants to keep it that way until she’s stronger. Just getting someone in to talk with her about what happened has been a major undertaking.”
“We still keeping guards on her?” Buttkowski wanted to know.
“We ar
e, but the hospital has asked that we not have so many present.” Culver’s comment caught Pat by surprise. She opened her mouth to say something only to snap it shut when he gave her a quick shake of his head. “They explained and I agreed. We will have an officer on station outside the two entrances to the secured unit but no one inside.”
Pat didn’t like it and, judging from the looks of her detectives, they didn’t either. Hopefully, Culver would explain after the briefing. In the meantime, they needed to wrap this up and get back to work.
“Understood, sir. Timmons, will you adapt the schedule?”
“Of course, LT.”
“Marie, I’d like you and Sgt. Lindsay to check the captain’s personal email. Find those messages and get them to the appropriate techs. I want to know who sent them, where they were sent from and I want that information yesterday.”
Marie assured her she’d see to it.
“Tanaka, anything else?” When the detective shook her head, Pat looked to Culver. “Sir?” As she spoke, Santiago slipped out of the room.
“You’ve got this well in hand, Lieutenant. Keep me in the loop and let’s get this closed out before anything else happens. If we have a conspiracy that is targeting cops, I don’t want anyone else hurt.”
“We’ll get it done.”
“If you need anything, let Chief Santiago or me know. Now good hunting.” With that, he left the room, closing the door behind him.
“LT, what the hell is going on?” Tanaka ground it out.
Since she had a pretty good idea what Tanaka meant, Pat shook her head. “My guess, politics. But we’re all familiar with the set up at the hospital. The wing is a choke point. Two entries, both require keycards specially coded for the wing to get in. Timmons, make sure we have tanks on the doors. I don’t care if you have to bring them in from other divisions or units. I want the biggest, meanest sons of bitches you can find to guard those doors. Make sure they understand no one not on the lists are allowed in and that they are to be in their vests and fully armed.”
“Already on it, LT.”
“Norwood, Buttkowski, get to the courthouse and see what that ADA can tell you. Update Tanaka once you have,” she continued. “Shelly, let me know when you head back out into the field.”
“Will do, LT.”
“Jael, I’d like a word in my office. Marie, join us please.”
“Why don’t we do it in the captain’s office, LT?” Jael suggested.
She nodded. “I’ll meet you there.” She glanced at the whiteboards and motioned for Tanaka to join her. “What’s your next move?”
“See what the guy whose ID was used to rent the van has to say. I want to go back to the captain’s neighbors and see if anyone recognizes the second perp. And I need to talk to her myself, see if she recognizes him.”
Pat nodded. “I’ll make it happen.” She thought for a moment before continuing. “One suggestion. Have Norwood or Buttkowski when they get back check to see if any similar cases have been reported, not just locally but nationwide. Let’s make sure we don’t have a couple of cop haters smart enough to jump jurisdictions so they won’t get caught.”
Tanaka sucked in a quick breath and her expression turned hard. “I’ll get both of them on it as soon as they get back. They can send out the inquiries and then move on to the captain’s caseload.”
“Thanks.” Pat drained her coffee. “I’ll order in lunch for everyone later.”
“You don’t have to, LT.”
“I know but we’re all going to be putting in extra hours on this. I want to make sure we aren’t missing meals.”
“Then I’d better make sure Murray and I talk to the captains’ neighbors soon so we’re back in time.”
“Mind if I tag along when you head out?”
“Glad to have you, LT. The neighbors know you. That will help.”
“Then I’ll let you get to it. Let me know when you’re ready to go.” She glanced at Officer Murray. “Murray, change into soft clothes before you hit the field. Don’t forget your vest.”
“Roger that, LT.” The young woman tried not to smile and failed.
Grinning, Pat glanced at Tanaka and winked. Tanaka’s smile confirmed what Pat hoped, the two were going to make a good team. But now she had to do the morning brief with the rest of the squad before joining Jael and Marie in Mac’s office.
* * *
“How is she?” General Gerald Flynn asked the moment he came to the phone.
“Healing.” Ellen willed herself to believe it. Mac might not be as seriously injured as they let the rest of the world believe, but she was still badly hurt. It would take time for her to heal, time they might not have. “But I’m afraid the proverbial shit is about to hit the fan.”
For a moment, Flynn said nothing. Then he blew out a long breath, as if bracing himself for what she had to say. “Tell me.”
“They still don’t have a name for the shooter. Mackenzie said he looked familiar, but she hasn’t remembered from where. Pat’s people found the van he used abandoned across town last night. So far, however, they don’t have anything to go on.”
“All right. I’ll contact Lindsay and coordinate with her. I know why she hasn’t officially asked us to intervene, but that doesn’t mean she can’t make use of our people as needed.”
“Agreed.” Ellen glanced back at the door to Mac’s room and stepped further down the corridor. She didn’t want her granddaughter overhearing what she had to say. “There’s more.”
“I figured. What?”
“Pat and Jael had a talk with Ferguson.” Frustration thickened her voice. When this was over, she planned on making sure those two understood how foolish they’d acted. But that had to wait. “He denied having anything to do with what happened. They believed him, to a point. But that’s not why I called. Ferguson said to tell Jackson the pack would be out of town and out of the state by the new moon.”
For a long moment, Flynn didn’t say anything. Ellen waited, giving him time to consider what she said. No doubt the news struck him as it had her. It didn’t make sense. But did it mean they knew who hurt Mac and were getting out of town before their connection to what happened was discovered?
“That makes no sense,” Flynn finally said.
“Agreed. Lycans never voluntarily give up territory unless they’ve hunted it out or a more powerful pack moves in. We both know neither of those has happened. So why leave. More importantly, why leave now?”
“I take it he hadn’t informed the Tribunal.”
“Not a word.”
“Sorry, Ellen. You know I had to be sure.”
She nodded even though he couldn’t see. It was one of those comments everyone knew the answer to but it had to be made just to make sure there were no misconceptions or misunderstandings.
“So you see my concern, Ger. It might be coincidence but, like my granddaughter, I don’t believe in coincidences.”
“Agreed.” He paused and she heard him shuffling papers. “I’ve already ordered Mateo and his team to Dallas. Unfortunately, it will be another several hours at least before they arrive thanks to flight delays. Then they’ll need to get up to speed with what’s happened. I’ll be contacting Lindsay as well. We will stay in the background, but I want our people working with her to find out what’s going on and to keep Mac and the rest of you safe.”
“Have your teams heard anything out of the ordinary about any of the packs?”
“Not that they’ve reported to me, but I will find out.”
Ellen nodded as Jackson appeared in the doorway to Mac’s room and motioned to her. “Let me know what you find out. I need to go.”
“Watch yourself, Ellen.”
“I will, Ger. I’ll update you later.” She ended the call and sent a quick text. It was time to update the rest of the Tribunal and make sure they were safe. If this was an attempt to strike at them, they needed to be prepared. With that done, she slid her phone into her pocket and hurried to where Jackson stood.
>
“She’s awake.”
Relieved, she reached out and gave his hand a quick squeeze. Then she stepped past him. As she did, she smiled to see Elizabeth helping Mac sit up a little. Hopefully, this was another indication her granddaughter was on the road to recovery.
* * *
“Sergeant, I swear I didn’t know about the e-mails,” Marie said the moment they entered Mac’s office. “I’d have told you and Lt. King if I did.”
Jael smiled in reassurance as she motioned for the woman to sit behind Mac’s desk. “I know you, Marie. Just as I know you’d do everything possible to protect her and to find the bastard who shot her.”
Marie nodded, her expression fierce. Then she inhaled deeply. A moment later, she blew out a breath before switching on Mac’s computer. As she did, Jael copied down the log-in information Mac gave her and handed it over.
“Do your magic and find out everything you can about the e-mails.” She glanced at the door, making sure they couldn’t be overheard. “Marie, I haven’t formally asked General Flynn for assistance in the case. Hell, officially I can’t. That would have to come from Chief Culver. But you know Mac is the liaison between his unit and the DPD. He’s already offered any and all help to find the SOB who shot her. He doesn’t care if it is official or unofficial. So forward him the emails along with anything you’ve found. He’ll have their tech dig into it as well.”
“Understood.” Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she opened up Mac’s email client and then typed in her login and password. “And, for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re using his resources.”
Jael frowned slightly. If that wasn’t a loaded statement, she didn’t know what was.
“Why?”
For a moment, Marie didn’t answer. Jael waited, all but holding her breath.
“Sergeant—Jael, Mac’s special, in more ways than most people will ever realize. We both know that. I might not understand it all, but I wasn’t Michael King’s admin for as long as I was without realizing there are things the public-at-large isn’t ready to know. I also know General Flynn and his unit aren’t exactly your normal Homeland operatives. I have a pretty good idea why. Add to that the loyalty they have all shown the captain and I’m more than glad they are stepping up to help.”
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