by Jeff Carson
“Wait, stop. Go to that last one.”
Levenworth swiped back. “One of the ribs.”
Wolf was more concerned with the footprint in the dirt next to it. It had the identical diamond pattern from the crime scene.
“Thanks,” Wolf said stepping back.
Levenworth sat down.
“Do you know where these bones were … exhumed?”
“Somewhere in northwest Colorado. That’s all I know.”
Wolf narrowed his eyes. “Is this a legitimate deal?”
Levenworth’s eyes went cold.
“It’s a valid question Senator. You say the bones are from northwestern Colorado. Last time I checked the majority of land up there where they were pulling out dinosaur fossils was a place called Dinosaur National Monument. I would say it’s gotta be against some federal laws to dig up a fossil specimen from there and sell it.”
“It was found on private property. Well outside the boundaries of the National Monument.”
“I thought you said they were exhumed ‘somewhere in northwest Colorado,’ and that’s all you knew.”
MacLean started rubbing his eyes.
Levenworth gave a conceding hand gesture and nod. “Yes, okay. I was told it was private property, away from the Monument. Clearly, with the nature of my job I was concerned about that. Ryan Frost gave me his word. He said he had proof and he could provide it if need be.”
“And he didn’t show you this proof?”
“He’s a broker. He takes a ten to twenty percent cut of the purchase price. I understood his motives to keep the location secret and I didn’t press. Like I say, I trusted him, but I guess he didn’t trust me. Didn’t want me going straight to the seller and cutting him out.”
Wolf let the information settle in his brain for a few seconds. “And, if I may ask, what’s in it for you? A centerpiece in your living room?”
Levenworth chuckled and splayed his hands, like he’d been waiting for someone to ask him the question. “In 2010, a female Allosaurus Fragilis that a team found in Wyoming was sold at auction in Paris for $1.8 million.”
MacLean whistled softly and leaned back in his chair.
“That specimen was considered to be seventy percent complete.” Levenworth twisted a ring on his finger, “this one is seventy-five. At least. And larger.”
MacLean chuckled softly. “That sounds like a payday.”
Levenworth sipped his coffee and shrugged.
“Back to the terms of the deal,” Wolf said. “You were supposed to pick up the bones this morning. When were the bones supposed to be delivered?”
“Frost told me they were going to be delivered yesterday—Sunday. Hence my timeframe of flying in and picking them up this morning.”
“Who else knew about this deal?”
Levenworth pulled down the corners of his mouth. “Hell, I don’t know. I assume the seller had a team. You don’t just dig up a specimen like that alone. Let’s see, then, maybe Frost’s wife? Anyone else he told … his family? I haven’t told anyone else, except for my wife and a contact I have at the auction house in Paris … but I really didn’t get into specifics of what I had with that contact, other than letting him know I was going to be bringing something big. You know, whet his appetite.”
“You tell any friends in DC?”
He laughed. “Friends? Ha!”
MacLean hissed a laugh through his teeth.
“No, I didn’t tell anyone in Washington. I’ve learned to keep my personal affairs private with those jackals.” He smiled at MacLean, just like a jackal, Wolf thought.
“Anything that struck you as odd about the deal? I mean, other than having to put up a million cash, unsecured?”
Levenworth eyed Wolf for a second, like he was trying to figure out if Wolf was needling him or not, then said, “I guess the secretive nature of the whole find was odd to me. I swear, I really was vigilant in making sure the bones came from private property. Because usually, in the fossil circles, a find like this becomes big news fast. People often like to shout from the highest mountain that they’ve found what they have, especially if they’re looking to sell it. I mean, why not call in the newspapers, get some news crews in there? Get some buzz going? It did strike me as odd.” He shrugged.
After a few seconds of silence MacLean slapped a rhythm on his desk. “Well? I think you’ve been a great help, sir. We thank you.”
“And we’d appreciate it if you stayed available,” Wolf said.
Levenworth nodded. “I’m going to stick around for a few days, see how this pans out.”
Wolf nodded. “There is one more thing, Senator.”
“What’s that?”
“It looks like the worst-case scenario happened with your money. I’m sorry, but we didn’t find it.”
The Senator looked unfazed. “I’m not interested in the money.”
Wolf nodded. “I understand. We didn’t find the bones either.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry.”
Levenworth recovered with a convincing smile. “Well, I hear you’re the best. I have no doubt you’ll find them.”
Wolf nodded. “I have no doubt I’ll find the killers either.”
Levenworth hesitated, and then nodded with closed eyes. “Of course. Of course.”
Wolf walked out the door and left it open behind him.
Barker’s squeaking shoes trailed behind Wolf into the squad room.
“What’s next?” Barker asked.
Wolf turned around and eyed Barker. The Sergeant Deputy was the senior most ranking deputy on Wolf’s squad, appointed to the team by MacLean without any input from Wolf.
Wolf still remembered meeting Deputy Greg Barker for the first time. It had been down in Byron County, when it was still the stand-alone Byron County and not merged with Sluice. Barker had been on crime scene log duty, standing with his clipboard, a satisfied grin on his beady-eyed face when Wolf had needed to leave and an ambulance had locked him into his parking spot.
The image of Greg Barker getting ultimate pleasure at Wolf’s misfortune, though how temporary and dumb the misfortune had been, was locked in his mind. In that single shit-eating grin, Wolf had read the man like a Where’s Waldo book. The man was a climber—ready to step on anyone in the process to get where he wanted to go.
“What is it sir?” Barker asked, his face twisted in what looked like mock confusion.
Wolf had a suspicion his detective was thinking about that exact same moment now too.
“Nothing.”
MacLean stepped out of his office, shut the door behind him, and waved Wolf to the windows. “I need to speak to you.”
Barker took the hint and meandered away through the desks.
Wolf and MacLean stepped to the windows overlooking Main Street three stories down.
The stop sign swayed below. People on the sidewalks leaned into the raging air. The pine trees bent and thrashed.
“Damn, something’s rolling in,” MacLean said.
Wolf said nothing.
MacLean put his hand on Wolf’s shoulder and squeezed. “I know this is a particularly tough one. Cassidy’s dad and all.”
Wolf nodded.
“I saw her and Jack downstairs. Did you see them?”
“Yeah.”
They stared outside for a few seconds, and then MacLean looked back at his office. Senator Levenworth was apparently staying a while longer.
“I know what you’re going to tell me,” Wolf said.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. You’ve got your nose so far up the Senator’s ass it’s not hard to figure out.”
MacLean squared off. “One of these days you’re going to learn some respect. Just because you’ve been sheriff once doesn’t mean you are now.”
“The bones weren’t there,” Wolf said. “And even if we find them in the course of this investigation they’re going to be held in evidence for a long time.”
MacLean stood silent.
> Wolf looked over his shoulder toward the office. “This guy’s a crook. He’s paying with untraceable bills, all cash? He knows the source of these bones is suspect. And you’re going to help him get his hands on them?”
MacLean made a wishy-washy gesture but said nothing.
“What? You really think this guy can help you with re-election in three years?”
MacLean snorted. “You think he can’t? You’re lucky I took this job. You wouldn’t last a single term.”
There was movement and sound on the street below. A young man, early twenties, was marching away from a vehicle that had been parked across the street—illegally. Another man of the same age had gotten out of the passenger side and was jogging after him.
A muffled honk filtered through the glass as a car stopped just short of hitting the lead kid, who didn’t flinch or bother looking.
“I gotta go,” Wolf said.
“Listen,” MacLean grabbed his shoulder, “I just … want to make sure you’re taking front and center on this.”
Wolf glanced over into the squad room, catching Deputy Barker studying their conversation. “What? You don’t want to put your man Barker on this?”
MacLean looked down and hitched up his pants.
“Detective Wolf, please come to reception. Detective Wolf,” Tammy’s voice said over the speaker system.
Wolf left down the hall.
Chapter 6
“Detective Wolf, please come to reception. Detective Wolf.” Tammy said again, this time with a tinge of impatience.
Wolf upped his pace and skipped a stair between steps. When he reached the stairwell door to the first floor he could already hear the furious barking.
Launching into the hall, Wolf sprinted to the lobby.
There was a swarm of men, with their shouts and squeaking shoes, and Jet barking on the perimeter, searching for an entrance into the mayhem between tangled legs.
Cassidy’s brother had arrived.
“Hey!” Wolf shouted.
Jet flung saliva into the air off his bared fangs as he barked.
“Jet! Heel!”
Jet went quiet, backed up and sat.
Wolf sprinted to the center of the chaos, peeling Jack and Nate’s arms off. Jack saw Wolf and backed away, but Nate stayed in close.
Amid the sweat and adrenaline, the stench of alcohol was strong.
Keegan’s eyes were wild, his lips drooling, teeth bared.
“What the fuck did you say?” He yelled at Nate.
Nate shook his head and backed away, slapping at Keegan’s hand to let go of his t-shirt.
“Stop it, Keegan!” Cassidy screamed at the top of her lungs.
The room went silent.
Keegan looked like he was punched between the eyes. He swallowed and panted, staring at Cassidy.
“Stop,” she said.
“Is it true?” Keegan asked her.
Cassidy stepped to her brother and hugged him around the arms.
“Is it true?” The young man stood motionless, staring past them all for a few seconds, and then he dropped his head and racked with sobs.
Wolf locked eyes with the second man who had come in with Keegan. He looked early twenties, straight out of a sleeping bag and into the car for a few hours—and he looked dumbstruck. His pupils were pinpricks, eyes frozen open.
Wolf walked to him, grabbed him by the sides of his head with both hands and pulled him close, taking a big sniff of his breath. “You been drinking?”
“Last night,” the kid said.
“And him?” Wolf thumbed toward Keegan Frost.
“Last night.”
Must have been some kegger.
“Where?”
“Blue Mesa. The reservoir.”
“Where do you live?”
“Off fifth. Fifth and Wildflower.”
“Walk home.”
Wolf walked up behind Keegan and squeezed his front pockets. “Give me your keys.”
Keegan let go of his sister and twisted violently, just missing Wolf with a flying elbow.
Wolf locked one of Keegan’s muscular arms behind his back and pushed him into the corner.
Keegan fought but Wolf had him solidly. He put his lips to Keegan’s ear. “You need to calm down and give me your keys. You’re in the sheriff’s department and reek of beer. Now I said I want your keys. Got that?”
Keegan’s body slackened and he nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”
Wolf held tight for another few seconds and then let go.
They bounced apart, and Keegan faced him and wiped his lips. He dug into his pocket and tossed Wolf the keys.
Wolf caught them and flung them at Nate in one motion. “Can you move that to a proper spot?”
Nate wiped his nose and nodded. “Yeah.”
Keegan looked like the fight had left him now, and he searched the room for his sister again. Without another word he stumbled to her and hugged her tight.
Nate looked like he was going to leave, then hesitated and walked to Wolf. “You all right?”
“Yeah. You?”
Nate nodded.
“You going to talk to him? Take some sort of statement?” Nate asked.
“Not right now.”
“Okay. I’m going to take them to my house. And you don’t have to worry about Jack. I’ll take him to my house and give him a ride home if he needs it.”
“Thanks.”
“And you?”
Wolf shrugged. “I’ll go pick up Trudy Frost and get back to work on this thing.”
They stared one another down for a few seconds. Nate broke first and looked at his feet, and then he scratched his chin. A classic I-want-to-say-something Nate gesture.
“What?”
“I could take Jet … but …”
Wolf waited for the rest of the sentence, then understood. “But Kenny’s allergic.” Kenny was Nate’s youngest of three sons, and the allergy was no joke. “Okay.”
“I could just put him outside. It would be no trouble.”
Wolf shook his head. “No. I’ll keep him here and take him back to my house later.”
“You sure?” Nate asked.
“Let’s go Jet.” Wolf looked around the room.
Jet was already by the bank of elevators sitting patiently.
“Huh.” Wolf smiled without mirth. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
Chapter 7
“Jeffrey Green, professor of paleontology at the University of Utah,” Patterson’s high-pitched voice echoed through the amphitheater squad room. “He was using his University email account to communicate with Frost.”
Wolf stood at the front of the situation room. The polar opposite of the tiny one he’d been used to for over a decade, this room could seat sixty, with rows that climbed up at a twenty-degree angle. He also knew the room could fill up to capacity and beyond, because twice he’d spoken to the entire department, and both times the room had been packed like the ski resort parking lot on New Year’s Eve.
He had since gotten used to the whole feeling, and besides, there were only a few of them. The only discomfort he felt now was in his nose from the billowing smell coming from Jet’s butt.
Wolf walked to the bank of windows on the east side and pulled up the blinds. The panoramic view of the mountains to the east was brightly lit by the late afternoon sun. He opened two windows a foot and took a greedy inhale of the fresh air.
Patterson clicked a mouse button on her laptop and a website for the University of Utah paleontology department flashed on the giant screen at the front of the room.
After a few more clicks there was a bio on the projector screen. The heading said Professor Jeffrey Green, PhD.
In the photo, Professor Green wore round, black-framed glasses that that hid the color of his eyes behind a white glare. His mouth was small and his smile puckered, only a few crooked upper teeth showing. Hair greasy and black, it was in stark contrast to his white skin, and it was combed straight to the side to try and cover a promine
nt bald spot on the top of his small head.
“Harry Potter did not age well,” Rachette said.
Hernandez and Dr. Lorber laughed, and Rachette leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smile.
Patterson clicked her laptop mouse and an email came up. “According to this email, Green was due to deliver the bones to Ryan Frost last night at 8:00 pm.”
Hernandez’s mustache stretched in a smile. “Such a smart woman. If you could cook like my wife, then you would be fighting me off.”
“Down boy,” Rachette said.
Jet lifted his head off the floor and looked at Rachette.
“Not you. You stop farting. My god, what is Jack feeding this animal?”
“It’s a common gastro-intestinal disorder with German Shepherds,” Dr. Lorber, the county Chief Medical Examiner said. “Especially those that have gotten on in age. You need to put him on, and keep him on, proper medicine.”
“Thanks, everyone,” Wolf said aloud. “Can we get started?”
“We have fourteen exchanges back and forth between Professor Green and Ryan Frost,” Patterson said.
“Professor Green?” A voice came from the doorway at the back of the room. It was MacLean with Undersheriff Wilson behind him.
MacLean sauntered in and wrinkled his nose, then sat down.
Wilson nodded to Wolf and Patterson and sat quietly with a notepad and paper.
“It’s the dog,” Rachette said when MacLean looked at him.
“Sure it is.” MacLean pointed at the big screen. “Who’s Professor Green?”
“Professor Green works at the University of Utah,” Patterson repeated. “He’s been there eleven years according to his bio, and he teaches a few classes in the paleontology department on Jurassic Fauna.”
“Jurassic fauna?” MacLean asked. “Animals?”
She nodded.
“Why don’t they just say that?” MacLean asked.
Rachette nodded. “That’s what I said.”
MacLean ignored Rachette and blinked.
“When ... we found out it was Professor Green,” Patterson said, “I took the liberty of checking his financial records, and according to his credit card statements he rented a UrMover truck from Windfield, Colorado, two days ago—Saturday afternoon—at 12:25 pm.”