Kat swiftly adjusted her aim again and, without waiting to be certain, fired at the driver’s side windshield of that other truck. The glass cracked and the vehicle swung wildly and ran off the side of the road. She flicked the safety back on and slid her rifle back down through the window behind the driver’s seat. Then she wiggled herself in as well.
She took the wheel from MacTierney. “Now put those goggles on my head so I can see where we’re going.”
MacTierney fumbled them off his own face and carefully strapped them back over Kat’s head. Then he gently refastened her seatbelt for her. Which was good—she’d need that. Especially since Grace had now gotten back into the vehicle as well.
Now that their pursuers were temporarily out of action, it was time to put some water between them. Kat pushed the pedal to the floor and glided into the left lane and passed Fiona. And kept going without worrying about the woman’s ability to keep up. She could and would.
Grace must’ve been wondering and looked back to see. “My mom’s sticking right behind us.”
Kat grinned. “I bet I can guess what the expression on her face is like. Let me know if she starts to fall back.”
For the next several minutes there was wonderful silence and she was able to focus on keeping the tank’s wheels on the road and search for hazards in the way. And hope for a flash of inspiration to show her where to head now.
It was Grace who broke into that silence. “Why did you tell me to target the vehicles instead of the people? You took out three of them.”
“Because I was targeting the shooters. No need to aim at the same targets. Besides, that cannon of yours was better suited to stopping those trucks.”
“You did a fair enough job with the second one.”
Kat smiled to herself. She didn’t mind the faint praise from Grace—another reason she’d taken the responsibility of shooting those people was to keep the girl from having to do it. Kat didn’t know what her history was—but she doubted that the girl had ever been forced to take a human life. Kat had, and she wasn’t about to put another person in that position. Particularly Chief Cameron’s daughter.
“It’s not easy shooting from a moving vehicle.” Kat probably couldn’t have made those shots before Chief Cameron had helped her improve. “Your dad must have taught you how to shoot.”
“Of course he did.”
Quiet once again descended and Kat turned her concentration back to finding a place to stop during the day. Remembering one of the many tidbits that Tony had drilled into her before she left, she turned off a little ways past a narrow dirt road—she didn’t want to leave any obvious tracks—across a swath of dead, dry grass. Then the wheels lurched down and Kat flew up against the seatbelt restraining her and almost hit her head on the ceiling.
A second later she landed back hard in the seat as the carrier climbed up the other side of the shallow ditch she’d failed to see coming at her. At least these ‘jeeps’ of Fiona’s didn’t have a problem handling it, unlike Kat’s tailbone. She slowed to avoid any more unpleasant surprises and idly wondered if Fiona had gotten the same sharp jolt.
The first faint hint of approaching dawn began to intrude over the horizon as Kat pulled around a large copse of trees and parked. Behind that, they’d be hidden from the road. Someone might still occupy the ranch house attached to this abandoned pastureland, but it was far away and out of sight.
Fiona pulled up on the other side and started to climb out right away, her passengers not far behind her. The woman herself stalked over to Kat’s driver side door before she’d managed to get one foot out.
“What was that all about? And don’t think you would get away with wrecking my jeep.”
Kat smiled at her. “I’m glad you’re alright. And I’d much rather explain to your husband about losing one of his vehicles than one of his family. These can be fixed or replaced. And you’re welcome.”
Fiona sniffed. “Well, now what? You’re probably tired after all that excitement, but someone has to keep a watch out in case that trash returns.”
“I’m wide awake and likely to stay that way, but I noticed a small stream in walking distance across the pasture. I understand it’s mostly dried up, but there should be enough water there for you and the girls to wash up a bit if you want. But you should go before it gets too light out.”
Fiona looked to the east across the dead grass to see the stream and the blood-red sun just starting to rise beyond it. “We could use some freshening up. And the walk would do us good after being cramped in that tin bucket. What about you and MacTierney though?”
“Somebody needs to stay on guard in case those thugs show up. And I can wait until dusk for washing my face.”
Fiona snorted and jerked her head at Grace and then stepped back to her jeep to put some things in her bag. She then started marching across the dead grass and her daughters followed.
Lacey hesitated, looking at Kat. “I can go later, with you. So you don’t have to go alone.”
Kat shooed her on. “I can take care of myself.”
Lacey straggled after the others, and soon all of them were nothing but tiny specks in the distance—then Kat turned to MacTierney. “Keep a watch and tell me the minute they start coming back.”
Her sergeant gaped at her for a moment before turning to watch the miniscule figures. She started examining Fiona’s vehicle first, but after a thorough going over she found nothing. It was searching her own vehicle that she found what she’d been looking for—a tracking device behind the back bumper.
It was a crude radio transmitter, but small. Bart must’ve placed it there before he had slinked off the previous night, which raised a number of questions. Like why the Aryans had taken so long to find them and how they’d lost them again. If they did lose us.
Then there was the more interesting problem of why Bart would’ve had such a thing on him to plant in the first place. Kat sat down on the ground and contemplated that and more while waiting for MacTierney to signal the others were returning.
When the time came, she’d decided to leave the little device exactly where she’d found it.
Chapter 11
Eye of the Storm
6:15 a.m. Monday, March 3rd
ANTHONY leaned back in a chair in Ken’s office, listening to David stand there and tell his story for the third time. It was detailed, thorough, and well-organized—exactly the same as the first two times. For all his faults, the young man excelled at observing and reporting the facts—but he’d come to Security with those skills already. Hopefully once he was back as Lisa’s partner, she could finish turning him into a good officer.
When Tony and Susan had arrived at the Guard HQ shortly after midnight, they’d had to hear Sgt. Carruthers’ story first. With a more intimate understanding of what was going on, David’s report had been more helpful—and included a lot of details he couldn’t share with his nominal superior.
Susan had been in Anthony’s office, giving him her report on the progress she had made that evening, when the call had come. Although she had been scheduled to go off duty already, he had brought her along to the crime scene and made her stick around long enough to pick up the basic details of the case. Then he’d sent her home to rest so she could switch over to the day shift.
He’d left Salazar and Gabe on patrol, trusting in their ability to handle anything else that popped up, and summoned Paul and Sara to the crime scene to help him keep it under control. It would be a good learning experience for them. And he’d sent Kirkland and Michelle a message that they should come start their shift at the scene. Because they were the ones he really wanted conducting the initial investigation.
Kirkland was an old hand at handling scenes of crime. And while Michelle Mori was still a relative rookie, she’d earned degrees in biology and chemistry—and was working on a graduate degree in medical research. When she’d applied to work in Security, Anthony had seen that she got some basic training in criminalistics. Now she’d become his
de facto crime scene technician. Though until now he hadn’t actually needed one.
After making sure those two had the investigation at the scene going smoothly, he’d sent Paul and Sara out to the buffer zone to interview the guards who’d been posted there overnight. He himself had gone back over everything with the four guards who had been in the building. They were the only people except for the victim known to be in the building.
Anthony hadn’t been too tired to remember to call Ben back at the Resource Room to have him begin going over the digital logs for every locking and unlocking of every door in the Guard HQ.
Finally, as dawn was approaching, he had taken David to Chief Cameron’s office to give Ken the full picture and let him hear David’s report for himself. Then Anthony explained what he wanted from both men.
“David, I want you to continue acting as a night-shift guard. And keep your eyes open—whatever is going on, it’s definitely centered on this building.” Anthony turned to Ken. “I’m sure you don’t have a problem giving David here a bit more latitude than you’d normally allow one of your guards?”
Leaning back in his own impressive chair with his fingers laced across his belly, Ken grunted. “Do you expect me to object? That young lady was killed in this very building, on my watch. I want you to do whatever you have to do to find whoever’s responsible. But you had better find them.”
Which gave Anthony the opening he wanted. “If that’s the case, I’m sure you won’t object to my officers confiscating all of the guards’ sidearms for testing. Someone’s gun was used to commit murder. If we can find it, we’ll be that much closer to finding the killer.”
Ken growled. “And how are my guards going to do their job? If all of this is sabotage in advance of an attack on the compound, we’re already at a disadvantage with so few guards. And how about your own officers—aren’t you going to test their guns?”
Anthony nodded. “Of course. Any weapon that doesn’t have a cast-iron alibi will be confiscated. As for defending the compound, your guards will still have their rifles.”
“Then you won’t be needing David’s gun or the weapons of those other three guards who were present when the shot was heard.”
David himself spoke into the momentary pause that comment caused. “Actually, sir, I already gave up my nine-millimeter for testing. I’m sure they’ve taken Carruthers’ and the others’ as well.”
Ken looked confused and raised his eyebrows at Anthony. “Don’t tell me you really consider David a suspect? And how could any of those four men, or their guns, have possibly been responsible?”
Anthony sighed. “I’m not convinced the sound they heard was the actual shot that killed Crystal.”
Ken scrunched his face. “What are you talking about?”
“You heard David’s story. When he pounded on the door earlier, why didn’t Crystal answer? I have to consider the possibility that she was already dead, and that somehow the sound of a shot was staged to give the murderer an alibi. Which would mean one of those four men was the killer.”
David almost yelped. “You think I might have killed her?”
Anthony shook his head. “No, otherwise I’d not have given you the instructions I did.”
Ken grunted again. “Alright. Do what you have to do—but I expect any of my guards who have ‘cast-iron alibis’ for themselves and their guns to be able to keep their weapons.”
“Certainly. The six guards on the two gates last night are in the clear. They had their weapons, and Neilson and Wagner confirmed they were armed at their posts when they came by to relieve them. And no one went in or out of the Guard HQ during their short breaks.”
“What about my day-shift guards, locked in the barracks? And Sgt. Rose?”
“Rose was at home all night with his family, but it’s not a perfect alibi. The rest of the day shift had put their sidearms back into the armory when they went off duty, though, so they’re alright.”
Ken growled. “Plus I had the barracks on lockdown. I assume your security logs show that no one went in or out during the night.”
Anthony nodded, but before he could comment further, David cleared his throat, clearly wanting to say something.
“Sirs, does it have to be limited to security officers and guards? There are other possibilities, aren’t there?”
Anthony wanted to grin but restrained himself. He really hadn’t been getting enough sleep. “There is something else to consider. Weapons we can’t or haven’t accounted for.”
Ken scowled. He must’ve been recalling his own anger when he’d conducted an audit of the armory, only to find several guns still missing after the coup attempt. “But we concluded those two traitors who escaped the compound took the missing weapons.”
“We assumed it must be so, but we don’t know. And we’ve suspected there might be other moles in the community still. But if there are we have yet to find them.”
David piped in again. “But even if an unknown enemy had one of those guns and used it to kill Crystal, how did they get into the locked-down building to do it? Someone must’ve let them in.”
Anthony nodded. “There’s also a chance a gun was smuggled into the FURC before it was sealed.”
David’s face was grim. “And I never did find out what Sgt. Rossiter was delivering in his duffel bag.”
Anthony suddenly felt quite weary. “From what I discovered in those young men’s rooms, it must’ve been money. But it could’ve been money and guns. If so, we have no idea where those weapons are now. And that’s a very disturbing thought.”
A low, deep growl sounded from Ken. “Either way, when people start finding out someone inside the community was murdered—with a gun—it may start a panic.”
Anthony nodded again. “It’ll be bad enough for people to think a security officer or guard might be responsible. We can’t spread around speculation of unaccounted-for weapons as well. Since it wouldn’t remove suspicion from the officers and guards, but only give people more reasons to be afraid. The only thing to do is solve this case before people find out.”
He looked back up at David. “It’s clear that you think Crystal was killed because of something she’d seen or heard, something you thought she wanted to tell you? If so, why hadn’t she mentioned it previously? And why not to Officer Courdray?”
David blushed. “I think she might’ve felt more comfortable talking to me, unofficially. And since it only just now started getting about that this was an intentional poisoning, maybe that’s what made her realize she knew something.”
Anthony shook his head. “I’d have thought telling you would’ve been more uncomfortable for her than telling anyone.” Especially since he suspected Crystal had been involved in the poisoning, perhaps the perpetrator herself.
If she had been part of a conspiracy and had an attack of conscience, it would make her a dangerous liability. And give someone a reason to kill her. The big question right now, though, was how she’d been killed.
Anthony wasn’t going to discuss those points in front of David. “Well, we’ll never know now what if anything she had to tell you. So you’d best go back home and get some sleep so you can return to duty tonight and do something to help us solve this.”
David saluted both men before leaving quickly. After he’d gone, Ken smiled at his old friend. “Maybe we should make him a liaison officer like we did with Lt. Miles. It would make it easier for him to poke around.”
“Which is why we did it with Kat.” He tried to avoid thinking about the fact that dawn had arrived but not Kat. “But that was just a brief cover.” And he suspected Ken was actually trying to poach back his old employee.
The man guffawed. “You must hope it would be just as brief this time, too. Solve this soon, or you’ll really have a lot of trouble on your hands.”
Anthony didn’t think it was a laughing matter, but then Ken had a strange sense of humor. “Since something fishy is still going on around here, I hope you don’t mind if I send a couple o
f officers over to re-test your food supplies.” Paul and Sara wouldn’t like it, but it needed to be done.
Ken’s workpad buzzed, followed by the voice of his secretary. “Chief, there’s a woman here to see—” And there she was already opening the door, forcing her way in. Caroline. Anthony had been thinking of Kat—now here was her mother looking like she was ready to spit nails.
“Where is she?” Caroline gave both men a good glare. “You said Kat would only be gone a couple of days. She ought to have been back the night before last—surely she came in last night?”
Anthony shook his head. “I’m sorry, Care. We have no idea where she’s at. I called the guards and she still hadn’t shown up a little while ago. But I’m sure she’ll come back tonight. We just have to wait.”
“I’ve tried calling her, but I can’t get an outside connection.”
“No one can, and Kat can’t call us to let us know she’s alright. But I’m sure she is. We have to trust her judgment, that she knows what she needs to do and how to do it.” Though he had a hard time with that himself, and he was far from sure she was doing alright. Hurry home, Kat.
Caroline looked every inch the angry mother. “I want you to do something. There’s got to be something you can do.”
“Not I.” Anthony sighed. He hated to do this to his friend, but he couldn’t deal with Caroline on top of everything else. “But I’m keeping Miles updated on everything. If there’s anything that can be done, he would be the one to know.”
Her head swiveled in fury from one man to the other, her mass of red curls flying around her head. “I had expected more help from you two. At least I know I can make my husband do something useful.” With a last glare for each of them, she stalked back out of the office.
Anthony gave Ken a weak smile, reluctantly lifting himself out of his chair. “Quite a performance, but she truly is worried about Kat.”
Ken grunted. “We all are. Not much we can do about it, though. And nothing at all you can do for her the shape you’re in. Get some rest.”
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