Hothouse Orchid

56

Hurd Wallace telephoned his nominal superior, Colonel Timothy Wyatt, who was head of the state police. Hurd effectively reported only to the governor, but he made a point of making equipment and personnel requests through Wyatt, as a courtesy and to maintain good relations for situations like the one he now faced.

“Good morning, Hurd,” Wyatt said without warmth.

“Good morning, Colonel,” Hurd replied.

“What can I do for you?”

“I want to request some equipment for a special operation,” Hurd said.

“What is the nature of your operation?”

“To obtain evidence against and arrest a suspect in the rapes and murders of several women in the Vero Beach area.”

“Was the most recent of them named Patricia Terwilliger?”

“Yes, Colonel.”

“I was under the impression that the suicide and confession of one James Bruno cleared her case and the others.”

“Did you have a particular interest in Ms. Terwilliger?”

“She was my wife’s sister.”

“Colonel, I apologize for not speaking to you directly about the case; I was unaware of the relationship.”

“I would have thought that a crack investigator such as yourself would have known that, Captain.”

“We made the family notification to her mother. One of my people visited her personally to break the news.”

“My wife was grateful for that. You have not responded to my question: I thought Patricia’s murder had been committed by James Bruno.”

“There is some question as to whether he acted alone,” Hurd half-lied.

“You think he may have had an accomplice?”

“It’s a distinct possibility. It’s also possible that the accomplice may have murdered Bruno and staged the suicide.”

“Well, this case just gets more and more interesting,” Wyatt said.

“I’ve made a practice of copying you on every report I’ve submitted, Colonel, and I will continue to do so.”

“What equipment do you need to continue this investigation?”

“I need GPS, audio and video equipment to be concealed in the suspect’s car by state technicians and a van equipped to conduct electronic surveillance on the car. I also need a helicopter, as a backup, to provide visual surveillance.”

“Anything else?”

“I can provide the two chase cars I’ll need, but should something arise on the technical front, I’d need in-depth advice and assistance from appropriate personnel.”

“I see,” Wyatt replied. “When and for how long?”

“From this Friday through the weekend plus a couple of more days. I’ll need the helicopter only on the day of the operation.”

“I assume you will have the proper warrant.”

“I will deal with that locally,” Hurd replied.

“Please hold,” the colonel said.

Hurd sat, the receiver to his ear, for eight minutes by his watch. It seemed like half an hour. Then there was a click.

“I have my chief of technical services, Mike Green, on the line,” Wyatt said. “I have authorized him to supply your needs, so I’ll hang up and let you two work out the details. Goodbye and good luck, and I’d appreciate it if you would transmit to me any further details that emerge in the case we discussed.” Wyatt hung up.

“Mike?”

“I’m here, Captain. What can I do for you.”

Hurd told him.

Holly and Lauren Cade met for lunch at the Ocean Grill, as was becoming their habit.

“Hurd has requisitioned the equipment we need for the operation,” Lauren said. “Now would be a good time for you to call Jane Grey and get her cooperation.”

“When will you need Jimmy’s car?” Holly asked.

“If she can get it Friday night and return it Monday morning, that would be ideal.”

Holly produced her cell phone, looked up Jane’s direct line and called.

“Orchid Beach Police Department, Jane Grey.”

“Hi, Jane, it’s Holly.”

“How you doing, Holly?”

“Real well, but I need your help on something.”

“Anything I can do, sure.”

“First I have to tell you some things that have to remain with you and no one else.”

“Gotcha.”

“Jimmy Weathers has become a suspect in the rapes and murders.”

“It wasn’t Bruno?”

“Maybe. We’re not sure, but in order to find out, we’re going to have to place some equipment in Jimmy’s car, and we’ll need the weekend to do that.”

“I see,” Jane replied.

“Can you get him to use another car from Friday afternoon until Monday morning while his car is worked on?”

“I think I can manage that,” Jane said.

“Thank you, Jane. Would you call me back when that’s all set up?”

“I will. Anything else?”

“That’s all.”

“I’ll call you later.” Jane hung up.

“Jane is with us,” Holly said to Lauren. “I had to tell her those things, but she’s completely trustworthy.”

“That’s all right,” Lauren said.

“Anything else new in the case?”

“Well, I’ve had all sorts of thoughts about it.”

“What thoughts?”

“Whether Jimmy and Bruno were in it together, and if they were, did Jimmy kill Bruno.”

Holly thought about that. “I’m inclined to think that Bruno would want to work alone, but I certainly can’t discount your theory of their working together. I think it’s entirely possible, maybe even likely, that Jimmy killed Bruno, simply because the combination of drugs and alcohol found in Bruno’s system would have made it nearly impossible to wake him up. Anybody could have stuck a gun in his mouth and written a suicide note.”

“That’s what I think,” Lauren said, “but I think Jimmy’s only motive for doing that would be the involvement of both of them in the rapes and murders.”

“Jimmy would have Bruno’s job as a motive. Maybe when he went to wake Bruno, he couldn’t rouse him and took the opportunity to remove Bruno as an obstacle to his career.”

“That makes sense. Bruno was about to start interviewing for a deputy chief’s slot, and Jimmy had no assurance that he’d get the job.”

“When do you make the run at Jimmy?” Holly asked.

“Monday, if the work on the car goes okay,” Lauren replied.

“Like I said, I want to be in a chase car.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Lauren said.