Chain of Evidence

CHAPTER 42

Haite glanced up from his desk at the detective standing in his office doorway and said, “Jesus H. Christ.” Dart was all mud, blood, and wet clothes. “Shut the door,” were Haite’s next words, closely followed by, “You were there!” Dart nodded. “What the hell happened?”

“I won’t be dragged into the investigation,” Dart said.

“The hell you won’t.” Haite glanced over at the wall clock-it was one in the morning. “I’ve got a dozen patrol and four detectives out there.” The CAPers office area was empty. “What the hell happened?”

“The shooter?”

“Died in transit. DOA at HH,” he said, referring to Hartford Hospital.

Dart looked Haite directly in the eyes and said, “I was wrong about the suicides. They weren’t murders.”

“Is that right?” Haite asked, not believing Dart for a moment but not questioning him either. This was what Haite wanted to hear.

“I misread the evidence, Sergeant. It’s my fault,” Dart said.

“Did you?”

“Yes. I may be able to prove that Roxin Laboratories is involved in a cover-up concerning a gene therapy treatment they are testing. The drug apparently has severe psychological side effects, resulting, I assume, in some of these suicides. It’s a terrible thing.”

“Where does Zeller fit in?” Haite asked bluntly.

“I don’t believe I have ever mentioned Zeller’s name to you, sir. I’m not sure what you’re referring to.” The use of “sir” was certain to catch Haite’s attention. “His death,” Dart choked out, “is certainly a tragedy to us all.”

“I want him to die a hero, not a criminal,” Haite hissed, openly honest. “How much of this is going to surface?”

“How much of what?” Dart asked in his best innocent Boy Scout voice.

“You can keep it that way?” Haite asked, sounding both surprised and impressed.

“We’re under some time pressure, sir,” Dart said, making sure to repeat the formal address. He coughed and picked some mud out of his teeth. “If we’re going to prove Roxin’s involvement, we have to move quickly. We’ll need a variety of warrants, a full ERT, the surveillance van…. If we fail,” he said, maintaining his eye contact with Haite, “I fear that accusations may be made against Sergeant Zeller in an effort to discredit him and divert blame from where it belongs.”

“You can really keep him out of this?” Haite asked again.

“I wasn’t aware that he was ever implicated in anything,” Dart answered calmly, playing his part. “Has his name ever come up in regards to any of these investigations?”

Haite dragged a hand across his mouth, contemplating Dart’s offer.

Do this for Zeller! Dart’s eyes told the man.

“Can you actually pull this off, Dartelli?” Haite understood that to commit the resources Dart was requesting would necessitate his own involvement, putting his ass on the line should Dart’s plan fail and the truth of Zeller’s criminal activity be revealed. They would both be risking their careers to save Zeller’s reputation. “Can you?” Haite repeated, wanting an answer that they both knew Dart could not give.

“I had a good teacher,” said Joe Dart.