Face of a Killer

10

Richard Blackwell waited a good five minutes after Special Agent Fitzpatrick left the cafe and was seen stepping onto the elevator before he dumped his coffee and the newspaper, and left. Not until he was standing outside the federal building did he call Prescott, only to have Gnoble’s damned secretary put him on hold. He didn’t like waiting. Had it been anyone else he wouldn’t have.

“You learn anything?” Prescott asked when he finally came on.

“I followed her into court. She was a bit of a smart-ass on the stand. I thought you said she was straitlaced and by-thebook?”

“According to the senator she is.”

“More importantly, it might be hard to get close. She seems to pay attention to her surroundings.”

“Yeah. Found that out last night.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” Prescott said quickly. “For God’s sake, you get anything we can use?”

“Maybe,” he said, then waited as two women walked past. The moment they were out of earshot, he said, “She might be assisting an outside agency with a sketch. The officer who requested it thinks it might be tied to a case the Bureau picked up the other night.”

“And what the hell good is that going to do? Following her into court? Finding out what she’s working?”

“Because you never know what gems might turn up.”

“Oh shit.” Prescott lowered his voice to a whisper. “Guess who’s walking into the senator’s office as we speak. Find out everything you can on the cases. Get back to me. More importantly, get back to me with something we can use.”

“Will do.”

Blackwell dropped the phone into his pocket, then glanced over to the long row of cars parked in front of the building, most with placards in the window identifying them as Bureau cars. Agent Fitzpatrick’s car was the fifth from the corner, a dark blue Crown Vic, one of many dark blue Crown Vics. The Bureau wasn’t too imaginative when it came to doling out the wheels. He glanced back into the building just to be certain he wasn’t being followed. Prescott had gone to great lengths to get him an ID to get in and out. A start. But Blackwell definitely made a mistake in following her to court, then laughing at something she said. He didn’t normally slip up like that, but her comment had been unexpected.

Unfortunately, she’d looked at him. Made a connection to his face.

That was something he couldn’t afford.