The Witness

Chapter Twenty-Five

“I DON’T KNOW, CHIEF. I must have contaminated the murder scene that night,” Connor said, entering Luke’s office with a file in his hand from the second murder scene. “The hair they took off the bookkeeper’s sleeve turns out to be that of the reporter Sykes. I did a couple shoving rounds with him in the parking lot that night when they surrounded the car, and it must have been on my jacket when I got upstairs. They had his DNA in the system from a bar brawl a few years back, the one where they were trying to figure out who bit someone’s ear.”

“Sounds like Sykes.” Luke skimmed the lab report Connor had brought him and then tossed it on the stack of paperwork already on his desk. “Don’t worry about it. Write up what happened that night, ask the local station for an uncut copy of their interview with me in the parking lot since you’re probably in the background on that tape, and leave it for the district attorney to deal with when this case eventually gets to trial. It’s not the first time a trace fiber got explained to a jury, and it won’t be the last.”

“Thanks.” Connor hesitated in the doorway.

Luke looked up to study his detective more carefully. “You want to shut the door, go ahead,” he offered softly.

Connor shut the door and slid into a seat across from the desk. “I’d like a slice of time off.”

Luke didn’t let himself react. He’d been expecting something of the sort for a few days now. “How much time and when?”

“Tomorrow after the funeral. Maybe a week, maybe two.”

“Granted.”

Connor lifted his hand. “I’m not… I’m not walking the line to resigning like Marsh is. I know I’m not. But I look at those photos of the knife attacks and I see Marie being one of them and I…” He shoved his arms back across his chest and just took a deep breath.

“You’ve talked to the chaplain?”

“And the department shrink. Thing is, in the old days I would have thought it was something to mention to Tracey and maybe have her push me out of it, and she’s not around and that makes it come full circle with the pain.”

“I know.”

“Are you worrying about Amy this way?”

“Yes.”

“So I think I’d better take some time before I have to catch a new case and have to work it along with Tracey’s murder… you’ll be shorthanded with Marsh off and Caroline not coming back…”

“I’ve been shorthanded before, and that’s a problem for this side of the desk, not that side, so don’t worry about it. You’ll take a week, two, and if you need more you’ll say so. I want you around for the next decade. I’m not worried about the next month. I’ve been a cop a long time, and I haven’t seen murders like those two more than a couple times in my career. It was evil in action and it’s sticking. Give it time to slide to the side.”

“Thanks, Chief.”

“You’re escorting Marie to the funeral tomorrow?”

“Yes. Marsh wouldn’t hear of riding with us, with Daniel. He’s coming, but coming alone.”

“Sometimes the drive is the only thing that lets the thoughts settle. You’ll be with him for the service and the graveside-he’ll know he’s not alone.”

“Most of the department is turning out,” Connor said. “Amy?”

“I don’t know. I’m still working the problem.”

“If I can help, or Marsh-”

“I’ll ask,” Luke promised, pleased at the offer. “It isn’t that Amy doesn’t want to desperately be there, but bringing trouble to her sister’s funeral-I think that would kill her if it happened.”

“I know, but she needs to come. Marie seemed steadier today, like the shock is drifting off. Sad, but okay. She said heaven makes a difference right now.”

“I know it does. Tracey was happy to the last moment of her life; that helps with the memories too. Anything I can do for you and Marie?”

“Bryce gave us the details on the place you’re thinking of for Amy to stay. It will take a burden off Marie, being able to stay with Amy, and being away from the gallery will help too. Bryce said he’d have security ready tomorrow, so Marie is going to leave Daniel’s on Sunday and let me drive her over there.”

“Take Marie’s studio things over with her too. Nathan said we can have the property as long as we need it, and he’s the kind of sheriff who makes that offer and means it literally. It will be home for them until this is fully wrapped.”

“I appreciate it, Chief.” Connor moved to the doorway. “Would it be okay for the service if I have Marie not arrive particularly early? She’ll have enough condolence words after the graveside service to not want her dealing with a lot before the funeral too.”

“Five minutes before it starts is going to be plenty early.”

Connor still hesitated. “I bought Tracey a bunch of daisies, not all that original, but I thought she needed something that wasn’t traditional mourning flowers.”

Luke smiled. “That’s good instincts. Marsh and Marie are going to appreciate it too.”

“I don’t plan to tell Marsh,” Connor remarked, half smiling for the first time. “He knocks my flower choices. I’ll see you tomorrow, Chief, unless something else breaks in the case overnight.”

Luke watched his officer leave. He thought back through the emotions he’d seen in Connor and nodded to himself. They were on the money, not too far into the pain side to not be countered by the steel that formed with this job. Connor needed the couple weeks off, but he’d absorb this and make it back. The job was always pushing a man. Connor was holding. Luke wasn’t so sure Marsh would make that turn, but he was hoping and watching. He needed both men back and able to handle the job that was still ahead.

Luke was pleased to see the funeral service turnout of officers to support Marsh was close to every officer off duty. Luke watched Marie from where he stood off to the side of the sanctuary. The shock was slipping into the past, and the transition to coping with the loss was settling in. That was a good thing to see. Marsh had hold of Marie’s hand, and that was steadying them both, Luke thought.

Daniel rose to introduce a friend of Tracey’s from college to do a reading. Daniel had assumed the public role for Marie to give her the space she needed, and Luke thought Daniel was keeping the right light touch to the service. The minister had done a remarkable job of capturing all that was best in the lady they celebrated without minimizing the loss. Daniel was doing his best to end this service on that same note.

Luke shifted his gaze back to the casket as the final hymn music began and people moved to stand. He owed Tracey justice. Somehow he had to find her that justice.

The service drew to a close, and pallbearers came forward to lift the casket, Marsh and Connor and Daniel forming the lead of the group. Luke moved toward where Marie stood and slipped her hand under his arm to escort her.

“Thank you, Luke.”

He covered her hand with his. “Amy’s here-left of the balcony, in the choir prep room. Connor’s going to slip you away before the short walk to the cemetery and bring you back here afterward.”

Her eyes filled with tears at his quiet words, and she simply nodded.

He didn’t release her hand until they had left the sanctuary and ushers were going forward to orderly dismiss the crowd row by row, and then it was only to leave her in Susan’s keeping while Connor completed his task. There would be a police parade-rest line forming between the church and cemetery grounds, and Luke thought Marsh might need some company for that solitary walk. It was the one place that was going to hit him most hard.

Luke walked by Bryce and got a solemn nod that arrangements were in place for Amy, and then he went to join the minister and arrange a seamless ten-minute delay before the cemetery walk began.

The graveside service was mercifully short. Luke nodded to Connor once Marie was safely in Susan’s keeping and taking the condolence of friends, and his officer crossed to join him. A cemetery was not the place to talk business, but Luke didn’t think in this instance Tracey would mind.

“The service-Tracey would have approved,” Connor said.

“I think so too.” Luke pushed his hand into his pocket and retrieved a note he had written to himself during the graveside service. “I’m sorry to bring business up in this setting, but I need you to consider something for a minute. That newspaper story Sykes ran this morning came with details I know we never released even in-house. What if our killer is talking to our favorite reporter?”

Connor blinked before a flash of anger crossed his face, and then a serious intensity took its place. “I noticed the details too. We never said a word about that knife tip being broken off, and the medical examiner purposely filed a restricted report direct to the deputy chief just to keep it out of the general knowledge pool. Hold on, Chief.” Connor walked away and minutes later returned with Marsh. “The chief has a hunch you need to hear; just listen a minute.”

“The information that the knife tip was broken off was severely restricted, but Sykes had it this morning. He’s also got the location and objects right for where the messages were left-the books, the painting. What if our reporter is talking to our killer?”

Marsh studied the grass at his feet for a moment, then lifted his head and nodded. “Yes. Sykes is not that good a reporter; we all know it. And he’s been breaking news since that very first story.”

Luke waited, wanting to hear what Marsh thought should be done. His officer smiled. “Put a tail on the reporter. We’re not likely to get wiretaps authorized by any sitting judge I know of, but a discreet tail-there’s enough to warrant it based on that story this morning. We can always argue we were investigating an internal leak of privileged material and the reporter was tangential to an internal probe. Better to put internal inspectors on the tail to back up that argument. Connor and I can do some backtracking with the people the reporter has been quoting in his articles and see who else he’s been mentioning as names for second- and third-confirmation sources to get folks to talk to him. There’s nothing that says we can’t talk to the same people he is.”

Luke studied Marsh and weighed the offer. “You two know these cases backward and forward, and we’re looking for something subtle that was at the scenes but not in internal notes. Give me another twenty-four hours and just see if it’s worth pursuing. The time off still stands for as long as you need it, but I could use a little more time first.”

“It’s an idea, Chief. They’ve been few and far between. We’ll be at the 6 a.m. update with whatever we find,” Marsh promised.