associating with drug dealers but so far hasn’t crossed the line.”
Steinmetz said, “So you have nothing on him.”
“Not exactly nothing. I’ve confirmed that he’s a mass murderer using a fake name and flying as free as a bird in San Francisco. Craig, what’s he doing here? Do you know?”
Steinmetz didn’t answer, but he asked Joe a dozenquestions, all of them about Joe’s motive for taking on a possible career-ending flier outside the Bureau’s bounds and regulations.
He established that Joe hadn’t taken money or used Anna to advance his career, hadn’t betrayed the Bureau or the government, and had brought this off-road investigation to Steinmetz before going any further.
Steinmetz said, “Assure me that you’re not having a relationship with this woman.”
Joe said, “There’s nothing between us and there will never be.”
Steinmetz dotted some i’s on his notepad, crossed a couple of t’s, then turned off the recorder.
He said, “I’ll be ready to see the witness in a half hour.”
CHAPTER 41
Anna had plugged back into her music when Steinmetz opened the reception room door and said, “Ms. Sotovina, I’m ready to see you now.”
Joe made the awkward introductions, then returned to his seat on the rigid sectional. He stared ahead through the wall-to-wall glass at a gray sky and replayed his meeting with Steinmetz. Of course, he hadn’t been able to read the supervisor’s mind. He didn’t know if he’d be working the Petrović case even if Steinmetz found Anna believable.
Joe had promised Anna he would get Petrović off the street, but even with a green light, it wouldn’t be easy. As far as he knew, Petrović hadn’t done anything criminal. Red-faced hog opens steak house: not exactly the crime of the century.
There was a good chance Steinmetz would shunt this investigation to the DC branch, and if so, Joe would have to roll with that and break his promise to Anna. This worriedhim. She’d told him more than once that she would shoot Petrović herself. He believed her.
Joe read a left-behind copy of the
Chronicle
until Anna returned to her seat and Steinmetz asked Joe to come back in. They stood together in the corridor, where Steinmetz said without expression or inflection, “You’re approved to open a case on this suspicious person.”
Joe felt a surge of relief. Steinmetz told him to keep him posted, and that if a case against Petrović didn’t come together in the next thirty days, that would be the end of it.
Joe shook Steinmetz’s hand.
“Craig. Thanks.”
The door closed and Joe walked over to Anna, touched her arm.
“You did great. I’m officially working the case,” he said.
Anna got to her feet and hugged Joe. “Thank you. I can’t say how happy this makes me.”
Joe said, “I’m glad. I’m very glad to be able to help. There’s our elevator. Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 42
Joe walked Anna out of the building and up Golden Gate Avenue three blocks to her small red Kia.
They talked about the meetings, and Joe commented that it was a small miracle that Steinmetz had gotten behind this. After all, Petrović hadn’t committed a crime on US soil, as far as they knew.
“He will,” Anna said.
“I’ll try to be there when he screws up, and I’ll let you know when I have news to report. But Anna, Petrović knows you ride past his house on your bike.”
“He said that?”
“He saw us together last week. I don’t know that he recognized you from Djoba, but don’t give him a chance to think about you. For now, drive to work. And don’t chase him.”
Anna lowered her head and said, “You don’t have to remind me. That was my last chase.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scold. I’m worried that he could pop you from his front step. You know that better than I do.”
She nodded vigorously. Then she hugged him again, hard.
Joe patted Anna’s back, opened her car door, watched as she buckled in.
She said, “Thank you so much,” with a
Steinmetz said, “So you have nothing on him.”
“Not exactly nothing. I’ve confirmed that he’s a mass murderer using a fake name and flying as free as a bird in San Francisco. Craig, what’s he doing here? Do you know?”
Steinmetz didn’t answer, but he asked Joe a dozenquestions, all of them about Joe’s motive for taking on a possible career-ending flier outside the Bureau’s bounds and regulations.
He established that Joe hadn’t taken money or used Anna to advance his career, hadn’t betrayed the Bureau or the government, and had brought this off-road investigation to Steinmetz before going any further.
Steinmetz said, “Assure me that you’re not having a relationship with this woman.”
Joe said, “There’s nothing between us and there will never be.”
Steinmetz dotted some i’s on his notepad, crossed a couple of t’s, then turned off the recorder.
He said, “I’ll be ready to see the witness in a half hour.”
CHAPTER 41
Anna had plugged back into her music when Steinmetz opened the reception room door and said, “Ms. Sotovina, I’m ready to see you now.”
Joe made the awkward introductions, then returned to his seat on the rigid sectional. He stared ahead through the wall-to-wall glass at a gray sky and replayed his meeting with Steinmetz. Of course, he hadn’t been able to read the supervisor’s mind. He didn’t know if he’d be working the Petrović case even if Steinmetz found Anna believable.
Joe had promised Anna he would get Petrović off the street, but even with a green light, it wouldn’t be easy. As far as he knew, Petrović hadn’t done anything criminal. Red-faced hog opens steak house: not exactly the crime of the century.
There was a good chance Steinmetz would shunt this investigation to the DC branch, and if so, Joe would have to roll with that and break his promise to Anna. This worriedhim. She’d told him more than once that she would shoot Petrović herself. He believed her.
Joe read a left-behind copy of the
Chronicle
until Anna returned to her seat and Steinmetz asked Joe to come back in. They stood together in the corridor, where Steinmetz said without expression or inflection, “You’re approved to open a case on this suspicious person.”
Joe felt a surge of relief. Steinmetz told him to keep him posted, and that if a case against Petrović didn’t come together in the next thirty days, that would be the end of it.
Joe shook Steinmetz’s hand.
“Craig. Thanks.”
The door closed and Joe walked over to Anna, touched her arm.
“You did great. I’m officially working the case,” he said.
Anna got to her feet and hugged Joe. “Thank you. I can’t say how happy this makes me.”
Joe said, “I’m glad. I’m very glad to be able to help. There’s our elevator. Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 42
Joe walked Anna out of the building and up Golden Gate Avenue three blocks to her small red Kia.
They talked about the meetings, and Joe commented that it was a small miracle that Steinmetz had gotten behind this. After all, Petrović hadn’t committed a crime on US soil, as far as they knew.
“He will,” Anna said.
“I’ll try to be there when he screws up, and I’ll let you know when I have news to report. But Anna, Petrović knows you ride past his house on your bike.”
“He said that?”
“He saw us together last week. I don’t know that he recognized you from Djoba, but don’t give him a chance to think about you. For now, drive to work. And don’t chase him.”
Anna lowered her head and said, “You don’t have to remind me. That was my last chase.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scold. I’m worried that he could pop you from his front step. You know that better than I do.”
She nodded vigorously. Then she hugged him again, hard.
Joe patted Anna’s back, opened her car door, watched as she buckled in.
She said, “Thank you so much,” with a
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