excellent information.â
âDid Marshal Halpern know anything? What does she think of all this?â
Sherlock said, âShe hopes that youâre better soon. She asked us to tell you sheâll be coming to see you shortly. Special Agent Frank Halley is speaking with her now. Sheâll let you know if she has any other ideas about this.â
âSheâs been a good boss, doesnât take grief from any of the guards. I hope she doesnât fire my ass.â
Sherlock nodded to the guard stationed outside Officer Biggsâs room. She said as they walked down the quiet hospital corridor, âHeâll have to live with this for the rest of his life.â
âYes. And Iâll bet you heâll never smoke another cigarette.â
They passed Glyna Biggs in the waiting room, nodded to her, tried to look reassuring, and continued on their way.
âNow,â Savich said, âitâs back to headquarters. I have no doubt that Agent Frank Halley will be ready to take my head off for being assigned over him on this.â
They left the huge complex, heads down against the blowing snow, and walked to the parking lot. Once in his Porsche, Savich turned the heater on high. Sherlock said, as she pulled off her gloves, âFrank will get over it. Itâs what Director Mueller wants.â She grinned, patted his arm. âIâll tell him that weâre the best. Then you can invite him to the gym.â
Savich grinned at her, controlled a sudden skid in the snow that would have slid them into a fire hydrant. âThe thing is, Frank is good. Iâm counting on him for his input. But heâs old school, believes in rank and seniority, regardless.â
Sherlock eyed an SUV negotiating a corner some twenty feet ahead of them, and thought about the turf wars. Most of the old guard had retired in recent years. Under the leadership of Director Mueller, the FBI had reevaluated, reassigned, and refocused itself, placing anti-terrorism and homeland security squarely at the top of its priorities. All agencies had been ordered by the President to communicate, to work together and share informationâa concept that was finally catching on. But there were egos and old rivalries at play, so the going could still be tough.
Director Mueller was overseeing this extraordinary case himself, with his second in command, Jimmy Maitland, who was Savichâs boss. Both would keep the waters calm, at least on the surface.
CHAPTER
10
H OOVER B UILDING
âIâ D LIKE TO KNOW why the hell youâre heading this investigation, Savich.â
Reassured by Frankâs show of consistency, Savich said easily, âIâm not. Director Mueller and DAD Jimmy Maitland are. Iâm lower down on the chain.â
Neither Director Mueller nor Jimmy Maitland was there as yet, so Frank Halley could vent. Frank had collared Savich the moment he and Sherlock had walked into the large conference room on the fifth floor, blocked him off from the other fifty or so agents who stood around in groups. The large room was buzzing with conversation before the meeting, about the dozens of interviews that had already been conducted during the past nine hours, the newest available reports.
âYeah, so you say, but not as low as the rest of us. Youâre the one handing out interview assignments, speaking to OfficerBiggs, coordinating the whole direction we take. Why have I been passed over?â
No, Sherlock thought, there was no shortage of egos and turf, not in any organization in the world. Given the sheer size and bureaucracy of the FBI, they werenât doing so badly, really. She patted Frankâs arm. âDillonâs doing the major interviews because heâs the best, Frank. If youâve got a problem, take it up with the director. Otherwise, Iâd suggest you get a grip and pull your nose back in joint, or Iâll have to haul you down to the gym and wipe up the mat with
authors_sort
Elizabeth Aston
John Inman
JL Paul
Kat Barrett
Michael Marshall
Matt Coyle
Lesley Downer
Missouri Dalton
Tara Sue Me