and plates, it’s laser beams and mirrored shields.
“Our business is the same way. Despite the total surveillance environment of Ironwood, we wind up asking questions and getting answers. Some of them may even be truthful. But which ones?”
Lewis was glum. “We made the rounds and it looks like a washout, Jack. Nordquist, Carlson, Tennant, Delgado, andStannard—none of them had any recent contact with Peter Rhee.”
“So they say.”
“You don’t believe them?”
Jack thought it over. “I don’t believe or disbelieve any of them—yet. I wanted to question each of them separately before Rhee’s death was made public to get them on the record before they had a chance to think it over and get their stories straight. Catch them on the wing. Now they’ve made their denials. None had any recent contact with Rhee. That’s their story and they’re stuck with it.
“Next, we cross-check their statements against the badge scanners’ records of their movements in the building and against Rhee’s movements for the same time period. Against daily entries in his operational log and appointment books. McCoy’s OCI people can do the legwork of putting that information together.
“If the Perseus cadre’s statements hold up, we move on to something else, knowing that we’ve eliminated that possibility. If we find out that one or more of them lied, we question them more intensively and hammer at the soft parts of their story until they crack.”
“You know, Jack, if anyone has vital information, they might have a good reason for withholding it.”
“Such as?”
“Staying alive.”
“There’s that,” Jack conceded. “Rhee might have contacted one or more of them away from the laboratory in the outside world. We’ll want to get hold of his phone records and theirs.”
Lewis stroked his chin with the ball of his thumb. “That’ll take a certain amount of finesse. There’s privacy issues and legal technicalities involved.”
Jack was unmoved. “There always are. Six kills and thehigh stakes we’re playing for trump all legalities. You’ve been working here for years, Lewis. I’m sure you know what buttons to press to get these things done with a maximum of speed and a minimum of fuss.”
“Your confidence in my abilities is touching.”
Jack allowed himself a small smile. “Getting the same information on McCoy and Derr might be more of a challenge.”
Lewis was wary. “How am I supposed to do that?”
“Ask McCoy for them.”
“Just ask him.”
“That’s right. It’s his duty to cooperate in every way with this investigation. In a matter as vital as this, there’s no such thing as a right to privacy. He’ll have to be an open book. Once he’s kicked in his own info, he’s sure to kick in on his deputy, Derr.”
Lewis took a deep breath, exhaled slowly. “You suspect OCI?”
Jack wouldn’t be pinned down. “I don’t suspect them or not suspect them. It’s a matter of ruling out possibilities and winnowing out suspects.”
“Suppose McCoy doesn’t want to give?”
“Any initial reluctance is understandable, given human nature. Snoops don’t like to be snooped on. That’s what we are, professional snoops.”
“Agreed.”
Jack went on. “At first there’s sure to be some pushback. That’s only natural. If you have to lay down the law to make him comply, do so. If he still insists on withholding, that would send up a red flag. Then we zero in on him. One way or another, we will get that information. We’re not here to make friends.”
“That part of your mission is sure to be an unqualified success,” Lewis said. “You say ‘we’ but you mean me.”
“That’s a matter of professional courtesy. You know these people, I don’t. I figure it’d go easier coming from you than from me. Make me the villain, hang it all on me, say I’m putting the pressure on and you have to go along. Because it’s true. If you don’t have the stomach for it, I do.
“Take a
“Our business is the same way. Despite the total surveillance environment of Ironwood, we wind up asking questions and getting answers. Some of them may even be truthful. But which ones?”
Lewis was glum. “We made the rounds and it looks like a washout, Jack. Nordquist, Carlson, Tennant, Delgado, andStannard—none of them had any recent contact with Peter Rhee.”
“So they say.”
“You don’t believe them?”
Jack thought it over. “I don’t believe or disbelieve any of them—yet. I wanted to question each of them separately before Rhee’s death was made public to get them on the record before they had a chance to think it over and get their stories straight. Catch them on the wing. Now they’ve made their denials. None had any recent contact with Rhee. That’s their story and they’re stuck with it.
“Next, we cross-check their statements against the badge scanners’ records of their movements in the building and against Rhee’s movements for the same time period. Against daily entries in his operational log and appointment books. McCoy’s OCI people can do the legwork of putting that information together.
“If the Perseus cadre’s statements hold up, we move on to something else, knowing that we’ve eliminated that possibility. If we find out that one or more of them lied, we question them more intensively and hammer at the soft parts of their story until they crack.”
“You know, Jack, if anyone has vital information, they might have a good reason for withholding it.”
“Such as?”
“Staying alive.”
“There’s that,” Jack conceded. “Rhee might have contacted one or more of them away from the laboratory in the outside world. We’ll want to get hold of his phone records and theirs.”
Lewis stroked his chin with the ball of his thumb. “That’ll take a certain amount of finesse. There’s privacy issues and legal technicalities involved.”
Jack was unmoved. “There always are. Six kills and thehigh stakes we’re playing for trump all legalities. You’ve been working here for years, Lewis. I’m sure you know what buttons to press to get these things done with a maximum of speed and a minimum of fuss.”
“Your confidence in my abilities is touching.”
Jack allowed himself a small smile. “Getting the same information on McCoy and Derr might be more of a challenge.”
Lewis was wary. “How am I supposed to do that?”
“Ask McCoy for them.”
“Just ask him.”
“That’s right. It’s his duty to cooperate in every way with this investigation. In a matter as vital as this, there’s no such thing as a right to privacy. He’ll have to be an open book. Once he’s kicked in his own info, he’s sure to kick in on his deputy, Derr.”
Lewis took a deep breath, exhaled slowly. “You suspect OCI?”
Jack wouldn’t be pinned down. “I don’t suspect them or not suspect them. It’s a matter of ruling out possibilities and winnowing out suspects.”
“Suppose McCoy doesn’t want to give?”
“Any initial reluctance is understandable, given human nature. Snoops don’t like to be snooped on. That’s what we are, professional snoops.”
“Agreed.”
Jack went on. “At first there’s sure to be some pushback. That’s only natural. If you have to lay down the law to make him comply, do so. If he still insists on withholding, that would send up a red flag. Then we zero in on him. One way or another, we will get that information. We’re not here to make friends.”
“That part of your mission is sure to be an unqualified success,” Lewis said. “You say ‘we’ but you mean me.”
“That’s a matter of professional courtesy. You know these people, I don’t. I figure it’d go easier coming from you than from me. Make me the villain, hang it all on me, say I’m putting the pressure on and you have to go along. Because it’s true. If you don’t have the stomach for it, I do.
“Take a
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