suspended. And a woman dead.
CHAPTER 18
"Cassandra Rose Hart," Kwon addressed the task force members, sounding like a school teacher in front of a group of unruly students. Which was pretty much what they resembled. Drake, Kwon and Summers from Major Crimes, two guys from Narcotics, and one of the DA's investigators, the only one wearing a suit and tie, of course. And Dimeo, watching from the rear of the room, the school principal waiting to send someone to detention.
"Age thirty, native of Pittsburgh, parents deceased, no other family that we've found. Residency at Three Rivers, been there as attending ER physician almost two years now."
He stretched his legs, resting them on the back of Summers' chair. They had appropriated roll-call to meet and brainstorm new approaches to the investigation now that it was focused on Three Rivers Medical Center.
Kwon continued, "No wants, no warrants, record's squeaky clean."
The others raised their heads at that. Squeaky clean usually meant something dirty hidden somewhere. And money or influence to hide it with. Drake remembered Richard King's shoes that cost more than a month's salary and wondered about that.
"Finances?" Lisa Dimeo asked from the back, echoing his thoughts. She was a thin, bony blonde who favored conservative suits and an even more conservative attitude to the concept of probable cause. Dimeo was not there to make a case, she was there to make a career. At every meeting, she would stand against the back wall as if afraid to contaminate herself by getting too close to the grunts who gathered her evidence.
"Worked as a waitress and hotel maid to put herself through Duquesne, then Pitt Medical school," Kwon said.
Drake could tell by the gleam in Kwon's eye that she was holding something back. Dimeo nodded in dismissal, her face resuming its bored expression. Hunters and gatherers, that was what they were to Dimeo.
"Married and divorced Richard King," Kwon continued, her voice bland. "Divorce settlement sealed by King's attorney, his brother Alan."
Summers sat up, jostling his chair and knocking Drake's feet from the back rung. "King? As in Asshole, Asswipe and Pee-U?"
A snicker came from one of the Narcotic guys. Every cop knew the law firm of Arthur King, Alan King and Paul Ulrich. Knew and dreaded. The Kings were known for shredding cops on the witness stand, took pride in making Pittsburgh's finest look like idiots.
Kwon smiled and nodded. "Richard is Alan's brother and Arthur's nephew."
"Shit, we'll never nail this fucker."
Dimeo strode forward, her heels clicking on the linoleum. The six detectives swiveled to look at her. Her face held the gleam of a predator scenting blood. "One of our principles is connected to the King family?"
Drake groaned. He could see where this was going. A chance for a prosecutor to derail the powerful King family was worth more than a pair of Steeler season tickets. A solid gold chit to bigger and better things: State's Attorney office, judgeships, political office.
"Hart divorced Richard King last year. The paperwork's sealed, but King recently returned to Pittsburgh after attending a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic. The State Board of Medicine restored his license, now he's back at Three Rivers." Kwon paused, her eyes gleaming as if she were ready to hit a home run. "King's brother, Alan, is Lester Young's attorney of record. And," the men all hunched forward in their seats, listening, "I found Richard King's name in two separate incident reports involving Young."
"What kind of incidents?" Summers asked.
"Routine witness statements surrounding two drug busts. One at the downtown Hilton, the other at Gateway Plaza. Both times King claimed he was just at the wrong place, wrong time, didn't see anything, didn't know anything. Fine upstanding citizen that he is, no one pursued it. Alan King was able to get the charges on Young thrown out
CHAPTER 18
"Cassandra Rose Hart," Kwon addressed the task force members, sounding like a school teacher in front of a group of unruly students. Which was pretty much what they resembled. Drake, Kwon and Summers from Major Crimes, two guys from Narcotics, and one of the DA's investigators, the only one wearing a suit and tie, of course. And Dimeo, watching from the rear of the room, the school principal waiting to send someone to detention.
"Age thirty, native of Pittsburgh, parents deceased, no other family that we've found. Residency at Three Rivers, been there as attending ER physician almost two years now."
He stretched his legs, resting them on the back of Summers' chair. They had appropriated roll-call to meet and brainstorm new approaches to the investigation now that it was focused on Three Rivers Medical Center.
Kwon continued, "No wants, no warrants, record's squeaky clean."
The others raised their heads at that. Squeaky clean usually meant something dirty hidden somewhere. And money or influence to hide it with. Drake remembered Richard King's shoes that cost more than a month's salary and wondered about that.
"Finances?" Lisa Dimeo asked from the back, echoing his thoughts. She was a thin, bony blonde who favored conservative suits and an even more conservative attitude to the concept of probable cause. Dimeo was not there to make a case, she was there to make a career. At every meeting, she would stand against the back wall as if afraid to contaminate herself by getting too close to the grunts who gathered her evidence.
"Worked as a waitress and hotel maid to put herself through Duquesne, then Pitt Medical school," Kwon said.
Drake could tell by the gleam in Kwon's eye that she was holding something back. Dimeo nodded in dismissal, her face resuming its bored expression. Hunters and gatherers, that was what they were to Dimeo.
"Married and divorced Richard King," Kwon continued, her voice bland. "Divorce settlement sealed by King's attorney, his brother Alan."
Summers sat up, jostling his chair and knocking Drake's feet from the back rung. "King? As in Asshole, Asswipe and Pee-U?"
A snicker came from one of the Narcotic guys. Every cop knew the law firm of Arthur King, Alan King and Paul Ulrich. Knew and dreaded. The Kings were known for shredding cops on the witness stand, took pride in making Pittsburgh's finest look like idiots.
Kwon smiled and nodded. "Richard is Alan's brother and Arthur's nephew."
"Shit, we'll never nail this fucker."
Dimeo strode forward, her heels clicking on the linoleum. The six detectives swiveled to look at her. Her face held the gleam of a predator scenting blood. "One of our principles is connected to the King family?"
Drake groaned. He could see where this was going. A chance for a prosecutor to derail the powerful King family was worth more than a pair of Steeler season tickets. A solid gold chit to bigger and better things: State's Attorney office, judgeships, political office.
"Hart divorced Richard King last year. The paperwork's sealed, but King recently returned to Pittsburgh after attending a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic. The State Board of Medicine restored his license, now he's back at Three Rivers." Kwon paused, her eyes gleaming as if she were ready to hit a home run. "King's brother, Alan, is Lester Young's attorney of record. And," the men all hunched forward in their seats, listening, "I found Richard King's name in two separate incident reports involving Young."
"What kind of incidents?" Summers asked.
"Routine witness statements surrounding two drug busts. One at the downtown Hilton, the other at Gateway Plaza. Both times King claimed he was just at the wrong place, wrong time, didn't see anything, didn't know anything. Fine upstanding citizen that he is, no one pursued it. Alan King was able to get the charges on Young thrown out
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