around them grew denser. In minutes they found themselves breathing heavily.
Eventually, the path let them out at the top of a hill with a road running perpendicular to it. A short distance away was a gravel clearing. Below, the Chattahoochee River, now several inches higher, flowed placidly on through the countryside. In the distance through an opening in the trees was an unrestricted view of the dam, the spillway, and the control gate they’d just come from. Beth knew in an instant Jack had guessed right.
How does he do that?
Without speaking, Pappas tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at the ground. Just off the road in the red clay where the gravel ended was a partial tire tread mark and more footprints.
Beth laid out a grid in her mind and began to walk it while Pappas checked the area out.
“Dan, take a look at this,” she said, pointing to a black spot on the ground.
“Some fluid drip. Oil, maybe,” Pappas said, dropping down and rubbing the substance between his thumb and forefinger.
Chapter 22
J ack disconnected and was sitting in the crime lab with Captain Kostner and Burt Wiggins. Ben Furman and his assistant had left to meet Beth and Pappas.
“Thanks for the offer, Burt. I think your people can handle it from here,” Jack said.
“Just not as quickly or efficiently as they could with you on board,” Kostner said.
“It’s just that I’m pretty tied up at the moment with my classes and this research paper I’m writing.”
“Demanding job,” Kostner said.
Jack’s eyes locked on the captain, who returned the look calmly. He then turned to Burt Wiggins and said, “I’m not sure I’d be a good fit. I left the FBI under—”
“We know all about the IA investigation,” said Kostner. “Anyone might have lost it under the circumstances. If it were me, I’m not sure I would have let Pell live. You did, and that says something about you. It’s ancient history. Do you really think the killer is going to stop now?”
A long pause ensued before Jack answered. “No . . . he’s just getting started.”
He glanced away and looked at the equipment scattered around the room. He didn’t want to be there. So why, as Wiggins asked, was he? Oddly, he felt composed. Breathing normal. No tightness in his chest. Mouth’s not dry. No desire to escape. So far, so good.
“So you just gonna walk away?” Kostner asked.
“It’s not that simple, Art,” Jack said. “I’ve been out of the profession for a long time.”
“Sure,” Kostner said. “It took you a whole five minutes to figure out the clues that prick left. Give it a while; your timing’ll come back.”
I’ll get you for that, Art. Nice move .
Jack laughed to himself and was about to offer up a different argument when his eye fell once again on the department’s poster.
“Protect and Serve.”
He pushed the sleeves of his sport coat back, picked up Beth’s file, and sat down to read it.
*
It took the Emergency Response Team more than forty minutes to arrive on site via helicopter. They were led by a Sergeant Kowalski, who was big enough to be a pro wrestler. His head was shaven and his biceps filled his black shirt sleeves to the point of straining. The body armor he was wearing only made his chest seem larger.
Pappas explained the situation while the remaining six men in Kowalski’s squad spread out to make sure the dam was secure. The process took another half hour. When it was done, a corporal came back and reported.
“Everything’s good except for the front gate and the padlock down below. Someone blew ’em to hell.”
“I’m afraid that was me,” Beth said.
“Yes, ma’am. We sorta figured that. I called the base and told ’em to get a repair unit out here.”
Beth asked the sergeant, “Can you have one of your men open the outer door? I need to process the scene.”
Kowalski turned to the corporal and jerked his head toward a small concrete bunker at the end of the road where the computer control
Eventually, the path let them out at the top of a hill with a road running perpendicular to it. A short distance away was a gravel clearing. Below, the Chattahoochee River, now several inches higher, flowed placidly on through the countryside. In the distance through an opening in the trees was an unrestricted view of the dam, the spillway, and the control gate they’d just come from. Beth knew in an instant Jack had guessed right.
How does he do that?
Without speaking, Pappas tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at the ground. Just off the road in the red clay where the gravel ended was a partial tire tread mark and more footprints.
Beth laid out a grid in her mind and began to walk it while Pappas checked the area out.
“Dan, take a look at this,” she said, pointing to a black spot on the ground.
“Some fluid drip. Oil, maybe,” Pappas said, dropping down and rubbing the substance between his thumb and forefinger.
Chapter 22
J ack disconnected and was sitting in the crime lab with Captain Kostner and Burt Wiggins. Ben Furman and his assistant had left to meet Beth and Pappas.
“Thanks for the offer, Burt. I think your people can handle it from here,” Jack said.
“Just not as quickly or efficiently as they could with you on board,” Kostner said.
“It’s just that I’m pretty tied up at the moment with my classes and this research paper I’m writing.”
“Demanding job,” Kostner said.
Jack’s eyes locked on the captain, who returned the look calmly. He then turned to Burt Wiggins and said, “I’m not sure I’d be a good fit. I left the FBI under—”
“We know all about the IA investigation,” said Kostner. “Anyone might have lost it under the circumstances. If it were me, I’m not sure I would have let Pell live. You did, and that says something about you. It’s ancient history. Do you really think the killer is going to stop now?”
A long pause ensued before Jack answered. “No . . . he’s just getting started.”
He glanced away and looked at the equipment scattered around the room. He didn’t want to be there. So why, as Wiggins asked, was he? Oddly, he felt composed. Breathing normal. No tightness in his chest. Mouth’s not dry. No desire to escape. So far, so good.
“So you just gonna walk away?” Kostner asked.
“It’s not that simple, Art,” Jack said. “I’ve been out of the profession for a long time.”
“Sure,” Kostner said. “It took you a whole five minutes to figure out the clues that prick left. Give it a while; your timing’ll come back.”
I’ll get you for that, Art. Nice move .
Jack laughed to himself and was about to offer up a different argument when his eye fell once again on the department’s poster.
“Protect and Serve.”
He pushed the sleeves of his sport coat back, picked up Beth’s file, and sat down to read it.
*
It took the Emergency Response Team more than forty minutes to arrive on site via helicopter. They were led by a Sergeant Kowalski, who was big enough to be a pro wrestler. His head was shaven and his biceps filled his black shirt sleeves to the point of straining. The body armor he was wearing only made his chest seem larger.
Pappas explained the situation while the remaining six men in Kowalski’s squad spread out to make sure the dam was secure. The process took another half hour. When it was done, a corporal came back and reported.
“Everything’s good except for the front gate and the padlock down below. Someone blew ’em to hell.”
“I’m afraid that was me,” Beth said.
“Yes, ma’am. We sorta figured that. I called the base and told ’em to get a repair unit out here.”
Beth asked the sergeant, “Can you have one of your men open the outer door? I need to process the scene.”
Kowalski turned to the corporal and jerked his head toward a small concrete bunker at the end of the road where the computer control
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