Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [227]
In the beginning, that brisk, straight-to-the-point attitude had flustered Tully, who was accustomed to the courtesies of the Midwest. Now he appreciated getting down to business with no obligatory exchanges of chitchat or greetings. Though it also prevented the two men from knowing a single thing about each other’s personal lives.
“I just received the files faxed over from the Kansas City police.”
He pulled out the summary sheet from a group of folders he had brought along. He made certain it was the correct one and handed it across the desk. Cunningham pushed up his glasses.
Tully continued, “Early autopsy reports indicate a slashed throat as cause of death. No other defense wounds or injuries. There was one incision in the victim’s right side through which the right kidney was extracted.”
“Any sign of the organ?”
“No, not yet. But then the Kansas City cops weren’t looking for it right away. It’s quite possible someone found it, had no clue what it was and tossed it.”
Tully waited patiently, watching his boss as he finished reading. He laid the report on the desk, sat back and rubbed a hand over his jaw.
“What’s your perspective on this, Agent Tully?”
“The timing is off. It’s much too soon after the delivery girl. And it’s much too far away, entirely out of his territory. There was another latent fingerprint, a thumb. Again, it looks like it was deliberately left behind on an umbrella that belonged to the victim. Didn’t even have the victim’s fingerprints on it. It was definitely wiped down with the print left later. And again, it doesn’t match Albert Stucky.”
Cunningham frowned, squinting at the report and tapping his index finger to his lip. Tully thought the lines in his face seemed more pronounced this morning, his short hair peppered with more gray.
“So is it Stucky, or isn’t it?”
“The M.O. definitely matches Stucky’s,” Tully said. “And there hasn’t been enough in the news or even enough time for a copycat to get motivated. The print may belong to someone who came across the scene. A waiter found her. There’s some speculation the scene had been contaminated. KC’s faxing a copy of the print to the guys at CJIS in Clarksburg. We’ll see if it matches the unidentified one left in Newburgh Heights. There’s a good chance these belong to civilians coming across the scene after everything’s been wiped clean.”
“Okay, let’s say that’s the case. So what if it is Stucky?”
Tully knew exactly what Cunningham was thinking, but he evidently wanted or needed to hear it, to confirm what seemed to be the obvious.
“If it is Stucky, it’s more than likely he followed O’Dell to Kansas City. He may be looking for a way to drag her into this again.”
Cunningham glanced at his wristwatch. “She should be headed back right now.”
“Actually, I checked, sir. I thought I’d meet her at the airport. She changed to a flight later tonight.”
Cunningham shook his head and let out a sigh of frustration as he grabbed his phone and punched several buttons.
“Anita, do you have Special Agent Margaret O’Dell’s hotel phone number in Kansas City?” He sat back while he waited.
Tully imagined the methodical Anita quickly accessing her records. Assistant Director Cunningham had kept the same secretary, inheriting her from his predecessor and yielding to her experience and expertise on important matters he couldn’t saddle himself with. If such a thing was possible, Anita was even more meticulous than her boss.
“Good,” Cunningham said into the phone. “Would you please get in touch with her even if it’s through a message. Track her down if she’s already checked out. I want to see her in my office tomorrow morning at eight.”
He hesitated and listened as he rubbed the bridge of his nose under his glasses. “Oh yes, I forgot about that. Tell O’Dell nine o’clock then. Thanks, Anita.”
He replaced the receiver and looked up at Tully, waiting.
“How long do you intend to keep her off this case?” Tully finally asked what he thought was the obvious question.
“For as long as is necessary.”
Tully studied his boss’s face, but had no clue how