Four Blind Mice - James Patterson [25]
“You had a real good game, Damon,” I told him. “Scored points but didn’t forget about the rest of your team. Played tough D on number eleven.”
Damon grinned, even though he tried to hold it back. I had given the right answer. “Yeah, he’s the high scorer in the league. But not tonight.”
After we talked, Damon took off with some of his teammates, Ramon, Ervin, Kenyon. That was a new one, but I knew I better get used to it.
When I got home, I couldn’t stop thinking about Ellis Cooper and the e-mail about other murders by army personnel. According to Sampson, Cooper swore he didn’t have anything to do with it. Who then? Someone at Fort Bragg? A friend of Cooper’s?
That night in bed I couldn’t stop thinking about the damn note.
Innocent men might have been executed.
Sergeant Cooper wasn’t the first.
This has happened before.
Who the hell was Foot Soldier?
Chapter 28
I DESPERATELY NEEDED to see someone at the Army Court of Criminal Appeals, and the FBI helped me get an appointment with the right person.
The court and its administrative offices were located in a bland-looking commercial building in Arlington. It was considerably nicer inside the building, kind of like a dignified and reserved corporate legal office. Other than the fact that most of the men and women wore uniforms, the normal touches of military culture weren’t much in evidence.
Sampson and I went there to see Lieutenant General Shelly Borislow, and we were brought to her office by an aide. It was a lengthy walk — lots of long hallways, which is typical of government buildings all over the Washington area.
General Borislow was waiting for us when we finally arrived. She stood ramrod straight and was obviously physically fit. A handsome woman, probably in her late forties.
“Thanks for seeing us,” Sampson said, and shook General Borislow’s hand. I had the feeling that he wanted to handle the meeting, maybe because he had more experience with the army than I did, but possibly because Ellis Cooper’s time was running out.
“I read the transcript of the trial last night,” General Borislow said as we sat around a glass-topped coffee table. “I also went through the CID notes from Captain Jacobs. And Sergeant Cooper’s records. I’m pretty much up to speed. Now, what can I do for you, gentlemen?” I was pleased that the general was the one to bring up gender.
“I have some questions. If you don’t mind, General?” Sampson said. He leaned forward so that his elbows rested on his thighs. His eyes were steady on General Borislow’s, who was just as focused on Sampson’s.
“Ask any questions you wish. I don’t have another meeting until ten. That gives us about twenty minutes to talk, but you can have more time if you need it. The army has nothing to hide in this matter. I can tell you that much.”
Sampson still held Borislow’s eyes. “Detective Cross and I have worked hundreds of homicide scenes, General. Some things about this one bother us a lot.”
“What, specifically?”
Sampson hesitated, then went on. “Before I get into what bothered us, I was wondering if anything about the trial or the investigation bothered you?”
General Shelly Borislow stayed in perfect control. “A few things, actually. I suppose it could be construed as a little too pat that Sergeant Cooper held on to the murder weapon. It was a valuable souvenir, though, from his years in Vietnam. And a souvenir from the murders themselves.”
“You’re aware that Sergeant Cooper’s apartment was broken into a day or two before the murders? We saw signs of the break-in, and Cooper confirmed it. The knife could have been taken then,” Sampson said.
Borislow nodded. “That’s certainly possible, Detective. But isn’t it also possible that the sergeant created the impression that there had been a break-in at his apartment? That’s what CID concluded.”
“A boy from the neighborhood saw three men in Tanya Jackson’s yard about the time of the murders.”
“The boy could have seen men in the yard. That’s true. He also may have seen shadows