If I Should Die_ A Novel of Suspense - Allison Brennan [79]
“You’ll have to put some names to those accusations,” Dillard said.
Sean shook his head. “Not yet.” He assessed Dillard as a straightshooter. “Are you familiar with the Swain family?”
Dillard nodded. “I was part of the joint task force that took down Paul Swain. Nine people went to prison. If I thought Swain was still running things in Spruce Lake, I would have called in the Feds. One thing I can say about that place—they take care of their own. Someone like me—I wouldn’t get anywhere.”
“You don’t think Swain is managing his trade from the prison?” Patrick asked. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“I’d never say never, but he’s closely watched. Two cops died during the operation—a meth lab exploded. Long story, screwups all around, but in the end we learned one of Swain’s people set it up. A booby trap.”
“How did you get the warrant in the first place?” Patrick asked.
“Someone turned state’s evidence.”
“Who?” Sean wondered if his theory about Bobbie Swain turning in her brother had merit.
“That information is above my pay grade. It’s not in any of the official reports.”
“An insider,” Sean said.
Dillard shrugged. “That would be my educated guess. Someone very close to Swain.”
“What if,” Sean said, “this C.I. who helped the task force take down Swain and his cronies turned around and set up his—or her—own criminal enterprise?”
“Anything’s possible,” Dillard said. “Or, someone saw the opportunity to fill a hole in the distribution chain. I’ll tap my contact with the DEA and see what he knows.”
“Discreetly,” Sean said.
Dillard frowned, and Patrick interjected, “My partner is concerned that there may be problems with some of the law enforcement. Especially after what’s happened with Deputy Weddle.”
“Weddle is a bad cop,” Sean said bluntly.
“Not all cops are like Weddle.” Dillard rubbed the back of his neck. “I pulled the GPS on Weddle’s assigned vehicle. Though he officially clocked out at four p.m. on Wednesday, the day you found the body, his vehicle was at the Kelley Mine from eight-fifteen until nine-forty-nine p.m.” He handed Sean a short stack of papers. “I shouldn’t be sharing this with you, but you might see something I’m missing. It goes back seventy-two hours. Weddle has been spending a lot of time at the mine this week.”
Sean scanned the GPS printout. It showed Weddle’s exact route by time and location. He’d spent a lot of time in Spruce Lake. He lived nearly thirty minutes away in Potsdam, where his car was now.
Dillard added, “This week has shown a definite change in pattern.”
Not only was Weddle at the mine Wednesday night—to remove Agent Sheffield’s body?—but he’d gone back Friday late in the afternoon. That was after Lucy had told him there was evidence in the mine.
Sean looked carefully at the stops Weddle made after Thursday morning, when he first met Sean and Lucy at the mine. He first went to the Lock & Barrel, then back to Potsdam. On Friday he was at the Hendricksons’ before noon—after Tim called about the sniper—then went to Reverend Browne’s church for more than an hour. At 3:30, the deputy was in Colton for nearly thirty minutes, then went back to the mine for over an hour before returning to his residence.
“Who lives at 1020 West Mountain Road?”
Dillard typed the address into his computer. “The house is owned by Butch and Katherine Swain.”
“He was there for nearly thirty minutes, then went back to the mine. That was after Lucy told him there was evidence down there. Which is probably gone now.”
Dillard looked as though he wanted to argue. After all, Sean was making a grave accusation about one of his cops, but he closed his mouth.
Patrick said, “When did Weddle arrive home on Friday?”
“Six-ten.”
“Where is he right now?” Patrick asked Dillard.
Dillard typed into his computer. “At his residence in Potsdam. At least his police unit is there. He has the day off. He could be using his personal vehicle.”
“Are you planning on paying him a visit?”
“I suppose I am.”
“How about