The In Death Collection Books 16-20 - J. D. Robb [693]
“And we have a duty to protect the citizens of this city,” Eve put in. “Information has come into my hands during the course of a multiple homicide investigation that leads me to believe Kirkendall, Roger, former sergeant, U.S. Army, is involved.”
“Disclosure of this nature requires more than the belief of an officer in the civilian sector, Lieutenant. The Revised Patriot Act, section 3 implemented 2040, specifically—”
“Gives the government carte blanche to demand and receive personal data on any citizen, while secreting data on their own. I know how it works. However, when a member of the armed forces is under suspicion for acts against the government or its citizenry, those records can be turned over to both military and civilian authorities.”
“Your suspicions, Lieutenant, are not enough. Evidence—”
“Commander, with your permission?”
He raised his brow when Eve stepped toward his computer, then nodded.
Eve ordered the file on the Swishers. “Images of victims, crime scene, on-screen.”
They flashed on, stark and bloody. “He did that.”
“You believe—”
“I know,” Eve corrected. She ordered the images of Knight and Preston on screen. “He did that. You trained him, but that’s not on you. He twisted his training. But it’s on you if you don’t cooperate, if you don’t assist this department, this investigation. If you hamper in any way our pursuit of Roger Kirkendall, then the next one he kills is on you.”
“Your evidence is far from conclusive at this stage of your investigation.”
“Let me give you some more. And since you look like a woman who does her job, not a lot of what I’m going to give you is news. He owns part of a successful business in Queens, but hasn’t been seen by his partner in six years. Grant Swisher represented his wife in a custody suit—and won. Judge Moss, presiding, was assassinated, along with his fourteen-year-old son, in a car bomb two years ago. Karin Duberry, the case worker from Child Protection Services, was strangled in her apartment last year. I believe when I complete the investigation into the stabbing of the medical authority who testified for Mrs. Kirkendall, we will find that Kirkendall was also responsible for this death.”
“Circumstantial.”
“Bullshit, Major. Jilly Isenberry, former corporal in the U.S. Army, was until recently the roommate of Sade Tully, the paralegal in Swisher’s office. Isenberry spent time in the Swisher home, was considered a friend. Isenberry arranged to meet Tully shortly after the Kirkendall trial, with the happy coincidence of a nice apartment within walking distance of Swisher’s office. She, like Kirkendall, seems to travel a good deal. And I’ll bet my next month’s salary against yours that Kirkendall and Isenberry not only knew each other, but served together.”
“One moment, Lieutenant.” The holo vanished.
“Checking it now, aren’t you? Tight-assed bitch.” Eve caught herself, turned to Whitney. “I beg your pardon, Commander.”
“No need.”
“You’ve been busy,” Feeney said. “Good going, kid.”
“We’re rolling. We don’t really need the military details at this point, but I’m not going to let her stonewall us. I want them.”
“Holes in the ER doc’s case,” Baxter put in. “If you’re looking at them. Guy who went down for it claimed he found her that way, just decided to rob the body—and got himself busted with her wallet and personal effects before he got off the lot. Her blood all over him. But they never found the murder weapon.”
“Anything in his statement? He claim to see anything?”
“He was juiced. Had a homemade stunner in his pocket. No evidence vic was stunned. Already had a sheet. He’d gone down for illegals, and for assault, and for robbery. Cops find him a hundred feet from a dead body, dead body’s possessions and blood on him, they didn’t look elsewhere.”
“I want copies of the case file, the ME’s report, the whole shot.”
“Already done.”
The holo shimmered back on. “The records requested will be made available to you.”
“Add Isenberry’s.”
“Along with former Corporal Isenberry’s. These officers are no longer under military jurisdiction. If either or both