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“Sure he does. He’s just getting heat from the mayor and the city council.”
“I am going to get through this, right?”
“We are going to get through this.”
Chapter
31
The ballistics report on the .45-caliber Remington 1911 that killed Terry Howard came back around ten fifteen that morning. It was the same pistol that had been used to kill Tom McGrath and Edita Kravic.
“Case closed?” Chief Michaels asked. “We can tell the media that?”
“Yes,” Bree said.
I said nothing.
The chief noticed, said, “Alex?”
“You might want to say there’s strong evidence that Howard did it, but there are still some loose ends to take care of before we put the file in boxes.”
“What loose ends?”
“The car used in McGrath’s murder. It wasn’t Howard’s. And I’d like to see a bill of sale saying Howard actually owned a Remington 1911. All records I’ve checked say he was a Smith and Wesson guy.”
Chief Michaels looked at Bree, said, “You’re confident?”
“Terry Howard hated Tom,” she said. “Howard had lost his job and had cancer. Tom was chief of detectives with a younger girlfriend. So Howard’s bitterness built into rage, and he shot Tom and Edita. Then he shot himself, figuring we’d eventually put two and two together.”
“Kind of convenient.”
“Or true.”
“Sorry, Alex,” Chief Michaels said. “I agree with Chief Stone.”
“Not my call, but I can live with it,” I said.
“Good. And the drug-lab massacre?”
“We’ve had everyone pressuring informants, but there’s no talk on the streets about the hired gunmen. Just the victims.”
“Which means?”
“They’re an outside force,” I said. “Highly trained. Probably ex-military.”
“Probably hired by a rival drug interest,” Bree said.
“Or they’re vigilantes,” I said.
“Alex,” Bree said with a sigh.
“Vigilantes?” the chief said, eyes narrowing. “Where do you see that?”
“No drugs were taken in the three attacks. No money was taken in the three attacks. If you think about it, a message was being sent loud and clear.”
“What message?”
“Stop making meth or we’ll kill you too.”
