Page 16 of Delusional

“Who said I don’t believe? I was raised Catholic too. My mother still goes to mass twice a week,” Maggie said. “But I’m afraid I don’t attend church much more than at Christmas and Easter. I know that’s a little hypocritical.”

“There’s nothing hypocritical about that. Church isn’t for everyone. Religion isn’t for everyone. But personally, I’ve found through the trials of my life that it’s something I can depend on.”

After a few moments, Maggie said, “I talked to an FBI profiler. I told you that my husband is an assistant US attorney for the Southern District of New York, right? Between his job and mine via the ATF, I can get pretty good access. I know the FBI can be tough to deal with, but most of the agents are okay. I can usually call and get straight answers. Even if they’re not a lot of help.”

I kept my opinions about the FBI to myself. I’d take access to FBI info without dealing with the agency any way I could get it. “So what’d the profiler say about our bomber?”

“Oh, sorry. I go off on tangents occasionally.”

“Occasionally?” I was happy to see her smile at the comment. It’s tough to work a case with someone who can’t make fun of themselves.

Maggie said, “The profiler I spoke to said the main reason someone would put glitter in a bomb like the one used at the Office of Technology and Innovation would be to show off and potentially wait in the area to see the results.”

“My daughter figured that out last night.”

“She sounds like a smart girl. I think we should check security footage from the area immediately after the bomb detonated. Maybe we’ll see someone milling about, trying to get a look into the office.”

I said, “I can’t ignore good, logical reasoning like that. However, Detective Jolynn Nelson is working specifically on that bombing and keeping me up-to-date on everything she finds. I guarantee you she’s working to procure every second of security footage from every building on the block.”

“Sounds like you trust her.”

“Completely.”

“I hope I manage to earn that level of trust.”

“I do too.”

Maggie continued: “My FBI profiler friend said she’d heard your name before, that you make a lot of high-profile arrests.”

“That’s the nicest thing anyone from the FBI has ever said about me.”

“She also mentioned that you weren’t terribly popular with the FBI management. I think that’s a bigger compliment.”

We both shared a smile.

After almost a minute of silence, Maggie added, “I read everything I could find on the bombing in Queens that killed Sergeant Rose Vega. For once, it seems like the media was sympathetic to a cop who was murdered. I checked with a few people, and the bomb used on the sergeant’s vehicle was pretty simple. Same with the one at the bank in Newark. But the one that detonated yesterday was much more sophisticated. Some kind of genius put that one together. What’s your theory?”

I liked the way she’d phrased the question. “Believe me, I’ve been trying to figure this one out and it’s got me worried,” I said, shaking my head. “I don’t feel like five months is enough time to learn about high-tech detonators and how to use them. Also, whoever hacked the security system was no dumbass. Maybe the group’s recruited some new members.”

Maggie added, “And they have someone strong enough to pop the locks off doors.”

“I don’t know about that one. Archimedes said, ‘Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.’” I glanced at my passenger. “That could mean that our bomber is smart enough to use a long crowbar.”

Maggie said, “I don’t care how smart this perp is. Everyone makes mistakes.”

“I just hope we don’t.”

CHAPTER 19

AFTER MAGGIE AND I headed south on the Henry Hudson and eventually dumped onto Eleventh Avenue, we passed the DEA building. It made me flinch a little to recall how Trilling and I had recently disrupted a major DEA operation. It was one of the few times I’d ever been inside that building. Frankly, I was so embarrassed by what had happened, I would’ve preferred never to go inside again.

Maggie commented, “My husband is in the DEA building this week, helping them prepare for trial.”

“Wanna stop by so you can say hello?”

She shook her head. “I see a little too much of him as it is.”

I laughed. Maggie’s sense of humor told me she was going to fit in just fine.