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“It might be. Bringing it back to business at hand, maybe Coltraine knew more about that than made either father or son happy once the relationship ended. I vote for Dad if it moves that way. Alex didn’t know Coltraine was going to be hit. He’s too smart to put himself on the suspect list for a cop killing.”
“But see, you’re thinking he’s too smart, so it makes it a solid.”
“People come up with the lame when they think cops are idiots. He doesn’t. They come up with the lame when they’re smug and want to play games. He’s careful. Everything I’ve got on him says he’s careful.”
She swiveled around to face her murder board. “The only incautious step I see him making anywhere, anytime, is becoming personally involved with a cop. He padded layers on that, but it was still incautious. Coming to New York days before the hit, staying on through that hit? That’s just brainless.”
She glanced at the time, cursed Webster. “I have to go brief the commander. Keep going on these probabilities. And start files on each individual member of Coltraine’s squad, including her lieutenant.”
“Man.”
“It gets worse. I’m expecting a return from Webster, privacy mode. Beep me if it comes through while I’m out.”
Eve pulled out her communicator as she strode out of Homicide and to the glides. Feeney answered with a “Yo.”
“What’s the best way to find out if someone on Omega is blocking or altering visitation and communication records?”
“Go there, run it through on-site.” He gave her a long, hard stare. “Not doing it, kid, not even for you.”
“Okay, what’s the second best way?”
“Get somebody young enough to think it’s exciting, smart enough to do the dig, and shoot them off to that godforsaken rock.”
“Who can you spare that fits those requirements, and can go now?”
Feeney blew out a breath that vibrated his lips. “Since this is gonna be connected to Coltraine’s murder, you’d want young, smart, and already familiar with the investigation. I can pull Callendar off, send her.”
“What kind of authorization do you need to—”
“Hey. Captain’
s bars here.”
“Right. Can you send her asap? I can see she gets fully briefed while en route. Don’t send her alone, Feeney. Send some muscle with her, just in case. Do you have any muscle up here?”
“Geeks have muscle, too.” He flexed his own biceps as if to prove it. “Get me the why we need to dig, and I’ll put it through.”
“Thanks.” She switched to Peabody. “Get Feeney the data from Baxter, and write up my take on why it’s bullshit. He’ll be sending Callendar and geek muscle to Omega to check this out.”
“Jeez, not McNab.”
“Would you characterize McNab as geek muscle?”
“He’s . . . okay, no.”
“Push it, Peabody. I want her on her way quick, fast, and in a hurry.”
“On it. Privacy-coded message just came through.”
“Okay.” She shoved her communicator away, pulled out her pocket ’link. It took her a few minutes to remember how to transfer a keyed transmission from her desk unit to a portable device, so she had to slow her pace.
She scanned the readout on the move, scrolling through for the highlights. She saved it, rekeyed it, then put her ’link away before going into Whitney’s office.
She gave her report on her feet while Whitney sat at his desk.
“Detective Peabody is continuing the probabilities. Further—”
“You don’t believe Alex Ricker’s presence in New York, his reconnection with Coltraine the night before her death, is a coincidence?”
