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Her phone rang just as she started the ignition. The unfamiliar ring of the prepaid phone made her jump. She answered.
“Hello?”
“Is this Jennifer Jeanne Johns?” a woman asked.
“Yes.” No one called her Jennifer. “Jenna. I go by Jenna.”
“Ms. Johns, I’m FBI special agent Natalie Wexford in the Washington, DC, field office. I understand you may have some information regarding the murder of US Marshal Thomas V. Granger.”
“Not exactly, but—”
“This morning, you called the tip line and told Agent Richardson that you knew Deputy Granger.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Based on your statement, you do not have firsthand knowledge of Deputy Granger’s murder, correct?”
“No, but I explained everything to Agent Richardson.”And two other people, but she didn’t say that.
“It would help if you could be concise and start at the beginning.”
So Jenna went through everything yet again, starting with how Deputy Granger had contacted her about her sister’s possible involvement in the Potomac Bank robbery two years ago and everything she had given Tommy—Becca’s tax returns, pay stubs, banking information, and more. “Tommy—Deputy Granger—called me on Sunday and said he had a meeting Monday morning and would be laying out his theory that my sister was involved in the robbery—that she had been an accomplice—and that the robbery may be connected with a series of other crimes. When I called him to find out what happened—he hadn’t called when he said he would—a stranger answered. When I saw the news report, I realized this wasafterhe was killed. And...that scared me.”
She sounded paranoidandstupid. She cleared her throat.
“So if I understand,” Agent Wexford said, “you do not have firsthand knowledge about Deputy Granger’s murder, but someone else answered his cell phoneafterhis murder, correct?”
“Yes. I think—well, I mean, it has to be the person who killed him, right? He didn’t tell me who he was and he said that Deputy Grangercouldn’t come to the phone! I mean, he had his phone, and Deputy Granger was already dead, why would he say that?”
“Perhaps he didn’t want to share information over the phone.”
“So the FBI has his cell phone?”
The agent didn’t answer her question.
“Do you have anything else to add to your statement?”
Jenna was even more upset than at the beginning of the call. “Aren’t you at all concerned? I mean, the stranger said that Deputy Granger was working on anunauthorized investigationand that he wanted to talk to me. I hung up. I’m scared.”
“I think you may have let your imagination run away with you. If the FBI is not in possession of Deputy Granger’s cell phone, they would have run a trace on it.”
“So you can find it!” That gave Jenna hope.
“I’m not able to share any details about our investigation into Deputy Granger’s murder.”
Jenna was now confused. “Can I come in, maybe talk to someone in person? I can explain what Deputy Granger was working on, and what I knew about it. It was a major investigation, and he said I had important information. I mean, I didn’t know I had information until he started asking questions.” She was rambling and sounded like a total airhead. She took a deep breath. She was smarter than this. But somehow, the fear that had nagged at her for the last thirty-six hours had intensified and was making her testy. Plus, she didn’t like this woman’s tone. As if whatever Jenna said wasn’t important or relevant.
“My files indicate that Mr. Granger was on an official leave of absence with no outstanding investigations.”
Jenna realized the woman knew nothing important about Deputy Granger’s murder. Maybe she should call the Marshals directly. She had thought she was doing the right thing by calling the FBI. That’s what the news said to do.
“Ms. Johns, are you there?” Agent Wexford asked.
“So you’re not taking my report seriously?” She didn’t mean to sound snide, but that’s how she felt.
“We take every report seriously, Ms. Johns.” Agent Wexford paused, then said, “This is what I think we should do. I’ll send two agents to your residence so you can give an official report, and they may have additional questions.”
“When?”
