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“I may not be a fucking psychiatrist, but I can tell the difference.”
Matt had to defuse this. “We need more information,” he said. “Then we’ll reassess and determine the best course of action with regards to Mrs. Jeffries. Catherine, find out everything you can about Mrs. Jeffries’s friendship with Mrs. Marshall, and we’ll proceed accordingly.”
Matt had led many teams over the years, and he had dealt with team members who disagreed and some who flat-out didn’t like each other. But he hadn’t expected this between Catherine and Kara.
Why not? Two strong-willed, extremely independent cops who are used to leading their own investigations.
He went to the next name on the list. “Vince Marshall. Catherine, you ranked him as the third most likely target, along with Neil.”
Catherine said, “Records show that he has had ups and downs in business, multiple lawsuits both settled and pending, so I asked Zack Heller to review the financial and legal information to determine if he might be the bombing target. As far as Neil, we haven’t ruled out all his previous arrests—including Brandon Fielding, who threatened him in court and was released six months ago from prison, but as you indicated earlier, he didn’t have the means to accomplish this. And there’s Neil’s personal investigation into the drownings on Mowich Lake. Until we have those answers, he will remain on the list. Nava Software is lower, but Zack is looking into a potential buyout by an investor that didn’t go through, to make sure there isn’t something we’re not seeing there. And finally,Water Lily’s two deckhands are all but cleared. Kyle Richards wasn’t supposed to be on the boat—he has no history of depression, hasn’t been suicidal. Cal McKinnon seems to have a viable reason for calling out sick, though that’s pending our interview with him. He’s low on our suspect list, and so far, nothing in his background would suggest he might be a target, but we’ll continue down that path until we completely clear him.”
“McKinnon is coming in here first thing tomorrow morning,” Ryder said. “Kara is meeting with him.”
“Kara, after you talk to him, let me know if the assessment changes, as target or suspect. Ryder, continue the background checks on all the victims as well as McKinnon and the Jeffries family, use DC as needed. Good work, everyone. For less than ten hours on the ground, we’ve accomplished a hell of a lot.”
12
As they were leaving the conference room, Catherine pulled Matt aside. “I need to call Lizzy before she goes to bed. Would you mind walking with me to the house?”
It was an excuse, but one she knew Matt would accept.
He said to Ryder, “Go on ahead. I’ll meet you at Fish & Brew, if you’re still up for it?”
“Yes,” Ryder said. “I’ll tell the others.”
Catherine and Matt walked out of the sheriff’s station and headed up the hill to their rental house. “Spill,” he said.
“I read Kara’s file,” she said. “Why is she on this team?”
“Because she’s not FBI?”
“No. Because she’s a borderline sociopath.”
Matt tensed as they stopped at the corner to wait for a light to change. “That’s uncalled-for.”
“You don’t see it?”
“Just because you disagreed about Madelyn Jeffries?”
“No, that is not the primary reason, though she should have deferred to my judgment,” Catherine said. “I’m not saying I’m right, but I have far more experience and training. That is not, however, relevant to my concerns.”
“I’ve read her file as well. What’s your specific concern?”
How did Catherine explain? She could see it—why couldn’t Matt? Was it because she was a psychiatrist with nearly two decades of experience? Because she understood sociopaths better than others?
“She has no college degree,” Catherine said. “She entered the police academy after getting her GED. They gave her an exemption on age requirements because she was recruited into a specialized program to send officers undercover in high schools to root out drug dealers.”
“Like that old television show,21 Jump Street,” Matt said with a grin, trying to lighten up the conversation. But Catherine couldn’t allow him to do that. This was serious; Matt needed to take it seriously.
“She is reckless and volatile, and I’ve seen those traits in cops before. They get killed or get someone killed. She has fatally shot six suspects in the line of duty. That is high for her department, foranydepartment, even considering her high-risk assignments. However, my primary concern lies with her inability to separate herself from her job. She worked undercover for nearly twelve years. She comes to conclusions based solely on her opinion, not on facts or evidence.”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
“The situation with Madelyn Jeffries, for example. She hasn’t considered the plethora of evidence that shows that Mrs. Jeffries married Pierce Jeffries solely because of his money. The public comments by his family, the fact that she was much younger, poor, and dated several older men before Jeffries, according to an article in a reputable magazine. I tried to explain that to her, but she cut me off and refuses to consider that as a motive.”
“I think,” Matt said slowly, “that she comes to quick conclusions based on her experience as an interrogator and investigator. We all do it. You do as well.”
“In this case, it’s a mistake. And I am a psychiatrist. I’m trained to make these assessments. Matt, looking at Kara’s background, I’m skeptical. So I ask again, why is she on this team? She has no qualifications to be an FBI agent.”
