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Jo started to laugh, but the sound died in her throat as a car pulled into the parking lot. “Dammit.”
Arnett followed her gaze. “Lacey Bernard. How in hell did she get here so fast?”
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Bernard strode up to them. “Detectives. A judge has been murdered?”
Jo kept her face impassive. “Ms. Bernard, the prodigal early bird. We don’t have verification of identity yet. What makes you think the victim is a judge?”
Something flashed over Bernard’s face, quickly replaced by annoyance. “Come on, Detective. You said you’d play straight with me if I kept your secret. Did you see anything in yesterday’s reports about a bag over Sandra Ashville’s head? No, you did not. Ball’s in your court.”
Jo called over to Officer Rivera. “Has the husband confirmed identity yet?”
Rivera’s eyes flicked to Bernard and back to Jo. “He has.”
Jo reoriented to Bernard. “Judge Winnie Sakurai, retired. The manner of death has not been confirmed by the ME, but we suspect homicide.”
“And the cause of death?”
“Still TBD.”
Bernard gave her a pointed glare.
“Not negotiable until I hear back from the ME. They’re the experts for a reason. But what Icantell you is the ME confirmed Sandra Ashville’s death was the result of a gunshot wound to the head in an apparent homicide.”
Bernard scrawled on her notepad. “Weapon caliber?”
“No comment.”
Bernard grimaced, but shifted gears. “So in the space of just over twenty-four hours, an assistant district attorney and a judge have been found dead, likely murdered. Does the SPDU believe the deaths are related?”
“It’s too early to draw any conclusions,” Jo said.
“Suspects?” Bernard asked.
Jo stepped toward her. “Actually, we could use your help with that.”
Bernard’s face turned wary, but her postured perked. “How so?”
“When our lieutenant holds our press conference later, we’ll be asking anyone who was at the park earlier today to contact the SPDU. We’d like to talk to them, and look at any pictures or video they took. Since I’ve confirmed the identity of our victim for you ahead of everyone else, I’d appreciate it if you could also get our appeal for information out as soon as possible.”
Bernard nodded. “Any particular details you want included? Items of clothing you’re looking for? And I’m guessing an emphasis on people who were around the Zen topiary garden?”
Jo went rigid. “I didn’t mention anything about the topiary garden.”
Bernard’s eyes flicked down and up. “My source must have.”
“Who’s your source?” Jo asked.
“You know I’m not going to tell you that.”
Jo watched her face carefully. “Your source asked for anonymity?”
Bernard pushed her bobbed hair behind her ear with the hand holding her pen. “Something along those lines.”
The word choice pinged Jo’s radar. “Here’s the problem I have with that. You managed to arrive at both crime scenes well before other members of the press. Even if you’re listening to the police scanners at all hours, we’ve been circumspect about this because of the nature of the victims. Only the general location would have gone out over any publicly interceptable transmission. That means your source has inside information about this crime scene. Andthatmeans they’re either a cop, a dispatcher, or the killer himself.”
Bernard held her gaze. “You gave me information you said you wouldn’t give anyone else. Is it so strange someone else would, too?”
