“What’s ‘everything’?” Fran asked.
“Burned clothing,” Bob said. “Briefcase. Backpack. Things from the car. Sheets from his bed at the motel. Trash.”
“Sounds like my cup of tea,” Fran said.
“We have ten techs ready to do our bidding,” Bob said. He rubbed his hands together in pretend glee. “Why don’t you take five of them? Put them to work.”
Fran looked at Ava, and she gave a nod.
“Be nice,” Ava said.
“I yam what I yam,” Fran said with a laugh.
“Any thoughts about what we have here?” Ava asked.
“A lot of nothing,” Nelson said. “At least that’s what’s in the FBI files.”
“It’s possible the physical evidence will provide something but. . .” Bob shrugged. “Highly unlikely.”
“Okay,” Ava said. “Did you get a chance to review my interview with the detective?”
Everyone nodded.
“Thoughts?” Ava asked.
“The FBI spent a lot of time on this Vietnam Vet and Agent Orange connection,” Nelson said. “You know — did some angry activist kill the senator?”
“As the detective suggested,” Leslie said.
“They found no evidence that he was killed by someone connected with the war or Agent Orange,” Nelson said. He paused a minute to let that sink in. “But, they never figured out why he was in Aspen.”
“Really?” Ava asked.
Nelson nodded.
“How could he keep something like that a secret?” Ava asked.
“No social media?” Nelson asked.
“Good point,” Bob said. “He was planning to run for president.”
“What?” Leslie asked.
“I remember thinking that there was no way he could be a viable candidate after the Agent Orange vote,” Bob said. “But he had a lot of money and powerful friends. They were prepping him for a presidential run.”
Bob nodded. The team fell silent as they thought through what Bob had said.
“Wow,” Ava said, breaking the silence. “The detective presented the Senator as a loathsome character with many enemies. I mean, the Sheriff didn’t want to investigate his death because he thought ‘good riddance.’ And he was running for president?”
“It’s what I remember,” Bob said.
“Did you work this case when you were at the FBI?” Ava asked.
“Not that I recall,” Bob said.
“No,” Dr. Quincy said with a shake of her head. “Before my time.”
“I looked,” Nelson said. “There’s no record of Dr. Robert Parrish working in connection with this case. And, it’s well before Dr. Quincy’s time.”
Dr. Quincy nodded.
“As you know, it’s a big lab, even in the 1980s, when I was a. . .” Bob coughed, “twelve.”
They laughed.
“Okay,” Ava said, reining in everyone. “This is the moment that Seth would ask us what our questions are.”
“Who did it?” Nelson asked.
“Besides that,” Ava said with a grin. “I’ll start. My question is why was he in Aspen? As we know, people are usually killed by someone they know. Even famous people or unpopular politicians.”
Everyone nodded. Fran jumped up and got a roll of butcher paper. She ran the paper out over the table and wrote:
Questions:
1. Why was the senator in Aspen?
“After going through the evidence, such as it is,” Bob said, “and certainly there’s a lot more to do, but. . .”
He looked up at Ava.
“My question is, ‘What’s missing?’” Bob said.
Ava pointed at him and nodded.
“I mean, there is so much physical evidence,” Bob said. “We have the vehicle. We have all of the charred metal and. . . It’s so much. So overwhelmingly much. And I know — by that I mean that I have used this excuse — it’s possible that we have so much physical evidence because they didn’t find the culprit and they were hoping future forensic analysis would do the job. But. . .”
Bob shook his head. He pointed to the empty lab across the hall that was now a bevy of activity as technicians went through the boxes of evidence.
“That feels like a cover-up,” Bob said.
“Could it be that everyone involved was simply glad he was dead?” Fran asked.
“Sure,” Bob said. “They covered their feelings with that mess.”
“Makes sense to me,” Nelson said.
“Put it on the list,” Ava said.
Fran wrote:
2. What’s missing from the evidence?
“I think we have to add ‘What’s missing in physical evidence as well as in the entire investigation?’” Leslie said. “Because we cannot know what we don’t know and, you’re right. . .”
Leslie nodded to Bob.
“It does feel like something’s missing here,” Leslie said. “I think we need to investigate the senator himself. Time may have loosened the lips of people who were silent before. He got himself killed. This has to be about him.”
“What if it’s not?” Ava asked. “It’s something I thought about last night. This entire investigation was focused on the senator and his life. What if it’s about one of the Capitol Police?”
“We need to look into them,” Leslie said. “But that’s not a question.”
“Who are these people?” Fran asked.
Leslie nodded to Fran.
“Okay, I’m adding. . .”
She scratched out the question mark after question 2 and wrote “in physical evidence and investigation?” She also wrote:
3. Who are the victims?
“I think we need to go to the site,” Nelson said.
Everyone looked at him.
“I’ve been looking into the site of the accident,” Nelson said. “I thought it was on the 82, but it turns out that they moved the highway after this accident. The highway used to go through Basalt. The senator and the Capitol Police were killed on Two Rivers Road, just a mile outside of Basalt.”
Nelson turned his computer around to show the road.
“There’s been a ton of building all over Pitkin County,” Nelson said. “But here?”
Nelson shook his head.
“There’s been nothing,” Nelson said. “No new homes. No new roads. It’s like the senator was killed here, so it’s unusable or something like that. I tried to find who owns the land, but. . .”
Nelson shook his head again.
“It’s owned by a shell company,” Nelson said. “I can use our resources to find out who owns it but it’s going to take some time. Also, why would a shell corporation own this piece of land?”
“So our question is?” Ava asked.
“Who owns the land?” Nelson asked. “Why hide it?”
Fran wrote his question down as number 4.
“One more thing,” Nelson said.
The team looked up when Nelson paused.
“I cannot find any record that indicates that William Michaud was ever drafted,” Nelson said. He shook his head. “In fact, he’s literally not in the system.”
“Is that possible?” Fran asked.
“Clearly, it’s possible for rich dudes,” Nelson said.
“He wasn’t rich until he married his wife,” Ava said.
Nelson shrugged. The team fell silent for a moment.
“Seth always says that when a case gets complicated, it’s best to take a step back and look at what’s simple,” Ava said. “We have an unpopular U.S. Senator who may or may not have been planning a run for president. He drives. . .”
“Flies from Washington to Stapleton,” Nelson corrected.
“Got a vehicle and drove hours to Aspen,” Ava said. “He spent two days in Aspen with three bodyguards, and then got into the vehicle and drove home.”
“I need to check property records,” Nelson said.
They turned to look at him.
“He had to stay somewhere. The FBI found his hotel. We ev
en have his sheets.” Nelson pointed across the hall, “but they postulated that he likely didn’t stay in the hotel.”
Fran picked up her pen and wrote:
5. Where did he stay?
“Don’t forget places like hospitals or. . . nursing homes or. . . ” Ava looked at Nelson. “Is there anything about him getting a facelift or. . .?”
“Great idea!” Fran said.
“Would he have been able to drive so soon after a facelift?” Leslie said.
“Sure,” Nelson said. “But he wouldn’t have been able to do a TV interview.”
Nelson turned his computer around and pointed to a slot in the senator’s calendar.
“ABC,” Nelson said.
“So, no facelift,” Ava said. “But. . .”
“I’ll still check the hospitals,” Nelson said. “He could have had something minor.”
“Maybe he was visiting someone,” Ava said.
Nelson pointed at her and nodded.
“So back to our story,” Ava said. “Senator. Plane trip. Long car ride. Two days in Aspen. And. . .?”
Ava shrugged.
“What’s our simplest answer?” Ava asked.
“What about corruption?” Leslie said. “He could have come to Aspen to meet up with his wealthy supporters.”
Everyone nodded. Ava shrugged.
“Who killed this guy?” Ava asked. “Let’s figure it out.”
The team nodded.
“Fran, you’re on physical evidence,” Ava said. “Leslie, you asked about the car. What’s left there?”
“No idea,” Leslie said. “The car was moved into the print shed this morning.”
The Denver Crime Lab had a shed where they could use various technologies to find hidden prints or other evidence.
“Can you wrap it up today?” Ava asked.
“Got it,” Leslie said.
“Nelson,” Ava said. “I’ll take the suspect interviews. Can you take the rest?”
“Of course,” Nelson said.
“Can you make one of those grids you make?” Ava asked.
“Already in play,” Nelson said.
“Good,” Ava said. “Dr. Quincy, can you review the autopsies?”
“I’ve done it,” Dr. Quincy said.
“And?” Ava asked.
“They did an adequate job,” Dr. Quincy said. “But. . . It seems like a lot of people didn’t care that this guy was dead. Any chance we can exhume remains?”
“I can ask,” Ava said. “I’ll call the judge.”
“My guess is that it won’t be an issue for the families of the Capitol Police,” Fran said.
“We need to talk to his wife,” Dr. Quincy said.
“I’ll do it,” Ava said with a sigh. “Nelson, can you look into her?”
“Already have,” Nelson said. “You’ll be interested to know that she’s on her way here.”
“She knows about this investigation,” Ava said.
“She does,” Nelson said. “She’s likely to show up and throw her weight around.”
Ava groaned.
“I’ll take care of it,” Ava said. “Bob?”
“Yes, I’ll sit in on the wife interview with you,” Bob said.
“No,” Ava said. “I’d like you to. . .”
Ava waved at the chaos across the hallway.
“On it,” Bob said.
“Did you get any sleep?” Ava asked.
“A few hours,” Bob said. “I’m old. I don’t sleep much.”
Bob shrugged.
“Can you find something in all of that?” Ava asked.
“I’ll help Fran find the physical evidence,” Bob said. “Bring the interviews to you.”
“And deal with whatever’s left?” Ava asked.
“Sure,” Bob said. “I think it’s worth talking to the agents who investigated, too.”
“You’ll let me know who and where?” Ava asked.
Bob nodded.
“Okay,” Ava said. “Let’s dig in. We’ll meet at lunch and see what’s come up. I’m going to be here in my office, so, if you need anything, come get me. Fran, if you need help with that physical evidence. . .”
“I’ll let you know,” Fran said. “I have those five techs.”
Fran cackled and rubbed her hands together. They laughed. Ava tapped the page.
“We have our questions,” Ava said, gesturing to the list.
SENATOR WILLIAM MICHAUD:
1. Why was the senator in Aspen?
2. What’s missing from the evidence?
3. Who are the victims?
4. Who owns the land near where it happened? Why hide ownership?
5. Where did he stay?
“Let’s find a killer,” Ava said.
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Seven
After the meeting, Ava went across the hall and picked up her first armload of folders filled with reports, interviews, and general evidence for this case. Bob instructed the technicians to carry five other boxes into Ava’s office. Ava quickly unpacked the files from the putrid boxes. She stacked the boxes in the area that Bob had set up for recycling and went back into her office.
She got the travel mug of coffee that Maresol had made for her and settled in to read. Hours passed. She looked up when Bob came in with a pizza. Bob was feeding all of the technicians and everyone in her lab. She smiled at him but went back to reading.
The stacks of folders began to dwindle. She got up to use the restroom and refill her water bottle but went right back to work. As she reached for the last folder, she looked around her.
The night crew of technicians were hard at work going through the rest of the evidence boxes across the hallway. Fran and Leslie were hard at work in the lab. Nelson had all three of this computer screens filled with information. Bob was fast asleep in the lounge chair next to Nelson’s desk. Their lab was well known for working all kinds of crazy hours.
She looked up at the clock. It was just after eight at night.
With a sigh, she read through the last witness interview. She rubbed her eyes and got up from her seat. She went to use the restroom. When she returned, she went to check on Fran and Leslie in the lab.
“How’s it going?” Ava asked.
“Okay,” Fran said. “We’ve collected all of the samples.”
She gestured to a rack with at least a thousand specimens in it.
“We need to fix a few overnight,” Fran said.
“DNA?” Ava asked.
“We’ve started a few, but. . .” Leslie shrugged.
“Anything on the vehicle?” Ava asked.
“Nothing yet,” Leslie said. “Lots of prints of technicians and FBI agents, mostly.”
“Leslie found a burn pattern on the vehicle,” Fran said.
“Remember that Tax Assassin case?” Leslie looked up at Ava and she nodded.
“Leslie collected samples from the burn stains,” Fran said.
“The key is that it’s not modern,” Leslie said.
“It happened more than twenty years ago,” Ava said.
“Right,” Leslie said. “It just. . . well. . .”
Leslie looked at Fran, who nodded. Fran put her hand on Leslie’s shoulder.
“Our Leslie was a bit of a bomber as a child,” Fran said.
Leslie blushed and looked down.
“I can’t imagine there was much to do there in Los Alamos and a wide expanse of desert to blow things up in,” Ava said with a shrug. “It was, after all, a bomb factory.”
Leslie grinned.
“The smell? You know, of the burn mark?” Leslie asked. Ava nodded. “It reminded me of the bombs we used to make when I was a kid,” Leslie said.
“So you think it wasn’t a grenade but more like a pipe bomb?” Ava asked.
“Maybe,” Leslie said, nodding, while Fran said, “Good point.”
“But?” Ava asked drawing out the word.
“I guess I was thinking that maybe it wasn’t
a modern grenade,” Leslie said. “I mean modern like the 1980s. We used old World War II and Vietnam armaments when I was a kid. They were just kind of around — brought home from war, stuff like that.”
“Great find,” Ava said.
“I don’t know how it would help,” Leslie said, still red from blushing.
“It’s something,” Ava said. “A clue. One more thing than we had this morning. Great work.”
Fran and Leslie grinned ear to ear.
“Can you wrap up for now?” Ava asked. “It’s late, and tomorrow is going to be a grind with all of these samples.”
“We were thinking the same thing,” Fran said. “Did you find anything?”
“I am not sure,” Ava said. “They certainly talked to a lot of people.”
“But maybe not the right people?” Fran asked.
Ava nodded.
“I have to sleep on it,” Ava said. “Usually something pops out when I’m sleeping.”
Fran and Leslie nodded.
“So, you’re wrapping up?” Ava asked.
“We are,” Fran nodded.
“I’m going to talk to Nelson and wake Bob,” Ava said. “See you out there.”
Fran and Leslie nodded. Ava left through the glass door to the lab’s office space. Nelson looked up at her when she got close.
“Anything?” Nelson asked.
“Fran and Leslie think that they might have found something in the blast,” Ava said with a shrug. “Everything is in process.”
Nelson nodded.
“How did you do?” Ava asked.
“I haven’t been able to track down the owner of the land, if that’s what you mean,” Nelson said. “Say, did anyone ever talk to the widow?”
“The senator’s wife?” Ava asked.
Nelson nodded. Ava shook her head.
“Any of the families?” Nelson asked.
Ava shook her head.
“That’s what I thought,” Nelson said. “They were so focused on the politics that they missed the possibility that it could be something else.”
“Why do you say that?” Ava asked.
“The more I look into this, the less it seems like the senator was killed because of something professional,” Nelson said. “And the police all seem completely clean. It makes me wonder if it was something more personal.”
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