He wished. “It’s not quite that simple in this case.”
Cal joined them, and Rick took a moment to gather his thoughts so his explanation would be to the point. “Calculating trajectory is actually a math problem. Finding facts to do the math is the real challenge. Especially when the tech has already removed the slug from where it pierced the sign across the street. She might not have taken exact measurements or moved the sign, interfering with my ability to accurately trace the bullet’s path. Plus, trajectory calculations are inherently more difficult for long-distance shots, which is what we’re dealing with here. Add the self-steering bullet and my distance could be off.”
“Why’s that?” Cal asked.
“Since these bullets are fired through a nonrifled barrel, they don’t spin like typical bullets. They could lose effective range and throw off my calculations.”
Cal’s eyebrow shot up. “Enough to make a difference?”
Rick shrugged and wished he could be as precise as he liked to be. “We’ve never dealt with this technology before, so it’s hard to tell. If needed, we can ask for specs on the rifle and bullet from the subcontractor, but that will take a warrant and time that we can’t afford to waste.”
“Do we know which contractor developed the prototype for DARPA?”
“MilMed Systems,” Rick replied. “As their name implies, they work with technology involving both the military and medicine. So far their data remains classified. Max doesn’t think they’ll release it without a warrant to compel them to do so, and he’ll get one if necessary.”
“Let’s hope it’s not necessary.”
“I’ll get going, and we’ll soon know.” Rick headed for the SUV to retrieve his equipment bag and saw the lieutenant escort Dr. Dobbs to her car. She kept looking back at the scene, but Rick couldn’t make out her expression from this distance. He was half-tempted to ask Shane to turn on the lights again so he could get a read on her mood.
But what point would that serve? She was legitimately upset about Griffin’s death. That much Rick was sure of, but when it came to her status as a suspect her anguish wasn’t relevant. People involved in homicides often felt remorse and sadness over taking a life. Didn’t mean they didn’t kill someone or that they weren’t accessories to murder.
Mad at himself for letting her linger in his thoughts, he jerked his tools from the SUV and turned to leave. Kaci approached the vehicle, likely planning to stow her camera.
He waited for her. “I need you to pull security video for the park and surrounding area. My research says Atlanta has four hundred or so public cameras, and the files are all gathered in a video integration center under the Operation Shield umbrella. That should make finding the right videos easier than normal.”
Kaci frowned. “It’ll still take a warrant to gain access.”
“Max is handling all the warrants, so talk to him about that, okay?”
“I’ll get going on it as soon as I put my camera away.”
He thanked her and then crossed the street to the sandwich board sign where the bullet entered the first board and exited the second one. For a precise measurement, a bullet only had to pass through two fixed objects. The sign provided those, but the third point, where the bullet had lodged in a metal trash can, would reinforce his calculations. And he was happy to see thick chains holding the sign in place. Potential existed for the forensic tech to have moved the sign a few inches, but the chains at least limited the distance.
He set up his tripod holding a trajectory rod mount and added the inclinometer, a device for measuring angles and slopes. Even with his naked eye, he could tell the shot had come from above, as the holes weren’t perfectly circular as a straight-on shot would have created. He passed a fiberglass rod through both holes in the sign and fixed it in place with an O-ring, then added additional lengths of rod to reach the trash can.
He worked slowly. Meticulously. He felt the clock ticking and pressure mounting to find this killer before he struck again, but he resisted the urge to speed up. He checked and double-checked each step and the stats he recorded in his notebook. Otherwise his measurements could be off, and he would waste valuable time sending the team to the wrong building, and then they’d have to start over again.
The rod passed through the center of the tech’s measurements.
Yes! Perfect. She’d done her job well.
“What did you find?” Max asked from behind.
Rick spun in surprise. With his focus fixed on the intricate task, he’d missed hearing Max walk up to him.
“I’ve got the angle.” He held out his notebook. “I’ll complete my final calculations, and we’ll soon have the exact spot where the shooter hunkered down for the kill.”
Chapter 5
Olivia watched from her living room window as Agent Cannon got out of his SUV. He’d come to talk to her again. Just the thought of having the pushy agent in her home sent Olivia’s lunch of fish tacos churning in her stomach. Thankfully, he’d brought his fellow agent to run interference between them.
“Arrgh,” she whispered to herself.
She had nothing to fear from talking to this man. She’d done nothing wrong. Not that he seemed to believe that. The longer she pondered the earlier interview, which unfortunately she’d done through a counseling session before deciding to reassign her afternoon clients, the more she believed he suspected her of involvement in Ace’s death. That had made her want to say no to his visit, but she wanted Ace’s killer found more than her own comfort.
She let the curtain fall and stepped back before he caught her watching. She glanced in a mirror and ran a hand over her hair.
“Stop it,” she muttered under her breath. “He’s here on business. That’s all, and it’s not like you want him to be here for anything else.”
“What did you say?” Dianna asked from her position in a wooden rocking chair, where she’d finally gotten baby Natalie to sleep.
“Nothing. Just talking to myself.”
“You’re sounding like you might need to see a counselor, too.” Dianna started to smile, but then it fell as if telling a joke was too difficult.
Olivia crossed to her sister and kissed the top of her head. “Nice try, Sis. You’ll be back to your witty self soon.”
The doorbell rang, and Olivia nearly jumped.
“I’ll take Natalie to Wylie’s room so you all can have some privacy.” Dianna stood and laid a warm hand on Olivia’s shoulder, bringing fresh tears to Olivia’s eyes. After she’d returned from the interview, Olivia had told Dianna about Ace’s murder. Her sister had surprised Olivia by digging her way out of her own despair to offer comfort.
She blinked away the tears and smiled at Dianna. “Thank you.”
A squeeze of the hand and Dianna turned to leave.
Olivia opened the door to see Agent Cannon wearing the same clothes as earlier in the morning, but he looked as fresh and put together as he had back then. He took a wide-legged stance, and his shoulders firmed as he met her gaze. If she’d thought he was intense earlier, his sharp focus now was over-the-top and intimidating.
She wouldn’t give in to it, though. She stepped back and forced out a smile. “Come in.”
“Actually.” He shifted a bit, but his focus didn’t waver. “I need you to come with us to Centennial Park so we can retrace your steps from last night. We’ll start at the park and work our way back to the crime scene.”
Her heart lurched, and not in a good way. Gone were thoughts of the man staring at her. Images of the knife-wielding man, his footsteps pounding closer and closer, took over. She’d hoped that after the earlier questioning she’d never again have to go near the place where Ace had been killed. “I can’t go back there.”
“Seeing the evening through your eyes could help us locate the killer,” Agent Cannon said.
“I…I…well…” She swallowed hard.
“Don’t worry.” Agent Erwin smiled. “You won’t be in any danger. The shooter would have to be a fo
ol to hang around an area swarming with police.”
He was right and she had to do everything within her power to assist them. “If it helps find the killer, then I guess I can accompany you.” She disliked sounding so wimpy and not at all willing to comply, but come on. She’d been attacked just last night in the very spot they were asking her to revisit. How could she not be hesitant?
“Let me tell my sister I’m leaving.” She hurried to Wylie’s room and quickly informed Dianna of the change in plans. Back in the family room, Olivia grabbed her phone and purse. Each step toward the door felt like quicksand pulled at her feet, but she continued on.
Agent Cannon moved out of the way. “After you.”
She exited the house and, after locking the door, started down the walkway. The shower-thick humidity hit her and perspiration dotted her lip. A blanket of sweltering heat had smothered the city for a month now with no sign of letting up. Sure, the usual late-afternoon thunderstorms took the temps down a few degrees, but the added moisture rising from the pavement and sidewalks only made it feel hotter.
Agent Cannon stepped up beside her. “I’m sorry I was so rough on you this morning. I could have handled things better.”
Apologizing? Now that was a twist she hadn’t seen coming. She liked his straightforward apology as he took accountability for his actions and didn’t try to blame anyone or anything else. She had no choice but to forgive him.
“Apology accepted.” She looked up at him and smiled, though that was the last thing she wanted to do.
A strained smile crossed his lips, confirming the hint of dimples she’d seen earlier. Seriously. Mr. Big Tough Guy really did have dimples, and his face was transformed by a youthful charm that made her grin in earnest.
She expected him to look away, but his gaze didn’t waver, and her pulse fluttered. Up close she could see his eyes that she’d thought were purely blue held a lot of gray. Thin lines creased the nearby skin tanned from hours outdoors. He really was a good-looking guy if you went for the big, macho type who seemed to steamroll everyone in his path. Okay, fine, she did go for that type, but she wouldn’t go for this one or any man right now.
He sucked in a quick breath and snapped his gaze away. Had she somehow offended him? Maybe he was questioning how she could smile when someone had murdered Ace. Maybe that left him more suspicious of her. Maybe he simply didn’t enjoy smiling. After all, a man with such intensity might not joke around.
“So you live with your sister?” he asked.
She didn’t know if he was making small talk or questioning her, but she had nothing to hide so she would answer. “Dianna’s husband recently walked out on her and their children. A three-month-old and a four-year-old. She’s depressed and hasn’t been sleeping at night. Her doctor prescribed sleeping pills, but they leave her too groggy to care for her kids, so we got a place together. That way I can be there for them at night.”
“That’s nice of you.”
“It’s good for both of us. When she moved all over the country with her husband I didn’t get to see my niece and nephew as much as I’d like, and now I get to see them every day.”
He nodded, but she didn’t think he really got it.
“Are you close to your family?” she asked.
He stiffened. “Might you know where Mr. Griffin—Ace—was on August twenty-eighth around six a.m.?”
She tried not to get mad at his refusal to answer and the change of subject, because, after all, this was the reason he’d come to see her. “I have no idea where Ace was. His standing appointment was at ten a.m., and except for last night, I’d never met with him at any other time.”
“You did mention that he often bunked at the Salvation Army shelter. Is it possible he’d spent the night there?”
“He’s been staying there off and on for years, so yes, that’s possible.” She looked up at him. “Is that night important to his death?”
“Could be.” He settled aviator sunglasses on his nose, clearly ending this topic of discussion.
Of course. She should have remembered that questioning, for him, was one sided. She sighed out her frustrations. Unfortunately, the sound drew his study again. She sought something to say, but her mind went blank, so she picked up her speed.
At the car he opened the passenger door for her, earning brownie points. She climbed in and caught sight of a small Semper fidelis tattoo on his bicep. The United States Marine Corps motto. She recognized it from her work with vets and from her disappearing brother-in-law, Jason. Too ironic. The slogan meant “always faithful” or “always loyal,” something Jason was far from being.
“You’re a former marine,” she stated.
He didn’t respond but headed for his side of the car and settled behind the wheel.
“He’s a Marine Scout Sniper to be exact.” Agent Erwin took the backseat and slammed his door. “So for a jarhead, he’s all right.”
Agent Cannon arched a brow, but said nothing in return. He clicked on his seat belt, adjusted his shirt, and smoothed out the fabric under the belt.
He embodied the perfectionistic tendencies of a sniper to a T. Ideal as far as she was concerned, as his military affiliation should kill her attraction to him. She’d witnessed her clients’ life-altering suffering from their service. Her brother-in-law was a prime example. The day he’d left and destroyed her sister’s world, Olivia vowed never to date a guy who’d served in the military or law enforcement. And a sniper? No way. She’d worked with several of them, and they often faced additional challenges.
“Everyone on our team has served in the military,” Agent Erwin continued. “I was an army criminal investigations special agent.”
As Agent Cannon got the car going and hot air blasted from the vents, she swiveled to face the talkative agent. Younger looking than Agent Cannon, Agent Erwin had blond hair and freckles that made him resemble a beach bum more than an agent. His easygoing demeanor seemed out of character for law enforcement, too.
“Sounds like an interesting team,” she said, hoping he’d provide further details.
“There are six members on our team, and we each have a specialty,” he said. “I’m the negotiator and criminal profiler.”
Made sense. He appeared to know what made people tick, giving him the skills to negotiate. Fit perfectly with the warm, open personality he’d been displaying.
“Agent Cannon’s our hostage rescue, firearms, and ballistics expert,” Agent Erwin added. “We also have experts in forensics, cyber crimes, and explosives on our team, and, of course, a team leader.”
“You’re obviously proud of your team.”
“We’re the best at what we do,” Agent Cannon replied. “What’s not to be proud of?”
“We’re modest, too.” Agent Erwin grinned.
Agent Cannon glanced at her, but she couldn’t read his eyes behind the mirrored glasses. “In all seriousness, we’re just guys doing our job.”
“Somehow I doubt that.”
“We can’t help what others think, but that’s how we think of ourselves,” he said.
People often believed snipers were cocky, but in her experience the “cockiness” was more often self-assurance from surviving one of the most challenging training courses in the military and meeting high expectations on the job. They had no time to fail. Each shot had to be precise. If they missed, fellow soldiers could lose their lives.
He didn’t elaborate, so she moved on. “How long have you been on this team?”
“Five years, give or take.”
“And you?” she asked Agent Erwin.
“Three years.”
“How did you hook up with the FBI?”
“You mean besides the lengthy interviews and crazy background checks.” Agent Erwin laughed. “Seriously, none of us are the kind of people who can sit around. We need to be in the action, so joining an FBI Critical Incident Response team is the best thing next to the military.”
“We’re always faced with a new challenge and a
ticking clock spurring us on to work faster,” Agent Cannon added.
“But wouldn’t being a patrol officer be more exciting?” she asked.
Agent Cannon frowned. “Don’t believe everything you see on TV. A lot of their job is routine.”
“Our jobs are basically heaven for us.” Agent Erwin smiled. “We stand ready to deploy from D.C. within four hours, anytime and anywhere, to mitigate the highest-priority threats facing our nation. What’s not to like about that?”
What in the world had Ace been part of if a team that deployed only for high-priority threats had come to town to investigate his death? She knew they wouldn’t tell her and she would need to keep her eyes and ears open to figure it out.
She turned to look out the window, and silence settled around her. Not comfortable silence. Not with the ongoing tension sizzling off Agent Cannon. She tried to ignore it but continued to be aware of him sitting next to her.
She forced her attention to the scenery as it flew by. It wasn’t long before they were inching through traffic by the park. Atlanta traffic was known for being bad, particularly near tourist attractions such as the Georgia Dome, the Georgia Aquarium, and the World of Coca-Cola.
Agent Cannon moved seamlessly through it and pulled to the side of the road by one of the park entrances. He shot a look over his shoulder at his teammate. “Take the vehicle back to the scene. We’ll be there shortly.”
“Roger that.”
Agent Cannon exited as if the car were on fire, and Olivia considered asking Agent Erwin to remain with them, but she suspected one of the reasons he’d come along was to take care of the car. She stepped outside, and, despite Agent Erwin’s assurance that she’d be okay, scenes from last night played in her head and her unease ramped up. To distract herself, she concentrated on the heat that hit her full on after the cool air in the car. She’d lived her entire life in Atlanta, but after the last few weeks of unusually steamy weather, Alaska seemed like a better place to live.
As she joined Agent Cannon on the sidewalk, her brother Harrison’s ringtone sounded from her phone. He had the worst timing. She loved him, but he could be challenging. Her sister and most of her friends considered him a leech, sponging off Olivia’s generosity, and she had to admit they were right. Despite it being the worst thing she could do for him, she enabled him by providing the money for his and their mother’s living expenses.
Kill Shot Page 5
