Lucinda exchanged a glance with Marguerite over Doc Sam’s head, folded her arms across her chest and waited for a pronouncement from below. Marguerite stifled a laugh and walked off to check on the progress the techs were making with evidence collection.
With a loud grunt, Doc Sam pushed himself up off of the floor. ‘It’s a male. Might be high school age. Could be a bit past that but I’d guess we have a student here. Average height. The one eye that remains is blue; hair brown.’
‘Victim or bomber?’
Doc Sam spread his hands wide. ‘Why do you even ask a question like that? You think the answer is tattooed on his chest?’
‘No, sir, Doc. I was just hoping you’d seen something I’d missed.’
‘Of course I have. I always do. But, in answer to your question, no. I’ll look for it at autopsy but doubt I’ll find it. You’re gonna have to identify him first and figure it out from there.’ He turned away from Lucinda and shouted to the two white-coated men standing in the doorway. ‘Bag the body, load it up and get it to the morgue, post-haste.’ Turning back to Lucinda, he said, ‘Yes, Lieutenant, it’s a priority for me. I’d like to get the post-mortem done before the damn Feds barge in.’
‘The Feds?’ Lucinda asked.
‘C’mon, Pierce. An explosion? An act of terrorism? You think the Feebs are going to let you handle this?’
‘There’s no proof, at this time, that this is a terrorist act.’
‘Go ahead. Anchor your boat in the sea of denial. Isn’t going to change the situation one little bit,’ he said.
Lucinda knew he was right. The thought had already crossed her mind. But she didn’t want to accept it. If she called Special Agent in Charge Jake Lovett, maybe she could work out a compromise that would still keep her on the case. She knew he could call some of the shots with the FBI involved in the case, but would Jake be able to keep ATF and Homeland Security at bay? She punched in his cell number.
‘Lovett. Oh, is this you, Lucin— uh, Lieutenant Pierce?’
Obviously, he was not alone. ‘Yes, Special Agent Lovett. I have a situation here—’
‘Wish I could lend a hand, Lieutenant, but I’m on the way to a possible terrorist incident with an explosives expert from the ATF. And the State Secretary of Veteran Affairs and Homeland Security is sending someone over there to meet us at the scene.’
‘Are you going to Woodrow Wilson High School, Special Agent Lovett?’
‘Oh, you’ve heard about it?’ Jake asked.
‘You might say that,’ Lucinda answered.
‘Oh. Don’t tell me. You’re already there?’
‘Yes, Special Agent Lovett, this is my case. Is that understood?’
‘Uh, listen, Lucy … uh, Lieutenant Pierce. We’ll be there in ten minutes or less and we’ll talk then.’
Then a click, silence and a dial tone. He’d hung up on her. He’s going to pay for that one way or another, she vowed. And I will continue to work this case no matter what Mr Special Agent Lovett or the AFT goon or the Homeland Security bureaucrat thinks about that. She stomped outside to check the progress at the exterior of the blasted-out entrance.
THREE
Lucinda was outside observing the techs as they worked around the collapsed entryway when Jake Lovett pulled up with a toot of his horn. Lucinda used her hand to shield her eyes from the sun and watched Jake stretch his long legs out of the car. She wanted to deny the flutter in her chest that his presence induced but it was a useless effort.
Another person emerged from the right side of the vehicle wearing an ATF ball cap and windbreaker. His face bore the indicators of a lifetime out in the sun: dark, leathery skin, deep creases from his cheekbones to his mouth, harsh, permanent furrows on his brow, and his eyes squeezed in a perpetual squint. He was a bit shorter than Jake but his stride was longer and more purposeful. She imagined that he always appeared as if he was in a rush to get somewhere.
Approaching her, Jake said, ‘Lieutenant Pierce, ATF Resident Agent in Charge Connelly.’
Lucinda stuck out a hand and shook Connelly’s firmly. ‘Agent Connelly,’ she acknowledged with a nod. Then she turned to Jake. ‘I thought you were bringing an explosives expert.’
Connelly wheezed out a laugh. ‘Don’t let my bureaucratic title throw you off, Lieutenant. I spent more than seventeen years in the field investigating bomb sites for the ATF before I got this desk job. And earlier on, I was army, detailed on an explosive ordinance disposal team.’
‘He knows his stuff, Pierce,’ Jake said.
Lucinda stared at Jake. ‘Pierce.’ He called me ‘Pierce’. Is he trying to out-macho the ATF man? We’re gonna have a lot to talk about when I get him alone. ‘Good, Lovett. Shall I show you gentlemen where it appears the explosive device detonated?’
‘Lead the way, ma’am,’ Connelly said.
Lucinda walked to the far entrance and guided the two men over the rubble. She wasn’t sure what to think of the ATF guy. Was his use of ‘ma’am’ a sign of respect or a way to put me in my place because of my gender? Am I going to have to prove myself, yet again, to another backward male in authority? She didn’t know what to think, but she knew one thing for sure: she didn’t like the effect his presence had on Jake.
Lucinda pointed out the blood-smeared spot on the floor where a young man had lost his life in the explosion. ‘We don’t know his identity yet but we do believe it is a male of high school age, possibly a student here.’
‘Or an embittered dropout seeking revenge. Someone angry enough to be used as a tool by terrorists?’ Connelly said.
‘Perhaps,’ Lucinda said, ‘but until we know that he was involved, we are treating him as a victim.’
Connelly grunted. ‘Might not be the most effective way to get information from family and friends.’
‘Maybe not, Agent, but it is clearly the most compassionate way,’ Lucinda snapped.
Jake raised his open palms up in the air. ‘We’ll just play it by ear. See where the evidence stands once he’s been identified. No need to make a decision now.’
Connelly shrugged. ‘Who’s in charge of the forensics here?’
‘That would be Marguerite Spellman. She’s in the Tyvek suit over by the bank of windows,’ Lucinda said, pointing in Marguerite’s direction.
‘Mind if I speak to her about protocol and what I need to analyze the device?’
Maybe Connelly’s not so bad. That certainly sounded like an acknowledgement of my authority. ‘I think you’ll find Ms Spellman is extremely competent and thorough,’ Lucinda said, still not convinced of his good intentions. ‘But sure, go ahead, knock yourself out.’
Jake jerked his head towards the doorway and walked out into the hall. As Lucinda joined him, he said, ‘What is your problem?’
‘My problem?’ Lucinda objected.
‘Yes, your problem. Your hostility to Connelly is pretty obvious.’
‘No, it’s not. You are seeing my hostility to you reflecting on the hapless ATF guy.’
‘Hostility? To me? I thought we had a great time yesterday. I had a lot of fun. I thought you did, too.’
‘Oh, really, you had a good time? Then why were you already gone when I woke up this morning?’
‘I told you I had to go into the office and take care of some paperwork. I thought I’d be back by now.’
‘And going into the office couldn’t wait until after we had breakfast?’
‘Ah, c’mon, Lucinda. I thought I could get back before you woke up. I didn’t expect this,’ he said, waving his arms around. ‘C’mon. There’s something else. What did I do?’
‘We need to get back to work,’ Lucinda said, turning around and returning to what was left of the office.
‘Lieutenant,’ Connelly said, ‘Ms Spellman here thinks this is the only administrative office in the high school. Is that correct?’
‘I think so, Agent, but the school principal is on her way here. She can provide us any details we need on the building. From our brief conve
rsation on the phone, I think that office over there – the one with the door hanging half off its hinges – is hers.’
Connelly walked over to the gaping entrance and leaned inside. ‘It’s a mess, Lieutenant, but far less of one than this main office area. Couldn’t have gone off in there. Might be useful to bring her inside to walk us through what normal might have looked like.’
‘She should be here any minute. Sergeant Colter will call me when she arrives.’
‘Good,’ Connelly said. ‘And, ma’am, whatever I did to get off on the wrong foot with you, I’m truly sorry. I’m a strong believer in inter-agency cooperation. I believe it leads to quicker resolution when we aren’t squabbling with one another.’
‘I am sorry, Agent. My beef is with Agent Lovett. I’m afraid I allowed that to splash over on you.’
‘Hey, don’t give Lovett too hard of a time. For a Feeb,’ he said with a wink, ‘he ain’t half bad.’
Lucinda was saved from a response by a buzz on her cell. She looked down at the readout. ‘It’s Sergeant Colter. The principal is here. I’ll go bring her in.’ She walked out into the hall, brushing past Jake on the way. He called out to her but she didn’t glance in his direction.
FOUR
Lucinda stepped outside and easily identified the principal who stood on the other side of the yellow tape, her mouth hanging open. The woman was nearly as tall as Lucinda, with a short, tight haircut, a sharp nose and café-au-lait skin. She wore a royal-blue suit with a skirt that ended just at her knee. Approaching her, Lucinda stuck out her hand and said, ‘Ma’am, I’m Lieutenant Pierce. We’re hoping you’ll be willing to come inside and help us understand our surroundings.’
The woman jerked her head toward Lucinda but didn’t seem to see her outstretched hand. ‘Is it as bad in there as it appears to be from out here?’
‘In places, yes, ma’am.’
‘And two people died – one outside and one inside?’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘Who were they?’
‘The man on the landing was Fred Garcia. The one in the office, we don’t know yet.’
‘Oh, Mr Garcia. He’d been maintaining the grounds for long before I got here. He has three children – I’ve forgotten their ages but they’re not in high school yet. Does his wife know?’
‘Not yet, ma’am. Someone will be visiting her shortly.’
‘Could I – may I – accompany whoever goes to see Mr Garcia’s widow? I want to be there for her.’
‘I am sure that can be arranged,’ Lucinda said with a nod. ‘We will appreciate the assistance and I am certain that Mrs Garcia will be grateful to see a familiar face.’
‘Just let me know when. Can I see the other victim? Maybe I’ll recognize—’
‘Sorry, ma’am, the body has already left for the morgue. But the damage to the face was so severe that I doubt anyone would recognize him. We do suspect, however, that it may have been a student.’
‘A student? What was a student doing in the building on a Sunday?’
‘We’re hoping you’ll be able to help us answer that question, ma’am,’ Lucinda said, lifting up the tape.
The woman ducked under and when she stood back up again, she stretched out her right arm. ‘Forgive my manners, Lieutenant. I’m Rose Johnson. I’ve been the principal at this school for three years.’
Lucinda shook her hand and said, ‘No need to apologize. Your reaction is understandable.’
As they turned into the hall with the dismantled lockers, Rose gasped and mumbled ‘Ohmigod, Ohmigod’ again and again as they picked their way through the obstacles.
Entering the office, Lucinda said, ‘Ms Johnson, this is Resident Agent in Charge Connelly from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. And that is Special Agent in Charge Lovett from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Gentlemen, this is Rose Johnson, the principal of this school.’
Rose’s face blanched as she looked over the ruin of her workplace, her eyes roaming from one side to another. ‘May I?’ she asked, pointing toward her corner office.
‘Certainly, ma’am,’ Connelly said.
Jake reached out a hand to steady her as she stepped around a fallen, twisted file cabinet. In the doorway of her space, her hand flew to her mouth as she took in the scene in front of her. She knelt down and picked up a framed photograph. After shaking off the broken glass, she ran her fingers over the face of a man in uniform and clutched it to her chest. ‘My son,’ she said. ‘I lost him in Iraq. An IED. I imagine the scene there looked a lot like the devastation here.’
Everyone within hearing mumbled condolences and Rose said, ‘Thank you.’ After a short silent pause, she asked, ‘Where did you find the body of the person you thought was a student?’
At that inopportune moment, a tech shouted, ‘I found a leg!’
Rose threw a hand over her mouth and lurched. Jake grabbed a metal trash can, dumped its contents and held it under her chin. When she had finished disgorging her breakfast, Connelly handed her a handkerchief and Marguerite rushed up with a bottle of water.
‘I am so sorry,’ Rose said. ‘That was very unprofessional of me.’
‘Nonsense,’ Connelly said, ‘it was very human. And no harm done. Don’t give it another thought. However, there is quite a bit of blood where the body was; are you sure you are up to it?’
Rose swallowed hard and nodded. ‘I need to be, sir.’
Lucinda led her over to the spot and pointed. ‘Just to warn you, in case of the discovery of another body part, the victim also lost a hand in the explosion.’
‘Ohmigod. And you think it was a student.’
‘He was the right age but we really don’t know if he attended school here currently or ever.’
‘If he is a current student, tomorrow morning’s attendance records should narrow down the field of possibilities.’
‘Ma’am, I don’t think it will be possible to open school tomorrow.’
‘Oh. Of course not,’ Rose said. ‘The PTA has a phone tree, I can have them call around about the school closing and also ask about any students whose whereabouts are unknown. That should help. And, of course, we’ll put an announcement up on the school’s Facebook page. And send out word to the radio and television stations and the newspaper.’
Agent Connelly said, ‘I’m not so sure that’s a good plan. It might be better if you say nothing about the situation here.’
‘Are you crazy, Agent? I can’t just shut down the school and not give the parents a reason for it. And I certainly will not lie to them.’
‘I do have the authority—’ Connelly began.
Lucinda held up a hand. ‘Hold it. Hold it right there. Let’s not get emotional about this – we are going to have enough of that from the community as it is. I’d like to suggest an alternative. Ms Johnson, if you will write a script for the callers and for your Facebook message and give it to Agent Connelly for approval, I think that will solve the problem.’
‘But—’ Connelly objected.
‘The principal is right, Connelly. She does need to give an honest reason for the closure. And we will have a serious advantage in this investigation the sooner we identify the unknown victim.’
Connelly turned to Jake. ‘It sounds like time for the FBI to step in and take charge here, Lovett.’
Jake folded his arms and looked Connelly in the eye. ‘Lieutenant Pierce is in charge of this case. It is in her jurisdiction. This is her community. The FBI is here to assist with resources and manpower in any way we can.’
Lucinda struggled to keep a placid face. She didn’t want to antagonize Connelly further by appearing to gloat – besides, it may be premature. She certainly didn’t comprehend the inter-agency politics on the federal level – even the machinations on the local level were far too byzantine for her to understand or accept.
Connelly stepped forward and poked a finger in Jake’s chest. ‘This is a Homeland Security matter. This may be an act of terrorism by Muslim e
xtremists.’
Jake wrapped one hand around Connelly’s finger and flung it away. ‘Possibly. But considering that one of the possible perpetrators flew out of here just before the explosion driving a classic Bubba truck, I think we are looking at a local problem.’
‘But we need to explore all possibilities.’
‘Of course we do,’ Jake said, ‘and we will. But until we know for certain that this is the act of international terrorists, Pierce is calling the shots.’
‘I’m going to take this up with my superiors.’
‘Fine, Connelly, you do that. But, for now, get your priorities straight. You are here to help identify the components and determine the type of device we are dealing with.’
‘Have you gone native on us, Lovett?’ Connelly taunted.
Jake turned his back without answering.
Lucinda had an urge to rush up to him, hug him and thank him, despite the fact that he called her ‘Pierce’ again. Although she was suspicious of his reason for that earlier, now the logic of that professional distance was clear. Jake had probably seen this one coming.
FIVE
‘Lieutenant Pierce,’ echoed down the hallway.
Lucinda stuck her head out of the office and spotted Sergeant Robin Colter. As Lucinda walked towards her, Robin said, ‘There’s a suit outside claiming he’s from Homeland Security. He asked to speak with the person in charge of the investigation.’
‘I imagine, from the look on your face, he’s already proved to be a pain in the ass.’
‘Oh yeah. He was not pleased to learn a local cop was in charge.’
‘Oh joy,’ Lucinda said with a sigh. ‘Lead the way.’
In the outside doorway, Robin pointed to a stout man with a flushed face standing on the sidewalk. His arms were folded tight across the front of his boring navy-blue suit. Lucinda approached him, holding out her hand. ‘Lieutenant Pierce,’ she said.
The man did not move or introduce himself. ‘Is no one here from the FBI or the ATF?’
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