Starting the Slowpocalypse (Books 1-3 Omnibus)

by James Litherland

  “Salazar’s on night shift, coordinating could be difficult. Why don’t you just pass along anything we need to know about each other’s investigations?”

  The chief grinned. “If you insist.”

  “Speaking of which—are there any leads in the wheat contamination? Any suspects? I’m sure you would’ve said if any of my suspects might’ve been involved. But if these incidents are related, and we are looking at multiple perps, there must be a connection between them.”

  “No real leads yet. We’ve yet to find any indication of a break-in, so it looks like an inside job.”

  Lisa nodded. “I’ll have to go over the personnel files again. There’s the fact that the scraps from the cafeteria are left out at night for the Ag Center people to pick up in the wee hours of the morning. But if that’s a lead, I’m at a loss to see how.”

  “For now just focus on your own investigation—we don’t even know yet that these incidents are related. So, where does the case stand now, and what do you intend to do next?”

  “Crystal Sorenson is still my prime suspect—the three second-shift girls are the only ones who really had good opportunity. And so far I’ve not been able to find a hint of suspicion attached to the other two. It may only be suspicion with Crystal, but it’s what I have to go on at this point.”

  Her boss stared out at the road rolling by. “Any other suspects?”

  “Of course. I’m still considering the possibility that one of those women working there might have been involved in some romantic entanglement that went wrong. But there’s no evidence of that.”

  “So it’s more likely to be sabotage.”

  Lisa frowned. “Certainly. That’s why Crystal is my prime suspect. Aside from her past, I only have opportunity to go by. But I’m considering Sgt. Carruthers as well as the guards whose symptoms were less severe. Again there’s no evidence, so I was hoping to apply some pressure.”

  Chief Nelson gave her a stern sideways glance. “I hope you’re not suggesting we get out the rubber hoses.”

  “No, sir. But so far everyone involved still believes this was a case of regular food poisoning. An accident. Except for the poisoner him-or-herself, of course. They may be feeling smug, like they pulled one over on us—it could be why Miss Sorenson was so calm when I questioned her yesterday.”

  “Could be. But you understand why it’s important to keep this quiet as long as we can.”

  Lisa bit her tongue. “Yes, sir, but. If I could just make the suspects feel the pressure, they might betray themselves. And keeping it quiet doesn’t help if we can’t catch the culprit.”

  He was shaking his head. “I don’t want to start people panicking, but it’ll come out before too long anyway. These things always do. So here’s what I’ll let you do. Tell a couple of your best suspects what the real situation is—see if you can use that to shake them up. Those would be the least likely people to spread it around anyway, so it’s not likely to speed up the public finding out. Just try to keep a lid on it as best you can.”

  “Thank you, sir.” She considered for a moment. “I definitely want to try and squeeze Crystal. I also think I’ll try it out on Sgt. Carruthers. I don’t think he’s the type to blab, even if it’s not him.”

  The chief grinned. “You’re curious how he’ll respond. Alright. I suppose you should inform Mrs. Hudson as well. She ought to be able to guard her tongue, and she needs to know to keep an eye out in case someone tries it again.”

  Lisa shuddered at the idea of more of the guards getting poisoned—the compound’s defenses were at a low point as it was. “Yes, sir. But I don’t want to make her think she’s a suspect—she’s under enough pressure as it is.”

  “But you do consider her a suspect.”

  She wasn’t sure if he was asking her or telling. “I haven’t ruled her out, if that’s what you mean.”

  “Good. She certainly had the opportunity, but I shouldn’t think it was her.”

  “Neither do I, sir.” She wheeled the buggy into the parking lot next to the Guard HQ and stopped in one of the many empty parking spaces. The two of them sat there for a few minutes without a word.

  Then the chief eased himself out of the cart. “So where to now, Officer Courdray?”

  Lisa downed the last lukewarm remnant of her coffee and set the mug on the floor of the cart before grabbing the keys and joining her boss. “Carruthers got off duty a couple hours ago. He could be asleep by now, but I’ll wake him up if I have to.”

  “And if he’s tired, he’s more likely to slip up and make a mistake. If he’s our perp. Then what?”

  Lisa smiled at him as she led the way around the back of the building toward the barracks. “While we happen to be here and they’re between the breakfast and lunch services, I’ll have a quick word with Mrs. Hudson. And we can get you some grub.”

  He nodded. “Sleep can wait, but I’ll need fuel to keep me going. Where do you plan to go after that? Assuming neither Carruthers nor Mrs. Hudson confesses.”

  “Crystal. By the time I finish here she might be at her dorm room or have already moved on to the Belue house.”

  The chief shook his head. “Both places are familiar ground for her. You don’t want her to feel too comfortable. But she hasn’t been working that long at the cafeteria and it’s the scene of the crime. That would be the place to put pressure on her.”

  Lisa nodded. “You’re right, of course. I’ll come back here during the second shift and re-interview all three girls. Don’t worry, I won’t mention the unfortunate facts to the other two, but I’ll save Crystal for last and hope it makes her sweat a little.”

  “Sound good, as plans go.”

  Lisa frowned. This was supposedly her investigation with him just filling in as her partner, but he was trying to direct things. The plain fact was, her boss was riding along with her and looking over her shoulder. And she didn’t have a partner.

  She used her security key to enter the barracks and stalk through the empty main room with all its bunks to the back where the sergeant rated a private room. His door was open and he was sitting on his bed, reading. And dressed, thankfully.

  Carruthers put his book down on the bed, nodding at a chair at the desk without a word. He was clenching his jaw, but he wasn’t glaring. Even with this room, he didn’t enjoy the kind of privacy most people did. Otherwise she’d have found his muted response suspicious.

  She looked back to see her boss leaning against the door jamb, watching. She turned back to Carruthers, but she didn’t sit. She preferred to loom.

  “Exactly when did you start eating on your own, sergeant?”

  He scratched the back of his neck. “Right after I got promoted to sergeant. I told you how I didn’t think it was a good idea to socialize with the men under me.”

  “But you’ve been refraining from even eating in the so-called Officers’ Mess. Why?”

  Carruthers shook his head. “Eating in the cafeteria, but separate—it felt like a deliberate snub and I didn’t want them to think I was avoiding them. So I brought my own meals, right from the start. That way the men can enjoy themselves, too, without me watching them while they eat.”

  Lisa shook her head. She’d known other people like Carruthers who’d fought hard to get ahead and were afraid one mistake could lose them the respect they’d earned. She’d been that way herself.

  “I see. And you eat here alone in your room?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Still, I imagine you remember what it was like from before your promotion—how the other guards interacted with the girls. And you’re their superior now. So. Do any of those men have a personal relationship with any of the three women who work the second shift?”

  The sergeant narrowed his eyes at her. “There’s more to this than just one of those girls getting sloppy, isn’t there?”

  Lisa stared at him for a long moment. “This is confidential, sergeant, so I expect you to keep your lip buttoned. Understood?” Seeing him nod wi
th a serious expression, she continued. “Someone put a hefty dose of arsenic in the food for the late supper. Deliberately poisoned those men. So I expect your full cooperation.”

  “You’ve got it. But I try to keep my nose out of my men’s private lives—unless someone complains, and they haven’t. Knowing what they’re like, I’d be surprised if there wasn’t something going on, but I don’t know between who. If I even had an idea, I’d tell you. But I don’t.”

  Lisa wasn’t sure if the ‘they’ he was referring to were the girls in the cafeteria or his own men, but it didn’t matter. “You’re not aware of any incidents?” She tried to make her voice sound incredulous.

  “Not that I didn’t make sure got reported. And I’m sure you have that information in their personnel files.” He looked over her shoulder. “Chief Nelson has had to deal with some of them on occasion. As has Lt. Miles. And I dealt with each as the situation warranted.”

  He sounded defensive, which was good. But it didn’t look to her like he made a very good suspect. She’d have to go back over those files, but she didn’t think it would lead her to the poisoner.

  “Have you seen any of the guards here acting in a suspicious manner?” It was an obvious question, and unlikely to get a helpful response.

  Carruthers narrowed his eyes at her. “If I had noticed anything suspicious, I’d have reported it to Chief Cameron or Lt. Miles. Ask them.”

  She glanced back at her boss, who’d closed his eyes and might well have fallen asleep even though he was technically standing. She raised her voice as she responded to the sergeant. “I will ask. Now I’ll let you get back to your book. But I want you to try and remember—anything that might be helpful.”

  He nodded somberly and left his book lying on his bed, watching her as she turned to leave—then bumping into her boss as she walked out the door. He spun around with his eyes flying open and followed her out of the barracks.

  She knew he’d deny it if she accused him of falling asleep. “Let’s go get you that grub now, Chief. I’ll have my little chat with Mrs. Hudson while you eat and then we can head back to the office. I need to review some files before I conduct more interrogations.” And drink more coffee.

  Hopefully once he’d filled up on good food he’d be even sleepier. Then she could leave him sleeping on the couch in his office and he’d get the rest he so obviously needed. And she could get to work all on her own.

  “Sounds good.”

  “And while I’m going over reports, you can give some serious thought to how you can get me a real partner for tomorrow.”

  “Don’t push it. Besides, you may have wrapped up this case by the end of the day.”

  “And I’ll still need a partner.”

  He grinned at her. “In which case, I’ll be able to give David back to you.”

  She frowned at him. “You’d better have an alternative in mind, in case I haven’t solved it yet.”

  Still, fortified with coffee and able to apply the pressure to Crystal, she hoped for some results.

  Chapter 8

  Taking Shelter

  9:50 a.m. Sunday, March 2nd

  KAT felt a hand on her shoulder and jerked awake, out of whatever dream she’d been having. She tried to hold on to the end of the dream, but it slipped her mental grasp, and she was left with only an uneasy feeling. She shifted her head to look up into Lacey’s face hovering upside-down above her. Then Kat remembered she was supposed to be on watch. She’d fallen asleep on duty.

  Then she recalled where she’d been when she’d fallen asleep. Every muscle in her body tensed, and she turned her head slowly to the side and looked at the edge of the vast hole mere inches away, sinking down into blackness. I must’ve been really tired.

  Kat blinked her eyes rapidly to clear away what sleep remained and the brain fog that went with it—then she turned back to see Lacey’s face. Still there. That hadn’t been a part of her dream.

  The wide living room window was there on her left, its curtains still drawn—but now light was leaking through around the edges. And the giant sinkhole that had consumed most of the home’s interior gaped on her right. From the outside, the house appeared completely normal.

  She hoped the external structure was as sound as it seemed—it had stood for over three years like this but it could all crumble at any moment. And on the inside, the devastation was awesome. A narrow, jagged strip of floor remained all along the exterior walls—to walk on, if it didn’t disintegrate beneath your feet, and as long as you didn’t slip and tumble down into the hole.

  It had taken definite courage for Lacey to make her way through the house to find Kat—courage she wouldn’t have been willing to credit the mousy girl with. If I wasn’t seeing it with my own eyes.

  Kat peered over the edge again. I can’t even see the bottom. She sat up against the wall to one side of the window, forcing Lacey to take a tentative step backward. But why is she here?

  Narrowing her eyes at the woman, Kat spoke. “I guess I should thank you for waking me.”

  Lacey pressed against the wall and slid down to the ground to sit next to Kat. And nodded.

  Kat sighed. “But I’m sure that’s not why you’re here. So what did you come for?”

  Lacey clutched her hands together, shaking her head and finally speaking in a soft voice. “It’s about my future. I imagine you’d planned to drop me and Bart off somewhere, to get us out of your way.” She lifted her head again and looked Kat in the eye. “I understand. It’s alright.”

  Kat closed her eyes. She suspected she already knew what was coming.

  “I know Bart wasn’t the best, but he took care of me. But now I have no husband and no home. Now I don’t know what to do with myself. Except. I was hoping maybe you could take me into your community.”

  Kat opened her eyes and bit her lip to keep from replying right away. Although she couldn’t relate to this woman’s meek, submissive attitude, Lacey had the spirit to brave skirting the sinkhole—in order to come and make this request directly to Kat. Which was more foolhardy than courageous, really. That Kat could relate to.

  Lacey started up again. “My parents have been gone a long time now and I don’t have any family to go to. I just don’t think I’ll be able to make it on my own. I need help.”

  Kat sighed. She certainly agreed with that last sentiment, and she knew she’d have a difficult time leaving this woman alone anywhere. Is there another option? “How did you lose your parents?”

  “They died in the Atlanta riots. I’d moved away with Bart to a little house in the suburbs of Pensacola when—” But the woman couldn’t continue. Kat didn’t want to hear the details anyway.

  She studied Lacey for a minute. Kat would not commit herself to anything before she had to. They were still far from the FURC and any need to make the decision. And another option might present itself between now and then. She didn’t want to know what Chief Cameron or her father would say—it was her decision to make. Still, whether or not to bring Lacey into their community was a big decision, and Kat wouldn’t be rushed into it.

  “I can’t make any promises, Lacey. But I’ll consider taking you back with us. Either way, I’m not going to leave you here or anywhere stranded all on your own. Understood?”

  The woman nodded with a look of relief on her face. “I could take your position here, if you want to go back to the garage and sleep some more?”

  Kat shook her head. “No, I’m wide awake now. But thank you.” Besides, this wasn’t work for someone like Lacey, even though the woman had more to her than Kat had supposed.

  Anyway, Kat had no desire to spend any time in that cramped space if she didn’t have to. They’d all arrived here in the wee hours of the night and gone straight into the intact two-car garage. Which only just fit both of the Camerons’ APCs. It had probably been considered wide before they had taken it over. Now it was suffocating.

  Since someone needed to keep a watch from inside the house itself, where there was an actu
al window, Kat had chosen herself. Positioning herself at this precarious post, she’d promptly fallen asleep on duty. And I likely got better rest on the edge of this bottomless pit than I would have crammed in there like a sardine. Those who’d remained in the garage had probably used up all the oxygen in there.

  She returned her attention to Lacey who still sat there, staring. Kat hadn’t bothered to try asking for information about the white supremacists from the woman’s husband—she wouldn’t have trusted anything he’d said anyway. She’d trusted her instincts about the man that much at least.

  However, Lacey was a different proposition and she was here and talking. It was too good an opportunity to pass up.

  “Lacey, I never got to hear the full story—about how you and Bart ended up with those Aryans, and how the two of you managed to escape. Do you feel like talking about it?”

  Lacey shook her head, but she talked. “The first I heard of them was after they’d moved onto the old fairgrounds. Everybody was talking about it—what it meant that no one tried to get them to leave.”

  Kat nodded. “People were afraid. How many of them were there?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe a couple hundred. Lots, anyway, and no one wanted to start a fight, not over a couple old buildings and an empty field far outside of town. So everyone just tried to ignore them. All except Bart.”

  “And he wanted to join them.” Kat said it like a question.

  “There weren’t many of us left in town, and we were having a hard time getting things, like gas and groceries. We had a little house with a little garden but we had to do something or starve. And since we are white, it seemed to make sense.”

  Kat frowned. She wasn’t going to touch Lacey’s thinking, but there was something there in what she had said. “Weren’t these Aryans at the fairgrounds having a difficult time? Like everyone else around? How did they live?”