Last Word

by Robin Mahle

  “Conspiracy to commit murder,” he replied.

  “What? Are you serious?”

  “Mrs. Copeland, you need to come with us now. We don’t wish to cause any more of a scene than what’s already happening.”

  With hesitation, she responded. “Can I at least grab my purse?”

  “Yes, ma’am. After you let us in.”

  She opened the door and the agents filed inside. Kate closed the door behind them.

  “You cannot be serious. In the past 48 hours, I’ve been held hostage, killed my captor, and lost my husband to a heart attack. This must be some kind of sick joke.” She reached for her purse.

  “I assure you, ma’am, this is no joke.” Kate stared her down.

  “Let’s go.” Fraser took hold of the woman, and upon opening the door, lights flashed in their eyes with even greater vigor than on their arrival.

  Microphones pointed at them and questions were hurled at them from every direction.

  “I would advise you not to say anything, Mrs. Copeland,” Fraser began. “You will be allowed to contact your lawyer on intake.” He continued to shield her as best as he could until they reached the car. “Please, watch your head.”

  Sue Copeland now sat in the back seat next to Kate and Fraser while Dwight pulled away from the curb. “I hope you all know what you’re doing. The press will have a field day with this.”

  “Not in the way you believe it will,” Kate replied.

  Spread out on the table were crime scene photos on display for maximum effect. Sue Copeland continued to stare at the wall behind Kate and Dwight.

  “We understand how difficult this must be for you, Sue,” Dwight began. “But given the evidence discovered on Phil Vega’s laptop, along with the phone numbers registered under your credit card, you can see that this is damning evidence, highly suggestive of your involvement.”

  She looked at Dwight with dead eyes. “I was in contact with Phil. I won’t deny that. He was fond of me and forgive me for admitting that it felt good to be wanted. My husband certainly didn’t want me.”

  “But it was more than that,” Kate began. “You used Phil. You used his affection to get what you wanted and that was revenge against your husband and the women who enjoyed his company.” She watched as Sue continued to avoid eye contact with either of them or the images laid out before her. “He was doing what you asked, even if you didn’t ask directly.”

  “So I’m responsible because he took it upon himself to kill those women to defend my honor? I cannot possibly be held accountable for his crimes.”

  “Maybe not. But a conspiracy to commit murder charge is extremely likely, Mrs. Copeland,” Dwight added. “And your husband’s death will be looked into, given this impending charge. Are you sure there’s nothing more you’d like to say on the matter of Grant Copeland’s death?”

  “You don’t need to say anything more, Sue.” Her lawyer peered at Dwight. “Agent Jameson, do you intend to charge my client with a crime?”

  “Yes. The federal prosecutor will charge Mrs. Copeland with conspiracy to commit murder and she will be held until a bond hearing tomorrow morning.”

  “You’re keeping me here overnight?” She turned to her lawyer. “I can’t stay here.”

  “Given the circumstances, it’s unlikely she’ll be allowed bail. But that’s not up to me.”

  “No it isn’t, Agent Jameson.” The lawyer turned to Sue. “It’s just one night. We’ll get you in front of the judge tomorrow and he’ll set bail. You’ll be home by the afternoon.”

  “I can’t believe this. You are making a mistake. I’m the victim here. Those women destroyed my marriage. Destroyed my husband.”

  “Don’t say anything more, Sue,” the lawyer began. “I will accompany her to processing.”

  As they left the holding room and continued to processing in the federal complex, Kate turned to Dwight. “The US District Attorney’s office has already filed for a Grand Jury. When do you expect an indictment? We can’t hold her for long.”

  “I’m aware. However, I suspect they’re going to want the autopsy results before proceeding.”

  “We won’t have it before the 72-hour deadline.”

  “We have to or she could get bail and then we’ve lost.”

  “I’ll take Vasquez and we’ll go to the ME’s. We’ll sit there until he’s finished if we have to.” Kate stood ready to leave. “I’ll call you when I have something.”

  Upon arrival at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Kate and Vasquez waited for authorization to enter.

  The man behind the desk ended the call. “He says you can go back.”

  “Thank you.” Kate took the lead and headed beyond the double doors. She pressed the buzzer and the door clicked. Entering the autopsy room, she immediately spotted the examiner. “Thank you for agreeing to see us, Dr. Carr. And for taking this on yourself. I know how late it is.”

  “Frankly, I’m not sure why you’re here. The body was only just admitted. As you can see, I haven’t begun my examination. Not to mention the time it takes to get lab results. You know this, Agent Reid.”

  “I do. And I’m sorry to put undue pressure on you. But we have someone in custody and the only way we can continue is to get to the bottom of Grant Copeland’s death. A member of congress is dead and we are eager for answers.”

  “And mounting pressure from the media probably has something to do with this as well, I imagine.”

  “You imagine correctly,” Vasquez replied. “Please, do you have any preliminary thoughts on cause of death?”

  The doctor approached the body and pulled down the sheet to the waist. “The call came in as a suspected heart attack.”

  “That’s right,” Kate replied.

  “So, given that assumption, I wouldn’t expect to see any outward signs of stress on the body. No contusions, lacerations, or anything of that nature, unless the victim had fallen, which I don’t believe was the case in this situation.”

  “Not from our understanding.” Kate peered over the body. Something she’d done many times in the past, only this time, she felt detached. Like Grant Copeland simply didn’t matter to her. It was a startling revelation to feel nothing for someone and was a far cry from the previous times she had been in this very position.

  The doctor continued to view the body as he placed latex gloves on his hands. “What I’m seeing here gives me pause.”

  The agents glanced at one another with anticipation.

  “You see this?” He pointed to the mouth and gently pulled it open. “Lips are slightly purple. Much too soon to be considered a result of rigor. No.” He shook his head. “The tongue is purplish in color too.”

  “Meaning?” Kate asked.

  “It’s too early to surmise, but my initial reaction is asphyxiation.” He looked at Kate.

  “But this man died of a heart attack?”

  “That’s what’s been said.” He continued to view the body and remained silent, leaving them to wonder what he was thinking.

  Finally, he spoke again. “As I said, it’s too early to be sure, but given what I’m seeing right now, I’m inclined to rush a toxicology.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Well, because there are no outward signs of asphyxiation. No finger marks around the neck, nothing, from what I can see right now, lodged in the victim’s throat. So I would want to look for something in the bloodstream that could cause such a reaction.”

  “Such as?” Kate was growing more anxious by the minute.

  “One possible cause could be poison.” He looked at them. “This is where I would begin because with no outward signs, I must look inward. And poison is a logical place to start. Especially poisons that would lead to cardiac arrest.”

  “How long will it take for you to run the tests and receive results?” Vasquez asked.

  “Anywhere from several days to a week. Maybe more.”

  “Dr. Carr, this man is a United States congressman. We are in urgent nee
d of answers.”

  “Agent Reid, I will do my best to get you those answers. However, if it helps at all, I can with confidence offer a preliminary report suggesting what we just discussed.”

  “That might be enough to present to the DA’s office.”

  “It’s all we’ve got for now.” Vasquez looked to the doctor. “Then that is the route we’ll have to take.”

  28

  Almost every agent residing on the 5th floor of the WFO now stood in the bullpen watching the televisions mounted on the wall. A press conference was about to begin and the Metro Police Department Chief of Police stood at the podium.

  Kate, along with Dwight and Alicia, the team that had already grown closer since Nick’s departure, stood in anticipation with the rest.

  The morning sun shone in the chief’s eyes as he began. “First of all, it is with great sadness that I convey to the people of this district along with the people of the United States the loss of one of our public servants. A member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Grant Copeland, was murdered last week. And with the help of the men and women at the FBI and our own tireless officers, the perpetrator of this horrific act is in custody.

  “In addition, this has allowed us to solve the multiple murders who this very same perpetrator orchestrated. Innocent lives were lost, but justice has been won. The efforts of our department, the FBI, and our friends at the Baltimore Police Department were rewarded for the capture of this individual. It proves that once again, our communities can come together, can work together, for the good of the people.”

  “Sounds like he’s about to announce his run for office.” Kate cast a sideways glance to Vasquez.

  “Wonder if he’ll say anything about his Detective Phelps?” she added.

  “Doubt it,” Dwight replied.

  One of the staff from the front office approached. “Agent Reid?” She held out an envelope. “This was left for you.”

  “Thanks.” Kate opened the manila envelope and pulled out the papers.

  “What’s that?” Vasquez asked.

  Kate read the title. “It’s the toxicology report on Copeland.” She began flipping through to the summary page. “Oh my God. Well, here it is in black and white.”

  “Can I see?” Vasquez leaned in and began to read. “Aconite, otherwise known as wolf’s bane, this poison is virtually undetectable and mimics symptoms of cardiac arrest. The only tell-tale sign is asphyxiation.” She looked at Kate. “Guess she thought it would be untraceable. Jameson, you see this?”

  He took the papers from her and upon reading the page, shook his head. “Sue Copeland was smart but must’ve missed this. You two did good work on this. I know it wasn’t easy. And especially given the pushback from the detective.”

  “I notice the chief isn’t mentioning Phelps. You hear anything about what’s going to happen to him?” Kate asked.

  “He’ll go to prison on bribery. And in this instance, it’ll be a federal charge because Copeland was a congressman.”

  “Yeah, I bet that doesn’t get mentioned in the same breath as all this amazing cooperation between jurisdictions and us,” Vasquez said.

  “I think I’ve heard enough,” Kate began. “Time to get back to work. What’s on the agenda for today?”

  Nick sat across from Kate and watched her push food around on her plate, hardly taking a nibble. “I thought you’d be famished.”

  “More exhausted than hungry. And I guess I still can’t help but feel as though I should’ve picked up on the possibility that Sue Copeland had been behind the murders. I was wrong, Nick. And it could’ve cost the investigation.”

  “But it didn’t. And believe it or not, sometimes even the best of us get it wrong. Quinn helped point you in the right direction. You two worked together to figure it out.”

  “It was a lot more than just the two of us. If I hadn’t had the help of Agents Caison and Fraser, I think Mrs. Copeland might still be sitting in her home, free as a bird.”

  “You think I haven’t called on help from other departments? We don’t work inside a vacuum. Look, I know you shoulder the burden for what you perceive as failures, but this was not a failure. And from what Jameson told me, you took the lead on a good portion of this case.”

  “I stepped on toes, that’s for sure.”

  “Maybe. But Jameson knows what you’re capable of and knows when to let you take the lead. He’s not like me and that’s probably a good thing.”

  “I’m supposed to meet with Quinn tomorrow.” She regarded him with trepidation. “I think he’s made his decision. Has he mentioned anything to you?”

  “Even if he had, it’s best if I let him do his job. This is his call.”

  “You’re going to let me hang out to dry on this?”

  “Look, if the possibility exists that you and I are going to be on the same team again, then I can’t offer you information that isn’t mine to offer. You know Quinn’s already expressed reservations for that very thing.”

  “I know. I’m just nervous.”

  “But this is still something you want to pursue? You haven’t changed your mind? Even after getting a taste of a greater leadership role?”

  “Quinn’s shown me that I still have a lot to learn and I want to learn. This has become more important to me than I expected.”

  “So long as it’s what makes you happy. Don’t do it for me.”

  Kate smiled. “I have no intentions of making you happy, Scarborough.”

  “Well, that’s good to know.”

  The laughter broke the rising tension between them about the still-unresolved issue of his slip into the bottle. Kate wanted to address it, knew it needed to be addressed, but after what she’d just been through, she was exhausted and it would no doubt result in an argument, or worse, a fight. She’d reverted back to a time when it was easier just to let things lie, but in doing so, decisions about their future would be made based upon an issue that couldn’t be ignored.

  Nick held her gaze. “You look like you want to say something.”

  Maybe she wasn’t the only one who was thinking of the problem, yet was unsure of how to tackle it. “You want to deal with this now?”

  “You’re meeting with Quinn tomorrow and it could change the trajectory of your career. I’m the last one who should want to discuss this, but for you, I think we should.” He waited for her to say something, but when several moments passed, he continued. “I screwed up—again. And for that, I’m sorry.”

  Kate set down her fork and folded her hands in her lap. “Why? I didn’t think it was something to be concerned about any more.”

  “That’s the secret of an alcoholic. Making everyone think there isn’t a problem.”

  “That’s the first time you’ve admitted that. You’re saying there is a problem?”

  “I’m saying I’m not sure, but I want to be up front because this has reared its ugly head in the past and I can’t sit here and pretend it won’t happen again.”

  “What set you off? What made you reach for the bottle?”

  “The only thing I can figure is that I knew I couldn’t step in and help you.”

  “I didn’t need help.”

  “I know. You rarely do and yet I find myself wanting to anyway.”

  “So what do we do about that? Especially if I’m to work in your department?”

  “I’ve worked too hard to get here, Kate. To be with you. We both know that was years in the making. I won’t destroy that. Most of the time, I’m okay. It’s not a problem. Then I let my feelings get in the way of what’s right and I do my best to drown them out. It’s not an excuse.”

  “No, it’s not, but you didn’t answer my question. If we are to get past this—once and for all—what do we do?”

  He was now the one pushing food around on his plate. “I’ll talk to someone. I’ve made some positive changes in my life. The job, which I’ve strived for for much of my career, and you. And now the possibility you and I can work together again. I’m
thrilled at the prospect.” At this final point, he looked her in the eyes. “So I’ll talk to someone. I’ll—get help—before it gets out of hand.”

  Kate nodded. “Okay.”

  “Agent Quinn?” Kate stepped into the doorway.

  “Reid? Come in. Thanks for meeting with me.” He stood and waited to greet her. With a solid handshake, he continued, “Sit down, please.” When he returned to his chair, he wasted no time in cutting to the chase. “I’m sure you’ve already figured out why you’re here.”

  “I assume you’ve made your decision regarding the position.”

  “I have. But before we get into that, I’d just like to offer my congratulations on solving a very complex investigation.”

  “I certainly can’t take all the credit. If it weren’t for your help…”

  “There you go again, underestimating yourself. You really should work on that. Yes, I was able to offer insight, but this was your collar. Yours and your team. I was impressed by what I saw out of the WFO. Jameson runs a tight ship.”

  “He does. He’s a remarkable boss who allows me to take the lead when he believes I’m on the right track. And if I’m not, he won’t hesitate to let me know that too.”

  “I have no doubt about that. He’ll do well assuming Scarborough’s role there. That being said, I would like to discuss your future placement. But there is something I would be remiss in not mentioning. I would just like to clarify your intentions.”

  “My intentions? I thought I’d made them clear.”

  “Reid, I watched you for several days. I watched as you pushed through road blocks. Pushed past the difficulties you experienced with what turned out to be a crooked cop. Now, apart from some hot-headed moments, you did what you believed was best for the investigation.”

  “I did. Why do I detect a note of concern?”

  “I’m concerned about your true intentions. What you really want from your career at the Bureau.”

  “I want to learn criminal profiling. That’s why I’m here. To learn from you.”