Dead Cold Mysteries Box Set #2: Books 5-8 (A Dead Cold Box Set) Blake Banner (read out loud books txt) 📖

He shook his head. “Not by the name. Give me a clue.”

He smiled like he’d said something funny.

I said, “Investigative reporter, New York Telegraph. He was shot in the head. It went cold through lack of evidence.”

“Oooh, yes. I do recall something. He was married and having an affair. Both came under suspicion but, as you say, there was a lack of evidence. Is that what you’re on?”

It was Dehan who answered. “Yes, sir. But there are…” She hesitated, “Interesting features about the case.”

“Interesting features, Detective?”

“Well, for a start, the nature of the killing is not typical of a crime of passion. It’s more like an execution. But then, it was carried out with his own weapon, a 9 mm Glock, and I never heard of a professional hit man borrowing the victim’s gun before. But then, on the other hand, the article he was working on, and his laptop, vanished without a trace…”

The inspector nodded. “Those are interesting features, I agree. Any thoughts?”

I sighed. “Well, you are not going to like this, sir, but the latest evidence we’ve uncovered points pretty forcefully in one direction. It suggests that Thorndike was investigating allegations of corruption and murder that were being leveled against Senator Carol Hennessy, who was at the time a presidential candidate. Just a few days before he died, he told his editor that his article was not going to be dynamite, it was an atom bomb, it could impact the very constitution and would win him a Pulitzer. A couple of days later he showed up dead, and his article and all his research were gone.”

He rubbed his face with his hands. “You are going after Carol Hennessy now? Former Secretary of State Carol Hennessy? With the greatest respect to you both, have you gone completely insane? You want the 43rd Precinct to take on the White House?”

Before I could answer, Dehan opened her mouth. “With the greatest respect to you, sir, the U.S.A. is governed by the rule of law. That means the Secretary of State does not get to commit murder. She is subject to the same laws as the rest of us. And I am pretty sure that the White House does not condone murder.”

He looked at her frigidly. “You are damn close to impertinence there, Detective, but I take your point. All I am saying to you is, before you go after somebody like that, be damned sure of your facts.”

Dehan opened her mouth, but I looked at her and she closed it again. I knew what she was going to say, that being sure of your facts was no more important with the ex-secretary of state than it was with a trash collector or a bum on the street. Inspector Newman must have known it, too, because he held up both hands in a placatory gesture.

“Always,” he said. “We always need to be damn sure of our facts. But if you screw up in an investigation against Bob Brown at the grocery store, the most he is likely to do is file a complaint and get Internal Affairs to drag you over the coals for a while. But the minute Carol Hennessy realizes you are investigating her, she is going to bring some very heavy guns to bear. Let’s not be naïve about this. You are laying your jobs on the line, and mine with them.”

I nodded. “We are aware of that sir, which is why we are here. And, more to the point, if what our investigation so far suggests turns out to be true, we’ll be lucky to lose just our jobs.”

He grunted. “What do you want to do?”

“We have one lead to follow up first, one Jackson Lee. Back in the day, he was Thorndike’s friend and his attorney. We want to see where that leads us. It may lead us away from Hennessy, in which case, all well and good. But in all likelihood, sir, I think in a day or so, we will be seeking an interview with Senator Hennessy.”

“And then there are going to be fireworks.”

“She doesn’t have a reputation for being cooperative, sir.”

He shook his head again. “Other detectives find a body and it was the wife or the husband, or the lover. You investigate a murder and the captain of the precinct has to resign, the local bishop turns out to be in bed with the Mafia, and now you’re going after a senator. I don’t want to even imagine what your next case might dredge up!”

Dehan answered with a deadpan face. “Actually, sir, we were thinking of having a look at the Kennedy shooting.”

He stared at her, then managed a smile.

“All right, detectives, I trust you to act with the utmost discretion and tact. I have seven years before I retire, and I would like to keep it that way.” We stood and moved to the door. There he stopped us. “And, detectives, if you decide to go after Hennessy, I want you to keep me posted every step of the way.”

“Yes, sir.”

Back at our desk, I picked up the phone and called Bismarck, Jones and Epstein, the firm of attorneys Shelly had told me Lee worked for. They eventually put me through to personnel. Personnel asked me to hold the line and after fifteen minutes an agreeable young man said to me, “Detective Stone? I’m afraid Mr. Lee left our firm about nine years ago.”

“What department was he in?”

“Um… intellectual property. That’s copyright and…”

“I know what it is, thanks. Is there anyone in IP who would remember him?”

“Oh, just one moment…” He put me on hold again, but only for ten minutes this time. “Detective Stone? Cynthia Adamopolous is most likely to have known him. Would you like me to put you through?”

“Please.”

It rang four times.

“Cynthia Adamopolous’ office.