The press conference had been scheduled for eleven that morning and it was already almost twelve. The courtroom was crowded and the crowd grew restive. Three camera crews from Boise television stations were set up at the aisle half-way back from the front of the room. The mayor, Sheriff Carter, the assistant chief of police and a woman identified as an assistance state’s attorney stood behind an array of microphones in front of the judge’s bench. Most people were standing to get a better look, or hear better. The crowd was a mixture of media reporters, civilians, two quiet men in dark suits and around the perimeter, several uniformed and nervous-looking county deputies.
Lockem and Marjorie, now relegated to the role of civilian observers, found seats toward the back of the courtroom. Sheriff Carter rapped on the microphone and then blew into it as much to get attention as to check the volume, Lockem supposed.
“All right, people. If we can settle down, we’ll tell you what we can. I do want to say at the outset that this is an ongoing investigation and there are still lots of questions.” He cleared his throat and pulled a sheet of paper closer to his face.
“This is my formal position at the moment. We are investigating the death by gunshot of two members of the community, Dereck McKinnon and Benny McCracken, who, as some of you know was the mayor’s nephew and a city employee. Their bodies were located in McKinnon’s home on the mountain.” Nobody seemed to wonder or question which mountain.
“Both men died as a result of gunshot wounds suffered during a shootout with law enforcement. McKinnon and McCracken were resisting arrest. Two of my deputies and one city officer suffered minor non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Several other officers have sustained scrapes, bruises scratches and the like from the underbrush surrounding the McKinnon home on the mountain. The shootout occurred after one of my deputies, Steven Carlson, attempted to serve a warrant on Mr. McKinnon. He was ordered off the property at gunpoint and called for help. Benny McCracken appeared beside McKinnon at the door. The deputy states Benny McCracken was holding an unholstered revolver. That’s the end of the statement from my office but there are other aspects to the situation that need some explanation. Mr. Mayor?”
Carter turned around to step aside for Mayor McCracken but the man had disappeared from the crowd at the podium. Instead a woman many seemed to recognize stepped forward. “Excuse me, Sheriff Carter? Mayor McCracken is no longer able to be present. I have a brief statement.” Carter nodded and slid aside for Mrs. Turik.
“What the Hell?” muttered Marjorie.
The woman leaned into the microphone. “Owing to information and accusations just revealed this morning, Mayor McCracken has resigned as of today. He and the rest of city administration wish to inform all our citizens that we have become part of a comprehensive investigation by the states attorney into certain allegations. Consequently, until the investigation is completed, and according to a decree obtained by the states attorney, Grand Lac government will operate under the oversight and control of the county sheriff, Mr. Carter, and his administrators.” Here she stopped and threw Carter a glance that was barely neutral. Carter did not react.
“Interesting,” whispered Lockem. “This must be the result of an independent investigation from the state level. Carter alluded to something in a couple of our conversations. I wonder how deep the investigation has gone.”
Marjorie nodded, scribbling a note to herself. There was something associated with Jack Ketchum’s papers at the library that related to these maneuvers. She’d have to check further.
A woman identified as a representative of the Idaho State Attorney General’s Office made a brief statement in which she assured the crowd that they—state and local law enforcement officers--were moving promptly to ensure that abuses would be corrected and that local government would continue to run smoothly and efficiently. Lockem stared at her while she read a few prepared words from a sheet of paper. He knew she seemed familiar but he couldn’t place her. He’d never been to Boise to the Attorney General’s Office. Even her voice plucked at his memory. And then he had it. A vision rose in his mind of the smiling and efficient woman who had checked them into their hotel and with whom he had had several brief interactions. Either this attorney had a sister working at the hotel counter or…
Sheriff Carter returned to the microphone and announced that the court had ruled that a judge had granted Samuel Black bail and he would be released forthwith but that he was forbidden to leave the county. The sheriff also announced that evidence had been discovered at the McKinnon home that strongly suggested that Dereck McKinnon had murdered Jack Ketchum because of a disagreement over investments in the stock market. His gaze sought out Lockem and Marjorie when he said that owing to considerable outside assistance, the murderer of Jack Ketchum would be indicted shortly. The sheriff refused to answer most of the questions shouted at him by reporters, saying at least twice that more facts were being assembled and verified and would be released in due course.
Edie Black, tears streaking her cheeks, had made her way through the crowd to fiercely hug both Marjorie and Lockem. He noted a few bystanders staring at them curiously. They had accomplished their main task in coming to Grand Lac diverting the accusation of murder from Sam, but there were still many questions to be answered.
As the crowd shifted and flowed, Lockem found himself facing the woman from Boise. She smiled and said, “I trust your suite is satisfactory, Mr. Lockem.”
“Eminently. You run a very nice hotel here in Grand Lac. I frequently felt as if somebody was showing more than passing interest in our comings and goings,” Lockem said. “I guess you were that somebody.”
The woman whom Lockem had now recognized as the reception clerk at their hotel, smiled and nodded, then excused herself. Marjorie watched her go. “I have got to pay more attention to the people around me,” she said.