FRIDAY

Noah woke up at six Friday morning with his face down in his criminology textbook. His neck was stiff from sleeping at the tiny desk in his room. His growling stomach hardly distracted his mind from the fact that he’d accomplished very little on his coursework. I must have been exhausted.

Closing the book, he pushed up from the desk, inhaling the enticing aroma of breakfast wafting from the kitchen.

The bathroom was empty, so he quickly showered and donned the clothes he had worn yesterday. He looked everything over to be sure nothing was wrinkled. Downstairs, he found his mom cooking while his dad watched from the small kitchen table. “Morning,” he said.

“Morning,” his parents said in unison.

“Something smells delicious.”

“We’re celebrating my first breakfast off hospital food,” his dad said.

“I’ve got eggs, sausage, and fresh, homemade muffins,” his mom said. “Grab yourself some coffee and sit with your dad. I’ll bring it over to the table.”

Noah poured himself a cup of coffee and joined his dad at the table. It feels strange sitting at this table, he thought. Usually, the family just sat at the breakfast bar. He realized the lower table was more comfortable for his dad. “How’re you feeling this morning, Dad?”

“I’m much better. I slept like a baby in my bed.”

Sandra brought over plates piled high with eggs, sausage, and muffins. Larry and Noah dug in while she returned to get her plate. The three of them ate with hardly a word passing between them. Noah got up and took his plate to the sink after breakfast. “I need to get moving. We’re reviewing everything this morning to determine what we’re missing.”

“You be careful,” his mom said.

“I will,” he said, returning to give her a peck on the cheek.

“I’ll take a look at the photo of the crime board this morning,” Larry said. “If anything comes to mind, I’ll call you.”

“See you both later,” he said as he dashed out the kitchen door.

Noah backed his car down the driveway and drove to the station. Anxious to start early, he went directly to the conference room and began organizing the new reports and evidence. The remaining reports had been faxed before he’d arrived. He also found a fax from the prosecutor with a full report detailing the search of Tiffany Strait’s and Robert Moore’s apartments. Judge Karen Gardner had signed the additional search warrants, and her office had faxed them. The cover letter stated she was meeting with all the attorneys and prosecutor at one p.m. Any evidence uncovered by the additional search should be sent to the prosecutor for review as soon as possible.

Dave rose early and ate breakfast before visiting Brad at the hospital. Entering Brad’s room, he found him awake and aware of his surroundings but looking nearly as rough as the previous evening. “You feeling any better?” he asked.

“No. My whole body hurts, and I feel sick. I think the infection has spread. They’re only giving me I.V. fluids and antibiotics. I wish I could have something to eat.”

“Have you seen the doctor?”

“No, but the nurse’s been in. She says whatever’s happening isn’t normal and called the doctor. I’m sure I won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.”

“I have to get to the station, or I’d hang out with you. Will you call me if anything changes? The hospital won’t tell me anything because we’re unrelated.”

“Leave me your phone number. Candice left my phone at the station, so I don’t have it. Don’t worry about me. They seem to be taking good care of me here.”

“I’ll bring your phone back up this afternoon. We’re going over all the reports and evidence this morning and taking one last look at Blunt’s murder scene before we release it to his family. I’m hoping we find a smoking gun to figure out who helped Johansson kill him. I’ll plan to give you a full report this afternoon.”

“Did Candice get to Zurich?”

“She should have landed about five thirty this morning our time. It’ll be past noon in Zurich before she clears the airport. I know she wanted her visit to be brief. She hoped to be back for the memorial service tomorrow afternoon.”

“Glad it’s her and not me.”

“Me, too. You get yourself healed, Brad. I hate seeing you like this. See you later, okay?”

“Thanks for checking on me, Dave. I appreciate it.”

Dave left the room, remorseful that he couldn’t stay with his colleague. I can’t believe I forgot to grab his phone and bring it to him, he thought. Maybe he should stay disconnected for a while.

He got to the station at eight-fifteen. Noah and Derrick were already working on the evidence. They briefed him on what they had learned Thursday night and told him they would organize a search of Moore’s personal vehicle, garage, and office as soon as the Sheriff arranged a team for them. The three began plowing through all the new evidence in preparation for the final search of the murder scene and subsequent search warrants.

Candice arrived in Zurich right on time. She’d immediately settled into her comfortable business-class seat and asked for a meal. When she finished her meal and a glass of wine, she reclined her seat and slept for the remainder of the flight. She felt amazingly well-rested as the Turkish Air A 330-300 pulled into the gate and the jetway pushed into place. She gathered her belongings and left the plane. Flashing her passport and credentials, she passed quickly through customs and immigration. Once out of the terminal, Candice texted her contact at Interpol to let him know she was on the ground. His immediate response was to give her his office address and let her know he would be waiting for her. The guard in the lobby was also advised of her impending arrival.

She hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address for Interpol. The driver was kind and courteous but spoke no English. He transported her to the address she had provided him and stopped in front. She realized the National Central Bureau's office was housed within a local police agency in Zurich. She thanked the driver and gave him her credit card. He processed the charge, and she added a gratuity. Once inside, she approached the officer working the desk and gave him her contact’s name. He made a call and asked her to wait. Within moments, a man came through a door at the opposite end of the lobby, heading straight toward her. He extended his hand as he neared where she was standing. “Agent Rodriguez, my name is Lars Berglund. It’s nice to meet you in person.”

“Nice to meet you as well. You may call me Candice.”

“Thank you. Call me Lars. Let’s go back to my office and go over the documents.”

“Yes. I want to try to be back on a return flight this afternoon. Several people died in Massachusetts over this matter, and two memorial services are on Saturday afternoon. I must be there.”

“We’ll be quick so you can be on your way. I do not mind telling you that I will be happy to get the Bitcoin wallet out of our possession. It sounds extremely valuable for so many people to have died.”

“That’s what we think.”

The agents walked down a long corridor to a room with cubicles. The placard on the door said NCB (National Central Bureau). Inspector Berglund led Candice past the cubicles to a conference room at the rear of the ample space. They went inside, and he offered her a seat.

“Would you like a cold drink?” he asked. “The package will take a few minutes to be brought from the evidence locker.”

“No, thank you. Perhaps it would save us some time if you reviewed the documents while we wait.”

“Certainly,” he replied. “I am sure everything is in order.”

Candice opened the stainless-steel attaché containing her weapon and documents. She pulled out a file folder with all the documents and spread them before him. He put on reading glasses and carefully examined each piece of paper.

“Everything is in perfect order. A receipt will be attached when the package arrives, requiring both signatures.”

As they sat waiting, Candice found herself making small talk. “Are they still holding Johansson’s girlfriend?”

“We released her this morning. We did not have anything substantial for which to hold her.”

“Was she told of Johansson’s death?”

“Yes. I told her to see how she responded. She did not seem to care much.”

“I’m sure she’s better off without him. He was pure evil. He killed at least four people over this Bitcoin wallet.”

Before anything more was said, two armed agents entered the conference room with a small evidence package. They handed it to Agent Berglund, who opened it and poured out the Bitcoin wallet. “Does this look like what you traveled all this way to pick up?”

“I guess it does. I didn’t know quite what to expect.”

The two guards stood while Agent Berglund removed the receipt from the envelope and laid it flat on the table to sign. He offered his pen to Candice for her signature. He separated the copies and gave one to her, which she slipped into the file folder. As they stood to leave, their business concluded; Agent Berglund informed Candice that the armed agents would escort her to the door and wait with her for a taxi. She thanked him, put the Bitcoin wallet and the file folder into the case, closed the latches, and spun the combination lock. She felt like she should have it locked onto her wrist. She smiled to herself, thinking that would only draw attention to her.

One armed agent left before her while the other held the door. Agent Berglund reached out, shaking her hand firmly. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Agent Rodriguez.”

“The pleasure was mine,” Candice replied.

He disappeared in the other direction. The first armed agent led her to the front door while the second followed her.

Once outside, one of the agents hailed a cab. “Are you returning to the airport?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He spoke to the driver while the other agent opened the back door and held it while she got inside.

“The driver will drop you at the Turkish Airlines departure terminal. Have a safe flight, Agent.”

He closed the door, and the driver sped away. Candice looked at her watch, confident she could get a flight to Boston this afternoon. She texted Dave and let him know she had the Bitcoin wallet and was returning to the airport. She told him she would call when her flight arrangements were made. He texted back with a thumbs-up emoticon.

The driver pulled up to the Turkish Airlines departure terminal, she made the payment, and jumped out of the cab. She rushed into the airport and to a ticket agent. Producing her return ticket, she explained she wanted a non-stop return as soon as possible. The agent typed away at her computer terminal before looking up and informing Candice she could book her on a Swissair Flight at five forty this afternoon. “I see one business-class seat left. Shall I book that for you, Agent Rodriguez?”

“Absolutely. What time will I arrive in Boston?”

“It looks like the arrival in Boston will be shortly after eight tonight. It is an eight-hour-twenty-five-minute flight.”

“Perfect. Ensure they know I’m traveling with my weapon safely locked in an attaché case.”

“Of course. I am transferring all the information from your Turkish flight directly to their system.”

“Thank you so much.”

The agent typed away for a few minutes and produced a new ticket for the Swiss Air flight to Boston. “You should hurry. The plane is already at the gate. They will start boarding shortly after five.”

Candice took her travel documents and hustled through security. The FBI credentials and the special pass to carry a weapon aboard the plane helped expedite her way through, and she arrived at the gate with time to spare. She found a seat in the gate area and called Dave. She told him she was waiting to board the plane and expected to land in Boston just after eight p.m., Boston time. He agreed to pick her up at Logan.

Dave examined the blood and DNA evidence. “The blood in Blunt’s vehicle is a mixture of his own and Robert Moore’s. It proves Moore left blood in the victim’s car, but why was he driving it?”

“Maybe he just moved it after he and Johansson killed him,” Derrick said.

“It could have been parked in the driveway after Blunt returned from converting the cashier’s draft to Bitcoin.” Dave speculated.

“They may have moved it into the garage to keep neighbors from thinking Blunt was home,” Noah said.

“He probably didn’t know he had blood on his clothes. Did the crime team find his blood in the attic?”

Dave reviewed the crime scene report from the day the murder was discovered. “Yes. They found blood and fingerprints from both him and Johansson. That proves they both participated in the murder. What do you suppose he was looking for last Saturday morning?”

“I don’t know, but he was searching for something. Had to be something he left behind.”

“Did we get a record of cell phone activity for Moore?” Noah asked.

“I don’t see any. According to the inventory list of evidence recovered, they never found Blunt’s phone either.”

Dave picked up the phone and called the county jail. He introduced himself to the clerk and asked for an accounting of Moore’s possessions when they took him into custody. The clerk agreed to fax it over to the station.

“I transported him to the county jail after he was questioned here, and I don’t remember him having a phone,” Derrick said.

“We need to find it. A record of calls or texts between him and Johansson would be a nail in his coffin.”

A fax arrived from the jail. The inventory of Moore’s possessions had no record of a cell phone. “It appears we’re looking for cell phones. Moore’s and Blunt’s are missing,” Noah said.

“We should go over to El Dorado and have another look,” Dave said.

As the three prepared to leave, Noah gathered all the reports into a file folder to take along while Dave excused himself to take a call from Candice. Derrick quickly updated the crime board and agreed to drive to Eldorado Avenue. Dave returned to the room and caught the end of the conversation. “We should take more than one car. I’ll follow you. We may have to split up with so many moving parts to manage these search warrants. By the way, Candice is boarding her flight in Zurich with the Bitcoin wallet. She will land at Logan just after eight tonight.”

“That was a quick trip,” Derrick said.

The three left the conference room and told the chief where they were going.

Noah, Derrick, and Dave parked on the street and entered Blunt’s home. “Hi, Marty. You pulling a little overtime duty?”

“Yup. Sitting in a crime scene is the worst. I’ve never been so bored in my life.”

Derrick introduced Marty to Dave. “We’re going to make one more search of the attic. Would you like to help?”

“Sure,” he replied. “As long as I don’t have to go up there. It still really stinks upstairs. I can only imagine how bad it is in the attic.”

Derrick and Dave exchanged a sour look. Noah was hoping he wouldn’t have to go into the attic either. “I’ll go up and search,” Derrick volunteered. “Maybe I can hand the boxes down, and the rest of you can start going through them.”

“I’ll pass the boxes down from the ladder,” Dave suggested.

“Marty and I will start going through them on the bedroom floor,” Noah said.

The four proceeded upstairs to the bedroom with the attic scuttle in the closet. The large blood stain on the carpet where Larry had been hit in the head remained. Noah looked at it, and a chill went up his spine. He knew, as a police officer, he would see blood and needed to desensitize himself to bloody crime scenes. He shuddered a little, trying to move past the revulsion he was experiencing.

Derrick pulled down the attic scuttle stairs, and the group was immediately met with the stench of death. Even after a week, the smell had barely subsided. Noah gagged in the back of his throat. Derrick started up the stairs, seemingly numb to the smell.

“I’ll work the top of the stairs,” Noah offered.

Nobody argued with him, and he knew they wouldn’t. This will give me a chance to get used to situations like this.

When Derrick climbed off the top step into the attic, Noah started up. Before he got halfway up the steps, a light went on in the attic space, illuminating the entire room at the top of the scuttle. When he reached the top step, he could see Derrick at the other end, opening the window wide. A cool September breeze blew through the window, offering much-needed ventilation. Noah looked around, noticing fingerprint powder on the window jambs and the platform near the scuttle. Boxes were scattered about, with the contents of some poured out onto the planks that made up the attic floor. The planks were spaced about six inches apart, leaving exposed insulation. The builders had used blown-in insulation rather than the pink batting sheets used in most construction. It looked like gray wool. The only sign or evidence that a body had been lying dead here for more than a week was the stench.

Noah remained on the stairway, watching as Derrick carefully probed around in the insulation around the box furthest from the opening. He found nothing and carried the box to Noah, who handed it to the others. He and Derrick shared little conversation while Derrick repeated the routine with each box, working his way back to front, where Noah waited to hand them down. When Derrick worked closer to the scuttle, the boxes were half-empty, the contents scattered around from having been previously searched. Derrick continued picking through the insulation, replacing the spilled contents into the boxes, and handing them down.

“Bingo,” he yelled about thirty minutes into his search. “I have a phone.”

He carried the phone by the edges with his gloved hand, gingerly handing it to Noah, who took it in the same manner and brought it down the stairs.

“I need an evidence bag,” Noah said as he walked out of the closet into the bedroom.

Dave produced one and opened it to let Noah drop the phone in. They laid the bag down on the floor and photographed it. Noah looked around the room where the other two men emptied each box and examined the contents. Most of the items were old, personal belongings of the victim. Nothing looked like it could be evidence of the murder. Noah returned to the top of the stairs where Derrick had left two more boxes to be carried down. He took each back down to the bedroom. When he returned to the top of the stairs, he looked around the attic space, which was now almost empty. Derrick poked through the insulation and passed the last couple of boxes out. He turned on a flashlight and examined the empty attic, looking for anything suspicious. They’d spent over an hour searching the attic and going through boxes. The only fruit of their labor seemed to be the cell phone. Derrick came over to the scuttle opening and turned off the light. “Looks like we’re finished up here,” he said.

Noah took his cue and backed down the stairs, followed closely by Derrick. They went into the bedroom and began helping the others dig through boxes. The search was turning up no new clues.

“Does anyone smell smoke?” Dave asked.

The four of them had been so intent on their task that nobody noticed smoke coming from the first floor. Noah ran from the bedroom toward the stairs. “This place is on fire,” he yelled.

Dave grabbed the cell phone in the evidence bag, and he, Derrick, and Marty followed Noah to the stairs. The fire was already moving up and had engulfed the entire first floor. Noah dialed 9-1-1, screaming into the phone. “We’re trapped on the second floor in a fully engulfed house fire on El Dorado Avenue!”

The four men retreated to the bedroom where they had just been, furthest from the fire. They yanked the curtains down and stuffed them under the closed bedroom door to keep the smoke out. Dave pushed the window open and started yelling for help.

The call went out for fire and rescue to respond to a house fire on El Dorado Avenue at eleven-ten. The volunteer fire and rescue team leaped into action. The first firefighter arrived at eleven-fourteen, followed a minute later by the fire truck and rescue unit. One of the neighbors came running to the house with an extension ladder and pushed it up to the window. Noah was the first out of the house, followed by Dave, Marty, and Derrick. They pulled hose from the firetruck, and the firefighters were putting on protective gear in the street. The emergency equipment had difficulty getting close because of the cars parked there and in the driveway. Noah’s first thought was moving the cars. He hollered to the others to get the cars out of the way. Marty’s county sheriff's vehicle was already on fire in the driveway. Dave and Derrick’s cars were parked on the street. All their tires were flat. The fire was no accident. Derrick called the sheriff and requested an entire team be sent to the El Dorado crime scene for a suspicious fire. Noah phoned Chief Armstrong.

“Chief, the house where the murders occurred is on fire, and it’s no accident. We were working in the attic, and someone came into the downstairs and torched the place.”

“Is everyone all right?” he asked.

“We all got out, but whoever did this slashed all our tires. Send everything you have. Somebody had to have seen something here. We’re going to need a canvass.”

“You got it, Noah.”

Noah found Derrick, and they went to his car to retrieve a spiral notebook. They tore out pages, and each took a few sheets. They waved over Dave and Marty, and the four of them split up the sheets and spread out among the crowd to ask if anyone had seen anything suspicious. I’m glad I left the file with all the reports in the car where it was safe, Noah thought.

The firefighters worked the blaze while the crowd of gawkers gathered. It is evident from the black smoke and smell of the burning home that an accelerant had been used. It’s unbelievable that someone slashed Dave and Derrick’s car tires and entered the house, spreading gasoline in every downstairs room without us hearing anything. Noah thought. Whoever did this was bold.

Police officers and sheriff deputies began arriving. They jumped into action, pushing the crowds back to give the firefighters room to work. The fire was so hot that entering the building was not an option. They fought to control the blaze and prevent it from spreading to neighboring structures. Marty’s vehicle was burned beyond recognition. It appeared it had been torched, too. It wasn’t close enough to have ignited from exposure to the burning house.

Noah went from bystander to bystander, asking if they had observed anyone around the house or cars before the fire. Most of them had shown up when the sirens and commotion started. He kindly asked them to return to their homes and let the emergency crews do their job. Dave, Marty, and Derrick took the same approach, garnering little to help the investigation. The crowd kept growing despite their requests to leave the area.

Chief Armstrong showed up and took control of the scene, asking the police officers and Sheriff deputies who responded to the call to arrest anyone who refused to leave. A call was made for wreckers to pick up the two vehicles parked in the street with flat tires. He then found Noah and Dave to inform them that tow trucks were coming, that they should get their belongings out, and moved to his SUV. “Derrick, take my vehicle when you leave to search Robert Moore’s garage.”

“I think I have Moore’s cell phone,” Derrick told the chief. “It’s all we got out with. I found it in the attic.”

“We should be able to pull data from and determine who it belongs to.”

“I agree. I want to drop it at the crime lab. Who’s searching the car and garage at Moore’s apartment?”

“A team from county. I want you to observe. Leave Noah here with me. It’s up to Dave if he wants to go along. He may need a ride to pick up a rental car.”

Derrick took the chief’s car keys and went in search of Dave. They all reeked of smoke. At least nobody can smell the dead guy over the smoke, he thought.

He found Dave continuing to ask bystanders if they had witnessed anything unusual before the fire started. Nobody’d seen anything. He talked to the next-door neighbor who brought over the ladder, thanking him for saving their lives.

“It looks like we owe you a new ladder. It caught fire and burned before the fire department could save it.”

“You got out just in time. What were you doing in there anyway?”

“We were conducting one final search of the attic. It seems someone came in while we were up there and set fire to the place. They also slashed all of our tires. I sure wish someone had seen a strange car or person. Whoever it was had to have been carrying a gas can on the way in. I assume they slashed our tires before setting the fire so they could quickly escape, and we wouldn’t be able to follow.”

“I’ll ask around. My neighbors like to gossip. Somebody may have seen something or caught something on security surveillance cameras.”

“Call me if you hear anything,” Dave said, handing him his card.

Derrick found Dave continuing to question neighbors still milling around the scene.

“Do you want to go with me to the search of Moore’s car?” he asked. “I have the chief’s SUV keys.”

“I don’t need to go to the search, but I’ll have you drop me at a rental car office. I need to get something to drive.”

They left in the chief’s SUV.

Noah had exhausted the crowd, asking if anyone had seen anything strange when he remembered the woman across the street. He remembered reading somewhere that she didn’t miss much. He walked over and knocked on her door. When she answered, he told her his name and that he worked for the Eagle Cove Police. Rather than invite him in, she looked him up and down before coming onto the porch. “I didn’t think anything of it at first. A plumbing company van pulled in front of the house, and two men in coveralls got out. One was carrying something. I guess it was a toolbox. I think they both went into the house. They were only there a minute. So much happening over there, it’s hard to know what’s unusual.”

“Do you remember the name of the plumbing company on the van?”

“No. The van was white. It had a logo in the shape of a toilet on the side, making me think it was a plumber.”

“Can you tell me anything else? Make and model of the van or license plate?”

“No. I’m not good with the make or model of vans. I had no reason to get the plate number. It had a dent on the front driver’s side, though, and the windshield was cracked. That’s all I remember.”

“Thank you. You’ve been helpful.”

“You’re welcome. Glad to help. You smell awful, by the way. Tell your wife to soak your clothes in Lestoil to get the smell out.”

Noah laughed. “Thank you,” he said. “I don’t have a wife, but I’ll soak these clothes before they go in the wash.”

Noah took his notes and walked back across the street. It was amazing how much the crowd had disbursed with cops threatening to make arrests. But now the media was showing up. Wreckers had come and picked up both Derrick’s and Dave’s vehicles. Marty’s was totaled. The fire department continued battling the fire, and another unit was called in. The firefighters were soon exhausted. The house had taken less than two hours to burn to a smoldering pile of rubble.

Noah found the chief and told him what he had learned from the woman across the street.

“Call in an APB for the white van, Noah. It’s unlikely we’ll get anything with no tag, but give the description.”

“What happened to Dave and Derrick?”

“They took my SUV and went to search Moore’s vehicle and garage.”

Noah pulled out his cell phone and called dispatch to order the APB for the white van wanted in connection to an arson fire on El Dorado Avenue in Eagle Cove. When he hung up, he returned to the chief and asked how he could help.

“Not much to do now. The canvass is done, and you’re the only one who got anything. Most other officers on the scene here are working on crowd control. I must remain here until the fire department finishes and the fire marshal arrives to open an investigation. With four police officers in the structure when they set the fire, I consider this attempted murder.”

“They had to be trying to get rid of evidence, Chief.”

“It sure appears that way.”

Noah roamed around, trying to stay out of the way, until he found Marty sitting in a squad car from county. “Are you doing okay, Marty?”

“Yes. You?”

“I’m just exhausted. We were lucky that the neighbor showed up with a ladder. He saved our lives.”

“County’s about to clear the scene. I will catch a ride with the officer who drives this vehicle. Would you like us to drop you somewhere?”

“Let me check with the chief to be sure he doesn’t need to keep me here.”

Noah checked with the chief and was told he could take off. He went back to the guys from county and had them drop him at the station. Poor Marty will have a ton of paperwork and reports regarding all this, Noah thought.

When they dropped him at the station, he headed home to shower.

The meeting in Judge Karen Gardner’s chambers at the Plymouth County Courthouse started promptly at one o’clock.

The lawyers for both Tiffany Strait and Robert Moore were there, as was the prosecutor assigned to the case.

“This may be a short meeting,” the judge said.

“I want to ask that the two defendants be handled separately, your Honor,” Prosecutor Daniel Coe stated.

“I would have expected that request from the lawyers for the defendants, Mr. Coe. But frankly, I’m surprised to have such a request from you. Can I ask why?”

“Yes, your Honor. Evidence continues to pour into my office, and it appears Mr. Moore and Ms. Strait have varying responsibilities related to the murder of Harold Blunt. Keeping the two cases separate is in the best interest of all parties.”

“Fine, Mr. Coe. Do you have any objections, Mr. Cranston?”

“No, Your Honor. I would, however, like to file a motion to lower my client's bail. She isn’t a flight risk, and the evidence against her is weak. She’s cooperating with law enforcement, and it would be considerably easier to prepare her defense with her out on bail.”

“Any objections, Mr. Coe?”

“No objections to lowering Ms. Strait’s bail, your honor.”

“Okay. I’ll lower her bail to five hundred thousand, cash or surety. I have time for Ms. Strait’s preliminary hearing on October fourth at nine a.m. Will that time work for you, Mr. Cranston?

“Yes, your Honor.”

“Mr. Coe?”

“Yes, your honor.”

“Add it to your schedules, please. Mr. Langley, I assume you have no objections to separating these cases.”

“No, your Honor. I would, however, like to request Mr. Moore’s bail also be reduced.”

“I strongly object to lowering Mr. Moore’s bail, your Honor,” Prosecutor Coe said, shooting up from his chair, red in the face.

“I will not lower Mr. Moore’s bail,” the judge stated. “File your motion, Mr. Langley, and I will take it under advisement pending his preliminary hearing. I want to schedule it for nine a.m. on October fifth. Does that work for you, Mr. Coe?”

“Yes, your Honor.”

“Mr. Langley?”

“Yes, your Honor.”

“I believe we’re through here,” the judge said, indicating the end of the meeting. “Have a nice afternoon, gentlemen.”

The prosecutor and both lawyers stood and left her chambers.

Noah drove home worrying about how he was going to tell his mom he had been trapped in a house fire this morning. She’s going to flip out. He pulled into the driveway and walked through the kitchen toward the stairs. His mom was watching television while his dad snoozed on the sofa.

“What’s that awful smell?” she asked without even saying hello.

“These clothes need a soak before going in the washer, Mom.”

“Why do you smell like that?”

“The house over on El Dorado burned down. I was pretty close. I’m going up to shower and change.”

Noah quickly traversed the stairs to avoid answering more questions. He showered and changed into fresh clothes. He carried his smoky clothes downstairs and dumped them in the laundry sink with some laundry soap to soak. He returned to the living room to let his folks know he was returning to the station.

“What went on at the crime scene?” his dad asked.

Noah hesitated but decided he’d better level with his parents. “While we searched the attic, someone came into the downstairs and doused the house with gasoline before torching it.”

“How’d you guys get out?” his mom asked.

“One of the neighbors put a ladder up to the upstairs bedroom window, and we climbed down. The fire department came immediately, but I don’t think they could save the house. It burned quickly. Whoever did it slashed the tires on the police and FBI vehicles parked out front.”

“Anyone see anything?” his dad asked.

“The lady across the street said she saw a couple of plumbers show up in a white van but thought nothing of it. She said they were only there for a couple of minutes. We found a cell phone in the attic, Dad. We think it may have been what Robert Moore was looking for.”

“If it was his, it proves he was involved in the murder.”

“Yes. The odd blood sample the coroner identified was his. It was also his blood in the victim’s car.”

“I haven’t looked at the crime board photo yet,” Larry said. “I need to put it on the computer to blow it up big enough to read, and I haven’t had the energy. Sounds like you got a bunch more evidence that wasn’t on the board.”

“Yes. Final reports from the coroner, DNA lab, and crime teams came in this morning, along with the reports from the search of Tiffany Strait’s and Robert Moore’s apartments.”

“It sounds like Robert Moore was up to his eyeteeth in this thing.”

“Yes. Derrick is executing a search warrant for his garage and personal vehicle this afternoon. Candice is on her way back from Zurich with the Bitcoin wallet. She lands at a little after eight tonight.”

“You guys are doing great detective work, Noah.”

“Thanks, Dad. I need to get back to the station. Don’t plan on me for dinner, Mom. We’re going to try to wrap things up this afternoon. I know the chief will be happy to have things resolved before the memorial service tomorrow. See you guys later.”

By the time the fire department had the fire extinguished, it was well after two o’clock. They remained on the scene to extinguish hot spots. The former home of Harold Blunt was nothing more than a charred pile of smoldering, stinking, burned rubble. Nothing salvageable remained. Chief Armstrong and the fire chief spoke briefly. The fire chief informed him that the fire was arson. Chief Armstrong shared that the canvass had uncovered a witness who saw two men driving a plumber’s van. The men had entered the residence briefly before the fire was reported.

“We have an APB out for the van, but I doubt it’ll return any result,” Chief Armstrong noted. “The witness didn’t get a license number or the company's name. She said the logo on the door was shaped like a toilet. It was probably a magnetic sign.”

When the fire marshal arrived, he met with the fire chief and Chief Armstrong before walking the site. He hardly had anything to investigate with so little left of the structure. Based on the eyewitness report, the rapid acceleration of the fire, the description of the smell, and the black smoke, it was a slam-dunk arson. On top of that, the chief told him four Police officers were upstairs at the time of the fire, so it should be considered an attempted murder. The fire marshal determined the accelerant was most likely plain old gasoline.

With little left to do other than monitor the scene for rekindles and hot spots, the chief and the fire marshal left. The smoldering remains of what once was a stunning home lay in the capable hands of the fire department. Chief Armstrong hitched a ride to the station with the fire marshal, who dropped him at the door.

The crime scene team and Derrick showed up at the apartment of Robert Moore to execute the search of his garage and personal vehicle. Derrick went to the apartment manager’s office and presented the search warrant. He gave her the option of opening the garage. Otherwise, they would force the lock on the walk-through door. The manager accompanied him to the small garage across the parking lot from the apartment where they searched previously. She produced a master key and observed while they entered the garage. It was in an attached row of identical garages, each with a walk-through and an overhead door. It was hardly big enough for more than one car. Inside, they found his late-model Ford Escape SUV. In front of the Escape, a row of shelves held neatly stacked and labeled boxes. They raised the overhead door, turned on the light, and began their search. The car wasn’t locked, and the keys were in the center console. The techs photographed the vehicle in place, and one put on a Tyvek suit before entering the car to back it out of the garage.

Several techs started going through the boxes while others combed through the vehicle. Derrick observed as they opened the back hatch. Under the retractable cover of the cargo area, they discovered a suitcase and computer case. This may be the smoking gun, Derrick thought.

The tech photographed the items and carried them back into the garage. He put them down on the floor and called Derrick over. “This may be what you were looking for,” he said.

Derrick slipped on latex gloves and examined the luggage tags, finding they belonged to the victim. He popped the latches and opened both cases, where he found clothes and a computer belonging to Harold Blunt.

“Yes,” he said. “This is exactly what we’re searching for.”

The techs continued to search the vehicle, discovering a disposable cell phone in the console and blood stains on the seat. “We need to take this vehicle to the lab for a closer examination,” he said.

He called the crime lab and ordered a flatbed wrecker to transport the vehicle to the lab. The lab expedited his request, and the flatbed arrived within a half hour. Meanwhile, the crime scene techs bagged the cell phone, suitcase, and computer belonging to the victim. Searching the rest of the garage didn’t uncover anything else of interest. While the wrecker crew loaded Moore’s car, the techs placed the evidence in their vehicle, thanked the apartment manager, and left.

The lead tech had assured Derrick that the cell phone would go to an electronics tech to recover a log of calls and texts. I wonder if I should’ve also given them the cell phone we discovered in the attic.

He opted to hold onto it for the time being. The apartment manager watched everyone depart before closing the overhead door and locking the garage. Derrick checked his messages while sitting in the chief’s SUV. A message from the chief stated he could keep the vehicle as long as necessary.

Marty Blake and the other deputy were returning to the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department. Given the events of his morning, Marty faced a considerable amount of paperwork. While helping with the attic search, the crime scene he was protecting had burned to the ground, along with his county vehicle. This day has turned from a complete bore to a shitstorm. I only hope they apprehend the responsible party. That will validate what I’m going to write in my reports. Deep in thought, Marty checked his email on the ride back, paying little attention to the surrounding traffic or the radio. The deputy driving him was still on duty for the remainder of the day. Suddenly, a radio dispatch came on with an APB for a white van with a cracked windshield and front body damage on the driver’s side.

“The driver and occupant are wanted for questioning in connection to an arson fire in Eagle Cove,” the dispatcher’s voice announced. “At last report, the vehicle had a magnetic sign shaped like a toilet on one side.”

“Holy shit,” Marty exclaimed. “Someone must’ve found a witness to the perpetrators of the arson.”

“Check it out,” the deputy said, pointing ahead. “That white van in front of us matches the description. Let’s stay with it for a minute to see if it has a magnet on the side or body damage.”

“We couldn’t get that lucky,” Marty replied.

“Stranger things have happened.”

At the next intersection, the van turned left, possibly attempting to evade the cops tailing him. Once he completed the turn, both sheriff deputies could see the damage to the left front-quarter panel and the magnet shaped like a toilet on the driver’s door.

“That’s enough coincidence for me,” the deputy shouted as he turned on the lights and sirens.

The driver did not attempt to escape the scene, pulling over when he had a safe opportunity. The two sheriff deputies pulled up behind the vehicle, and Marty called in the stop, asking for backup. He drew his weapon and stood at the vehicle's rear while the other deputy approached the driver’s window. The deputy immediately smelled gasoline and instructed the driver to exit the van. The driver complied.

“What’s this all about?” he asked.

“Your van was reported in the area of a fire in Eagle Cove. Did you see anything suspicious?” he asked.

“You must be wrong,” the driver said. “We haven’t been to Eagle Cove today.”

“I need to see your driver’s license and registration.”

The man produced the documents while Marty continued standing behind the van. The passenger fidgeted in the front seat, where Marty could see him in the large side-view mirror.

“Why do your clothes smell like gasoline?” the deputy asked.

“Um, I spilled gas while I was filling my generator,” he stated, his eyes darting around as sweat beaded on his brow.

“I see. Are you a plumber?”

“Yes.”

“Why does a plumber need a generator?”

“The job site doesn’t have power.” The man began swallowing deeply and brushing at his face.

“Where are you working?”

“Have I done something wrong? Why are you questioning me?”

Suddenly, the passenger bolted from his seat, running from the scene. The deputy heard the door open and saw the van shake as he jumped out. Marty gave chase and tackled the man to the ground. Although the suspect reeked of gasoline, Marty hardly noticed the odor over his smoky clothes. He took cuffs from his belt and clapped them on the man’s wrists. “You’re under arrest for arson and attempted murder,” he shouted. “I was in the house you burned down this morning along with three other cops.”

He pulled the suspect to his feet and walked him to the back of the van. Meanwhile, the other deputy cuffed the driver and locked him into the back of his cruiser. Marty deposited his suspect into the back of the responding backup deputy’s vehicle that had just arrived. The three officers met between the two police vehicles to discuss the situation. Marty called in the arrests and asked for a crime team to pick up the white van. Next, he dialed Detective Zabavski. “Derrick, we just arrested the guys we believe burned down the house this morning.”

Derrick’s face lost color, and his knees buckled as he attempted to process his colleague's words. “Where are you now?”

“We’re halfway between Eagle Cove and Plymouth. I was catching a ride back to County when we spotted the van. We have two individuals who smell like gasoline. We’re waiting for a flatbed to pick up their van.”

“Can you separate the two guys and transport them to Eagle Cove for questioning?”

“I don’t see why not. It’s technically Eagle Cove’s case. They have an entire team working on this crime.”

Marty hung up and resumed his conversation with the other deputies. “We’re transporting both to Eagle Cove for questioning.”

The deputy, who had responded as backup, glanced at his cruiser and the suspect sitting in the back. “I would just as soon get the smelly bastard out of my car as soon as possible. Mind if I go ahead and transport him now?”

“Not at all,” Marty said. “They want us to keep them separated anyway. That’ll give them some time with him before we arrive with the other guy.”

Marty called Derrick back and told him the van's passenger was on his way. “We will be transporting the driver as soon as the crime scene team picks up the van.

Knowing his boss would want an update, Marty called Sheriff Patrick and gave him a condensed version of his day. “We’re transporting the two arson suspects to Eagle Cove station for questioning. The house they burned this morning was the scene of the murders last week. Detective Zabavski is waiting at the Eagle Cove station to question them.”

“Thanks for the update, Deputy Blake. Sounds like you’re going to have four hours of paperwork to complete today.”

“Yes, sir.”

The crime scene team arrived and removed the white van from the scene about forty-five minutes later. Marty and the other deputy stood outside the cruiser and let the suspect stew. They had no desire to sit inside with him while they waited. Once the van was gone, they took off for Eagle Cove with their suspect.

Derrick arrived at the station just before the deputy transporting the first suspect. He filled in the rest of the team, including Chief Armstrong, and asked for Noah’s help setting up the recording equipment in the interview rooms. Officers escorted the first suspect into one of the rooms and handcuffed him to the ring in the center of the stainless-steel table. Noah checked all the equipment to be sure everything was working correctly before leaving the interview room. While there, he didn’t speak or make eye contact with the man but noticed the suspect smelled like gasoline.

Derrick left the suspect sitting in the interview room for over thirty minutes before returning to conduct the interrogation. He checked in with Noah, who played the interview room video on the closed-circuit television monitor in the conference room. “The recording equipment is working perfectly,” Noah reported.

Derrick thanked him and went in to speak with the suspect.

“My name is Detective Derrick Zabavski. What’s your name?”

“Fred Tribble.

“Mr. Tribble, do you understand your rights?”

“Am I under arrest?”

“We have just a few questions right now. If you help us out here, we’ll see what we can do to resolve this matter and get you on your way.”

The man shook his head in disbelief. He knew this wasn’t going to end well.

“Tell me where you were this morning.”

“I was working a job over near Plymouth.”

“What’s your occupation?”

“I’m a plumber.”

“Would you mind allowing me to look at your pocket card with your plumber’s credentials?”

“Why do you need that? I don’t have it with me.”

“The law requires you to carry your pocket license on your person. How come you aren’t carrying it?”

“I don’t know.”

“We don’t have to make this difficult. A witness saw you and your partner park in front of a home on El Dorado Avenue in Eagle Cove this morning. They stated you slashed the tires of three police vehicles before going into the house, dousing it with gasoline, and setting fire to it.”

Derrick stopped speaking and observed the reaction of his suspect. The man was shaking, and his nose was beginning to run. He was avoiding eye contact. Derrick paused just long enough to give the guy time to start sweating.

“We don’t believe you and your partner just decided to go burn a house down this morning.” He tried to make eye contact without success. “It may be your lucky day. Your partner isn’t here yet, so you can come clean first. Maybe the prosecutor will go easier on you.”

“We didn’t burn anything.”

“Our witness is sure it was you. The crime scene team is taking your van to the lab now. Are you certain the crime techs won’t find one thing linking you to the fire?” He looked again at the suspect, expecting a response but getting none. “Who hired you to burn that house?”

Derrick again paused, looking for any sign of emotion from the suspect.

“If you don’t talk to me, I’ll get the witness over here and have them identify you and your partner in a lineup.” Still, no response other than sweat, shaking, labored breathing, and a red face. “Then I’ll take the witness to the crime lab and let them identify your van. This is a slam dunk. The prosecutor will bring charges of attempted murder of four police officers, destruction of police property, and arson. As I said, if you cooperate, we may get him to drop the attempted murder charges since none of us died. You were lucky nobody was hurt fighting the fire you started.”

“It wasn’t me. I knew nothing about what was going down.”

“What are you telling me here? You went to that home in a plumbing van with gas containers in the back, but you had no idea why?”

“Jeff didn’t tell me anything before we parked in front. When we got there, he told me to slash the tires on the cars in the street so they couldn’t come after us while he went in with the gas.”

“Who did you do this job for?”

“I just work for Jeff. We do odd jobs for different people every day.”

“So, you aren’t a plumber but a handyman?”

“Yes. We do odd jobs all over the area.”

“Do your odd jobs often include illegal activity?”

“Just plumbing and fixing things.”

“Burning down a house is very different from fixing the plumbing. Is business slow, or were you looking for a bigger payday?”

“Jeff handles all that. I do what he tells me.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere. Who was Jeff working for today?”

“He didn’t say.”

“Okay, Fred, I’ll see if they brought Jeff in yet. I’ll talk to him and see if he wants to be a little more help. You boys made a big mistake this morning.”

Derrick exited the room, leaving the suspect cuffed to the table and the video camera recording.

Meanwhile, Marty and the other deputy brought their suspect into the station and turned him over to Chief Armstrong. He took the suspect into the other interview room and cuffed him to the stainless-steel table. The suspect was shaking and whimpering like a baby. “What’s this all about?” he babbled between sobs.

Chief Armstrong left the room without a word. Dave came back to the station after he had rented a car. He met with Chief Armstrong and Noah in the conference room to learn about the new development. Together, they watched Derrick conduct Fred’s interview. Noah had split the viewing screen so they could watch the van driver, who was stewing in the other interview room. Noah was glad he’d had time to shower and put on fresh clothes. He couldn’t help but notice Derrick, Dave, and the chief reeked of smoke. The whole station smelled like the fire scene. The odor was revolting. In the interview rooms, the stink of gasoline on the suspects mixed with the smoke odor on everyone else.

Derrick joined the others in the conference room after interviewing the first suspect, pleased to see Dave had returned. The four discussed the situation and how to proceed with the second suspect. “I think the driver’s the boss,” Derrick said.

“It sure looks that way to me,” Dave responded. “Do you want to interview him together? Maybe a little good cop, bad cop, back and forth? Perhaps we’ll get him to tell us who hired them to burn the place down.”

“That suits me fine. I’ll be the good cop.”

“Excellent. I never get to be the bad cop.”

“He’s already whimpering like a baby,” Chief said. “Sweat him until he pisses himself. I want this thing wrapped up this afternoon.”

Derrick and Dave left the room smiling. Noah remained, quietly hoping for a confession. Knowing the case had been solved, he thought the memorial service would be much better. On the video screen, he watched as they entered the interview room together, all business. Derrick strode to the table, spinning the chair opposite the suspect one hundred eighty degrees so its back was positioned between him and the suspect. He straddled the chair and plopped down. He stared into the suspect’s eyes with a broad, sappy grin. “My name’s Detective Derrick Zabavski, and this is Agent Dave Washburn with the FBI. You are Jeff Kiem, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

Derrick read the suspect his rights. “Do you understand your rights as I have read them to you?”

“Yes.”

“Do you mind if we ask you some questions?”

“I already told the officer who stopped me I had nothing to do with the fire in Eagle Cove.”

“I know what you told him, but we have a witness who saw you and Fred park in front of the home on El Dorado, slash the tires of three police vehicles, take gas into the home, and torch it. Agent Washburn, Deputy Marty Blake, Officer Noah Saunders, and I were inside searching the second-story and attic. The prosecutor is already talking about adding attempted murder to the charge of destruction of police property and arson.”

He paused long enough to allow the information to sink in while watching the suspect’s demeanor. After a moment of silence, Dave’s face reddened, and he slammed his fist on the table, shouting, “You tried to kill us, you mother-fuck.”

Derrick held his hand up to silence Dave. “Take it easy, Agent. Let’s give this guy a chance to explain himself. Maybe he didn’t know we were there.”

Dave backed away from the table and drew a deep breath. Derrick continued to question him. “Why would you want to burn down a beautiful house like that?”

“It wasn’t me.”

“We’re way past that. We know it was you. We have your van at the crime lab; the boys are tearing it apart. They’re gonna find something tying you to the fire. We have a witness who saw you and your van at the scene. Fred admitted you were there. He says you did it all. He didn’t have anything to do with it. Is this true?”

“It’s bullshit.”

“Why don’t you just tell us who hired you? If you cooperate, we can get the prosecutor to go easy on you. Fred told me you’re the boss, and you made all the arrangements. Somebody paid you a bundle to burn the house. If we have to, we’ll follow the money.”

“I’m done talking. You need to let me out of these cuffs and let me go. I didn’t burn any house,” he said, raising his voice and getting red in the face. It was clear he had moved from scared to mad.

“Okay, don’t talk. Just listen.”

“We’re wasting our time with this fuck,” Dave shouted. “We got more out of his flunky. Let’s return and offer him a deal and get this thing done.”

“Just a minute, Dave. I think Jeff wants to help us. He’s going to have to start cooperating soon, in any case. He has nothing to bargain with once the crime lab processes his cell phone. I’m sure whoever ordered that fire had to have called him.”

“They can’t touch my phone. That’s my private business.”

“Oh, yes, they can. It was inside a vehicle used to flee the scene of a felony. They already have evidence that you were there. Fred confirmed it earlier. We have a witness who watched you both drive up to the house, slash the tires, and go inside long enough to dump gas on the first floor and torch it. You smell like gasoline. Fred smells like gasoline. The jury won’t need more than five minutes to find you both guilty.”

“Okay. I’ll tell you who hired us, but I want full immunity.”

“I can’t promise full immunity. The prosecutor will never go for it. You’ll go down for the arson for sure.”

“Full immunity or no deal.”

“I’ll call him, but I doubt he’ll go for it. If the crime lab gets anything more from your van, you won’t have to worry about ever seeing the light of day. Attempted murder of four law enforcement professionals is going to be tacked on, along with destruction of police property.”

Dave and Derrick stood to leave the room. “I will check with the crime lab and call the prosecutor. Sit tight.”

“The crime lab called a few minutes ago, and their van is a gold mine,” Chief Armstrong said when Derrick and Dave entered the conference room. “They found receipts for gas and gas cans, all purchased just before the fire. They also have a cell phone. They sent it to the electronics lab for a call log or text activity.”

“Can they send over a photo of the van?” Noah asked. “I could take it to the neighbor for an identification verification.”

“I’ll have them send one over,” the chief replied. “Print off a photo of each suspect from the video. Mix in some other photos to make a photo array. See if she can identify them as well.”

“I’ll call the prosecutor,” Derrick said. “Let’s see what he wants to do with two scumbags who just burned down a crime scene with four cops inside.”

“Were empty gas cans in the van?” Dave asked.

“No. They were the blue plastic cans intended for heating oil. I assume they dumped them and left them behind to burn with the house,” the chief said.

“That explains why the lady across the street thought they had toolboxes,” Noah said.

Derrick returned to the room after calling the prosecutor. “The prosecutor says it sounds like arson for hire and wants them arrested. He told me to try to get the name of who hired them.”

“Did he say how he’d like them charged?” Dave asked.

“Arson in an active crime scene, four counts of attempted murder, and destruction of federal and county police vehicles. He won’t bend on any of it unless they provide us with information leading to the arrest of whoever ordered it.”

“That’s enough for me. Let’s go back in and get a confession.”

Dave and Derrick re-entered the interrogation room, where Jeff Kiem sat shaking and mumbling. He still had the red, angry expression on his face.

Dave’s expression nearly matched the suspect’s as he stalked to the table, shoving his face into Kiem’s. “Your van is a treasure chest of evidence against you,” he growled. “The prosecutor is going to crucify you both.”

“Now, Dave,” Derrick smiled as he took the chair in front of Kiem. “The prosecutor said he may consider a deal if these guys give us what we need to arrest the person who hired them.”

Dave backed away and stood to one side of the table as Derrick continued his good-cop routine. “Mr. Kiem, the Plymouth County Prosecutor has asked us to arrest you and Fred on four counts of attempted murder, arson of an active crime scene, and destruction of multiple police vehicles. Let me ask you again: Do you understand your rights?”

Suddenly, Jeff vomited, spewing puke all over himself and Derrick. Dave began gagging and fled the room. Derrick jumped from his seat, doing everything possible to avoid an angry outburst.

“Are you all right, man?”

“No. I’m scared, and I don’t know what to do. Can you get me out of this retched puke before I throw up again?”

Dave returned to the room with a bundle of cleaning towels and put them on the table while Derrick released Jeff from the anchor ring. Everything was slippery and covered in puke, but he replaced the cuffs onto his wrists in front of him. Leading Kiem out of the room to the restroom, Derrick closed the door and left him inside to clean up. Dave stood watch outside the bathroom while Noah went into the interrogation room and cleaned up the mess. Derrick asked the chief to round up some clean clothes and bolted into the officer’s locker room to shower.

Noah was quite the trooper cleaning up the vomit without complaint. He gagged initially but soon overcame the urge to throw up before finishing the task. Dave led the suspect back into the room and cuffed him to the table. He was wet from head to toe, having tried to clean himself up in the restroom sink. He still reeked of gasoline and now of vomit. Dave and Noah left him sitting in his stench, departing to the conference room. Noah volunteered to clean up the bathroom. Dave sat down and watched the split screen with both suspects miserably sitting in their rooms, terrified. Fred had his head down between his hands cuffed to the table. Jeff sat back in his chair, teetering on the back two legs with his legs shaking in fear of what may be next.

Once Noah finished cleaning up the bathroom, he went to the locker room for another shower. He wanted to get rid of the smell of vomit. Derrick had just showered and was pulling on the clothes the chief had brought in. “I cleaned up the vomit in the interrogation room and the public bathroom. I’m going to shower myself quickly. I can’t get the smell of puke to go away.”

Derrick laughed. “Even after the shower and clean clothes, it’s still all I can smell.”

“Your suspect still reeks. He’s cuffed back to the table.”

“Thanks, Noah.”

“You may want to take him some water. I’m sure he’d appreciate it.”

Derrick got a bottle of water from the refrigerator to take to the conference room. “Do you want to try again, Dave?”

“No. I’ll watch from here. Good luck.”

Derrick returned to the interview room and put the ice-cold water bottle down in front of Jeff. He loosened the cap and released one of his hands from the cuffs so he could drink. “Let’s try this again.”

“Thanks for the water.”

“You’re welcome. Do you understand your rights?’

“Yes.”

“Will you agree to answer some more questions?”

“Yes.”

“I will get a written copy of your rights and have you sign them. I’ll be right back in.”

He left the room and returned with a copy of the suspect’s Miranda rights and a written statement form. Placing both forms on the table, Derrick took the seat facing him. “I need you to sign the first one, and we’ll talk about the other in a minute.”

Jeff signed the Miranda form, indicating he answered of his own free will.

“You’re being arrested today for arson at the house on El Dorado. The prosecutor is also adding charges of law-enforcement property destruction and attempted murder to the arrest warrant. Do you understand the charges?”

“Yes.”

“Will you agree to cooperate with us today to get the prosecutor to reduce the charges?”

“Yes.”

“You understand we must be able to arrest the person who agreed to pay you to set the fire?”

“Yes.”

“Have you worked for this person before?”

“I’m not sure. He looked familiar. Fred and me were working on a fence in front of a house by the bay, and a guy in a late-model SUV stopped. I thought he had a toilet stopped up or something like that. He handed me an envelope with ten thousand dollars in it. The address was written on the envelope. He told me if I torched the place before lunch, he’d come back by this afternoon with ten thousand dollars more. Things have been rough for Fred and me. We needed the money. We didn’t want anyone to get hurt. It sounded easy. In and out quick. Don’t be seen.”

“Where’s the envelope now?”

“It’s still in my van. We took a hundred bucks to buy the gas and the cans.”

“You don’t know the man’s name?”

“I think we did work for him before, but I can’t be sure. A woman always calls and pays us after we finish the job.”

“Tell me about the SUV. What color was it?”

“Black. I think it was a Range Rover.”

“Do you remember the address where you worked for him in the past?”

“Not the exact address, but it wasn’t far from where we were working this morning on East Shore Drive. It was a big place with a cobblestone driveway and a gate. The woman who paid us was a servant. I could tell cuz she always had on a uniform.”

“You’re sure you don’t know the name of the man?”

“I could probably find it in my records at home, but the woman always paid us with cash.”

Noah drove to El Dorado Avenue to talk to the neighbor across the street. As he approached the scene, he again found it blocked from anyone who didn’t belong. Media waited at each end of the block, and the fire department was still cleaning up. A sheriff’s deputy stopped Noah at the corner. Noah showed him his credentials and explained why he was there. The deputy moved the barricade, and Noah proceeded to the scene. He parked down the block from the burned home to stay clear of the fire department still working. I can’t believe how the fire reduced the house to rubble and ash in minutes. It still smells disgusting. He walked to the neighbor’s door across the street and knocked. This time, when she answered, she gave him a warm smile and invited him in.

“You look and smell a lot better than you did a couple of hours ago.”

“I feel a lot better, too. I’m thankful we all survived the fire. The place burned quickly.”

“Yes. It did. I hope they’re able to clean the mess up soon. It’ll bring down the value of the neighborhood even more than the murders.”

“I just have a couple more questions, if you don’t mind?”

“Not at all, young man. Anything to help.”

Noah opened the file folder he was carrying and took photos of several vans, including the one in impound. “Are any of these the van you saw this morning before the fire?”

“Why, it’s this one here,” she said, pointing to the white van they had impounded. “It’s just like I remembered, with the damage to the front and the toilet on the door.”

Noah produced several photos of suspects, including the two in custody. “Do any of these pictures resemble the two guys driving the van?”

“That’s them,” she said, pointing to the suspects in custody. “Did you boys catch them?”

“We sure did, thanks to your excellent description of the van. We have them in custody.”

Noah considered asking if she was sure but decided her decisiveness in pointing out the proper photos was enough. Not wanting to offend her, he stood to leave. “You’ve been a big help,” he said.

He walked back to his car and returned to the station.

Dave was scrambling in the conference room to close the open ends of the investigation. He picked up the phone and called the crime lab. “It’s Dave Washburn with the FBI. The white van you’re processing right now. Did you find an envelope inside with a bunch of cash in it?”

“Yes. It has the address of the arson scene and ninety-nine hundred large.”

“Tell me you got prints off the envelope.”

“We’re working on it now. This sure looks to me like payment for burning the place.”

“Yes. Try to get prints off the envelope or the bills. We must know who paid these guys to torch Blunt’s house.”

“I’ll call you back if we get any clear prints.”

He hung up and dialed the hospital. “Brad Simmons’ room, please.”

Brad answered the phone ringing beside his bed, groggy from medication and half-asleep.

“Brad, it’s Dave. Are you feeling any better? I have a question for you.”

“I still feel like crap, but I don’t mind answering a question.”

“The bank president’s home on East Shore Drive, does it have a gate and a cobblestone driveway?”

“Yes.”

“I bet there’s an efficient housekeeper with a uniform, too?”

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

“It’s a long story I’ll share later. Get some rest, Brad. This thing is going full blast, and I’m working on a bunch of leads. Candice will be back tonight, and we’ll be up for a visit after I pick her up from Logan if the hospital will let us visit that late.”

“You were going to bring my cell phone back. Did you forget?”

“No. I haven’t had time. It’s all part of the same long story. I’ve got to go, Brad. I’ll call you back soon.”

Derrick hung up from the call, smiling. “I think the bank president may have paid these guys to burn the house on El Dorado Avenue.”

“I think you’re right,” Dave replied. “The crime lab has the envelope with ninety-nine hundred bucks in it, and they’re trying to get prints off it. Brad confirmed the description of the president’s house on East Shore Drive.”

“At this point, we have to assume the entire board of Viva Bank is involved in this.”

Chief Armstrong entered the conference room carrying a fax from the prosecutor’s office. “The prosecutor just faxed over warrants for the arrest of both of these guys. Did you get anything out of them?”

“We got a confession out of Jeff Kiem. He also gave us sufficient information to bring in the bank president, Charles Baldwin, for questioning. We’re waiting to see if the crime lab can get any prints off the envelope containing the cash paid to Kiem and Tribble to burn the place.”

“Perfect. I’ll call the Sheriff and get a couple of deputies to transport these guys to county.”

Returning from his interview with the neighbor, Noah joined the conversation. “I got the lady across the street to ID the pictures of the van and both of these guys. She confirmed it’s the van and the guys who drove it.”

“Did we get anything back on the phone from the attic?” Noah asked.

“No,” Derrick responded. “I still have it. With everything else happening so fast this afternoon, I never had a chance to do more than keep it safe. When we searched Moore’s garage, we found a disposable phone, Blunt’s suitcase, and a computer in the back of his vehicle. The crime lab is also working on all of that. I’ve got photos.”

“I think it may be time to have another chat with Mr. Moore,” Dave said. “I’ll call his attorney and give him thirty minutes to meet us.”

“Chief, we have a warrant for Moore’s office at Viva Bank that hasn’t been executed. Can you get it expanded to include the entire board of directors? With everything else we’ve uncovered this afternoon, I feel that there’ll be additional arrests. If the crime lab lifts any fingerprints off the envelope or the bills inside, we could arrest Charles Baldwin,” Derrick said.

“If Moore decides to talk, we may go after others,” Dave added.

“Noah, will you plug in Brad’s phone for an hour and take it to the hospital?” Dave asked. “I talked with him a little while ago but didn’t give him any details about everything that’s happened today. Maybe you can spend some time and bring him up to speed.”

“I’m glad to do that,” Noah replied. “Where’s his phone?”

“It’s in a bag over by the area where Candice’s always working. Take the whole bag. I’m sure it’s all his stuff.”

“Will do. While it charges, I will do a complete update to the crime board.”

The receptionist called Chief Armstrong on the intercom. “Chief, two cars from County are here to transport a couple of prisoners.”

The chief arranged the transfer while Derrick and Dave headed to the jail to interview Robert Moore. Noah began updating the board with all the latest information. After ensuring both prisoners were en route to County, the chief started working on warrants for the officers of Viva Bank. First, he contacted the crime lab. He learned the envelope from the van had perfect prints from Charles Baldwin and partials from Diane Fowler, the bank board secretary. The bills were all new, with sequential serial numbers. Lab techs found prints of other bank employees on some of the bills. Next, he called the prosecutor’s office and asked to speak with him. “Mr. Coe, this is Chief Armstrong. We’ve been busy down here today. I have evidence implicating other Viva Bank Board of Directors members, including the bank president Charles Baldwin, in the irregular funds transfer, murder, arson, and more. I also need to update the search warrant we got for Robert Moore’s office to include the offices of the entire board. I’m working with Plymouth County Detectives and the FBI. They’re going back to the jail to interview Robert Moore right now. We’re hoping he will roll over on the others involved.”

“Does this have anything to do with the search of Moore’s vehicle and the fire in the original crime scene?” the prosecutor asked.

“Yes. Officers recovered a cell phone from the attic of the crime scene this morning just before it burned to the ground. The perpetrators of the arson were arrested, and they implicated Baldwin, although they didn’t know his name. An envelope in their possession had prints from Baldwin and the board secretary, Diane Fowler, along with other Viva Bank employees. Searching Moore’s car produced Harold Blunt’s suitcase, computer, and burner phone. The crime lab is processing everything right now.”

“Chief, I’ll type up the warrant with everything you’ve told me and send it to the judge. I believe we have enough to authorize it. I’ll get it back to you as soon as it's signed. I will work late tonight, so I’m available if you need anything else. This looks like it’s about to bust wide open.”

“Yes. We have an FBI agent on a flight from Zurich with the Bitcoin wallet. We think it contains millions of dollars to fund a project in Panama. Other federal agencies will be involved by the end of the day. All these murders, and now an arson, relate to the wallet. If you leave your office, please make sure I have a way to contact you?”

“I certainly will, Chief.”

Dave and Derrick met Moore’s attorney, Drake Langley, outside the jail interview room. The jail guard unlocked the door, allowing them to enter the room where Moore waited. Once everyone took a seat around the table, Dave began the conversation. “We figured out what you were searching for in the crime scene on El Dorado Avenue,” he said, removing the still-dust-covered phone in an evidence bag from his pocket. “You dropped your phone while you helped Kristoff Johansson kill Harold Blunt.”

“We have evidence from the DNA lab proving you cut yourself while murdering Blunt.” Derrick continued. “Your blood was on his body and in his car. Today, we executed a search warrant on your Ford Escape. We found your disposable phone, Blunt’s suitcase packed for Panama, and his computer,” Derrick said while laying pictures from the search out on the table before him. “The crime lab is going through all of it as we speak. Oh, and they found blood on the seat of your Escape. If it’s Blunt’s, you’re toast.”

“Today, after we searched the attic on El Dorado, arsonists torched the place. Do you happen to know anything about that? “Derrick asked.

“How would I? I’ve been right here since Sunday.”

“It’s apparent you aren’t acting alone here. Maybe it’s time to help yourself by cooperating with us to bring all involved to justice.”

Moore sat silent, looking at his attorney for any indication of how to respond. Langley rose, crossing his arms, and stared into Moore’s eyes. “You know you’ll never work in the financial industry again if you start rolling over on your employer,” he said.

“I doubt you’ll ever work anywhere but the prison kitchen,” Dave said. “The charges you’re facing will put you well past life in prison without the possibility of parole. Who put you up to all this?”

“The people who perpetrated this can get to me anywhere. I’m not safe here in jail, prison, or witness protection. They’ll find and kill me, so keeping my mouth shut is better.”

“We have evidence Charles Baldwin paid to have the murder scene burned today. Was he involved in the extortion?” Dave asked.

“It’s best if I don’t say anything more.”

“Are you sure? The prosecutor may be able to offer you a deal. I’ll be glad to talk to him.”

“My client is done talking, gentlemen,” Langley said, indicating the meeting was over.

The guard ushered Moore back to his cell. His attorney left without another word while Dave and Derrick returned to the station. The day was passing much too quickly for them. They just hoped the chief had convinced the prosecutor to request warrants for the offices of the board of directors at Viva Bank.

Noah took Brad’s freshly charged cell phone and the bag of his other belongings to the hospital. When he entered Brad’s room, he was taken aback at how pale he appeared. Brad was awake but clearly in pain. His monitors were beeping and tapping, keeping the nurses apprised of his condition. He looked up to see Noah coming in with the bag.

“How ya doing, Brad?”

“I’m feeling rough. The doctor says I have a serious infection from the surgery to remove the bullet.”

“That’s awful. I hope he can get the infection under control.”

“Me, too.”

“I brought your phone and an update on the case. Everyone is in full scramble to make some arrests this afternoon.”

“Really. What happened?”

Noah quickly filled him in on the events of the day. “Dave and Derrick just returned to the jail for another interview with Moore.”

“Well, let’s hope they get something out of him.”

“There’s more. After the murder scene burned to the ground this morning, the guys who torched the house implicated the bank president. That’s why Dave called you earlier asking for a description of his house. They didn’t know his name but described his house. They had worked for him in the past. He stopped at another of their job sites and gave them an envelope full of money to set the fire. His prints were on the envelope.”

“It sounds like the bank is more involved than we thought.”

“The chief was requesting warrants for the bank board officers when I left.”

“It sounds like we need to involve some other agencies in the takedown at Viva Bank.”

“The crime scene team is going through everything they found in Moore’s vehicle at their lab this afternoon.”

“If this was an embezzlement or money laundering scheme, it went bad for the bank.”

“Yes, it did. Let’s hope the Bitcoin wallet has the stolen money on it.”

“Dave told me Candice was on a flight landing at around eight tonight. We need to make sure she has security when she’s picked up. Who knows she’s coming in?”

“I don’t think anyone knows other than us. We can’t be too careful, however. The guys at Interpol know she picked it up, and so does the Federal judge who signed the order.”

“It’s difficult for me to do anything from here. Will you ask Dave to order a security detail and inform the IRS of the unusual funds transfer?”

“Sure. I’ll do that. I should be on my way, Brad. Forgive me for saying this, but you look terrible. It would be best if you didn’t stress about any of this. Get some rest and try to get better.”

“I will. Thanks for coming to see me.”

When Noah returned to the station, the chief was beginning the briefing for the officers working the memorial service on Saturday afternoon. He rushed into the chief’s office, apologizing for being late. The chief passed out assignments and asked each of them to be in the station at eleven a.m. to finalize plans for the service at the high school. Noah and the police officers who had volunteered to work the memorial service agreed to the arrangement and went on their way.

Noah returned to the conference room, where Dave and Derrick studied the board and discussed their interview with Robert Moore. After the two had left the jail, Derrick received a call from the jailer. He’d asked Derrick to return for a private conversation with Moore. He had requested the meeting without his attorney present. Dave had circled back to the jail and waited in the car while Derrick went back inside to talk with Moore privately. Moore told Derrick that nothing said anywhere inside the jail or in front of his attorney could be considered privileged. The bank was paying for his legal counsel, and they had eyes inside. He told Derrick he was scared and feared for his life. If they knew he was talking, they’d have him killed. He asked to be moved to an undisclosed location and wanted to replace his legal counsel before he could safely provide information on the entire illegal operation. “We have to find a way to keep him safe,” Dave said.

“Does Chief know about this?” Noah asked.

“He does. But this is way above our pay grades,” Derrick said.

“I’ve contacted the regional FBI office and asked for further assistance,” Dave said. “The IRS is also involved. My boss, Zach, has been briefed and is sending a team from Boston with experience working in cooperation with the IRS investigators. They’re on the way down here. He’s also sending a team to Plymouth County with a federal court order to pick up Robert Moore before they raid Viva Bank. I’ve been told to instruct everyone here to stand down. Chief knows.”

“Brad asked me to tell you to have a security detail meet Candice when she lands at Logan,” Noah said.

“He’s right,” Dave said. “I’ll call Zach to be sure he’s taking care of that. I’m not even sure he knows she’s on her way back.”

He left the conference room to call his boss. When he returned to the room, Dave told the others what was happening. “Zach says the federal judge signed the order to raid Viva Bank at precisely four fifty-eight this afternoon. Twenty agents from the IRS, FBI, Secret Service, and CIA will close and lock the doors behind the last customer, detaining every employee and officer. They’re going to question every employee and turn their books upside down. This isn’t the only irregular transaction. It’s the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

“What about Robert Moore?” Derrick asked.

“A separate team is going to the Plymouth County Jail simultaneously to move him into secure federal custody.”

“And Candice?” Noah asked.

“Zack said his resources are stretched thin. He asked me to take you both to Logan to pick her up. Are you both willing to serve as security detail for Candice and millions of dollars parked on a Bitcoin wallet?” he asked, looking back and forth between Noah and Derrick.

“If we’re being ordered to stand down on the investigation at Viva Bank, what else do we have to do tonight?” Derrick answered.

“I agree,” Noah said.

“We can’t utter a word about this to anyone before the raid,” Dave said. “I don’t want anyone to know about our trip to Logan or Robert Moore’s transfer tonight. This all stays between us. We don’t know who can be trusted. Viva Bank has a deep reach in this community. Chief Armstrong is ceasing communication with the prosecutor for the rest of the day.”

“Understood,” Derrick replied, looking over at Noah.

“Do you understand how important it is for this to remain between us, Noah?”

“Yes. We have to keep this confidential for our protection, as well as Candice and Robert Moore. My lips are sealed.”

“Just let your folks know you’re working late to help close the case.”

“Got it,” Noah said. I can’t even share any of this with Dad.

“Noah, you hang here and hold the fort. I’m going to the hotel to shower and get fresh clothes. I’m going to assume Derrick wants to head home and do the same,” Dave said, peering over at Derrick. “You still smell like puke and smoke, Dude.”

Derrick laughed. “I think maybe I’ve lost my ability to smell it after everything we’ve been through today. I sure would like to take another shower and put my own clothes on before we leave for Logan.”

“Zach asked me to send him copies of your badges. He will order special dispensation for us to enter the arrival terminal armed to meet Candice’s plane.”

Noah and Derrick both left the room to photocopy their credentials. They returned with the copies, and Dave sent them to his boss before leaving. On the way out the door, he reminded Derrick and Noah that they would leave the station at six o’clock. Derrick followed Dave out the door, and Noah looked around, feeling lost. This wouldn’t be the best time to update the board. None of what they learned in the last hour was for anyone’s eyes but theirs. He texted his dad. We expect to have this wrapped up tonight. Just a reminder, I won’t make it for dinner. I’ll see you when I get home. It may be late.

After sending the text, he checked to see if any new reports had come in from the crime lab and found none. He went to work organizing all the evidence and reports into the file folders to be available to any new investigators on the case tonight. When that was done, he straightened the conference room before checking in with the chief. “Chief, it looks like it will be a late one for all of us. Would you like me to run out for a sandwich for you?”

“That’s kind of you, but I’m fine. You don’t have to hang around here, Noah.”

“I’m waiting for Dave and Derrick to return. I volunteered for a security detail to pick up Candice at Logan. We’re leaving here at six.”

“I’m sure she needs no security detail,” he said with a chuckle.

“I am, too, but the FBI’s concerned for her safety and the delivery of the Bitcoin wallet. They’re afraid too many people know she’s returning with it.”

“Okay. You guys, be safe. I’ll see you when you get back. I’m sure the IRS will have an agent here to unlock the wallet and take possession of it.”

“Chief, thanks for letting me work on this all week. It’s been the best and worst week of my life all rolled together.”

“You’re welcome, Son. We’re so proud of you. You’ve played a major part in solving this case.”

“I’m just sorry we had to turn it over to the feds.”

“It was the right thing to do. This is a federal case now. They’ll make sure the right people are brought to justice. This has been the best cooperative effort of local, county, state, and multiple federal agencies I’ve seen throughout my career. You should be proud to have taken a part in solving it.”

“Thanks again, Chief. I will grab McDonald’s before the rest of the security detail returns. Are you sure I can’t get you anything?

“I’m sure. Thanks”

Noah returned to the station after his McDonald’s run, smelling of greasy fries and the Big Mac he’d eaten. He carried the remainder of his large soft drink into the conference room. Derrick and Dave were already back and ready to leave for Logan. “It’s only five-thirty, but if we leave now, we’ll have time to detour past Viva Bank to see what a federal raid on a financial institution looks like from a distance,” Dave said.

“I’m ready to roll,” Derrick said. “I feel like a new person. I’m afraid those clothes I wore when puked on must be burned.”

“I left mine soaking in the laundry sink, but nobody puked on me,” Noah said. “Let’s go, I’m ready.” Noah was secretly anxious to witness the activity going down at Viva Bank. I wonder what they’re finding. We’ll find out soon enough.

The three of them departed the station in Dave’s rental. Dave had the foresight to rent a large SUV. He hadn’t expected to transport a team, but he wanted a vehicle similar to the one he usually drove. The large Chevy Suburban he’d rented was safer and more comfortable than a sedan. The only downside was that it didn’t have lights or a siren. But since this was just a simple security detail, he didn’t think he’d need them tonight.

Dave motored slowly past the Viva Bank primary office. It was amazingly quiet from the outside. The lights were on in every window, and people could be seen inside working. Agents were stacking document boxes of evidence near the main entrance door. Several full-size, black SUVs were parked at the curb in front, and probably more in the parking garage. They were amazed that no press had gotten wind of the raid yet.

“I sure hope they got Robert Moore safely out of the county jail before any of this started,” Derrick said.

“I agree,” Dave responded.

After passing the bank, they drove north on the interstate to Logan. The ride was quiet. Dave had received the documents, giving them the go-ahead to enter the terminal armed. They weren’t expecting problems but wanted to retrieve Candice with the Bitcoin wallet and quickly return to Eagle Cove. The plan was to meet IRS agents back at the station to unlock the wallet and finally put the whole case to rest.

They pulled into the international terminal of Logan at about seven forty. Noah checked the arrival time of Candice’s flight to find that an on-time arrival was expected. They parked in the short-term lot near the door and walked into the terminal. They looked at the incoming flight display board to locate the gate where her flight was expected to arrive. As they approached the TSA agent, Dave produced the documents allowing their entry. The agent called a supervisor who reviewed the papers and allowed them to enter without going through a security check. They walked to the gate, waiting for the flight to arrive. The three of them weren’t the least bit inconspicuous. They all wore Kevlar vests covered by black jackets. They didn’t take seats but stood beside the gate where passengers would enter the corridor leading to customs and immigration. Candice would be required to pass through customs. She was carrying documentation to pass quickly through the process. Dave had the documents, allowing them to accompany her as a security detail. While waiting for the plane to land, they scanned the crowd at the arrival gate, looking for anything unusual. Airport terminals are one of the worst places to identify strange behaviors. The mix of weary travelers and different nationalities challenged the team.

They waited, scanning the crowd, their backs to the wall near the arrival gate. The security door opened with the aircraft parked at the gate, and passengers began to spill into the terminal. Candice was the first to come through the door carrying the stainless-steel attaché and a small bag. She looked like she’d just had the longest day of her life. She was, however, aware of her surroundings and walked directly to where Dave, Derrick, and Noah waited. “Thank you for meeting me,” she said.

“We’re not expecting any problems. However, there’s concern people may have gained knowledge of your arrival,” Dave said. “I want Derrick to walk in front of you. Noah will walk beside you, and I will be right behind. Noah, you keep the case between you and Candice at all times. Derrick, lead us straight to customs and immigration—no talking on the walk. We’ll go straight to the car and back to the station in Eagle Cove. There’ll be plenty of time for debriefing on the drive back.”

Each took their position, and Derrick led the way to customs and immigration. Candice produced the documents for the agent, and Dave showed documents validating their presence as security detail. They quickly passed through and headed toward the exit, with Derrick leading and Dave bringing up the rear.

This situation makes me nervous, Noah thought, remaining close beside Candice and keeping the case between their bodies.

The moment the team exited the outer door, a man the size of a giant bumped into Noah, confusing him for a moment. The man grabbed for the case, which Candice was not about to let loose of. The surprise gave Noah enough time to intercede, grabbing the giant man’s arm and forcing it up behind his back. The man spun around and cuffed Noah in the jaw. Dave was on the man, instantly drawing his weapon and shouting at him to get down on his knees. Noah was thankful for Dave’s quick response. Derrick turned around in time to see the whole thing going down. He drew his weapon and, in the blink of an eye, had cuffs on the man.

Noah never had to draw his weapon. He was seeing stars and fell to his knees from the impact of the man’s fist on his jaw. He shook his head to clear his mind, jumping back to his feet. “I’m okay,” he said, returning to his position beside Candice.

Dave and Derrick had the man on the ground. He was fighting their efforts, and it took both of them to hold him down. Candice remained calm, pulling out her cell phone and calling airport security for help. She dialed her boss, Zach, and asked for a unit to transport the man who had just tried to take the case from her. When airport security arrived, they continued restraining the man with Derrick’s help.

“Derrick, you stay with this guy,” ordered Dave. “Don’t take your eyes off him. I’m taking Candice and Noah to the car. I’ll be right back. We have a federal transport on the way to pick him up.”

Dave and Noah escorted Candice and her attaché case to the car. Popping the locks with the remote key fob, he told them both to stay alert as they climbed into the back seat. He returned to the area outside the terminal door where security guards and Derrick held the perpetrator. A crowd gathered to see the show unfolding. One of the security guards called for additional units while another ordered the crowd to move along.

Noah and Candice both felt somewhat safer locked in the large SUV. Candice opened the attaché case and took out her weapon, quickly closing the cover and spinning the combination lock to secure it again. Noah continued scanning the surrounding lot, still reeling from the punch to his jaw. His whole face throbbed. Without warning, the window beside Noah exploded, showering the entire back seat of the vehicle with glass. Instantly, he drew his weapon, but not before the person who broke the window reached in and opened the door. Candice grabbed hold of the case with one hand and her gun with the other. A man rushed into the back seat, climbing over Noah to grab the case. Noah shoved his weapon in the man’s face, shouting at him to back down. He pushed the intruder back with his free hand and planted himself between the man and Candice. “Don’t move, or I’ll shoot,” he shouted, red in the face and in full battle mode. All he wanted to do was get the guy out of the vehicle. The intruder didn’t give up and fought Noah to get to the case. The last thing Noah wanted to do was discharge his weapon before exhausting all other options. When the man couldn’t get past Noah, he produced a gun. Noah was forced to take the shot. Kill or be killed, he thought. Candice and my lives are in my hands.

The shot killed the man instantly, dropping him across Noah’s blood-splattered body. Noah shook from the adrenaline pumping through his veins. “Get him off me,” he shouted.

Candice brought her right foot up and kicked the body out of the vehicle, leaving Noah sitting dazed. “Close the door,” Candice said, still clutching the case.

Noah reached out and yanked the door shut, leaving the body on the parking lot beside the vehicle. A bystander was already dialing nine-one-one. Candice told Noah to call Dave. Noah complied. “Dave, come back to the car now.”

In seconds, Dave came running back to the vehicle. He flashed his badge and told the bystander he was with the FBI. “Please, stand by. Don’t leave,” he said while dialing Zach. “Zach, Candice’s security detail has turned into one huge shitstorm. We need officers down here to the short-term parking lot at Logan for an officer-involved shooting. Send a new security detail to transport Candice and her package to Eagle Cove. We need the medical examiner, too. The scumbag who tried to steal the package is dead.”

Dave checked the guy lying on the lot to be sure he was dead. He took off his jacket and put it over the body. “Noah, you all right?”

“I’m just scared, and I can’t stop shaking. My face feels like I’ve been hit by a truck.” Noah realized he still had his weapon in his hand.

Dave gently took Noah’s gun from him, setting the safety and releasing the clip. He removed the unspent shell from the chamber before dropping it into an evidence bag. “Noah, it was a good shoot. The guy still has a gun in his hand. I’m going to take some pictures before something gets moved.”

“I’ll call Chief Armstrong for you,” Candice said. She never released her iron grip on the attaché case while dialing the chief.

“Chief, this is Candice Rodriguez. I’m here with Noah. He just saved my life. We were attacked by someone trying to take the Bitcoin wallet. He did have to discharge his weapon to protect us. The perpetrator is dead.”

“Is Noah okay?”

“He’s just shaken up. Would you like to speak with him?”

“Yes.”

She handed her phone to Noah, resuming a two-handed clutch of the case. “Chief?” Noah said, shivering and shaking.

“Noah, are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m just scared. I can’t stop shaking, Chief. What are they going to do to me?”

“Don’t worry, Buddy. I’m sure you did the right thing. An investigator from the FBI will take everyone’s statements. It sounds to me like you saved lives.”

“Thanks, Chief. Please don’t say anything to my folks. I want to tell them myself.”

“Okay. I’ll see you when you get back.”

Moments later, airport security arrived and surrounded the scene. They moved back the crowd of onlookers and stretched crime scene tape around an area large enough to keep anyone from seeing what was happening. The local police took the other man who attempted to steal the case into custody and locked him in a police vehicle. Derrick returned to the car, flashing his badge to pass through the crime scene tape. Less than half an hour later, a team of FBI agents arrived. They gathered to move Candice to an armored FBI vehicle and escort her back to Eagle Cove. They took her officer-involved shooting statement before leaving.

Agents questioned the bystander, but his statement was little help to the investigation. He said he heard a car window break and saw a man enter the vehicle, where a scuffle occurred. The witness was already dialing nine-one-one when he heard the shot inside the vehicle. He saw the man kicked from the car, and the door slammed closed just seconds before the FBI agent appeared on the scene.

The medical examiner arrived and removed the dead body. Noah was moved to an ambulance, where EMTs cleaned him up and gave him a blanket to cover with. They examined him for injuries and placed a cold compress on his face, which was already turning deep black and blue. Dave climbed into the ambulance, shaking with adrenaline nearly as severely as Noah. “You’re going to have quite a shiner, Dude.”

Still in shock, Noah offered up the slightest smile. Dave stayed with Noah, and neither talked until another FBI agent entered the ambulance. “Noah, this agent will take your statement regarding the shooting. Are you able to do that?” Dave asked.

“Yes,” Noah answered, still holding the cold compress to his face.

He could convey exactly what happened in the vehicle before and after discharging his weapon. The agent was respectful and recorded Noah’s statement before releasing the scene. Noah was impressed he’d been treated like any other officer who fired their weapon, causing death. Taking his statement, the FBI agent told Noah the kill appeared legitimate. When the EMTs returned to the ambulance, they encouraged Noah to get checked out at the hospital. Noah refused.

Dave stayed with Noah. He called Derrick and asked him to round up some clothes for Noah. The investigating team had taken his clothing, along with his weapon and the vest he was wearing, into evidence. They left Noah with a receipt for all the items. Derrick found an agent on the scene who appeared to be close in size to Noah. The agent had a go-bag in his vehicle with a change of clothes and gladly agreed to give them to Noah. With the clothes in hand, Derrick delivered them to the ambulance. “I got you something to change into, Noah.”

“Thanks, Derrick.”

The male EMT asked if Noah needed help cleaning up better and changing. The others left the back of the ambulance to give Noah privacy. The EMT produced clean towels and water so Noah could get the remaining blood off himself before putting on clean clothes. Everything fit well enough to make Noah comfortable. The EMT handed him a new cold compress and helped him from the ambulance. Noah was relieved to see security had kept the crowd well back. Derrick and Dave waited for him and whisked him to an FBI vehicle to take them back to Eagle Cove. The crime lab had already hauled off the rental SUV where the shooting occurred. Airport security cleaned up the broken glass and blood at the scene. In less than an hour, no sign remained that anything unusual had happened. Noah eased back in his seat and closed his eyes, holding the cold compress against his cheek. He didn’t want to talk to anyone on the ride back to Eagle Cove. His mind was racing, and adrenaline still surged through his entire body like electricity. Despite all that, he drifted off to sleep.

Candice arrived in Eagle Cove without further incident. Agents from the IRS and Secret Service were waiting for her to bring the package she’d carried from Switzerland. She’d also taken the key for the lockbox containing the contents from Harold Blunt’s safe. Nobody was going to access the box until she returned. With Brad in the hospital, she was responsible for keeping all the evidence safe. The agents were experts in Bitcoin, specially trained to ferret out U.S. tax evasion. They knew about and recognized the Bitcoin wallet. Once Candice opened the lockbox she retrieved from the evidence locker, the IRS agents immediately recognized the code to unlock it. One agent set up a computer in the conference room with a secure, encrypted connection, and they entered the information from the wallet and the code to unlock it. The Bitcoin wallet had a balance of 7.8 million dollars. “No wonder everyone was so hell-bent on trying to get this,” Candice said.

“I got a call from agents who worked the scene at Logan, and the two individuals who attacked you were both working for Viva Bank, Chief Armstrong said. The one they took into custody was their private investigator; the dead man is Dennis Rose, their director of security.”

“I thought he looked familiar,” Candice said.

“They didn’t recover anything from the bank today linking them to any of the murders.”

“That’s too bad.”

“We arrested several of the board of directors this evening on suspicion of tax evasion,” one of the IRS agents said.

“The bank is closed, and all their accounts are frozen until this is sorted out,” the other agent added. “We’ve been instructed to take the Bitcoin into evidence as part of the financial crime. The IRS will cooperate fully with Eagle Cove Police, Plymouth County, and the FBI to bring those guilty of criminal murder to justice.”

“After tonight, I expect to see many indictments,” Chief said. “With the bank closed and the bank board of directors arrested, many people will sing like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.”

Dave, Derrick, and Noah straggled into the conference room, looking exhausted. Noah looked like he had been beaten in the face with a club. “What’d we miss?” Dave asked.

Chief Armstrong and Candice brought them up to speed while the IRS agents packed their stuff and left. “Noah, you need to get home and let your dad know we wrapped up the case tonight,” Chief said. “I’m sure he and your mom will have many questions about your face, too. Are you going to be okay going home alone?”

“Yes. I’m going to work the memorial tomorrow as well.”

“We can do it without you if you’re not up to it.”

“You couldn’t keep me away. I’ll see all of you tomorrow,” he said, leaving.

“I need to go see Brad,” Candice said. “You coming, Dave?”

“You bet I am. He’ll want a full report, and it’ll take both of us to bring him up to speed.”

“Derrick, go home and get some rest,” Chief said. “We’ll work on the reports Sunday. I suspect it’ll take all of us to complete them, including Noah.”

“Thanks, Chief. See you in the morning before the memorial.”

Candice and Dave were allowed into Brad’s room despite the late hour. They found him sleeping, but the color had returned to his face. They approached the bed and woke him. “We thought you might like to be debriefed on the investigation,” Candice said. “We can let you wake up first.”

“You look better,” Dave said.

Brad stretched and wiped his eyes. “My infection broke earlier, and they let me have some food. I feel much better. Was there a balance on the wallet?”

“Yes. 7.8 million dollars,” Candice said. “The IRS took possession of it.”

“Multiple agencies searched Viva Bank at closing time this afternoon. They seized boxes of documents and arrested the board of directors,” Dave said.

“All of them except the director of security, Dennis Rose. He’s dead.”

“How?”

“He tried to take the wallet from me at Logan. Rose pulled a gun, and Noah Saunders shot him.”

“Is everyone else okay?”

“Noah was pretty shaken up. He also took a mean right hook to the face from the other guy.”

“Two of them?”

“The director of security and their investigator. The investigator was the size of a Volkswagen. He’s the one who punched Noah on the way out of the terminal.”

“That’s not the half of it,” Dave said. “Earlier today, Noah, Derrick, and I conducted another search of the attic on El Dorado Avenue. While we were in the attic, two guys torched the place. We barely made it out before the place burned to the ground.”

“You’ve had a busy day.”

“County arrested the arsonists a couple of hours later, and they’re in jail. They gave up the president of the bank, Charles Baldwin. The bank has been trying all day to cover their involvement and recover the money.”

“It sounds like we’re almost ready to wrap up here in Eagle Cove.”

“Tomorrow’s the memorial service for Officers Flanders and Connoroe. The town’s going to be jammed with people. Do you think the doctor will let you out of here to attend?”

“He’s going to check in on me in the morning. He thinks it’ll be okay for me to go as long as I agree to have a follow-up with him on Monday.”

“One of us will check in with you in the morning,” Dave said.

“You both look like you need to get some rest. I wouldn’t mind going back to sleep myself. See you later.”

“Night, Brad”

Dave and Candice left and returned to the hotel. When they arrived, they found the parking lot full. Almost every vehicle there was from one police agency or another. Cars and SUVs from Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut crammed the lot. The memorial would be the tribute Joe and Ty deserved. The agents both had lumps in their throats as they exited the car and walked into the hotel. Exhausted, they went to their respective rooms, agreeing to meet for breakfast at eight.

Noah parked his car in the driveway and pondered how to tell his parents of his frightful experience at Logan. If he didn’t tell them soon, they’d hear it from someone else, and that was the last thing he wanted. Stepping out of his car, he walked to the side garage door, unlocked it, and entered the kitchen. To his surprise, his dad and mom sat at the small kitchen table drinking tea, waiting for him to come home.

“Holy shit. What happened to your face?” Larry asked.

“I took a punch from a guy the size of a compact car when we were escorting Candice out of Logan. The dude thought he would walk up and snatch the case containing the Bitcoin wallet from her.”

“I assume he didn’t get it?”

“No. Neither did the other guy that tried. We got them both. One is in jail, and the other is in the morgue.”

“Oh, my. Do you know who they were?”

“They both worked for Viva Bank, their security director and investigator. I shot and killed the director of security, Dad.” Noah began to shake as the adrenaline rush returned. “He busted the car window and jumped over me with a gun, trying to grab the attaché case from Candice. He pointed it right in my face, and I had to make the awful split-second decision to kill or be killed.”

Sandra leaped from her chair and took Noah in her arms, hugging him as if she needed to be sure he was intact. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, Mom. Thank you. I’m just scared, and I can’t seem to stop shaking from the adrenaline.”

“You need some rest. We can talk about all of this in the morning. Did you guys wrap up the case?”

“It’s all over but the reports. I assume we’ll do them on Sunday. Multiple government agencies searched Viva Bank and closed it down this evening. The entire board of directors is now in jail. They also caught the guys who set fire to the house on El Dorado Avenue. They said the bank president hired them to torch it.”

“You’ve had one of the worst days I’ve ever seen in all my years of police work. Why don’t you head upstairs to shower? I bet your mom will bring you an icepack for your face.”

“Thanks. Love you guys.”

Noah went upstairs and removed the borrowed clothes. He grabbed some sweats and clean underwear before taking a long, hot shower. Weak with exhaustion, he sank into the tub while the water poured on him. He trembled as he watched the water, pink from the residual blood on him, flow down the drain. He scrubbed every inch of his body, trying to wash away the awful thought of the dead guy’s blood and brains splattering him when he took the shot. Noah was thankful he shot first, or this day would have ended much differently. He dried himself and put on the fresh clothes, taking in the scent of the fabric softener. He felt fresh and clean, but his mind was cluttered with dark thoughts from the day. He emerged from the bathroom, where he met his mom. She gave him another hug and handed him a fresh ice pack. Following him into his room, she sat on the edge of the bed. “Are you okay? I’ve never had to have this conversation with your dad, but I know a lot goes on in your head after a traumatic event. Regardless of the time, I’m here for you if you need to talk. The department is going to send you for psychological counseling. You need to go. You’ll need to talk through all of this. We love you, Noah.”

“Thanks for not getting all freaked out, Mom. I’ll be okay.”

Sandra left the room, and Noah never remembered his head hitting the pillow.