Page 7 of State of Suspense

“How can this not be related to Bryant?” Freddie asked.

“It probably is, but we still have to fully investigate,” Sam said. “Where’s Bryant now?”

“He was released on bond, as was Kent Sanders, who agreed to cooperate for immunity. The rest of his guys are still in custody.”

“The same thugs he would’ve sent to do Forrester?”

“Yeah.”

Sam processed that information. “Would Bryant have done it himself?”

“I just can’t picture that,” Gonzo said. “He’s a weasel who sends others to do his dirty work. I don’t think he’d have the stones.”

Which meant the most obvious suspect was looking less so already.

“Let’s start at Forrester’s office and then go see his family,” Sam said.

With O’Brien and Charles working on finding the new owner of Stahl’s storage unit facility and Green away for the weekend, Sam, Freddie and Gonzo left for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Sam waited until they were in the back of her Secret Service SUV before she said, “I want to thank you both for taking the lead on the last two cases. I didn’t realize how badly I needed a break until you gave me the chance to take one, and I appreciate knowing I can leave things in your capable hands. That means everything to me.”

“We’d say it was no problem, but…”

Sam and Freddie laughed at Gonzo’s comment.

“I know it was a load of trouble.”

“We handled it,” Gonzo said. “I gotta say, though… That Fortier case was one of the crazier ones I’ve been involved in. Forrester orders us to release Randy Bryant even though we’ve got him dead to rights on the murder-for-hire of Rachel Fortier. Then Randy’s dead, but wait, it’s not him. It’s another of his father’s stooges dressed to make us think it’s Randy—even carrying Randy’s student ID—but his face is bashed in so we can’t ID him by sight. When the mother told me Randy was sleeping in his bed in Milwaukee, I thought I’d lost my mind.”

“The reports made my head spin trying to keep up with the narrative,” Sam said. “Where are we with getting the real Randy back here to face the charges?”

“His mother promised to bring him here by tomorrow,” Gonzo said.

“You believe she will?”

“She’s been straight with me through the whole thing. I have no reason to believe otherwise. She knows we’ll send the marshals after him if he doesn’t turn himself in.”

“I’ll feel better once he’s back in custody. What’s to stop her from taking him and leaving the country?”

“We tagged both their passports, just in case,” Freddie said.

“Good thinking.”

They arrived at the U.S. Attorney’s D Street Northwest office, surrendered their weapons at security and walked through the metal detector.

Sam led the way to Forrester’s third-floor suite. Once there, they followed voices to the conference room, where the staff gathered.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Faith Miller stood to greet them with hugs.

“We’re so sorry, Faith,” Sam said.

“Thank you. Needless to say, we’re in shock.”

“We can’t imagine.” Gonzo hugged her. “Tom was a good guy.”

“He was the best. We loved him.”

Her sisters, Hope and Charity, came over to them, and they exchanged hugs and condolences.

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