Page 85 of State of Suspense

“She’s a nurse he started dating about six months ago.”

“Do you know her last name?”

“I don’t. I only met her a couple of times.”

Sam made a note of the woman’s name. “How does Damien fit in with Tom and Reggie?”

“He’d been a good friend of theirs for about twelve years. Tom used to say it never hurt to have friends in Congress, especially if they were on the Judiciary Committee.”

“Wouldn’t that be a conflict of interest? For a congressman on that committee to be close, personal friends with the AG and a USA? Or for even the AG and a USA to be close?”

“I’m not sure how all that works. Tom used to say Washington is a small town, and everyone is friends with everyone.”

“Thank you for this added insight. I really appreciate it.”

“I wish there was more I could do.”

“I’ll let you know if we have other questions. I’ll see you Wednesday, if not before.”

“Thank you again for all you’re doing.”

“I’ll keep you posted.”

Sam closed her phone and took a minute to process the information Leslie had given her. Every time she talked to someone close to Tom, she found out more about the deep ties between him and Reggie Cox, not to mention she had proof that Bryant had lied to her about being close friends with Forrester.

At HQ, she went straight to Animal Control on the second floor and asked to speak to the lieutenant in charge. Everyone in their office stared at her from the second she walked in. She ignored them while she waited for the LT.

A heavyset woman Sam hadn’t met before appeared from an office in the back of the space. She had a dour expression and drab brown hair that needed a brush.

“I’m Lieutenant Diane Webster.”

“Lieutenant Holland.”

“No kidding,” she said with a sneer. “What can I do for you?”

What the hell was her problem? “I’m investigating the murder of U.S. Attorney Tom Forrester. It’s come to our attention that he was involved in an altercation with one of his neighbors after the neighbor’s dog attacked Tom’s.”

“What about it?”

“I was wondering if you have any contacts at Gaithersburg Animal Control who could get us a copy of the report and any impressions as well as what, if any, follow-up was done about the dog.”

“Are you accusing them of something?”

“What? No. I’m asking for information for a case.”

“‘What, if any, follow-up was done about the dog’ sure sounds like an accusation to me.”

“Well, it wasn’t. I’m asking what was done or not done about the dog. Sometimes, something is done. Other times, it isn’t. I’m asking which this was.”

“I’ll reach out to them.”

“Thanks. I’ll wait.”

“It’ll take me a minute, and I was in the middle of something else.”

“Something more pressing than the murder of a U.S. Attorney?”

Oh, she didn’t like that. “I’ll ask for a copy of their report and get it to you.” She turned and walked away.

---