Page 111 of To Die For

“And?”

“Restricted database again.”

“The one that reeked of federal involvement?”

“Not the same one as the shell casing print. This one, from what I was told, is even more restricted.”

“So she might have been a fed at some point?” said Devine.

“Maybe. I don’t even know if that’s her real name or not.”

“Any way to find out how Ricketts affords all that expensive police equipment, and a government building that looks like it cost more than the tax base of the entire county?”

“Full disclosure, I made those same inquiries before and got zip for my troubles.”

“Why were you inquiring about that?”

“I’m part of the police force. I hear rumors. I see what parts of the state get what, and so do my superiors. So we know all about the fancy rides they haveandthat government building. But I heard that not even the officials in Olympia know where those funds actually came from.”

“And they never asked?”

“They asked, so I heard. And then they stopped asking.”

“Any reason why?”

“It might be that they got shut down.”

“Is Ricketts controlled by organized crime or foreign terrorists?” Devine said this in jest, but Braddock looked deadly serious.

“Or maybe it’s our own government,” said the detective.

CHAPTER

51

AHALF HOUR LATER DEVINE’S PHONErang. When he answered it Walker said, “Hey, Travis.”

He said, “Hi, Beth. Your boss came by and filled me in on the print on the shell casing and the interesting but inconclusive result on Mercedes King and the wineglass.”

“I just saw those results, too. Puzzling to say the least.”

“Yousaw them? Where are you?”

“I decided to go into work and started digging into the names of the three witnesses who were killed.”

“And?”

“You up for some coffee? We can discuss it.”

“Sure.”

They arranged to meet at a café close to Devine’s hotel.

After they were seated, Walker pulled out the file she had brought with her.

She splayed out three photos of three different men. They each looked hard, cruel, and dangerous.

“Quite the rogues’ gallery,” commented Devine.

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