Page 113 of State of Alert

“I need to check in with Agent Truver to see how the investigation is unfolding. I assume they need Juan to stay ‘dead’ for a while longer so they can use his ‘murder’ against Goldstein as they interrogate him.”

“What do you think their strategy is?”

“To make Goldstein believe that someone killed Juan on his behalf because he told the truth about their dirty little plan.”

“What do they get from doing that?” Lindsey asked.

“Maybe he points the finger at one of the others, claiming that’s who wanted Juan dead.”

“Ah, I see. Well, his mother must’ve been relieved to hear from him.”

“That poor woman. I feel so bad for what they put her through.”

“She probably doesn’t care as long as he’s okay.”

“True. Well, I’d better get to it. Hoping to make some progress in the Myerson case today.”

“How’s that going?”

“Slower than I’d like and more complicated than it appeared at first glance. Her sister was abducted and murdered twenty-six years ago. The case is still open.”

“Oh Lord, that poor family. Two sisters murdered.”

“There’s only a brother left, and he’s in shock that it could happen again.”

“I can’t even imagine, and I don’t want to.”

Sam’s phone rang with a call from Max Haggerty. “Gotta take this. Have a good day, Doc.”

“You, too.”

“Hey, Max. What’s up?”

“We found your murder weapon in an apartment complex dumpster about six blocks from the Myersons’ home. Thekiller didn’t bother to clean the blood and hair off the barrel of the bat, so we’re hoping they didn’t think about fingerprints either. We’ve got it in the lab now, and I should have more for you soon.”

“Great job to you and your team, Max. Thank you so much.”

“You got it.”

Sam walked into the pit, where her team was hard at work in their cubicles. “Good news, citizens. CSU found our murder weapon in a dumpster six blocks from the Myersons’, complete with blood and hair and hopefully prints. It’s at the lab now.”

“Wow,” Gonzo said. “That’s a lucky break.”

“Sure is. Today, I want to talk to the people who took Jada on the outing on Sunday.”

“Her friend Alison Gauthier’s parents, Cole and Trina.” Neveah handed Sam a printout with info about the family and their address.

“Thank you, Neveah. Anything jump out about them?”

“Not at first glance. Both are government employees. He’s with HHS, and she’s at the USDA. They have three kids. Alison is the oldest at sixteen. They also have eleven-year-old twin boys who were not on the outing on Sunday.”

“Where’d they go again?”

“The girls are studying the Civil War in school, so the parents took them to see two of the sites—Harpers Ferry and Antietam.”

“And Jada was with them all day without interruption?”

“That’s what Trina Gauthier told me.”

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