Page 7 of Operation: Sharp Angel

“The police have wrongly determined a crime, and I need someone to re-investigate it.”

“And what is the nature of the crime?” Angel asked.

“My sister and her entire family were killed. The police believe my brother-in-law did it, murder-suicide. But they’re wrong. I know he didn’t.”

“Is the police case still open?” Angel asked.

“No, they closed it this morning.”

Angel knew it had to be that horrific local crime that had happened just over a week ago. It had hit close to home for her, two little kids killed while they slept in their beds. It had been all over the news. “Okay, here’s what will happen next. I’ll refer this to the head of the agency, and he’ll determine if we’ll discuss it further with you. Either way, I’ll be back in touch with you within twenty-four hours.”

Becca was left feeling disappointed when the call was terminated. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but that hadn’t been it.

At the Shepherd Security Building, Angel walked down the hall to Shepherd’s office. She knew he was in between calls and meetings. She rapped once loudly on the door and then opened it and went in. “Morning, boss,” she greeted.

Shepherd stood at his desk. “Good morning, Angel. What do you have for me?”

“I got the end of the month spreadsheets done and opened April’s. Did you get outside this morning? It’s beautiful out.”

Shepherd’s lips pulled into a grin. “Yes, Diana made me go for a walk outside with her this morning.”

Angel smiled and nodded. She adored Shepherd’s wife. “We just received a call on the public agency line from a Rebecca Elliot, referred to us by Detective Davis from the SchaumburgPolice Department.” She knew that Shepherd would remember the name. She didn’t have to remind him that he’d been the detective who investigated Shereese’s murder in their building a few years earlier.

“Really?” Shepherd asked. It was very rare they’d get a case referred to them by local law enforcement.

“The triple murder-suicide last week. Our caller said the police closed the case this morning, but she believes they got it wrong. She’s related to the family.”

“Can you get her info to the Digital Team and have them check her and the dead family out? Then I’ll decide if we’re going to talk to her.”

“Will do,” Angel said.

“Anything else?”

Angel went over the last few items she had for him and then left him to his next call.

When Shepherd received the report from the Digital Team on the Rebecca Elliot case later that day, he discussed it with Cooper, his number two in charge at the agency, and with Jackson and Garcia, who shared the number three role.

“I would like to at least bring the Elliot woman in and talk to her about the case,” Shepherd said. “I’m not saying we’re taking the case. That will be for you to decide, Jackson.”

“I’d like to talk to the detective before that meeting takes place,” Jackson said.

Shepherd nodded. “Garcia, I see on the report that Brielle was lead. Can she handle this case?” He knew this one would be rough, two dead kids. Brielle was not only a member of the Digital Team, but she was the wife of one of the Operators. The couple had a nine-month-old son.

“Yes, she can handle it. I think she’d be pretty pissed if you took her off it at this point,” Garcia answered.

“Okay. I want her in the meeting with the client. And pull in Tessman. He needs a case such as this. He’s a good Operator, but needs to develop his soft skills,” Shepherd said. “If we accept this case, we’ll staff the three of you, for starters. Let me know if you need more assets.”

Jackson nodded.

“The PGP Install Team gets back into town tonight. Let’s pull Burke from the install team. He can take Tessman’s place on the CIA Referral Case,” Cooper said.

Shepherd nodded his approval. They wrapped up the remainder of the agenda items and the meeting ended.

***

Becca Elliot had programmed the phone number to Shepherd Security into her phone, so the name displayed when the incoming call came just twenty hours after her initial call to them. She said a short prayer that the call was to say they would accept her case before she answered the call. “Hello, this is Rebecca Elliot.”

“Hi, Becca, this is Angel from Shepherd Security.”

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