Page 30 of Fatal Mistake
“What happened after she paid you?”
“She drove me out here and left. Said to find my own way back to town.” He shook his head. “Would’ve been a long hike out. ’Course maybe she didn’t think I’d be hiking out of here after a battle with guys like you.”
Cal had thought the same thing, but he didn’t acknowledge it. “What kind of car did she drive?”
“Toyota Corolla.”
One of the most popular cars in America. She likely knew that and hoped it would make her harder to track down. “Did you catch the license plates?”
“Nah, didn’t have a reason to. I did notice they were from Oregon, though.” He frowned. “Oh, and I saw a rental contract on the console.”
“Which agency?”
“I dunno, man. She got me a fifth of gin before we took off and my memory’s not so clear.”
“And the Browning? Did she give you that, too?”
“Yeah, man. Sweet gun. She said I could keep it.”
A vehicle rolled down the road, grabbing Cal’s focus. He clapped a hand on his holster. Rick came to attention, and Shane lifted his rifle.
“It’s Kaci with equipment,” Shane called out.
The rental SUV came up just short of the command truck, and Kaci hopped down.
She’d shed her tactical gear and marched across the road, her SLR already hanging around her neck on a Star Wars Chewbacca camera strap. “What’d I miss?”
Cal brought her up to speed on Hickson’s confession. “Once you’re done with the scene photos, I need you to look for this woman who supposedly paid him and drove him here.”
Kaci stared at Hickson. “Odd, isn’t it—to learn a Muslim woman is working with Keeler when he targets Muslim women for his bombs?”
Their profiler believed the necklace bombs were Keeler’s way of beheading an infidel, meaning these women must have violated the Muslim faith in some way. Unfortunately, the team had found no proof of that. All they’d discovered thus far was that the women all assimilated into the Western world, and until Tara left town, they all lived in the D.C. metro area.
“It might make more sense if we were sure why he’s targeting them in the first place,” Cal said.
Kaci frowned. “We’ve got to be missing something.”
Cal nodded. “Once we get this scene processed, we need to discuss that. But for now, start with the Rescue Mission where he claims the woman picked him up. Maybe they have outside cameras. And follow up with the rental car agencies in the area.”
“You got it.” She took the lens cap off her camera. “How soon before you’ll have the scene cordoned off, and I can get my long shots?”
“I’m done with Hickson, so Rick and I can secure things now.”
She nodded, but her attention had already gone to her camera, and she didn’t look up. Kaci was a single-folder kind of person who didn’t multitask well, so they often had to pull her focus from her electronics.
Cal stepped over to Shane. “Cuff Hickson to the truck’s push bars so you can keep an eye on him and the road at the same time.”
“Gladly.” Shane stepped over to Hickson and jerked him to his feet while Rick held his gun at the ready in case Hickson tried to bolt.
Cal went to the SUV to grab a roll of crime scene tape. He joined Rick and didn’t need to offer direction. After seven fatal explosions courtesy of Keeler, Rick knew the drill, and there was no guy better than Rick to share the job. They’d walk the area around the scene to establish a perimeter that included an entry and exit to keep contamination to a minimum from personnel arriving on scene. Along the way, they’d also look for secondary devices, unconsumed explosives, or other hazardous materials in the rubble. Cal was glad to have Rick’s help. Perfection was expected from Marine Scout Snipers, and as a former sniper, Rick had come to expect that perfection in every area of his life. He wouldn’t miss a thing.
Cal tied the end of the bright yellow tape around a tree trunk.
“You think Tara’s recollection of the truck blowing after a gunshot is accurate?” Rick asked, his smooth southern drawl controlled and clipped.
“Meaning what?” Cal asked.
“Meaning do you think the shot set off the explosion?” Rick looked up at the tree where they’d apprehended Hickson.
