Page 24 of Concrete Evidence
“I’m sorry Gram’s demands have put you in a weird situation. You’re sure you don’t have a girlfriend who’ll be upset with me barging into your life?”
Why was she so concerned about his nonexistent love life? “No girlfriends, and if I had one and she objected, then she wouldn’t be the right one. Are you alone so I can tell you something?”
“Hold on a moment. The nurse has a question.”
He’d arranged for his attorney to handle the guardianship with Mrs. Litton’s attorney. Finding living arrangements for them wouldn’t be as easy. His two-bedroom apartment in Houston would house them for a while until he found a home in a good school district.
“I’m back,” she said. “What’s going on?”
“A man has been found dead—Liam Zachary.”
“What happened?” she whispered.
Marc wished he knew how to form the right words. “Looks like it wasn’t natural causes.” Silence met him and he waited.
“Now you understand why Dad’s heart attack seemed, you know, wrong.”
“I’m looking into the possibility. The situation isn’t the FBI’s jurisdiction.”
“Who then?”
“The Army has its own criminal investigation division.”
“But you can do it on the side?”
“Not so sure. Have you met Senator Elliott’s granddaughter?”
“No. Just heard about her. I think they’re close.”
“Do me a favor and forget I asked you about them. It’ll be between us FBI agents.”
“Marc, I’m not an eight-year-old kid who’s working on a junior FBI badge. But I won’t say a word. You believe me now?”
“I’m just looking into a matter for my little sister and mother.If you see or hear anything suspicious, call the police. Keep the doors locked.”
“I have nothing that belongs to Dad.”
“Not everyone knows that. Promise me you’ll use caution.”
“Promise.”
After he ended the call, Marc logged into his secure website to read the investigation reports on Liam Zachary’s death. The information had already been documented. Zachary had dinner with his wife and son at six on Sunday evening. She didn’t hear from him after he left the house around seven for an overnight appointment, which wasn’t his normal behavior. She’d asked who, where, and when of his appointment, but he told her it wasn’t important. The ME estimated time of death on Monday between 11a.m. and noon based on his stomach contents and the high temps speeding up rigor mortis. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department located a Sig Sauer M17 about twenty feet from the body. Army CID matched the 9mm bullet removed from Zachary’s body with the weapon.
Further investigation indicated Zachary’s car and cell phone were missing. Authorities might never find either one. Unfortunately, the time of death matched Avery’s story.
She couldn’t reach the senator, which didn’t look good in the man’s defense.
16
MARC NEVER WANTED A REPEATof this past week, except for meeting his sister, a blessing in disguise. His intentions to take more time off to help Mom grieve met one delay after another. Hitting delete on the memories of his father didn’t make good mental health sense and dealing with emotions wasn’t Marc’s sweet spot.
To make matters worse, the information about Liam Zachary and Senator Elliott complicated the relationship with his mother and sister. Both expected him to provide logical answers where he didn’t have jurisdiction. And he now wondered if his father’s death had a little assistance. The Army Criminal Investigation Division boasted an excellent team, and even if the CID requested a task force with the FBI, Marc would be denied working the case due to a conflict of interest.
Roden was the best sounding board and brainstorming agent in the bureau. Marc texted his partner, and they met in the break room.
“How long will this take?” His partner grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. “Two hours? Three? I’m already late for dinner, unless you’re buying.”
“I might need to.” Marc opened the wrapper on a bag of peanut M&M’S. He dropped a handful into his black coffee and popped more into his mouth.
