Page 54 of Concrete Evidence
“Which makes you and your accomplice guilty of unethical conduct regarding custody of a dead body and removing evidence in a murder.”
“I’m well aware of the law.” The senator punched every word. “And the penalty if I’m arrested and convicted.”
“If? By your own admittance you assisted. Who helped you?”
“Not going there. I won’t have their names tarnished for breaking the law.”
“Who’s on your short list for the killer?”
“You just asked me the same question. If I had a name, he’d be behind bars. Or dead.”
“So why did you call?”
The senator sighed. “To check on Avery and you.”
“I think you have another motive—like what did HPD or the FBI find at the crime scene.”
“Marc, I need your help to find the truth. More importantly to keep Avery safe. She’s in more danger than before. Can you place her in FBI protection?”
“I’m working on it, but at the moment she refuses to leave the hotel.” A Plato quote marched across Marc’s mind—“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”
“She needs to hear from me. What’s her number?”
“Not going there without her permission, and I have no assurance you’re Senator Elliott. Avery is one strong woman, and she’s not a child you can shield from danger. She’s confused and also opinionated to a fault. I wonder where she got that from,” Marc said. “I’d like to help you, but I can’t unless I know what initiated the murder on your property and those who are out to destroy you.”
“Those in my circle are aware of your involvement—”
“Who’s in the circle?”
“Friends I can trust. Good, solid people. If they agree, one of them will contact you. The crimes go back farther than Liam Zachary’s death or your father’s supposed heart attack—”
“Your people are also calling my father’s death a murder?”
“It makes sense. I’m working my end to find the truth. I refuse to have my friends’ deaths end up as notches on a killer’s belt. There’s been enough blackmail, extortion, and murder.”
“Tell me about the extortion.”
“Abbott, Liam, and I received threats about the Lago de Cobre Dam. The person wanted money, or he’d destroy the project. We didn’t comply. Abbott and Liam were conducting their own investigation through the Army Corps. I imagine whatever they found got them killed.”
Marc continued. “Blackmail?”
“When the extortion didn’t work, threats came against us that he’d inform the corps and the public of faulty dam construction—with viable evidence if I didn’t pay up. That was inconsequential to us. I had two inspection reports plus diver videos indicating no signs of stress.”
“Where are those videos?”
“Locked up. Safe.”
“Who’s aware of those reports?”
“Liam, your father, and Craig. All sworn to secrecy.”
“Why Craig?”
“Two reasons—I trust him, and he’s my foreman.”
“All right,” Marc said. “What about those in your circle?”
“I trust them, and again, I’m not giving you names. Liam and Abbott decided the person was looking for a handout and chose to ignore him or her. The day before your dad passed, I received a call saying we’d run out of time.”
