Page 30 of Close Quarters
“Yeah. Hang on a second.” She put her on hold, then transferred the call to Alex’s line before dashing across the lab to his office.
He looked up, startled, as she flew through the door just as his phone rang.
“Answer that.” She pointed at his phone and came around to stand beside him. “I just transferred it from my phone. It’s Jackie with a report on your house.”
He pressed the speakerphone button. “This is Dr. Randall.”
“And me, Jackie,” Katie said.
“Good. Okay, so, I ran the bullets we dug out of the walls and they came back as a match to twelve murders in the western United States.”
“Twelve?” Alex turned to look up at Katie who stared down at him with the same look of disbelief.
“Yeah. I couldn’t believe it either, so I dug a little deeper. The cops in several of the cases think they were contract killings.”
“He must not cost much. He can’t aim worth shit, thankfully,” Katie said.
Alex looked up at her again and arched a brow.
“What? It’s true. He’s tried to shoot us twice now and missed both times. With multiple shots.”
He sighed, shaking his head, then turned back to the phone. “Did you uncover anything else?”
“Not yet. I just thought you guys should know what you’re up against.”
“We appreciate it. Thanks, Jackie.” Katie leaned over Alex’s shoulder and picked the receiver up, then replaced it to end the call.
He sat back, swiveling to face her. “Well.”
“Yeah.”
“I think we need to talk to Seb again.”
“I agree.” She gestured to the phone. “Call him.”
Alex sighed and pursed his lips but turned and picked up the receiver. He only got half the numbers entered before the lab doors opened and Seb walked in. Katie could tell by the set to his jaw and wrinkle between his brows Jackie called him first.
He made a beeline for Alex’s office, spying them behind the desk. “We need to talk.” He stepped inside and closed the door.
“We know,” Alex said. “Jackie called us after she called you.”
“I think it might be safest if we turn all this over to the FBI.”
“You were FBI,” Katie said.
“Emphasis on the past tense. I might have the investigative abilities, but I don’t have the resources. Without Paulson’s or Brandt’s cooperation, we need those. Plus, I think the danger to you two will disappear with the bodies.”
“What about Amanda?” Alex asked.
Seb shrugged. “Maybe they’ll let her go if all our evidence goes to the feds.”
“Or they’ll kill her.”
“This is ridiculous,” Katie said. She moved around the desk toward Seb. “We just need to figure out what they’re trying to hide. I have a feeling it has to do with the girl Amanda was paying so much attention to the other day. The one I thought had been moved. She’s the key.” She looked up at Seb, who blocked the door. “I need you to move so I can get back to work.”
He just frowned down at her. “I’m serious, Katie. I think we need to let the feds handle this now.”
She rolled her eyes and glanced back at Alex. “Back me up here. Let’s go over that Jane Doe with a fine-toothed comb. There has to be something there.”