Dead Aim(6)

“We've been told by the experts that the slide was probably caused by an aftershock to an area that was already unstable.”

“What? They just issued a report that there was a ninety percent chance the area was stable.”

“But not a hundred percent chance. They said they could have been wrong. We found no trace of explosive devices.”

“Look again. And look at Arapahoe Junction.”

“We will. I'm just telling you how it is.” His lips tightened grimly. “There's no way we wouldn't delve as deep as we can when it concerns a tragedy of that magnitude. Since the World Trade Center catastrophe, everyone is being damn careful. But there have been FBI, politicians, engineers, and scientists by the carload all over that site, trying to find out what happened to cause that dam break and the ensuing landslide. No one found any signs of sabotage. There were readings on the seismograph machines in San Francisco indicating a possible four-point-two earthquake in this area the night the dam broke.”

“It happened,” she said through her teeth. “I don't know about the dam or Arapahoe Junction, but I know that second landslide was caused by the same men who killed Ken Nader.”

“Then I'm sure we'll find some evidence to prove it. You said they called the pilot Powers? We'll try to trace him. I'll check out everything you've told me.” He stood up. “I'll do my best. I'd like you to come to the precinct tomorrow and look through the mug books and databases of suspected terrorists. Will you do that?”

“You bet I will.”

“Don't get your hopes up. You'll have to get lucky to find them.”

“I have to try.” She met his gaze. “You have to try too. You can't let them get away with it. You're not even sure I'm telling the truth, are you?”

“I'm sure you think you are.” He wearily shook his head. “Look at it from my point of view. You've been in the hospital for two days suffering from concussion. Isn't it possible that you might not remember things exactly as they occurred? It's happened before with head-injury victims.”

“No, it's not possible.”

He smiled. “Okay. It wouldn't have made any difference anyway. I'd still do my job. Come on, Jerry, let's get out of here.”

The lanky young sergeant in the corner, who'd been silent throughout the interview, rose to his feet. “Good night, Ms. Graham, I hope you feel better.”

“Thank you.”

“I'll see you tomorrow at the precinct,” Detective Leopold said.

“Oh, I'll be there.”



“Pretty crazy stuff,” Jerry Tedworth said to Leopold as soon as they'd left the hospital room. “Do you believe her?”

“She makes it hard for me not to. She's smart and she's strong and she absolutely believes what she's telling us.”

“Like you said, she's had a bad knock on the head.”

“Wishful thinking. I hope to hell she didn't get it right.”

“Why not?”

“Because if Arapahoe Junction and the dam were also targets, that would mean mass murder. Who commits mass murder? It takes a special kind of criminal. Nuts. Sociopaths. Terrorists. We don't want to have to deal with a case like that.” He punched the button at the elevator. “We'd better hope she's just having hallucinations.”



Breathe deep. Calm down.

Her head was pounding and Alex forced herself to unclench her fists. All this emotion wasn't going to help anything. Leopold hadn't been out of line in suspecting she might not have all her marbles at present. At least he had listened and promised he'd check into everything she'd told him. But it didn't stop the anger and frustration she was feeling.

Anger and frustration and this haunting antiseptic smell of a hospital room.

Dad . . .

She quickly blocked the memory. Don't think about her father. Jesus, she had to get out of here. She didn't need that wound ripped open. Well, tomorrow she'd go to the police station and see if she could identify any pictures in the mug books.

If they were there, she'd know them. Every feature of those faces was engraved permanently on her memory.



“She's being discharged tomorrow,” Lester said as soon as Powers answered the phone. “Two police detectives were there to see her tonight.”

Powers muttered an oath. “You should have gotten to her while she was unconscious.”

“I told you, her room's right next to the nurses' station. I couldn't do it without being noticed. I'll find a way to put her down tomorrow.”

“You'd better. If you'd been on time, I wouldn't have had to take down that helicopter. And, dammit, she can recognize me.”

He didn't care that the woman could also recognize both him and Decker, Lester thought. “Maybe you shouldn't have come along.”