to find evidence before we confront Sheffield. Money. A threat. Blackmail. Whatever it is, find it, then talk to him.”
“I need a warrant to search his house, including his phone records and his computer.”
“I’ll get it. But what I really want to know is who the hell is as good a hacker as Sean?”
No one said anything. Kate was as good as Sean. There were members of the FBI cybercrime unit who were as good as Sean. But who was as good as Sean and willing to be an accessory to killing a cop and frame Sean for two murders?
Lucy couldn’t imagine.
She said, “Rick, when you confirm that Paxton is home, please let me talk to him.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I know your history with him, Lucy.”
“I’m the only person he won’t lie to.”
“I’ll think on it,” he said reluctantly. “I’ve already dispatched the team. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything. In the meantime, Kate—you dig into Sheffield. Everything you can do until I get the warrant. Megan—you talk to Thompson. See if you can get him to talk, knowing what we know. I’ll clear it with the AUSA and get you in tonight. I’m going to contact the marshals who are in charge of the manhunt and tell them we have some new information. They’ll listen to me, I’ll convince them that Sean is a victim.”
“Director,” Lucy said when he was about to end the call, “Thompson isn’t going to talk.”
“You don’t know that. If we can get him to turn on Paxton, we might be able to offer a reduced sentence.”
“He’s not going to turn. You know Jonathan Paxton, he’s charismatic and charming and absolutely driven. The people who work for him will do anything to protect him. I guarantee that if Thompson thought the only way to protect Paxton was to kill himself, he’d kill himself. He’s not going to be manipulated.”
“I appreciate your analysis, but we have to try,” Rick said. “Thompson is dangerous, he won’t be back on the streets, but Paxton is even more dangerous because he can get people to do his bidding for him. We have to stop him, and I have no evidence against him. None. Honestly, I would never have even considered he was behind it except that you convinced me that the very tenuous connection between Thompson and Russo was suspicious. Getting a jury to believe it? I wouldn’t even be able to call in every favor at the Department of Justice to get an AUSA to indict. We need more.”
Rick ended the call, and Kate also signed off.
Lucy looked at Megan. “I’m talking to Thompson with you.”
She didn’t say anything.
Lucy leaned forward. “Megan, if I’m right—and I know I am—Thompson is working for Paxton, and therefore he’ll know exactly who I am and why I’m important to Paxton. I can do this. I still don’t think he’ll turn against Paxton, but he might give us something we can use to find him.”
Megan smiled. “Well, Rick didn’t say you couldn’t go.”
* * *
Kate Donovan, warrant in hand, grabbed SSA Steven Pierce to join her to search Tim Sheffield’s house. Steven wasn’t pleased about being pulled out of the office, and while he wasn’t as gung-ho as the two Houston detectives about Sean’s guilt, he also wasn’t convinced that he was innocent.
Fortunately, Kate had a solid reputation and she had the ear of Rick Stockton, which helped, so Steven came with her.
“When are you getting the footage from Beaumont? That would help.”
“I sent people over to grab it,” Steven said. “I’ll know within the hour exactly who changed the transfer orders.”
Tim Sheffield lived in a modest home outside Beaumont. A car was in the driveway but it was registered to Sheffield.
He wasn’t married, according to his employer, but they preceded with caution. Knocked on the door.
“FBI, we have a warrant. We’re coming in.”
Kate didn’t expect an answer, but she heard footsteps.
Steven heard them, too. They both had their firearms ready because they didn’t know what to expect.
The door opened. Kate recognized the woman from a photo Lucy had sent.
“Erica Anderson?” Kate said.
“Yes. I have a lot to say, but I’m begging you—please protect me, protect Tim. We got in over our heads, I didn’t realize it at the time … I can’t imagine that he knew they were going to kill his partner. I can’t believe he would condone that.”
But she thought it was possible, Kate realized, based on her tone and body language.