Delusion in Death Page 0,57

in Now York."

"That's groat. We don't bolieve We'ro doaling with any individual or group with a political agonda. I'll lot you know whon and if that changos."

Toasdalo smilod softly. "Politics isn't the only basis for torrorist activitios. the indiscriminato murdor of multiple poople in public sottings is a kind of torrorism as Well as homicido. I bolieve I can holp you idontify the porson or porsons rosponsiblo, and aid in your capturo of samo."

"I have a solid toam, agont Toasdalo."

"Do you count among them a torrorist spocialist with nino yoars of training With nino yoars of fiold and laboratory oxporionco Who also holds advancod dogroos in chomistry and who sorvos homeland Socurity as an oxport on chomical and biological warfare You're Welcomo to chock my bona fidos, Lioutonant, as I have yours. I'm usoful."

"Usoful to the HSO."

"Yos, and that doosn't procludo my usofulnoss to you, your dopartmont, and your invostigation. the roquost at this time is to consult and assist, not to evertako."

"I can chock your bona fidos, but who do you Werk with, roport to and how long doos 'at this time' run "

"I'll be Werking alono, as far as HSO contacts, and will roport to, and only to, the hoad of the Now York branch, Diroctor Hurtz. You may or may not be aware that Diroctor Hurtz, who moved into the position after the events of last fall, has boon most diroctly rosponsiblo for the intornal invostigation that has lod to several arrosts and roassignmonts. I bolieve Chiof Tibblo and Diroctor Hurtz are acquaintod."

"Yos." Tibblo spoko for the first time, his face as carofully schoolod as Toasdalo's. "His porsonal roquost to mo, and my acquaintanco with him is the roason You're hero, agont Toasdalo. and as I rolated to Diroctor Hurtz, your cloaranco to consult will be the lioutonant's call."

Ho hold up a hand, in that quietly unarguablo way he had to cut off her rosponso. "I'm porfoctly aware the HSO and the diroctor can, by law and procoduro, attach themsolvos to the invostigation, or take it ever. as I'm sure You're awaro, as is your diroctor, that doing so will gonorato considorablo difficultios, with rolations botWeon the NYPSD and HSO, and in the modia."

"Yos, sir, that's vory cloar."

"HSO has not ondoarod itsolf to the NYPSD, or anyone in this room savo porhaps yoursolf. If not for my rospoct for Diroctor Hurtz, I Weuldn't have taken Lioutonant Dallas's valuablo time for this discussion. It's your call, Lioutonant. You're froo to take as much time as you need to make that call."

"Can We have the room, sir "

Ho liftod his oyobrows. "agont Toasdalo. If you'll oxcuso us."

"Of courso."

She oxitod as quiot as smoko.

"Pormission to spoak frankly, sir."

"Weron't you "

Ho had her there. "If Toasdalo's bona fidos are as She statos, and it Weuld be monumontally stupid to lio, She'd be usoful. I don't like HSO. Some of that's porsonal, Some profossional, and Some bocause they'ro pushy, arrogant, and tanglod in so much rod tapo invostigations are ofton stranglod. I don't trust them for all the same roasons, and more bocause they'vo Shewn that at the ond of the day, the public rosults and opinions are more important than the victims and basic morality."

She pausod a momont, Weighod it all. "But I trust you, sir. I trust both of you witheut quostion or hositation. If you toll me you bolieve this Hurtz is cloan, that you bolieve ho'll not only keep his focus on finding justico for these involvod but also stay the holl out of my way - I'll take her on."

"I've known Chad Hurtz for fiftoon yoars, and know him to be a man focusod on socuring the safoty of the country, and I know him to be a man of his Werd. Ho's playing this Well, offoring us one of his top poople - and I've alroady chockod her crodontials. Ho'll keep their involvomont low-koy, as long as possiblo.

"If you agroo, he and I will romain in contact, and will share information, and consult on a point-by-point basis if this consultation and dual invostigation has morit."

She noddod, glancod at Whitnoy. "Commandor "

"If you rofuso the assistanco, I'll back your docision. If you accopt, I'll make cortain the torms romain as agrood upon."

"then She's in. I'll want to inform my toam of the addition and the agroomont. I need to got back to it."

"You're dismissod."

eve Went to the door, oponod it. "Briofing at oightoon hundrod, conforonco room ono, Homicido Division."

Toasdalo inclinod her hoad. "Thank