you asking exactly? You want us to drop the investigation?”
The FBI agent pins him with a hard look. “What I’m proposing is we find a way to work in tandem. We collaborate. Investigate, but leave any digging into ANL connections to us and share information.”
“You may wanna talk to Ouray,” Tony proposes. “He’s been doing some investigating of his own.”
“So I hear. We’re on it.”
“This is all fine and dandy,” the mayor pipes up. “But construction has ground to a halt, and every day no work is being done on the project is costing us tens of thousands of dollars.”
“Us?”
I didn’t mean to ask the question out loud, and it earns me a glare from the mayor, but Blackfoot chuckles.
“Good catch, Bucco,” he shares. “Woodard’s family owns Pro Concrete, a contractor on the project.”
“Forgive me, Mayor,” Dr. Carter says with a nod at him before turning to Benedetti. “Don’t mean any disrespect, and I certainly don’t pretend to be particularly knowledgeable on these issues, but doesn’t that potentially constitute a conflict of interest?”
I lower my head to hide the grin on my face. Our new coroner doesn’t mince words. I think I like her. The mayor, however, looks pissed.
“Absolutely not,” he bites off.
“Sure does,” Gomez says at the same time. “Which is why, I suggest we wait until the mayor leaves before we start discussing any further details on this case.”
“Need I remind you, as mayor of Durango, I have authority over our police force?”
“I’m well aware,” Gomez fires back. “However, you have no jurisdiction over my office. Now, I would prefer to continue working this case side by side with the DPD, but if push comes to shove I won’t hesitate to claim jurisdiction, leaving you and your police force out of the loop.”
It’s a power play if ever I’ve seen one. Surprisingly, Chief Benedetti seems unfazed, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest, observing the mayor casually.
“You can’t do that.”
“Afraid he can,” Benedetti answers. “But there’s no need to let it get that far, Dan.”
Woodard takes a long look around the room before abruptly getting up and stalking out.
“That was fun,” Dr. Carter concludes, eliciting chuckles. “But I have work waiting.”
An hour and a half later, it’s clear most of the information sharing is on the part of the DPD, but the roles appear to be assigned. We’re going to continue our murder investigation for now, while the FBI will continue their quiet pursuit of Nowak and his possible affiliations with the ANL, but we’ll communicate findings and share resources.
Gomez suggested it would raise suspicions if the FBI were visibly involved at this point. For now there is nothing concrete suggesting the murder is related to their investigation, despite suspicions in that direction.
I’ve barely sat down in the office when a new case hits my desk, keeping me occupied for most of the afternoon. I’m on my way to question a witness when my phone rings.
“Where are you?”
“Just heading north on Main,” I tell Blackfoot. “Why?”
“I need you to head up to the Arrow’s Edge compound. Ouray just called. The Mesa Riders just stopped in on their way home from a run into New Mexico.”
We’ve had trouble over the past days getting a hold of the president, Red Franklin. This explains why.
“You want me to go?”
“Tony’s on his way to Monticello to meet with the developer, and I’m stuck in the ER with my kid.”
“Aleksander? What’s wrong with him?”
“They suspect whooping cough. Anyway, I’ll probably be here for a while.”
“No worries; take care of your boy. I’ll head there now.”
Yuma
It kills me to see her so confused.
Momma sits in her favorite chair—the one we moved from her house here—her eyes bewildered as she looks at me.
“Where’s my kitchen, Nosh? I can’t find it. I need to get dinner goin’.”
This isn’t the first time she calls me by my father’s name. It’s like generations disappear and my father’s name is the only one she remembers.
“This is your new place, Momma. You don’t have to worry about dinner, someone else is cooking for you for a change.”
“But the boys…”
“They’re looked after.”
I’m ashamed I feel relief when my father walks in, using it as an excuse to escape before he can get on my case again. Unfortunately, I never really got a chance to hash things out with him. It’s one of the things I was reminded of in my few visits to the AA meeting: getting sober is not only about staying off the booze.