As if he'd just been waiting for someone to ask that, Joe pulled a small tablet out of a pocket in his pants. He swiped his finger across the screen. "Jean Keller, age twenty-four. Only child. Both parents deceased. He's been a nurse at Metro West Hospital for the last two years, since right after he graduated from nursing school. He has no criminal record, not even a parking ticket. Fair credit with three-thousand-forty-two dollars in the bank."
"Wait. No criminal record?"
That couldn't be right.
"No." Joe shook his head. "I checked city, county, and state. Jean Keller has no criminal record."
"How is that possible?" Skip asked. "He was arrested for attacking me. He's out on bond right now."
"I don't know what to tell you," Joe replied. "Jean Keller has no criminal record."
"Then who in the hell was arrested for attacking me?"
"We need to talk to the D.A. and find out what's going on. I can't call him until morning." Sal glanced down at his watch. "Which is in about six hours." He seemed resigned when he looked back up. "I suggest we head back to the house and see if we can put the clues together."
"Lany will be ecstatic," Officer Miles Burke said.
Technically, he was the newest member of our team, not Joe, but he'd been around for years before he retired from the FBI and joined us. It felt as if he'd been a part of the team a lot longer than he had.
"Have you given your statement yet?" Sal asked.
I grimaced. "Yeah."
Sal arched an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound reassuring."
"I can't put my fingers on it, Sal, but it was like they didn't think this was a big deal. They could have been taking a report on a shoplifter."
"I agree with David," Skip said. "They seemed almost bored."
"Huh," Sal said as he gazed beyond us to the three uniformed officers standing in a half-circle over by one of the cars. "Maybe I need to speak with them and impress upon them the merits of taking their jobs seriously."
That would not end well.
"Why don't we just head back to the house?" I suggested. "Skip needs to get out of here and someplace a lot less...explosive." I was worried about how pale he was. I understood it, but I was still worried. "He could probably do with a shower and a good drink."
"Yes to both," Skip said. "Please."
"Clarke, go see if they can leave," Sal ordered. "If I talk to them, it won't be pretty."
The police were called when someone was in trouble. SWAT was called when the police were in trouble. While we usually got along with regular officers in uniform, sometimes we didn't. The rivalry between uniformed officers and SWAT always amazed me. We worked for the same side. We were all officers of the law.
I didn't understand why some people didn't get that.
I stayed close to Skip as I watched Clarke walk over and talk with one of the police officers. I saw Clarke's jaw clench and knew the officer was arguing with him. I just didn't understand why. We'd given our statement and provided contact information already. Skip and I had both been checked out by medical personnel. There was no reason for them to keep us on scene except to fuck with us.
"See what I mean?" I asked Sal. "They're acting weird."
"I see it," Sal replied. "I just don't understand it."
I didn't either.
Sal pulled out his cell phone, dialed, and then held it to his ear. "Yeah, Jerry, it's me. Sorry for calling so late, but I have a problem." Sal chuckled. "No, it's not Lany. There was an incident involving Dr. Jones and Officer Wu tonight. Dr. Jones's car exploded."
Sal nodded. "Yes, we suspect a bomb. No, no, they are both okay. Shaken up, but okay." Sal sighed and went quiet, so I knew he was listening to Police Commissioner Jerry Harris rant at him as the man usually did. The commissioner was a good guy, but he could get a bit intense at times.
"There's a little more involved in that, and we want to take Skip back to the house and start a storyboard, but the officers on scene won't allow them to leave. No, they've already given their statements and been checked out by paramedics." Sal nodded. "Yes, exactly."
When he grinned and started walking toward the officers, I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing.
