He glanced up as she rounded the barricade to get to him. He said something to the officer next to him, and the woman turned and headed for Jane with brisk strides.
“Come with me,” she ordered, and Jane followed her, ducking under the barricade tape until they rejoined the man she’d been sent to assist.
The officers standing nearby melted away, leaving Jane alone with her contact.
“Jane Cannon?” the man asked, his voice deep and raspy.
This close, she saw the fine lines around his eyes. He had to be years older than her uncle, but he looked as if he knew howto laugh. She sensed his authority up close, his military bearing evident in the way he held himself. She’d have pegged him as the man in charge without knowing anything about anyone present, despite him standing apart.
“Yes. I’m Jane. Pleased to meet you.” She held out a hand. His firm and dry shake, just long enough to convey trust and authority, said as much about him as his appearance.
“I’m Lionel Gambol. Not affiliated with the police department or FBI.”
Jane raised a brow but said nothing. Nearby, she noted the lead CSI, his dark jacket lettered POLICE on the back, giving orders that everyone else seemed to follow as they rushed around.
“You came highly recommended,” he added.
“For…?”
“Investigative services.” Exactly what her uncle had said. “The murders of these two EMTs make six dead in the past two months. EMTs, doctors, and two nurses. Someone is targeting medical personnel in the city, and I want to know who and why.”
“But you’re not the police or the FBI.”
“Consider me FBI adjacent.”
That sounded like something her uncle would say.
“You should know I’m on administrative leave from the Seattle office pending an investigation.” Just in case her uncle had failed to mention that. Uncle Chris often left out the parts he didn’t feel necessary when it came to doing the job. Pesky little details like legality.
“I understand that. Working this case won’t be a problem with your boss or the Agency. You don’t need a weapon. This is strictly investigatory. I know you often have insights others miss. And we need that right now.”
She watched with him as forensics did their job photographing the scene and cataloguing everything.
She frowned. “Were the bodies found like that?” Both EMTs lay supine, one with an arm over his chest, the other with his arm flung aside, reaching along the street.
“Yes.” Gambol studied her. “So you’re in?”
She saw no point in making him wait, since she practically frothed at the mouth for something to do while she waited on any information pertaining to who killed Simmons. “Yes.”
“Follow me.” He walked to the lead CSI, had a few words, then everyone backed away. “What do you think?” Gambol asked Jane.
She crouched by the bodies, aware each had been shot and killed by a bullet to the chest as well as a bullet to the head. Two rounds, placed to kill. No lingering death by internal bleeding. The headshots would have ended them right away.
“Not a random drive-by.” She rose and looked around. “There’s no damage to the surrounding businesses or cars parked along the street. Looks like the shooter took out the windshield first to stop the bus. The EMTs left the vehicle. But instead of hiding behind it, they rounded the ambulance and headed for the middle of the street.” Jane shook her head. “That makes no sense. Any witnesses?”
“In broad daylight, yet shockingly, no.” Gambol looked as if he’d bitten into a lemon. “But we’ve got the surveillance camera from two businesses to check into. Hopefully, we’ll find something we can use there.”
Jane had a thought. She checked the front of the ambulance, noticed the empty space in front of it, and looked closer at the smudge of blue paint on the front bumper.
She turned to Gambol, the heat of the hunt building in her, fanning the need to find the guilty. “This took planning. I need to see pictures of the other shootings.”
“The others weren’t shot, but we have crime scene photos of two of them, at least.” Gambol nodded. “Let’s get you set up. Time to meet the man in charge.”
“Not you?” she asked as he led her to his vehicle. She got in, planning to pick up her car afterward.
“Not me. I’m just the connections man. It’s time for you to meet Rapp.”
“I have to tell you I’m not looking forward to working for anyone like the boss I just left.”
