At 10:23, Melissa touched the underside of her nose. Blood appeared almost instantly. She recoiled from the bar, her expression visibly shifting from urgency to fear. She said something to Tyler, possibly one or two words, and then turned and exited the frame at a fast speed.
Laurel waited.
A second camera picked her up in the rear hallway.
Melissa moved quickly. Her steps were uneven, and she collided with another patron without acknowledging the impact. She reached the top of the stairs, grabbed the railing with one hand, and then lost her footing. She fell forward, hit the first landing, and tumbled the rest of the way down.
The footage froze.
Laurel looked at the time stamp. The total time between her entrance and her death was under five minutes. “She sought Tyler out.”
“Yes,” Nester replied. “He arrived and checked his watch. They intended to meet.”
“Can you zero in on whatever she passed to him?”
Nester grimaced. “Doubtful. The bar is dark and it was quick. He died, what? A night or two later?”
Laurel nodded. “We need to tie all of this together. Obviously she gave Tyler information. He was investigating so many conspiracies, so I don’t want to assume anything. Could you conduct research concentrated on dementia treatments and the yew tree?” She thought through Tyler’s warnings. “Also look for possible bioweapons that could be made with any extract.” Tyler’s warning of an attack wouldn’t leave her mind.
“Sure. We should get some decent records from the lab when you execute the warrant later as well.”
That was Laurel’s plan. “Afterward, please go through the footage of that bar and see if anybody took an interest in either Melissa or Tyler. Expand the search to all CCTV in the area. If businesses aren’t willing to assist, obtain a warrant.”
“I’ll try, and hopefully many of the places still have the footage from that night.” Nester sneezed. “The warrant for Oakridge should be ready in a couple of hours. Do you want me to keep the Seattle office in the loop?”
Laurel was enjoying working with Agent Norrs. “Yes, please do. Thanks.”
Kate called down the hallway. “Hey. Walter is here with a guy in handcuffs. Looks like they rolled in the mud together. They’re on the way up.”
Chapter 28
Laurel studied the man across from her whileWalter leaned against the doorframe of the conference room, his arms crossed. Mud coated his body, and he bled from a narrow scrape along his jawline.
Tom Foster stared at her, shifting like the chair bothered his muddy body. His hoodie was soaked through and still faintly singed. He smelled of wet leaves, burnt powder, and synthetic fabric that hadn’t been washed in a long time. Nester had pulled his record: petty theft, drugs, vandalism, a long list of nothing important. Until now.
“You set off an explosive device in a federal mailbox,” Laurel said. “Explain.”
Tom blinked fast, then licked his lips. “I wasn’t trying to blow anything up. It was just firecrackers. I didn’t know the thing would actually go.”
“You tampered with mail intended for a federal agent,” she said.
He winced. “I didn’t know it was his mailbox. Honest.”
Walter pushed off the wall, stepping closer. “What exactly were you looking for?”
The suspect hesitated. “A letter. Maybe. The lady wasn’t clear.”
“What lady?” Walter growled.
“I don’t know her name.” Foster squirmed, the cuffs clinking faintly. “She found me outside a bar in Elk Hollow. Said there might be an envelope showing up at a certain box at your address, and it needed to be taken.”
Laurel twirled her pen in her hand. How did the woman know about the envelope? “What did she look like?”
He gulped. “I was kinda drunk. She was probably average height, slim, and wore a black hoodie and jeans? Sunglasses covered her eyes. White chick. Probably in her thirties or forties. Maybe fifties. I don’t know.”
“How did she find you?” Laurel asked.
Foster shrugged. “Hell if I know. I mean, I do have a reputation for getting things done.”
