Several muttered agreements rounded the room before Emmett turned his attention back to Blake. “How long before we have the forensics report from the scene?”
“I’m pulling it up now.” His fingers worked across the keys. A second later, however, they froze as Blake’s face became twisted with what appeared to be confusion. “Well that’s weird.”
“What?” Emmett rumbled.
“The forensic files have been blocked. More than usual, even for the Feds.”
“How bad?” Draven asked.
“We’re talking multiple layers of high-level encryption.” Blake resumed his efforts to access the file.
“So you can’t get to it?” Janie looked his way with a frown.
“I can, but it’s going to take me a couple hours. Maybe three.”
Her gaze swung Emmett’s way. “Do you have any sort of connection with the M.E.’s office? Maybe we can go down there ourselves.” An idea struck. “Amy didn’t have any family, right? MaybeIcould be her family.”
“That’s not a bad idea, boss,” Gwen mused from a few seats away. “But why don’t you let me give Talia a call, first?”
Draven’s head tilted to the side. “Why Talia?”
“Back when she was taken, I remember Jagger mentioning something about her friend. The one who lives here. Scarlett Somethingorother.”
“Dr. Scarlett O’Neill,” Blake offered while multitasking. “Apparently the woman’s a forensics specialist extraordinaire. Or that’s how Talia made her sound, anyway.”
Janie’s pretty stare came back to Emmett’s in a rush. “And she’s here? In D.C.?”
To Gwen, Emmett said, “Make the call. See if Talia can convince her friend to get us in with the M.E.”
“What if she can’t?” Janie asked as if she were already preparing for a plan B.
A woman after my ownheart.
Emmett cleared his throat. “Then we’ll find someone else who can.”
He wasn’t giving up. Not only because their future with R.I.S.C. depended on it, but because the people responsible for Amy Weaver’s death needed to be brought to justice.
To Blake, Emmett ordered, “Keep trying to break through those encryptions. Let me know when you’ve got something on that front. Gwen, same with Talia. The sooner the better.”
“On it, boss,” the two teammates spoke in unison.
“What about me and Mercer?” Draven asked.
Emmett paused to mull over the best use of his men’s time. “Keep trying to get in touch with Detective Boone. See if his people found anything useful when they processed Janie’s hotel room.”
Draven gave his bearded chin a dip.
“Even if Boone does have a lead in my case, what makes you think he’ll be willing to share?”
Emmett thought back to what the D.C. detective had told him about knowing Talia and his prediction that they’d soon be friends.
“Something he said last night leads me to believe he’ll be an asset to our team.” To Blake, he added, “But I still need the goods on the guy, just in case.”
His teammate nodded. “You’ll have it on your desk by the end of the day.”
With everyone’s tasks assigned, he gave his watch a quick glance. “Let’s break for lunch, and then we’ll all get back to work.”
“What will we do while the others are busy with their duties?”
