“Eventually, yes.”
She frowned.“I don’t like that word.”
“Me either, but these new Tor browsers are pretty damned sophisticated.The info gets downloaded to millions of different systems across the world and bounced around anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred times before arriving at the final destination.We can figure out that final destination, but it’s a tedious process.The crew’s trying to find an easier way right now, but unless this guy is exceptionally stupid, he will have pulled these records using as much security as possible.”
Chief waved at Faith, and Faith touched the Cybercrimes agent’s elbow.“Go ahead and help your team.”
She met Chief a few feet in front of the door.The Cybercrimes agent stepped past him with a brief smile, then headed inside to touch base with his agents.
“So, Thomas is innocent?”Chief asked.
“He’s innocent,” Faith confirmed.“The man who attacked Chaplain Brennan last night was able to run.According to both Brennan and the surviving officers, he was very fast.And the description was different.No doubt about it.”
Chief nodded, but he didn’t seem very relieved.In fact, he seemed angry.“He quit this morning,” he informed Faith curtly.“Emailed me his notice.Said he was hurt that I didn’t trust him.I tried to email him back.Don’t know if he read it or not.”
Faith felt a pang in her chest.“I see.I’m sorry.”
“You should be,” Chief said curtly.“You just grabbed the first piece of evidence that looked like it might be the killer and ran with it.Now a young man who has no friends and who lives in constant physical and emotional pain is alone.”
Faith could have reminded Chief that he was the one who volunteered Thomas as a suspect, and that at the time he also suspected Thomas of being their killer.She kept that thought to herself, though.Chief was grieving.He wasn’t thinking clearly.
“I’m sorry that happened, Chief.Give it a little time.I’m sure he’ll come around.If you’d like, I can call him and tell him he’s no longer a suspect.”
“You should do that regardless.”
“Of course.”
Chief looked away and sighed.“This is bullshit.”
Faith was trying to be patient, but she was starting to get irritated.“This is the process we have to follow when we’re investigating a case.”
“No, I mean the whole thing.Someone killing chaplains.Someone hacking into our office for records of personnel so they can make dog tags.Hanging them around their necks and making it look like they’re praying.This is sick.This is just…”
His voice trailed off.He looked ruefully into the office where the Cybercrimes agents were carefully poring over the electronic data gleaned from the computers.Jessica was with the girls now, trying to soothe them while they stood in a corner of the room biting their nails and looking uneasily at the agents digging through their computers.Turk stood close to them to offer emotional support.He had satisfied himself that he wasn’t going to find the killer’s scent here.
“What happens next?”Chief said.
“We find the killer and bring him to justice.”
“And does that end it?”
Faith intuited the real question.“It endsthis.It doesn’t end all murder.”
Chief scoffed.“Yeah.I know that.I guess I just need to hear it sometimes.”
Faith lifted a hand to Chief’s shoulders but stopped when her phone buzzed.She didn’t recognize the number.
She debated letting the call go to voicemail, but this could be a lead on the case.It could even be the killer calling to taunt or to confess.
She stepped out of the office and answered.“Special Agent Faith Bold.”
A bubbly female voice replied.“Why hello, Special Agent Faith Bold!I’m Bridgette Thurston of Channel Six News!”
Faith frowned.The voice was familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it.“How did you get this number?”
“Relax, I’m not going to try to interview you.In fact, I’m going to giveyouinformation.”
Faith’s eyes narrowed.“Go ahead.”
