Page 77 of Fear of Flames
“No.” Fletch stood. “If we let it go, Chell takes the blame.”
“Arrow,” Peterson said, “Michelle Holdcraft is dead too. For her to join us, she no longer exists.”
“That doesn’t mean she has to die suspected of crimes.”
“You figure out how you can clear her name, and we’ll talk.” Peterson turned his focus on Leo. “Where’s the equipment from Denny’s shed?”
“A temperature-controlled storage container in Manchester.”
Peterson nodded. “Get the address to the coordinators, and we’ll get it moved.”
“It’s a lot,” Leo said. “Impressive, really.”
As the two discussed Denny’s technological skills, Fletch paced, his mind on Perkins. The fucker wasn’t going to get out of this by dying. There was no way Fletch would allow that to happen. It was when he heard one term that his attention went back to the discussion.
“…backed up the hard drive…”
Fletch turned to Leo. “I need Denny’s hard drive, everything you backed up.” Before either one of them could question, he went on, “Denny was onto something. His information saved Timothy Wells.” He nodded as he spoke. “The night he died, he made a comment about Crossroads. I let it go in one ear and out the other until the other night.” He turned to Peterson. “You told me to explain the Loews case to Chell. I did. Frank Loews was a small cog in the Crossroads Network. Denny said he thought he was onto something akin to Crossroads.” Fletch ran his hand through his hair. “Fuck, I don’t recall his exact words. I know he said Crossroads, and he talked about Patrick Lehman?—”
Peterson lifted his hand. “Denny told me about the senator also.” Peterson pressed his lips together and shook his head. “He didn’t have proof.”
“Denny was killed. That’s enough fucking proof for me. He was on to something. He said he believed a new network had been created, linking professional kidnappers, laypeople, law enforcement, elected officials, and wealthy connections.” Fletch’s words were coming faster. “I read all about Crossroads. I began in the agency at the beginning of Crossroads’ fall. After Frank Loews’s trial, many layers were successfully peeled away, exposing money and power.” He stared at Leo and Peterson. “The tip of the spear was never even questioned.”
“Nelson, Arron Nelson?” Peterson asked. “He’s one of the wealthiest men in the world.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s innocent.”
“Hell no,” Leo said. “It means he can afford to get away with whatever he wants.”
Peterson shook his head. “We couldn’t connect him six years ago. Nelson’s wealthier and more powerful today than he was then. He just received some big governmental contract for defense spyware.”
“And who’s on the Defense subcommittee?” Fletch asked.
“Patrick Lehman,” Peterson answered. “Guilt by association isn’t evidence.”
“Then let me find evidence,” Fletch said. “Chell can help.”
“Shelly isn’t ready?—”
“She can do it if we’re part of a team. Baptism by fire. Put her to work on a case that matters to her.”
“Emotional connections have a way of distorting objectivity. Hell, I’m not even sure you should work on this.”
Ignoring that comment, Fletch turned to Leo. “You’ll be my eyes on the ground.”
“Wait,” Peterson said. “Is this a witch hunt to bring Nelson down?”
“No,” Fletch replied. “Denny told us that he was afraid he accidentally created a cyber breach, alerting either Lehman or Perkins. Personally, I don’t think Sheriff Perkins would recognize a cyber breach if it loaded him up with ketamine or oxy.”
Both potential painkillers that in excess amount caused cardiac arrest.
“But Lehman,” Fletch went on. “If he’s in this, he has the connections and manpower. Let me start with Denny’s hard drive.”
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
“Welcome back to Crime Daily Podcast. It’s Monday. I’m Kenzi.”
