Page 97 of Dead Air
"It's protection for both of us, Tom. The operation cannot be compromised. Asset control falls under your direct authority. Handle it."
The recording ended. Lawson and Claire sat in silence, absorbing the implications.
"That's Drummond authorizing Monica's murder," Lawson said finally.
"In carefully ambiguous language that maintains plausible deniability," Claire noted.
Lawson selected another file, dated the day after Monica's death.
"It's done." Richardson's voice, flat and empty. "Asset neutralized. Operation compromised."
"Any witnesses?" Drummond asked.
"Her partner arrived early. Saw nothing clearly. Intoxicated and emotionally compromised due to previous personal conflict with the asset."
"Perfect. Local investigation will handle cleanup. Bureau involvement remains confidential under national security protocols."
"What about the evidence she collected?"
"Secure it. All of it. Nothing goes to the prosecutor. Nothing enters official channels."
"She died for this case, Charles."
"She died because she refused to follow operational timeline parameters. Asset loss is unfortunate but ultimately self-inflicted through protocol violation."
"Jesus, that's cold."
"It's realistic, Tom. The Bureau cannot afford public exposure of an agent’s death during unauthorized investigative acceleration. Secure the evidence. Sanitize the scene. Maintain cover going forward."
Lawson selected another file, dated two weeks before Monica's death. Richardson's voice, strained and reluctant.
"The financial irregularities are in place. Regular deposits to her account that match the pattern we use for documenting bribes from criminal informants."
"Good," Drummond's voice replied. "If the operation goes sideways, she'll look like any other dirty cop taking money from dealers."
"Charles, she's clean. She's never taken a dime from anyone."
"That's the point, Tom. Clean cops who get too close to the truth need to look dirty when they die. Creates reasonable doubt about their credibility. Makes their evidence questionable."
"You want me to destroy her reputation posthumously?"
"I want you to protect the operation. If Monica Landry dies looking like a corrupt detective, no one will take her investigation seriously. Her evidence becomes the desperate accusations of a dirty cop trying to save herself."
Richardson's long pause before responding. "The deposits are already showing on her statements. She hasn't noticed yet, but her partner will when they investigate her death."
"Perfect. Let Detective Lawson discover that her beloved partner was just another corrupt cop. It'll destroy her credibility if she tries to continue Monica's work."
Lawson stopped the recording. The confirmation of everything Richardson had confessed at the hospital was now preserved in digital clarity.
"This demolishes Drummond's career," Claire said. "Authorizing the murder of a federal agent, then covering it up. Criminal conspiracy at the highest levels of the FBI."
"And it vindicates both Monica and Ray. Proves they were honest cops who died trying to expose corruption."
They continued through the remaining evidence. More recordings documenting Richardson's careful accumulation of evidence against both Byrd and Drummond over the five years following Monica's death. His own confession to the murder, recorded six months ago and stored alongside the other files. Medical records showing his recent cancer diagnosis, explaining his accelerated timeline for exposing the truth before natural death claimed him.
"What are you going to do with all this?" Claire asked as they returned the materials to the container.
Lawson closed the lid, sealing five years of deception and betrayal inside. "I'm resigning from the force. Effective immediately."
