Book 2: Chapter 12: Conspiracies (1/2)

Dan's front yard was a crime scene. The majority of the SPEAR Team had left, leaving behind only their captain. Forensic investigators now swarmed the outside of the house, prying bits of flattened lead from Dan's door and windows. Tire tracks ran up and down his once tidy lawn. What few neighbors he possessed were openly staring and filming. Dan expected that pictures of his home were already on the internet.

”There'll be no hiding this,” Cornelius Graham muttered in irritation. He paced Dan's living room in heavy combat boots, nearly wearing grooves into the carpet. Connor and Freya occupied a couch, sipping at steaming cups of coffee. Dan and Abby had taken the loveseat, with the latter furiously texting reassurances to her grandmother. Officers still milled about in the foyer and entrance, but the four victims had been largely sequestered and granted a measure of privacy.

”What happens now?” Dan asked.

Cornelius sighed. ”We'll have to impose on your hospitality for a little longer, until we've finished picking over the scene. I expect you'll be asked to meet with Captain Gable at some point as well, though I'd like to be able to fill him in on what happened, first. Your house probably saved the lives of two officers. The department is once again in your debt, Mr. Newman. He'll want to personally thank you.”

”It wasn't really anything I did,” Dan protested. ”The previous guy installed all that stuff, and I expect you folks wouldn't have gotten along well with him. Kind of ironic, really.”

Cornelius smiled, grimly. ”Quite right. Nevertheless, these are the circumstances given to us. There's no way to avoid the attention you've drawn here. Expect nosey reporters for the foreseeable future.”

Dan had never been happier that Anastasia was backing his identity. Now, Abby just had to succeed in talking the old bat down from doing something dramatic before the APD had a chance to investigate things.

”I never thought I'd need bulletproof glass, but now that it's saved my life I'm worried about replacing it,” Dan said helplessly. He shook his head. ”Where does one even buy that sort of thing?”

Cornelius laughed. ”I'll put you in touch with one of our suppliers. They'll get you set up, though hopefully you'll never need it again.” That put a damper on the general tone. Cornelius grunted in displeasure.

”Alright, let's run it again,” the elder Graham stated, pulling out a notepad and pen. The order was directed towards his nephew. ”Tell me everything you noticed about the assailants.”

Connor rubbed his temples, eyes closed. ”They were driving a newer model Chevy Suburban. I couldn't make out the driver, but the back passenger was a Caucasian male, about 6'2'' assuming he wasn't propping himself up or slouching.” Connor tapped his wrist. ”I caught the edge of a tattoo...”

”It was a black, jagged vine, running all the way across his forearm,” Freya said. ”Not any symbol that I recognized. Most likely just a personal choice.”

Cornelius noted that down. ”What else?”

”Daniel gave you the plates already?”

Cornelius nodded.

”They were using submachine guns but later switched to semi-automatics,” Connor said. ”I'm sure you have the caliber by now.”

”9mm. Blacktip” Cornelius acknowledged. Seeing Dan's puzzled look, he added, ”Armor-piercing. Cop-killers.”

”So they were the target?” Dan asked, motioning to Connor and Freya.

”We don't know yet.”

”I'm not sure what the motive could possibly be,” Connor protested. ”We've been on the job for a couple months, but neither of us have done anything noteworthy yet. Certainly nothing that justifies this level of retaliation!”

”Mistaken identity?” Dan posited. ”Maybe they thought you were someone else?”

”They were targeting an officer, regardless,” Cornelius reminded him. He scratched at his chin. ”What else did you do today, Connor? Walk me through it.”

”Nothing exceptional,” Connor said, glancing to Freya. ”We patrolled in Vinewood. No incidents of note. Nothing until the attack this afternoon, and we showed up late for that.”

”You were called in for that mess?” Cornelius asked in mild surprise. ”Why?”

”I was on the investigative track, and Freya has a crisis response certificate,” Connor replied. ”Not that we did much of anything. But just about everyone was called in. I'm surprised I didn't see you there.”

”The whole incident was over in less than a minute,” Cornelius dismissed. ”The first officer on scene cleared it of assailants. There was no need for SPEAR.” His eyes flicked briefly to Dan. ”Besides, Captain Gable had me working on something important.”