Shattered (Michael Bennett #14)(30)

Chapter 37



Beth Banks led me into a conference room. Clearly someone walking in off the street had no place in her own office. She didn’t offer me a seat at the long hardwood table. Instead, she turned and faced me.

Ms. Banks said, “I’m confused. Who are you?”

“Michael Bennett.”

“I’ve heard your name. You were listed in some briefing. I’m not sure why you’re here. I’ll give you twenty seconds to say what you have to say.”

She stepped to the end of the table and leaned on it. I realized from experience some sort of emergency alert button was installed at that end of the table. The moment she determined I was a threat, she could summon help. By the looks of her, I doubted she ever needed much help with personal security. Even in those business clothes, I could tell she was in fantastic shape.

I had to start out with a little smart-ass comment. “Is that twenty seconds from now or twenty seconds from when I start talking?”

She kept her poker face. “Fifteen seconds.”

I started to talk fast. Like a real New Yorker. “I’m a detective with the NYPD. I’m looking into Emily Parker’s murder.” I looked down at my nonexistent wristwatch. Then I said, “I think I have eleven seconds left. Is there anything you’d like to say?”

I felt a good deal of satisfaction looking at her stunned expression.

Ms. Banks said, “You’re the guy who’s been bothering everyone in DC.”

“To be fair, I bother a lot of people in New York too.”

“You have no jurisdiction here. What gives you the right to barge into my office?”

“First of all, if I were to be technical, I’m a US citizen and you work for the US government. You should be embarrassed at restricting access to a government office. Second, I’m not going to stop until I find Emily Parker’s killer.”

“You say this like anyone would have an objection to you finding a killer. I knew Emily. I’d love for someone to find her killer.”

“The only way that happens is by asking questions. By gathering information.”

“You can’t do anything with the information you gather. In DC, you’re just an observer. You’re wasting everyone’s time.”

“Really? You don’t think the DC Metropolitan Police Department would want to hear about my findings?” That brought her up short.

“Mr. Bennett, I run the office here. That’s clerical staff, more than thirty law clerks, as well as managing the justice’s schedule. What makes you think I have time to chat with you about this foolishness?”

“Because I’m trying to handle this quietly without any media coverage. I don’t know how long that can last.”

Beth Banks just stared at me. Was she calculating what kind of trouble she’d be in if she murdered me? Was she thinking of talking to her brother?

Then she seemed to regain her senses and said, “I think we’re done here.” She turned toward the door and started to open it.

As I walked out, I said, “I’m just getting started. I’ve heard from a number of sources that your brother and Emily had a relationship.”

Ms. Banks cut me off. “We all did. She was our friend. I don’t like the idea that you think you can walk in here and bully your way into a meeting. My brother and I want nothing more than to see Emily’s killer caught.”

“Great. Then you won’t mind if I get more specific in my questions.”

“Get out, Mr. Bennett.” She didn’t need to raise her voice to make her point. She definitely fell at the upper end of the scary scale.

When I paused for a moment before leaving, Ms. Banks said, “Do you want to explain to your tough NYPD friends how a woman broke your nose before she tossed you out of an office?”

I smiled and slowly started to step through the door. She wasn’t all that smart. She should’ve let me ask my questions. That way she’d know what I knew. She’d also know where the investigation was heading.

As I walked through the front office to the main door, I said, “I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

“For your sake, Mr. Bennett, I hope not.”

That seemed like classic Beth Banks.





Chapter 38



I’d made my voice heard. I felt good, satisfied, that I’d upset another bureaucrat so badly. But to what end? I hadn’t learned anything of value. The only thing I’d really done was go completely overt. There would be no hiding anymore.

When I was trying to do things quietly, I still got harassed by the DC police and my own senator from New York. I didn’t see any reason not to go full speed with my sirens blaring, so to speak.

I still couldn’t get over the fact that Senator Wellmy had tried to buy me with a job in Albany. That was insulting. What happened to the good old days of bribery? Something simple like a suitcase full of cash. Instead, he’d offered me a job I didn’t want in a place I didn’t like. How’d that bozo ever succeed in politics?

I intended to sequester myself in my room and sort through the information I’d picked up. I sure could’ve used an intelligence analyst to help me organize everything. But I was on my own. I wasn’t even sure the FBI would help me if I got in trouble.