Hit List (Stone Barrington #53)(51)

“No,” Dino replied. “I’m not. I’ve just learned that there’s a leak in my department, somebody fairly high up, I think.”

“Do you know who?”

“Not yet, but I’m going to find out.” Dino took a deep breath. “I may as well tell you this now: Frances Bowers and her nurse are dead.”

“Oh, no, no,” Stone managed to say. “What happened?”

“Somebody tased and cuffed the two cops on duty, then took a knife to the two women.”

“And you think somebody in your department leaked the location.”

“That’s about the size of it. Also, they didn’t kill the cops, so whoever the leak was apparently made that a condition. Not even the worst guy in the department would have gone along with killing two cops.”

“Does the DA know?”

“I just spoke to him. He said we have no case, now. Everything depended on Frances’s testimony. I wish we had recorded her.”

“I did,” Stone said. He turned on his iPhone, found the conversation, and handed it to Dino.

Dino listened. “Can you send this to me and the DA?”

Stone e-mailed the files.

“I feel better now,” Dino said. “But you shouldn’t.”

“I guess not,” Stone said. “Don’t mention this to the Eagles or to Jenna; it will spoil their trip.”

“Okay.”

Stone called Joan.

“Yes, boss?”

“We’re on the way home, landing in about three hours. Send Fred, and let Mike Freeman know that we need manpower again. I want four people on the house, day and night.”

“I’ll let Mike know.”

“Oh, the Eagles are coming with us, and so is a woman named Jenna Post.”

“I take it we’ll need only one guest room prepared?”

“Good guess. Listen, you watch yourself, you hear?”

“Are we in trouble again?”

“Yep. I have a feeling I’m next on the hit list.”

“I was afraid you were going to say that.”

“See you later.” He hung up and turned to Dino. “I’m going to have to tell Jenna and the Eagles,” he said.

“Okay by me.”

“I’ve ordered people from Strategic Services, but I could use a patrol car outside the house.”

“Done,” Dino said, and picked up the satphone.

Stone moved back across the aisle. “I have to tell you all something,” he said.

Everyone started paying attention.

“Our witness against the hit-list murderer was killed this morning, which means the guy beat us back to New York. I’ve ordered round-the-clock security at the house, and Dino is going to have a patrol car outside. If anybody wants to go back to Santa Fe, the airplane can turn around right now and take you home.”

Nobody said anything. Finally, Ed spoke. “Loan us a couple of handguns. I’d love a shot at this guy.”

“Done,” Stone said. “Jenna, how do you feel about this?”

“I don’t want to go back to Santa Fe, if this guy is my neighbor,” she said. “I think I’d feel safer with you. And the Eagles.”





41


Fred met them at the airport and drove them and the Eagles back to Stone’s house, while Dino’s official car met him and took him to his office.

Joan greeted them at the house, and Fred dealt with their luggage.

“All quiet here?” Stone asked Joan.

“So far. The latest killings have been on the news.”

“Yes, and Dino thinks he has a leak in his department.”



* * *



—

The moment Dino reached his office he called in his secretary and his deputy. “We’ve got a leak in the department,” he said to them, “probably high up. I want the files of everybody who had any knowledge of the protection of the witness, Frances Bowers, regardless of rank.”

“Yes, sir,” the secretary said, going to her filing cabinets, while Dino’s deputy, Chief Bill Jenkins, hung back.

“Is there anybody you suspect?” Jenkins asked Dino.

“I’ve been thinking about it, but I haven’t come up with anything. You requisition a couple of investigators from down the ladder and go through every personnel file of anyone who could be involved. Look for recent, large bank deposits, purchase of new cars, houses, etcetera. Let’s see if we can pare down the list of suspects.”

“My wife was at the supermarket yesterday,” Jenkins said, “and she saw Marty Case’s wife getting into a new Mercedes.” Case was deputy chief of detectives.

“Start there,” Dino said. “Find out if the wife has money of her own and which dealer she bought the car from. I want to know if they took out a loan or paid cash.”

“I’m on it,” Jenkins said, then left. Half an hour later, he returned. “She has no family money, and they paid cash to the Manhattan dealer: $125,000.”

“Get Marty up here now,” Dino said. “Tell him we need his help on a case and to keep his mouth shut about it. And don’t tell the chief of detectives.”

Jenkins picked up a phone and made a call. “He’s on his way.”