Fatal Reckoning (Fatal #14)(82)

“It had gotten archived somehow.”

“What does that mean?”

“When we’re working a case, we keep everything associated with the case as part of the active file, including the film. For whatever reason, this piece of film wasn’t part of the case file. I found it in the archives.”

Sam tried to process what he was saying. “How did you know to look there?”

“After scouring everything attached to the case file, I went through all the other footage we have from that day in the archives, just to see if we’d missed anything.”

“In other words, if you hadn’t done that, this might never have been seen again?”

“Correct.”

“Can you tell who archived it?”

“I’m going to dig into that and see what I can find out.”

“But it had to have been someone inside this building?”

“That’s also correct. It would be someone who had access to case files and had admin authority. Captain or above.”

Sam’s legs felt rubbery, so she took a seat, landing hard in his visitor’s chair. “What the hell is this, Archie?”

“I don’t know, but you can bet that our whole team is doing everything we can to get to the bottom of it.”

“And when we do? What happens then?”

“Then we throw the book at the motherfuckers who did this.” His eyes fairly burned with the same fury she’d felt for years.

She leaned forward and dropped her head into her hands.

Archie sat next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. “I can’t begin to imagine how difficult this has to be for you.”

“It’s nothing compared to how difficult life was for him the last four years.”

“Still, to have the trail leading in-house is a kick in the teeth for all of us, but no one more so than you.”

Sam shrugged. “It’s not going to change anything or bring him back.”

“Maybe not, but at least the person or people who tried to kill him won’t be walking around free anymore.”

It would be, Sam realized, a smaller comfort to catch his shooter now that her dad was gone than it would’ve been when he was still alive.

“There is that, and at least he won’t be here to find out that one of his friends might’ve been involved.”

“True.”

Marshaling her resources, she stood and took a deep breath. “Thank you for your hard work on this. It’s much appreciated.”

“I wish I could say it’s my pleasure, but it’s certainly a privilege to hopefully get justice for a great man and decorated police officer.”

“Thank you, Archie. I appreciate the heads-up on this.”

“No problem.”

“Let me know if you find anything else.”

“You’ll be the first to know.”

“You’re the best.” Sam left him with a small smile and headed downstairs, continuing to puzzle through the various things they’d learned in the last few days and trying to make sense of the new details in the larger context.

Freddie was waiting for her when she returned to the pit. “No sign of the Coyne case files in your dad’s boxes.”

Sam thought of the boxes they’d found in Celia’s attic. “Do you recall seeing them in the stuff at the house?” They’d rifled through the boxes so fast, she barely remembered what she’d seen.

“They weren’t there.”

“Do you think it was a coincidence that Dad was shot days after he checked out those files on a cold case involving his former partner?”

“My partner, a very wise woman, has taught me that there’s no such thing as coincidences.”

“She is a very wise woman to have taught you that.”

“You won’t hear me arguing. What did Archie want?”

“Come in.”

He followed her into the office, closed the door and leaned back against it.

“He found archived footage from the day of the shooting that shows Conklin right in the middle of the emergency response.”

“Wow.”

“The thing is—only a captain or above can archive the footage.”

“Was he able to determine who did it?”

“He’s working on that.”

“It’s like one bombshell after another.”

“After years of nothing.”

“How’re you doing?”

“I’m trying to make sense of things that make no sense, but otherwise, I’m fine.”

A knock sounded on the office door. Freddie pushed himself off the door and opened it to Captain Malone.

“Could I have a minute, Lieutenant?”

Sam waved him in. “Of course.” To Freddie, she said, “Let me know when Hill is ready to start.”

“I will.” Freddie left the office and pulled the door closed.

“What’s up?” Sam asked the captain.

“After the chief and I were at Conklin’s the other night, he made three calls right after we left—one to his wife, one to his sleazeball lawyer, Bagley, and the other to Roy Gallagher.”

Tingles once again electrified her, feeding the buzz of being onto something big. “That’s the second time today Gallagher’s name has come up. I saw Alice Coyne Fitzgerald earlier, and she said something about him having been part of your posse out of the academy.”