they’ll rush the autopsy,” Daniel said to the room in general, “and unlike the first incident, we have a pretty good idea of where Valerie went and who she was talking to. So yes, everyone will be questioned — but don’t panic, because questioning is a long way from detaining or charging, right?”
“Right,” said Rita slowly. “I guess they have to talk to everyone. Just to be sure.”
“Exactly. So don’t panic, and be forthcoming. Don’t try to hide things. We all know, for example, that she was making Vince’s life difficult — but if you whitewash that, pretend there was nothing to that when there obviously was, it just makes things look suspicious. But, of course, you don’t have to answer anything you don’t want to.”
Vince sighed. “What do we do about the convention?”
Paul shook his head. “I don’t know that there’s anything we can do. I mean, a moment of silence across the con, maybe? But it’s not like we have any idea of what happened. And there’s still a chance that they’re not connected, or that Valerie wasn’t even murdered.” He sounded more hopeful than he looked.
Vince sat up. “Okay. We announce to the con that two people have died, but we make it clear that there’s no established connection yet. We’re going to get more Con Aid calls for certain as people worry, so I’m sorry, but you guys are probably going to have to extend shifts — and Daniel, I assume you’re going to be putting on your other hat, but I’d appreciate any liaison work or guidance you can give as we go.”
“Of course.”
“Now, are those two reporters still around?”
“They went for lunch,” Rita reported, “but they have media badges.”
“I think we should have someone showing them around,” Vince said. “Explaining the con, so they don’t write us up as a bunch of maladjusted basement-dwellers, and keeping them from hyping some attendee into a sensational interview about panic at the con.” He looked around the room. “I know we’ve all got full plates, but just, if you see them, check in on them, okay? Just show them around, bore them to death with lack of panic and criminal drama, and get rid of them.”
“The one seemed pretty easy-going,” Rita said. “And Daniel gave the other one the stink-eye. I think it’ll probably be okay.”
Vince continued, “And we need someone managing things in Ops, handling questions and keeping rumors down. Rita, you’ll be in there anyway, and Reg should be slowing down soon; think you can handle that?”
She shrugged. “I’ll try.”
“Good enough. That’s all we’re doing at this point. Nobody plans for this.”
Jacob raised a finger. “I was supposed to do escort for Greg Hammer and his autograph session….” Please don’t make me give that up. I know this is all crazy, but I want that.
“When?” Vince glanced at the schedule on the mobile app and sighed. “Yeah, we need someone on that. Hammer’s too big to leave on his own.”
“Right.”
“I’m going to post a new schedule,” Daniel said, “of times for each of us to talk individually to the officers in the investigation. Let me know when you absolutely cannot make it, but we need everyone and it’ll be easier if we have a plan. It’ll be on the wall there as soon as I can make it happen.”
Daniel’s phone buzzed, and he checked the screen. His mouth thinned. “Autopsy’s not done,” he said, “but preliminary findings are arsenic in the stomach contents. Same poisoning as the other one. We’re looking at a multiple homicide.”
Chapter Ten
Jacob stopped in the Con Ops room to log himself out for Greg Hammer duty. A knocking sound caught his attention, and he turned, scanning for its origin. It was coming from the pass-through, where a woman was smiling and knocking on the wall. “Hello?” she called.
“Sorry,” Jacob said, starting toward her. “Not used to polite knocking, not in this racket. People usually just yell if they
“Right,” said Rita slowly. “I guess they have to talk to everyone. Just to be sure.”
“Exactly. So don’t panic, and be forthcoming. Don’t try to hide things. We all know, for example, that she was making Vince’s life difficult — but if you whitewash that, pretend there was nothing to that when there obviously was, it just makes things look suspicious. But, of course, you don’t have to answer anything you don’t want to.”
Vince sighed. “What do we do about the convention?”
Paul shook his head. “I don’t know that there’s anything we can do. I mean, a moment of silence across the con, maybe? But it’s not like we have any idea of what happened. And there’s still a chance that they’re not connected, or that Valerie wasn’t even murdered.” He sounded more hopeful than he looked.
Vince sat up. “Okay. We announce to the con that two people have died, but we make it clear that there’s no established connection yet. We’re going to get more Con Aid calls for certain as people worry, so I’m sorry, but you guys are probably going to have to extend shifts — and Daniel, I assume you’re going to be putting on your other hat, but I’d appreciate any liaison work or guidance you can give as we go.”
“Of course.”
“Now, are those two reporters still around?”
“They went for lunch,” Rita reported, “but they have media badges.”
“I think we should have someone showing them around,” Vince said. “Explaining the con, so they don’t write us up as a bunch of maladjusted basement-dwellers, and keeping them from hyping some attendee into a sensational interview about panic at the con.” He looked around the room. “I know we’ve all got full plates, but just, if you see them, check in on them, okay? Just show them around, bore them to death with lack of panic and criminal drama, and get rid of them.”
“The one seemed pretty easy-going,” Rita said. “And Daniel gave the other one the stink-eye. I think it’ll probably be okay.”
Vince continued, “And we need someone managing things in Ops, handling questions and keeping rumors down. Rita, you’ll be in there anyway, and Reg should be slowing down soon; think you can handle that?”
She shrugged. “I’ll try.”
“Good enough. That’s all we’re doing at this point. Nobody plans for this.”
Jacob raised a finger. “I was supposed to do escort for Greg Hammer and his autograph session….” Please don’t make me give that up. I know this is all crazy, but I want that.
“When?” Vince glanced at the schedule on the mobile app and sighed. “Yeah, we need someone on that. Hammer’s too big to leave on his own.”
“Right.”
“I’m going to post a new schedule,” Daniel said, “of times for each of us to talk individually to the officers in the investigation. Let me know when you absolutely cannot make it, but we need everyone and it’ll be easier if we have a plan. It’ll be on the wall there as soon as I can make it happen.”
Daniel’s phone buzzed, and he checked the screen. His mouth thinned. “Autopsy’s not done,” he said, “but preliminary findings are arsenic in the stomach contents. Same poisoning as the other one. We’re looking at a multiple homicide.”
Chapter Ten
Jacob stopped in the Con Ops room to log himself out for Greg Hammer duty. A knocking sound caught his attention, and he turned, scanning for its origin. It was coming from the pass-through, where a woman was smiling and knocking on the wall. “Hello?” she called.
“Sorry,” Jacob said, starting toward her. “Not used to polite knocking, not in this racket. People usually just yell if they
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