Risky Undertaking by Mark de Castrique Page A

Mr. Coffee without bothering to check if either grounds or water were ready. Marge, our chief dispatcher, always prepped the machine when she beat Tommy Lee into the department. He plopped behind his desk and the old metal swivel chair squealed in protest as he leaned back. Reece and I sat in two chairs across from him.
    Tommy Lee laced his fingers behind his head. “So, Sammy came running in here right after Luther called him?”
    â€œNo,” Reece said. “Not the first time. He came in waving an envelope.”
    The chair squealed louder as Tommy Lee rocked forward. “What envelope?”
    â€œOne that came to his office last Friday. He was out because of Eurleen’s death.”
    â€œAll the owners,” I said.
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” Reece asked.
    â€œWhat was in the envelope?” Tommy Lee asked.
    â€œA broken feather and a note to stay away from Bell Ridge.” Reece looked at me. “Owners? Did Luther and Archie get envelopes?”
    â€œYes,” I said. “None signed and no return address.”
    â€œDoes the mayor still have his?” Tommy Lee asked Reece.
    â€œNo, I logged it into the evidence room.”
    Tommy Lee turned to me. “What about Luther’s?”
    â€œI’ve got it as well as Archie’s.”
    â€œGood,” Tommy Lee said. “Give them to Reece.”
    â€œYou want me to log them in?” Reece asked.
    â€œYes. Then I want you to take them to the FBI field office in Asheville.”
    Reece’s eyes expanded to the size of baseballs. “The FBI?”
    â€œYeah. They’re going to be involved sooner or later. We have a dead Cherokee who might have been abducted from the reservation. If it’s kidnapping and murder, we’re looking at crimes across lines of sovereignty beyond simple state boundaries. I want to be preemptive in establishing our lead role. We have the murder, but the FBI has the best lab resources in the world. I’ll call Special Agent Lindsay Boyce to let her know you’re coming.”
    Reece nodded vigorously. An assignment with the FBI ranked at the top of his bucket list. I saw not only the wisdom of letting Reece be a glorified errand boy, but also the advantage of contacting Lindsay Boyce. She was Tommy Lee’s niece and she idolized her uncle. She’d watch his back if the feds tried to throw their weight around.
    â€œHow about Luther’s children?” Tommy Lee asked.
    â€œI’m checking on Darren. Wakefield’s tracking Sandra.”
    â€œI’ve heard Luther brag on both of them,” Reece said. “You’d think the boy was the kingpin of Washington DC and his sister’s some big executive in an Atlanta dental equipment company.”
    Tommy Lee waved us away. “Let’s get to work, gentlemen.”
    Reece hesitated. “Will you call the mayor?”
    â€œYes,” Tommy Lee said. “Why’d he come back the second time?”
    â€œBecause Luther called him.” Reece looked at me and I saw a rare expression of sympathy. “He said Luther complained that Barry had harassed him about his whereabouts last night.”
    Tommy Lee smiled. “If Luther thinks Barry harassed him, he’ll love it when I knock on his door.”
    I swung by Deputy Wakefield’s desk on my way to my own. “Any luck with Luther’s daughter?”
    He looked up from his computer screen. “Yeah. Sandra works for a company called G. A. Bridges in Atlanta. I called their headquarters and they said she was in a sales meeting. It started at eight and goes through lunch. That matches what Luther said, so I didn’t leave a message.” He glanced back at the monitor. “Now I’m checking with neighboring sheriff and police departments in case Luther was involved in any traffic stops.”
    â€œGood. I’ll put on my best funeral director voice for my call to Darren’s firm.”
    Wilder