other hand, was almost too cool and confident. He’d either seen violence and death before, or was playing the role expected of someone who carried a weapon as part of their job. She’d seen the false bravado of many rent-a-cops and rookie officers.
Ella picked up her cell phone, and managed to get Landreth on the line after only two transfers. “Ihave a few more questions I’d like to ask you,” she said.
“I have nothing more to say to you.” he replied.
“I’m conducting an investigation, Doctor Landreth. I can haul you to the station if you prefer.”
“Look, I’m in the middle of something here. The guy you should talk to is Morgan. I know the science end of things, but he knows this operation down to the last detail.”
“Will you connectme to him now?”
“I can’t. He’s at home. I’ll get in touch with him, then have him call you.”
Ella refused to accept his answer and continued to press him until finally Landreth got Morgan on another line, and connected them.
“Come to my apartment,” Morgan told her. “We can talk here.”
It took almost a half hour to get to Morgan’s residence, actually one unit of a duplex located just northeastof Glade Park in the city of Farmington.
Ella pulled up into the steep sloped concrete driveway, parking beside Morgan’s vehicle, a nondescript brown pickup with New Mexico tags. She noted the empty gun rack behind the seat, which, in this part of the country, often held an emergency fishing pole, in case the urge to angle became overwhelming.
Ella noted the address on the mailbox but the absenceof Morgan’s name. Perhaps he’d never gotten around to it, or the place was new to him.
Ella was about to use the brass knocker on the front door when Morgan opened the door.
“Special Investigator Clah, please come in. I had one of my men bring over the personnel files the company keeps on Doctor Landreth and myself, and you’re welcome to look them over. How about a cold one?” As he gesturedtoward a bottle of beer on the coffee table, she noticed the prominent scar on his left arm, just below his wrist.
“No thanks. Still on the job.” Ella said, looking around. There were no decorations or paintings on the wall above the cloth sofa, just an American flag flanked by photos of Morgan in a marine dress uniform and desert combat gear, and a framed set of service ribbons and insignia.
“So, you were a marine. Serve in Desert Storm?” Ella wasn’t surprised, already suspecting he had a military background.
“That’s affirmative. I spent weeks training in the sand, then cruised around on an assault ship while we threatened to invade. The whole thing was a feint, of course. Later we made our advance, but by the time our unit got to Kuwait City, most of the Iraqis had taken off acrossthe desert. Except for a sniper here and there, we didn’t see much real action.”
“How’d you pick up that scar?” Ella looked at his arm again.
His eyes darkened for a moment as he touched the scar, then he smiled. “From a marine, no less. We had a difference of opinion, and settled it behind our LAV. That’s one of our assault vehicles. I got the best of him, but it never got into our records.”
“How did you end up in New Mexico?” Ella looked at the file folders Morgan had placed on the coffee table, but didn’t pick them up. She preferred to hear it from Morgan first, then compare the spoken and written versions.
“I’m here as a result of the job.”
As she walked and passed an open doorway, Ella saw an assault rifle on the table and a shotgun was propped up against the wall. She stoppedin mid-stride.
“They’re both legal,” he said, following her gaze.
“Are all your guards at LabKote this well armed?” Ella asked. “It seems a bit much unless you’re expecting Indian attacks.”
“My men carry what’s needed for their duties, but we always keep a little extra firepower in reserve in case somebody goes postal. Nothing for the
Ella picked up her cell phone, and managed to get Landreth on the line after only two transfers. “Ihave a few more questions I’d like to ask you,” she said.
“I have nothing more to say to you.” he replied.
“I’m conducting an investigation, Doctor Landreth. I can haul you to the station if you prefer.”
“Look, I’m in the middle of something here. The guy you should talk to is Morgan. I know the science end of things, but he knows this operation down to the last detail.”
“Will you connectme to him now?”
“I can’t. He’s at home. I’ll get in touch with him, then have him call you.”
Ella refused to accept his answer and continued to press him until finally Landreth got Morgan on another line, and connected them.
“Come to my apartment,” Morgan told her. “We can talk here.”
It took almost a half hour to get to Morgan’s residence, actually one unit of a duplex located just northeastof Glade Park in the city of Farmington.
Ella pulled up into the steep sloped concrete driveway, parking beside Morgan’s vehicle, a nondescript brown pickup with New Mexico tags. She noted the empty gun rack behind the seat, which, in this part of the country, often held an emergency fishing pole, in case the urge to angle became overwhelming.
Ella noted the address on the mailbox but the absenceof Morgan’s name. Perhaps he’d never gotten around to it, or the place was new to him.
Ella was about to use the brass knocker on the front door when Morgan opened the door.
“Special Investigator Clah, please come in. I had one of my men bring over the personnel files the company keeps on Doctor Landreth and myself, and you’re welcome to look them over. How about a cold one?” As he gesturedtoward a bottle of beer on the coffee table, she noticed the prominent scar on his left arm, just below his wrist.
“No thanks. Still on the job.” Ella said, looking around. There were no decorations or paintings on the wall above the cloth sofa, just an American flag flanked by photos of Morgan in a marine dress uniform and desert combat gear, and a framed set of service ribbons and insignia.
“So, you were a marine. Serve in Desert Storm?” Ella wasn’t surprised, already suspecting he had a military background.
“That’s affirmative. I spent weeks training in the sand, then cruised around on an assault ship while we threatened to invade. The whole thing was a feint, of course. Later we made our advance, but by the time our unit got to Kuwait City, most of the Iraqis had taken off acrossthe desert. Except for a sniper here and there, we didn’t see much real action.”
“How’d you pick up that scar?” Ella looked at his arm again.
His eyes darkened for a moment as he touched the scar, then he smiled. “From a marine, no less. We had a difference of opinion, and settled it behind our LAV. That’s one of our assault vehicles. I got the best of him, but it never got into our records.”
“How did you end up in New Mexico?” Ella looked at the file folders Morgan had placed on the coffee table, but didn’t pick them up. She preferred to hear it from Morgan first, then compare the spoken and written versions.
“I’m here as a result of the job.”
As she walked and passed an open doorway, Ella saw an assault rifle on the table and a shotgun was propped up against the wall. She stoppedin mid-stride.
“They’re both legal,” he said, following her gaze.
“Are all your guards at LabKote this well armed?” Ella asked. “It seems a bit much unless you’re expecting Indian attacks.”
“My men carry what’s needed for their duties, but we always keep a little extra firepower in reserve in case somebody goes postal. Nothing for the
Similar Books
