the excitement’s out this way?” Baronick flashed his too-bright smile. “Besides, I heard Kevin here had made a big find.”
Pete shot a look at his officer. Since when had Kevin started including the county police on their cases without going through Pete first?
Kevin’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “The crime scene guys called it in.”
Pete eased up on the kid. He already knew county would lay claim to all evidence collected. They had the lab facilities. Vance Township didn’t. “What’d you find?”
Kevin held out another evidence bag. “A bullet. Found it with the metal detector.”
Still wearing his glove, Pete spilled the bag’s contents into his hand. The lump of lead was larger than the one Nate had dug out of the ambulance. While deformed, this one held some promise.
Kevin hooked his thumbs through his duty belt. “Considering the location of the shooter and the victims, this has to be the bullet that struck Curtis Knox.”
Pete retrieved his reading glasses from his pocket and perched them on his nose before pinching the slug between his finger and thumb, holding it up for closer scrutiny.
Baronick leaned over Pete’s shoulder. “Thirty caliber.”
Pete grunted. “Doesn’t narrow it down a whole hell of a lot.” From the corner of his eye, he noticed Kevin deflate. Glancing at the officer, he nodded. “But it might help rule out some potential suspects. Good work, Kevin.”
The young officer puffed up again and smiled.
Pete eyed Baronick. “Have you found anything?”
“More dead ends. I ran a trace on the phone used to report the so-called ATV accident. Turned out to be a burner phone. I have my guys trying to track down where it was bought, but nothing yet.” He straightened. “You were off to check on Eli Sullivan. Anything there?”
“Claims he was at Rodeo’s the time of the shooting.” Pete returned the slug to the envelope and handed it to Baronick. “I’ve sent Seth over there to ask if anyone can confirm his alibi. He also claimed he had a quad but sold it for cash to, as he put it, ‘some old dude at the bar.’ Hopefully Seth can dig up our old dude while he’s at it.”
Baronick jotted his name on the chain of evidence tag on Kevin’s bag, then scooped up the one Nate had brought in and did the same with it. “You do realize there’s still one huge hole in any case you might make against Sullivan.”
Pete grunted. “You mean how he would have known who would be in the ambulance responding to the call?”
“That’s the one.”
“Yeah. Combined with the fact that I don’t see him as smart enough to pull this off, I doubt he’s our man.”
Baronick shoved the evidence bags in his pocket. “Which leaves us with an unknown gunman out there taking random potshots at emergency medical personnel.”
Like Zoe. Who was on duty tonight. For a fleeting moment, Pete considered asking her to call off. But he knew she wouldn’t.
Pete noticed Nate bracing his elbow against the table and holding his head in his hand, eyes closed. Pete barked the officer’s name in his come-to-attention voice.
Nate jolted upright, eyes wide.
“Go home,” Pete said, softer. “Get some sleep. This investigation is turning into a marathon instead of a sprint, and I don’t want my officers conking out when I need them the most.”
Nate climbed to his feet. “Yes, sir. But if something breaks and you need me…”
“I have your number. Go.”
As Nate headed out, Pete turned to Kevin. “You too.”
“I’m fine.”
Pete aimed a thumb at the door.
“What about you?” Kevin protested. “Chief, you’ve been up all night after working all day yesterday and now today.”
Pete held up his coffee cup. “I’m good. I’m also the boss. Go home.”
Kevin stood his ground.
“Go. Home. I can’t get out of here until I have some well-rested men to take over. The sooner you and Nate catch some Zs, the sooner I can do likewise.”
Kevin mulled it over and
Pete shot a look at his officer. Since when had Kevin started including the county police on their cases without going through Pete first?
Kevin’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “The crime scene guys called it in.”
Pete eased up on the kid. He already knew county would lay claim to all evidence collected. They had the lab facilities. Vance Township didn’t. “What’d you find?”
Kevin held out another evidence bag. “A bullet. Found it with the metal detector.”
Still wearing his glove, Pete spilled the bag’s contents into his hand. The lump of lead was larger than the one Nate had dug out of the ambulance. While deformed, this one held some promise.
Kevin hooked his thumbs through his duty belt. “Considering the location of the shooter and the victims, this has to be the bullet that struck Curtis Knox.”
Pete retrieved his reading glasses from his pocket and perched them on his nose before pinching the slug between his finger and thumb, holding it up for closer scrutiny.
Baronick leaned over Pete’s shoulder. “Thirty caliber.”
Pete grunted. “Doesn’t narrow it down a whole hell of a lot.” From the corner of his eye, he noticed Kevin deflate. Glancing at the officer, he nodded. “But it might help rule out some potential suspects. Good work, Kevin.”
The young officer puffed up again and smiled.
Pete eyed Baronick. “Have you found anything?”
“More dead ends. I ran a trace on the phone used to report the so-called ATV accident. Turned out to be a burner phone. I have my guys trying to track down where it was bought, but nothing yet.” He straightened. “You were off to check on Eli Sullivan. Anything there?”
“Claims he was at Rodeo’s the time of the shooting.” Pete returned the slug to the envelope and handed it to Baronick. “I’ve sent Seth over there to ask if anyone can confirm his alibi. He also claimed he had a quad but sold it for cash to, as he put it, ‘some old dude at the bar.’ Hopefully Seth can dig up our old dude while he’s at it.”
Baronick jotted his name on the chain of evidence tag on Kevin’s bag, then scooped up the one Nate had brought in and did the same with it. “You do realize there’s still one huge hole in any case you might make against Sullivan.”
Pete grunted. “You mean how he would have known who would be in the ambulance responding to the call?”
“That’s the one.”
“Yeah. Combined with the fact that I don’t see him as smart enough to pull this off, I doubt he’s our man.”
Baronick shoved the evidence bags in his pocket. “Which leaves us with an unknown gunman out there taking random potshots at emergency medical personnel.”
Like Zoe. Who was on duty tonight. For a fleeting moment, Pete considered asking her to call off. But he knew she wouldn’t.
Pete noticed Nate bracing his elbow against the table and holding his head in his hand, eyes closed. Pete barked the officer’s name in his come-to-attention voice.
Nate jolted upright, eyes wide.
“Go home,” Pete said, softer. “Get some sleep. This investigation is turning into a marathon instead of a sprint, and I don’t want my officers conking out when I need them the most.”
Nate climbed to his feet. “Yes, sir. But if something breaks and you need me…”
“I have your number. Go.”
As Nate headed out, Pete turned to Kevin. “You too.”
“I’m fine.”
Pete aimed a thumb at the door.
“What about you?” Kevin protested. “Chief, you’ve been up all night after working all day yesterday and now today.”
Pete held up his coffee cup. “I’m good. I’m also the boss. Go home.”
Kevin stood his ground.
“Go. Home. I can’t get out of here until I have some well-rested men to take over. The sooner you and Nate catch some Zs, the sooner I can do likewise.”
Kevin mulled it over and
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