Chapter One #3
“I see.” Cooper didn’t hold that against her in the slightest. “What can you tell me about Eckhart’s death?”
Hallie rested a small hand on her acacia desktop and said equably, “At approximately seven o’clock last night, he was shot to death in the Gotzon Garage on North Second Street.
Ballistics found that the bullets used for the two shots to the head at close range came from a Korth 2.
75-inch Carry Special .357 Magnum revolver.
As the garage attendant on duty at the time heard nothing, I’m guessing the shooter used a sound suppressor. ”
“Sounds like it was a targeted assassination,” Cooper said, contemplating the notion of someone taking Eckhart out.
“We think this was the result of a carjacking,” Hallie told him matter-of-factly.
“Or so it seems. The victim’s wallet and car keys were missing—which made him initially a John Doe.
A license plate reader picked up a BMW M8 Gran Coupe as it left the garage.
It was registered to a Horace S. Eckhart.
Only he wasn’t inside the vehicle, we soon discovered, in putting two and two together,” she pointed out.
“Video surveillance showed two people wearing ski masks were in the front seat. The BMW was found abandoned two miles away on Sopley Road. The Crime Scene Response Unit is going over it even as we speak, hoping to find DNA or prints that belong to the unsubs and can lead us to them.”
Cooper bristled. “Hope you find them soon,” he muttered, disturbed at this unexpected twist in his investigation. Who were they? And why carjack this vehicle in particular? “I’d like to have a little talk with the suspects myself.”
“You’re more than welcome to interview them once we have them in custody,” Hallie said assuredly.
“All right.” He pinched his nose, pondering. “In the meantime, my public corruption investigation will continue.”
Her gaze sharpened. “You really think that Eckhart’s death is related to your case?”
“That’s still an open question,” Cooper admitted, knowing there were more leads to follow before making a proper assessment. But his gut instincts told him that the smoke and fire thing probably meant something. “Let’s just say it’s pretty suspicious with the timing and all.”
Hallie nodded. “I can understand that.”
“When I have more to go on, I’ll let you know.”
“Do that,” she said. “If our cases interlock—and apparently they have, no matter how you slice it—I want to be kept in the loop, Agent Reid.”
“Of course, Detective Flores,” he promised, and added, to be sure they understood each other, “That works both ways.”
Hallie smiled. “Agreed.”
After getting to his feet, Cooper shook the detective’s soft hand before leaving her cubicle.
Once outside, he got on his cell phone and relayed what he had just learned to Amelia. “Eckhart was listed as a John Doe—delaying his identification and connecting the dots with our bribery case.”
“I see,” she said thoughtfully. “So, was it a fatal carjacking?”
“Yes and no,” Cooper answered, considering the question. “I suspect that the carjacking may have been a ruse meant to disassociate it with the public corruption investigation.”
Amelia breathed into the phone. “If so, then the bribery case has just elevated itself into a homicide investigation.”
“That’s my way of thinking,” he agreed. “Until proven otherwise.” He would keep an open mind, though, while Hallie Flores conducted her own murder investigation.
“Let’s just see where this goes,” Cooper threw out, knowing that the special agent in charge could pull the plug on the case with Eckhart dead—but believed she wanted to see it through, like himself.
“Okay,” Amelia told him without preface, and offered a vote of confidence. “Take it wherever you need to in order to properly close this case of public corruption. Or delve deeper, if necessary—”
“You’ve got it,” he promised, before disconnecting the phone.
Inside his Dodge Durango, Cooper left the police department parking lot and drove off.
On Seventh Avenue, he passed by downtown construction well under way for a major revitalization of the area.
It was the most recent development project that Horace Eckhart had approved at least part of, but would never get to see completed next year.
Cooper turned his attention to Lexi De La Garza, an architect whose name had surfaced in several commercial developments that Eckhart oversaw in his capacity as a senior building inspector in making sure these were up to code—or not—on the various required fronts—including electrical, mechanical, plumbing, etc.
, in relation to the approved plans and permits.
With Eckhart dead, it was time to pay her a visit and see what information she could provide as far as his possible solicitation of funds from her—or vice versa—in order to receive favorable treatment. And see to what extent, if any, she may have been involved in Eckhart’s criminal activity.
Or, for that matter, whether Lexi De La Garza was in any way a party to Eckhart’s murder.