“I’ll try, but I can’t be obvious, at least not while internal affairs is investigating the complaint. That’s why I have high hopes about the forest cams. Thanks for your cooperation.”

“Sure. We all want the same thing. I’ll spare people to help as I’m able.”

Yarrow nodded and almost seemed ready to say something else, but he didn’t. He left the office. Tess was glad his visits lacked the edge they used to have. He hadn’t been nearly as brusque since the fire, and that was welcome.

–––

Tess continued on to the Hollow Grind, where she enjoyed an infusion of caffeine and sugar, and was on her way back to the station when her phone rang. It was Agent Bass. She answered, wondering if he’d found a new place for Chevy.

“I just don’t have any place else to put her right now.” He sounded harried and preoccupied. “What’s your opinion? Was there any damage done?”

“That’s impossible to tell. But people are talking. I was just at the coffee shop, and two people asked me about the incident. They figured out that she came from Faith’s Place. I’m sorry, but if it were up to me, I’d move her.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.”

“Is there any movement with the case?” Tess asked.

“Beck’s still trying to get all the search warrants invalidated, the charges dropped.”

“They always try stuff like that.”

“Yeah, he might have a loophole. Remember I told you this all started with a flight attendant pointing out a man traveling with two girls she thought looked hinky?”

“I do.”

“There might have been a Miranda violation there on the part of an air marshal. Beck’s lawyer is screaming that the search warrants were obtained using fruit of the poisonous tree and therefore they need to be thrown out, along with all the evidence, and his client released from any monitoring.”

“Wow.” Tess felt anger surge. It was so very important for all law enforcement officers to follow procedure to the letter. She felt sick to her stomach about the thought that a mistake at the beginning, when officers really didn’t have a complete idea about what they had, could destroy what looked like a solid, serious case.

“When will you go before a judge on the situation?”

“Soon, I hope. So far, Beck’s lawyers have been slowing things down, but with this new gambit, we may hear in a couple of days. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can move Chevy. . . . I’m just not hopeful.”

24

Gage had not yet arrived. According to the latest communication from Cyrus, he was taking care of some last-minute details. Ice didn’t care. He had high hopes that he would wrap up this assignment long before Gage got in a car and headed north.