Borislow nodded. “That's certainly possible, Detective. But isn't it also possible that the sergeant created the impression that there had been a break-in at his apartment? That's what CID concluded.”

“A boy from the neighborhood saw three men in Tanya Jackson's yard around the time of the murders.”

“The boy could have seen men in the yard. That's true. He also may have seen shadows from trees. It was a dark night, and windy. The boy is ten years old. He gave conflicting accounts of the night to police officers. As I said, Detective, I studied the case thoroughly.”

“Blood that didn't match the murdered women's, or Sergeant Cooper's, was found at the homicide scene.”

General Borislow's demeanor didn't change. “The judge in the case made the call not to allow that into evidence. If I had been the judge, I would have permitted the jury to hear about the blood. We'll never know about it now.”

“Sergeant Cooper's military record before the murders was nearly perfect,” said Sampson.

“He had an excellent record. The Army is well aware of that. It's one of the things that makes this such a tragedy.”

Sampson sighed. He sensed he wasn't getting anywhere. I did too. “General, one more question and then we'll leave. We won't even take our allotted time.”

Borislow didn't blink. “Go ahead with your question.”

“It puzzles me that the Army made no real effort to come to Sergeant Cooper's defense. Not before or during the trial. Obviously, the Army isn't going to try and help him now. Why is that?”

General Borislow nodded at the question, and pursed her lips before she answered it. “Detective Sampson, we appreciate the fact that Ellis Cooper is your friend, and that you've remained loyal to him. We admire that, actually. But your question is easy to answer. The Army, from top to bottom, believes that Sergeant Cooper is guilty of three horrific, cold-blooded murders. We have no intention of helping a murderer go free. I'm afraid that I'm convinced Cooper is a murderer too. I won't be supporting an appeal. I'm sorry that I don't have better news for you.”

After our meeting, Sampson and I were escorted back through the labyrinth of hallways by General Borislow's aide. We were both silent as we walked the long walk to the main lobby.

Once we had left the building and gone outside, he turned to me. “What do you think?”

“I think the Army is hiding something,” I said. “And we don't have much time to find out what it is.”

Alex Cross 8 - Four Blind Mice

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The following morning, Thomas Starkey got a clear picture of just how far things had gone for him. The clarifying incident took place less than two miles from his house in North Carolina.

He had stopped at the local strip mall for copies of USA Today and the Rocky Mount Telegram, plus some raisin cinnamon bagels from the NY Style deli. It was raining hard that morning and he stood with the newspapers and warm bagels under the overhang at the mall, waiting for the downpour to slow.