Acoustic Shadows. Patrick Kendrick

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СКАЧАТЬ were hurled like Frisbees at the Chief from the myriad of reporters who were still showing up by the dozens. They were in vans with giant telescoping antennae being manoeuvred and raised. There was a helicopter flying overhead. Chief Dunham felt dizzy.

      ‘Are you saying there was more than one shooter, Chief Dunham?’

      ‘It … appears, at this point, that, uh, there were two shooters.’

      ‘Can you tell us who they were?’ asked another reporter.

      ‘I’m sorry,’ said the Chief, ‘but this is still an ongoing investigation. The last thing I can tell you is that I will be working with local and state law enforcement agencies, and we will let the news media know more as soon as we know more. Now, I have to go.’

      Gruber threw in one last long-shot question. ‘Can you confirm that one of the shooters survived?’

      Chief Dunham looked back at the reporter, frowning. ‘No comment,’ he said, as he pulled himself away from the crowd and pushed his way back through to the command post, his cell phone ringing audibly.

      Gruber whirled back to the camera dramatically. ‘There it is, Gail. Police Chief Dunham, from the Sebring Police Department, issuing a statement where, at this point at least, it appears there were two gunmen, one of whom may still be alive. And, more importantly, his statement confirms stories of some heroes arising out of this … maelstrom, if you will, particularly, this unknown teacher who, evidently, was able to wrestle a gun away from one of the shooters and stop them before they killed more today. Gail, back to you … ’

      Gail Summer’s eyes were large and moist, pupils dilated, excited. This was a story that was just going to keep giving.

      ‘Well, okay, thank you,’ she said as the camera focused back to her. ‘Thanks to Dave Gruber, our reporter with local affiliate, KBFT, Channel 7, out of Orlando, who was first on the scene with coverage for us. We will keep you posted on this … tragedy, yet another school shooting in a tight-knit community located right in the middle of Florida, really, in what some people might call idyllic, small-town America, typical of where so many of these types of incidents are occurring. Once again, we must ask ourselves, why is this happening and where will the next human tornado vent its fury? We have to take a break right now, but stay tuned as our coverage of this tragedy continues.’

      Governor Scott Croll watched the broadcast in his office as his private plane was being readied for his departure. He would be on the ground and at the school in less than an hour. Next to him was Commissioner Jim Bullock, the chief of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement – the FDLE – and one of his top investigators, Special Agent Justin Thiery.

      Thiery was a broad-shouldered former quarterback for the University of Florida’s Gators, who maintained his upside-down triangle figure with a steady regimen of weights, running, and sparring. He’d originally been with the Capitol Police, the governor’s own dedicated police force, but as budgets shrank over the years – streamlined, as politicos called it – the CPs were ‘absorbed’ by the FDLE in the 1990s. Thiery was not happy about being absorbed, but what’s a guy going to do when he’s halfway to a pension? He stayed put, and kept his mouth shut, and did his job. He did it well.

      Croll strode over to Thiery and, though the crown of his head barely reached the level of Thiery’s coat pocket, he stuck out his hand and shook Thiery’s with robust enthusiasm, his persuasive grip conveying a veiled challenge that belied his diminutive size.

      ‘Good to see you again, Agent Thiery. How’s the family?’ His wide-eyed gaze was engaging, yet unsettling.

      Thiery had no idea what Croll was talking about. His wife had left him long ago and his two sons were grown and gone. ‘Everyone’s fine,’ he replied. ‘Thank you. And yours?’

      Croll cocked his head. ‘Where does that accent come from, Agent Thiery? South Georgia?’

      ‘Close enough. I’m a Gainesville native, sir.’

      ‘Ah. Don’t meet many of those.’ Croll nodded and pursed his lips as if trying to recall something. ‘My eldest daughter just made the USA tennis team. We’re very proud of her.’

      ‘Outstanding.’

      ‘Yes,’ said Croll. ‘Did Jim, er, the Commissioner go over our expectations?’

      ‘Yes, sir. I’m to take the lead in the school shooting investigation.’

      ‘That’s right. Jim says you’re the best man for it.’

      Thiery glanced at Bullock, who simply raised his eyebrows.

      ‘I’ll do my best, sir. But, can I ask why you want our department to handle this?’

      Croll looked at Thiery as if it was obvious. ‘We’re consolidating our efforts. Trying to increase our efficiency; something I’ve been asking all of our departments to do. Frankly, there are so many departments on scene down there now, they’re tripping over each other. You caught the police chief from Podunk, right?’

      Thiery had seen the small town chief on the news, felt bad for him, but there was no way he was going to knock another cop just to cater to a politician. He asked, ‘What about ATF or the FBI? One of my associates in Lakeland said the young shooter, what’s his name? Coody? Said he’d heard the kid had his apartment booby-trapped.’

      ‘As a matter of fact, the FBI has sent an agent from their WMD office in Miami. A woman named Sara Logan. Know her?’

      Thiery took a long breath, let it out slow. He knew her well, though it had been a few years since he’d seen her. He knew her personally. ‘We’ve worked together on some cases.’

      ‘Problems?’ asked Croll, noting Thiery’s sudden uneasiness.

      ‘No,’ he replied.

      Croll stared at him now, his lidless eyes like a gecko’s. ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to get out of this assignment, Agent Thiery.’ His smile was a painful grimace.

      Thiery returned his stare. ‘Not at all, sir. I just don’t want to get knee deep, then have the case pulled from me by the Feds. Besides, they seem to have resources we don’t, anymore.’

      Croll forced a laugh. ‘You believe this guy, Jim? I thought you’d be thrilled to take part. We need a hero to rise out of this, fellas, and frankly, the FDLE could use one, too.’

      ‘I’m flattered and very interested, sir. It’s just … it’s going to be a huge case. Complicated. If we’re going to follow the Feds’ lead, I’d rather it be up front and avoid a hostile takeover, or turf war. That’s all.’

      Bullock spoke up. ‘I think that’s all he’s trying to say. Right, Justin?’

      ‘That’s all I did say,’ said Thiery.

      Croll stopped smiling. ‘Well, okay. When you’re in the position to make those kinds of decisions, maybe you can go that way. For now, you’re the man, the SAS, the Special Agent Supervisor. Our man. Pull this thing together so Florida doesn’t continue to look like a bunch of morons who can’t even vote right. Do the job you’re supposed to be so good at, capiche?’

      Thiery nodded, but said nothing.

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