Chapter 5
When Sandoval returned without Malloy, Sydney took the opportunity to mention what she'd avoided saying earlier. "There's another possible suspect, Walker," she said softly, not wanting the blond outside to overhear. All eyes on her, she continued. "At the karate studio, Malloy's brother came in just as we were leaving." She spoke slowly, and was a little annoyed at the hesitancy in her voice.
She'd not expected a good reaction to her words, but she'd definitely been unprepared for Sandoval to jump up the moment after he'd sat down. "No way in hell are you accusing Tommy of murder. Accusing Trent is bad enough. Tommy? No!"
"Easy, Carlos." Walker stood and put a hand on the agitated detective's shoulder. "Sydney doesn't know Trent, or his family. She's giving a professional, unbiased opinion." He paused. "And she's right. Everything we have that points to Trent could also indicate Tommy."
"He would have no reason to kill her!" Carlos exclaimed. "And he's less capable of hurting someone than Trent is, if that's even possible!"
"You know," Gage said, "there was a reason we waited until Malloy wasn't in here to say anything. But I'm pretty sure they could hear you down at Ranger Headquarters."
Sandoval shot him a look and Sydney stood and moved between them, lest anything escalate. "Detective, I'm sorry if you don't like what I have to say, but if you're getting this worked up over this case, then maybe you shouldn't be on it." She kept her voice deliberately calm, not wanting him to think she was trying to push him around. That wasn't her intention and if he perceived it that way, it wouldn't do them any good.
The truth was that she wanted to agree with Walker, Trivette, and Carlos. Earlier, she'd gotten the distinct impression that Malloy had been hiding something, but that had more or less dissipated after he'd opened up this afternoon. He seemed like a nice guy, and Walker was the best judge of character she'd met in a very long time.
"She may have a point, Carlos," Trivette said slowly. "You might be too close to this case."
"I don't care," Sandoval replied, and it occurred to Sydney why he and Walker seemed to work well together. The man was almost as stubborn as her boss.
"You're not going to have much choice in a day or two," Walker said slowly, drawing all eyes toward him. "ATF is sending some of its people out to look into this; they're not going to be keen on interference from local law enforcement to begin with, and especially not from the prime suspect's best friend."
The man's shoulders fell. "The feds are gonna bury him, Walker."
"I think so too. But I have no intention of letting them." He paused. "Cooperate with them as much as you can. You're going to have to pick your battles."
"Easier said than done," the detective groused. "You wouldn't stand by and let them take over if it was your case."
"No, but the Rangers have a little more pull than the Dallas PD," Gage pointed out, and Sydney half expected Sandoval to jump on him for that, but he only nodded.
"Besides," Walker added, "No one ever said it wasn't my case."
At that, Alex spoke for the first time all night. "Technically, the Rangers will share jurisdiction in this with ATF and whoever else they bring in – probably the FBI, if anyone. Right before you all arrived, I got a phone call informing me that I'm the lucky one who gets to be the liaison between the District Attorney's office and federal law enforcement."
"Which means that if and when they decide Trent's guilty, you get to prosecute." Sandoval sighed, and finally sat back down.
Alex nodded slowly. "If it gets to that, I'll try to plead conflict of interest; I've known Trent a long time." She hesitated. "I don't know if that'll work, though; it will depend on the agents they send out, most likely."
"The agents who sends?"
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Trent hung in the doorway, leaning against the wall as an uncomfortable silence descended over the room. Either they'd all forgotten he was there, or… no, they'd probably all forgotten about him.
When no one answered, he repeated himself, and Alex finally replied, her voice soft and strained, "ATF is sending agents to look into Kristin's death themselves. Walker will be working with them, and I'll most likely be prosecuting."
There was so much in her words that made him feel ill, but he forced himself to focus on the least disconcerting piece of information. "Walker?" He glanced first toward the Ranger, and then shifted his gaze toward his best friend. "What about Carlos?"
"I'm going to try to stay involved as long as I can," the detective answered, "but Walker doesn't think ATF's going to want DPD involved any more than absolutely necessary. He's probably right."
Of course he was. Trent wasn't sure why he was even surprised by this turn of events. He ought to have expected it, really. "It's all right, Carlos. Don't get yourself fired over it."
"I won't get fired," his friend replied, and something about his tone made Trent wonder if there was something he wasn't saying, though he doubted now was the time to inquire. Instead, he changed the subject.
"What else did you talk about?" This time, in addition to silence, he was met with carefully blank expressions. "I heard Carlos yelling about someone else having no reason to kill Kristin," he said quietly. He didn't miss his friend's pointed glare at the two new Rangers, or their glances at each other. "Who were you talking about?"
Whatever was going on, they all seemed to have a distinct interest in not telling him, until finally Cooke looked up and met his eyes. "Your brother."
Trent started. He'd had no idea who else they might have suspected, but Tommy had certainly not crossed his mind – though, perhaps, he should have. He held the Ranger's gaze for a moment longer before shifting his attention to her boss. "Walker, keep on her on the investigation, huh?"
It was impossible to miss the surprised look on the woman's face, even watching her out of the corner of his eye. Walker, by contrast, merely raised an eyebrow and gave him a questioning look.
"She's got more guts than the rest of you put together." Cooke looked relieved, but her partner gave him a look that could have frozen the Gulf of Mexico. Trent forced a smile to his lips. "But you can rest assured that Tommy knew nothing about her, and has an airtight alibi. He was babysitting the twins that night while my mother was helping out a friend of hers whose daughter has chicken pox. He went to bed about ten minutes before I got home, and I know he was home all night because he finally got my sister to sleep about ten minutes before that."
At his words, Carlos shot a decidedly smug look toward Cooke, and Trent wanted to thank him for his support, but that wasn't a conversation he wanted to have in front of all these people.
"There is another suspect, though," Trivette finally spoke up. "A hitter out of San Antonio, wanted in Fort Worth, works for Alejandro Melendez. He fits the description, has the skills, and hand-to-hand is his preferred method for dispatching with his targets."
"Where is he now?" Trent kept his voice low, and the look on Carlos's face when he spoke said clearly that he thought he should be more enthused about the prospect of being cleared.
"We don't know. His last known location was San Antonio, three hours before the murder he's wanted for. I put in a few calls, but haven't heard back yet."
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Carlos grumbled.
"Why do you think we're meeting here?" Walker asked, his voice matter-of-fact and emotionless.
Carlos didn't seem to have an answer, but he didn't really need one, as his pager sounded at that instant. He pulled it off his belt and glanced down, then back up, his face impassive. "I've got to get back; keep me posted?" When Walker nodded, the detective glanced toward Trent. "You coming?"
"Yeah." Despite that he knew his friends were doing their best, and the fact that he actually liked and respected the two newer Rangers notwithstanding, he really had no desire to spend any more time than necessary here discussing his potential guilt.
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By the time he reached his desk, Carlos had been told five times by four different people that the Captain wanted to see him – now. All wore knowing, sympathetic looks that did nothing to help his mood or his outlook on the current situation.
The suits standing in his boss's office did, if possible, even less. Really, they made it worse. "Carlos, Agents Shauna MacPherson and Tony Galiano, from ATF. They're here to look into Kristin Deville's murder." He faced the newcomers. "Detective Carlos Sandoval; he's been—"
"Investigating the murder. Yes, we know." Well, good, Carlos disliked this Galiano guy already. They were off to a great start. "Thank you for your services, detective, but they are no longer needed."
Carlos had to fight not to laugh out loud. No one dismissed him like that, no matter what the case, and there was no way he was handing Trent's life over to these guys that easy. "Just like that, huh?" He shook his head. "I don't think so."
"You have no say in the matter, detective."
He wasn't too fond of MacPherson, either. He ignored her and looked toward Burnett. "I just came from talking to Cordell Walker. He and Alex Cahill have been handed this case. You can try to take me off, but Walker won't."
"Walker—"
MacPherson interrupted what would probably have been a stinging rebuke. "Pardon me, but who is this Walker?"
"Cordell Walker is a Texas Ranger who, while he outranks me, does not have the authority to direct me in how I utilize my personnel." Burnett looked pointedly at Carlos, but he refused to back down.
"You can't take me off this case; I've done my job. I filed my report, with information that only I knew, that no one would have found out otherwise. I went to Walker myself, and I brought the only suspect in for questioning – myself."
"You're too close to it, Carlos. The prime suspect is your best friend; you've known the man for twenty years!"
"I'm well aware of my history with Trent Malloy," Carlos snapped. "But I'm doing my job, and I'm not going to let him get railroaded just because the federal government wants everything wrapped up nice and pretty with a bow on top!"
"We are not 'railroading' anyone," Galiano retorted, keeping his voice impressively level. "We want justice done. Your friend murdered our agent, and he will not get away with it."
"Will you listen to them?" Carlos fixed a glare on the Captain. "Apparently, there's already been a trial I didn't know about."
Finally, Burnett spoke in his defense. "Cool down, everyone. This murder happened in my jurisdiction, federal agent or not, and I will continue to have a say in how this investigation will be conducted. Now, you two may or may not be familiar with the situation here, but I am, and Trent Malloy is an upstanding citizen who has assisted the police, the Texas Rangers – and, it would seem, your own organization – many times. He is not going to be hung out to dry on my watch."
Silently, Carlos thanked him, then folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the doorjamb. "Glad we agree."
"Can it, Sandoval," the Captain growled. "I like Malloy, but they have a valid argument here. You're too close to the case."
"I'm not giving it up!"
"You'll do as I tell you."
When did you become my mother? "Fine. But you may as well keep me informed, because Walker will if you don't."
"That can be arranged." Burnett gave a pointed look in the agents' direction. Neither seemed happy, but then MacPherson brightened somewhat.
"Gladly. And we'll start by informing you that by the end of the day Mr. Malloy will be in police custody."
"Alex Cahill won't get you a warrant on this; you have no motive."
"We already have a warrant." Galiano wore a smug grin that only widened when Carlos's jaw dropped.
There was no way Alex would have gotten them a warrant and not told him. "How?"
"Through legal channels, I assure you," the man responded sarcastically. Somehow – Carlos couldn't imagine why – his words did little to reassure him.
He glared at his boss, but Burnett looked stunned himself. "It's out of my hands, Sandoval," he said, sighing, forestalling anything Carlos might have said.
"Not completely." Though, mostly. "Let me go."
"What?"
"Let me go with them, to bring in Trent."
"No." The vehemence in MacPherson's voice caught Carlos off guard, though Burnett summarily ignored her.
"Why?"
"Because if I go, I know no one will get hurt."
"He has nothing to worry about if he cooperates with us," Galiano interrupted.
Carlos stared him straight in the eye. "Yeah, right. Meanwhile, you guys get trigger happy and his eleven-year-old sister'll end up getting killed because she can't understand why her big brother's being hauled out of their house in handcuffs." He could almost see it happen in his head; that would send Trent off the deep end. "No."
"He has a point," Burnett spoke up. "Assuming Malloy is at his mother's home, there will be three younger people there, two of them children." Burnett leaned against his desk. "Sandoval will bring Malloy in. You can accompany him, and take a patrol car as well, but he leads on this."
"You don't have the authority—"
"If you have a problem with that, I'll call the Texas Rangers myself and you can talk this out with Cordell Walker. I'm sure that, after that experience, you'll find me to be quite cooperative in comparison."
Carlos hid a smile behind his hand, then straightened up. "I'm ready whenever you are." It was, really, a bald-faced lie; he was by no means prepared to arrest his best friend for murder. But he was even less willing to stand by and watch the Feds do it. Something told him that if he did, things would only end one way.
"Right." If looks could kill, Carlos would have been dead where he stood.