Chapter 9: Army Intel

"What is that, McNab?"

"It's the report you wanted me to do on Mr. Vick."

"Oh," he replied as he looked over at Juliet. "Did you find anything?"

"Yes, I did. It seems that he took out life insurance on Chief Vick two years ago. It's valued at two million dollars. It also has a clause in it for if she is killed off duty, due to the job. In other words, if she is killed while off duty by a known criminal or a criminal act, he gets an extra million. Also, he has a gambling problem."

"How bad?" inquired Juliet

"He's in debt to Mr. Black to the amount of about ten thousand," McNab explained.

"That gives him a motive, not necessarily a means to hire a hit-man," Lassiter replied.

"No, but his connection to the army might. It seems that he was in the military before he and Chief Vick met. He was discharged for gambling on base."

"Really? We better check this out. I take it you would …"

"Shawn is fine. As he said, he's had worse and I'm not his nursemaid, Sir."

"Okay then, let's go and talk to the army."

O'Hara was confused. What the hell was all of that about? Is there something going on between Shawn and McNab that she doesn't know about? Ever since Chief Vick's death, things have been happening. Juliet had seen strange behaviours and heard things. Things which have left her with more questions than answers, but no matter what, she was determined to get to the bottom of it all.

"O'Hara!" Lassiter barked when he saw that Juliet wasn't moving. "Come on."

Grabbing her phone, Juliet let out a heavy sigh before following Lassiter and McNab out of the station.

The ride to the nearby army base was quiet. Juliet was lost in her thoughts as she tried to work out what was going on. To try and clear her mind, she shot off a text to a close friend. Lassie was going over the questions he was going to ask in order to get the army's help, instead of being kicked out. McNab was wondering if all this planning Shawn was doing was going to blow up in their faces.

Pulling up at the check point, McNab wound down the window so Lassiter could talk to the guard on duty.

"I'm Detective Lassiter and I'd like to see the Post Commander, please," Lassiter said as he held up his badge.

The guard took the badge and looked it over. "One moment, Detective Lassiter," the guard replied, before returning to his booth and making a phone call. A few moments later he returned and handed Lassiter back his badge. "Drive through, follow the arrows and they will lead you to the Headquarters. They will be waiting for you."

"Thank you," Lassiter replied, before McNab put the window back up and drove off.

As they pulled into a parking spot near the Headquarters building, another man in army greens greeted them.

"Sir, I'm Sergeant Harm. Please follow me."

"Sergeant. This is Detective O'Hara and Officer McNab. Please, lead the way." Lassiter looked back at the others before they followed Sergeant Harm into the building. It wasn't long before Sergeant Harm was knocking on a door.

"Enter!"

Inside, Officer Harm stood at attention, then introduced the group. "Sir, these are Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara, and Officer McNab."

"Thank you Sergeant, dismissed," the Post Commander said as he returned the Sergeant's salute. After the Sergeant left, he turned his focus to Lassiter. "I am Post Commander Colonel Straight. What can I do for the Santa Barbara Police?"

"Colonel, I'm wondering if you could give me some information on a former soldier by the name of Richard Vick. From the information we could find, he was stationed here a few years ago."

The way the Post Commander's muscle's tensed and his lips pressed tightly together, Lassiter guessed that Chief Vick's husband wasn't a popular topic.

"Richard Vick you say," the Post Commander breathed out. "What has he done?"

"Nothing that we know of, yet." The look Lassiter got he knew well. It was the look he gave when he didn't believe what someone was saying. "His wife was assassinated a few days ago. His daughter, since then, has been kidnapped with a massage being left for me saying that either they get their money or him behind bars. We're not sure if the two are connected, but if they are, well …"

"You want to know if Mr. Vick knows how to get hold of an assassin?"

"Yes."

"I can't give you that information. You know that, don't you? But what I can say is, there are those that still believe that Richard's dismissal from the army was wrong and he had a lot of friends who are still here."

"Can you tell me why he was dishonourably discharged?"

"Not really. Just know that his actions and behaviour were … unbecoming a soldier of the USA."

"So it was more than gambling on base?" Even though Colonel Straight didn't say anything, the look on his face answered Lassiter's question. "Thank you, I think you have answered all of our questions."

"Detective Lassiter," Colonel Straight called out as Lassiter started to exit the room. "I will tell you this. Mr. Vick's skills mean he wouldn't need to hire someone."

"I understand and thank you."

Outside the office, Sergeant Harm was waiting to lead them back to their car then directing them back to the main gate.

"What did you two get from all of that?" Lassiter asked as they headed back to the station.

"We need to talk to Mr. Vick again," Juliet suggested.

"That Mr. Vick isn't what he seems and maybe you need to get Shawn in to read him," McNab added.

"You might be right, McNab. When we get back, O'Hara, you call Mr. Vick in and, McNab, you get Spencer."

"What are you going to do?" Juliet asked as McNab pulled the car up in front of the station.

"I've got something I need to check first," Lassiter replied as they all got out. Lassiter got back in on the driver's side. "When I get back, we will interview him."

With that, he closed the door and drove off. Confused, Juliet and McNab stood there for a second watching the car disappear, before heading up the steps of the station.

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