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matter what they may believe to the contrary, this bombing took place in our jurisdiction. The FBI, the state, and the rest of them from wherever they came from, can swagger around all they want, but in the end, it’s ours. Look, instead of bitching and moaning about them, why don’t you all tell me what you’ve got so far?”
    The room fell into silence.
    â€œNothing?’
    â€œThe Feds took all the surveillance tape from the store across from the restaurant where Ike was eating, so we don’t have any idea when Ike came or left. Same with the shots of the explosion. Nothing there. No, wait, I think I heard one of them say there were two cars at the store that left about the same time.”
    Frank shook his head. “That’s it? No report from the ME? We’re sure the body was Ike?”
    â€œHe says the dental records are a match. That’s one piece. Frank, it don’t look good.”
    â€œI know, I know, it was wishful thinking maybe, but the fact remained that until we had positive ID, the death was still booked as possible. I guess we have it now.”
    Essie grabbed her box of Kleenex and bolted from the office.
    â€œThere has got to be something we can do.” Charlie Picket said.
    â€œThere is,” Frank said. “Colonel Scarlet from the State Police told me that it was his understanding Ike was meeting with a guy named Holloway. Holloway works for the state undercover as a NARC and he was supposed to be bringing Ike up to speed on the traffic through the area.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œSo, Holloway is missing, too.”
    â€œIf he’s undercover, he would be, wouldn’t he?”
    â€œYes, except this explosion is all over the news. So, why hasn’t he called in by now?”
    â€œMaybe he thinks the hit was drug-related and then he might be dead, too. That way, he’s laying low until he can get a line on who put out the hit.”
    â€œIt’s possible. Since the FBI and their buddies have shut us out of the investigation, I think we need to go looking for Mr. Holloway. He had to have seen something, noticed someone.”
    â€œGreat. How, Frank? He’s undercover, remember. He won’t be easy to find. Hell, he won’t want to be found.”
    â€œI don’t give a shit what he wants, Billy. I want him. He has a car. The car has a tag. We put out a BOLO and look for it. Wait. Just to make sure the Feds don’t scotch our attempt to get involved here as well, make the BOLO for…a Deadbeat Dad. They won’t even notice. Damn, I wish we had Sam back. She could scour the Internet or whatever for us…at least keep tabs on what everybody else is doing.”
    Billy looked at Frank as if seeing him for the first time. “Damn, you’re right. Frank. You know that the Bureau figured that since Karl was so familiar with the town and all, they made him Agent in Place for this investigation. How about, because Sam is his wife and all, maybe we ask if she could drop in like for a visit or something and we could put her on all that computer stuff she assembled and then left behind when she got herself sent to Washington back then?”
    â€œKarl Hedrick is a friend, but he is still FBI. We can’t expect him to compromise his position that way.”
    â€œWell, why the hell not? We got us a frickin’ tragedy here and they are…sorry, they were…both really close to Ike. Why wouldn’t he jump in? It’s not like he would be working for us, just Sam. Come on, Frank. We’ve been dropped into the equivalent of a ten-foot pothole here. We need to climb out. Screw the Feds.”
    Frank cocked one eyebrow and smiled. “Right. Why the hell not? I’ll make the call.”
    ***
    Samantha Hedrick heard the news late in the morning. Now, dressed in yoga pants and a bright red hoodie with USMC emblazoned on it, she was on the road headed southwest. She’d driven not quite an hour