Diane wondered if they were regretting the great deal they gave her. Immunity is a great thing when you’re up to your neck in crime.
‘‘When Jefferies was killed, who did Peeks and Bryce think did it?’’ the police chief asked.
‘‘They didn’t know. We all talked about it. For about a minute I thought Bryce had. Jefferies was always on his butt for something, but he was really rattled by their deaths. I think Bryce did depend on them—even though they depended on him for their homework in that ivy league school they went to,’’ said Rikki. ‘‘I guess you noticed their pinky rings. So seventh grade.’’
‘‘Did Bryce or Peeks name anyone at all who they thought might have committed the murders?’’ asked the chief again.
‘‘When it came down to it, they really thought Garnett may have done it. The only other people they mentioned were some of the hackers they hired, but they had no idea who. Peeks planned on going through the files to see if he could come up with anything. But as I said, their best guess was Garnett. Jefferies was really after him, and they thought he found out about them,’’ said Rikki.
So they were back where they started, thought Diane. Back to Garnett. The chief would probably order him released, but Garnett would still have a cloud over him unless they could find out who killed Jefferies.
Diane thought of one person who would know.
‘‘Let’s go back to the museum,’’ she said to Frank.
When the police chief came out of the interview room, Diane thanked him for letting her listen to the confession. He nodded. The chief was calm in the room with Rikki, but his face was red with anger when he came out.
‘‘What do you make of all that?’’ he said.
‘‘Right now, I’m shocked,’’ said Diane.
‘‘I can imagine you are. I am. I’m going to talk with Edward. He’ll be outraged when he finds out his mother was on a hit list. Tell me, what were the voters thinking about when they went to the polls?’’ he said. ‘‘I wonder if you can sue voters; they’re always so anxious to hold people accountable.’’
Diane didn’t answer. She didn’t think he really ex pected one. He was angry, and practically everyone to be angry with was dead.
‘‘I’ve sent a car out to pick up Lloyd Bryce and Curtis Crabtree. Janice is going to the bank to get the evidence from the safety deposit box. She’ll send it to the GBI for analysis, if that’s all right with you. Ed ward said you have some repairs to make in the crime lab before it’s ready for use again. I tell you, they’re like an infestation of rats. And from the sound of things, there are a lot more of them out there lurking in peoples’ businesses. Thank God we have a list.’’
‘‘You can have Janice bring the evidence to us if you want. Jin can do the DNA faster and he can lift the prints in his lab. When he’s finished he can send the bullet to Ballistics,’’ said Diane.
The police chief nodded. ‘‘I like that better. Yes, I do. Let the people know we’re on top of things despite all the rats’ nests we have to clear out.’’ He went to find Janice before she left for the bank.
‘‘How do you feel?’’ asked Frank when they were ensconced in his car on the way back to the museum.
‘‘Like I just escaped a bullet,’’ she said. ‘‘I’m more astonished than angry at the moment. I can’t believe what I just heard. Do you think she was telling the truth?’’
‘‘Most of it. I think she lightened her involvement considerably and she’s been enjoying the life of a gun moll all this time.’’
‘‘Could she have killed Jefferies and Peeks?’’ said Diane.
‘‘It’s a possibility they will look into,’’ said Frank. ‘‘My gut feeling right now is, no. She is very driven by gathering things to herself. I can’t see her murder ing them unless she expected to get something big from it, and I can’t see what that would be.’’
‘‘How about all that money?’’ said Diane.
‘‘I think she was after that anyway. That’s why she listened in on conversations. Whether they were alive or dead, she was planning on stealing the money. When she held a gun on us, it was unloaded. She specifically did not want to do anything that would land her hard jail time. I may be wrong,’’ he added.
‘‘She wasn’t afraid Jefferies would come after her if she stole his money?’’ asked Diane.
‘‘She thought she could get away. She knew Jefferies’ influence was local. He was in the process of building a gang. He didn’t have members all over the country. He may have had sleepers in businesses in several places, but his organization was still new enough that he couldn’t reach her every place she might go. I hope,’’ he added.
‘‘Doesn’t she have immunity now?’’ said Diane.
Frank shook his head. ‘‘If she lies, all bets are off. At least that’s the way we do it in Atlanta.’’
The crime lab was clean and almost ready to resume operation. The delicate machines were scheduled to be calibrated tomorrow. It looked and smelled cleaner when they walked in the door. David, Jin, and Neva were there. Diane had called and told them she was on her way.
Jin was having a fit. Apparently he had been in a tirade, as much of a tirade as Jin got in, ever since they told him about the computer person, or whatever it was. They were all at a loss as to what to call it.
‘‘Why didn’t anybody call me?’’ he said. ‘‘Something that cool is going on and nobody thinks to call me and let me see? How could you do that to me?’’
‘‘Jin, get over it already,’’ said Neva. ‘‘It was proba bly just a guy on the other end of his instant messen ger anyway.’’
‘‘I’m glad you’re back,’’ said David. ‘‘Maybe you can do something with him.’’
Diane started to say something but was interrupted by a knock at the door. They all turned and looked accusingly at the door, as if it had done it. Visits from the museum side were unusual.
Diane opened the door. Jonas Briggs, the archaeol ogist, was standing on the other side, grinning. He had his laptop under his arm.
‘‘It’s the darnedest thing, but I thought I’d better tell you. So, this is the dark side,’’ he said, coming in and
