“Indeed, Sire? May I inquire as to your conclusions?”
“You may, Director Carter, for that is the reason I called you to meet with me,” Dunham said with a slight smile. “I even discussed it with Milady Amanda – who will soon be the Empress, as we’ve discussed, and is already an invaluable member of Consul Saaret’s staff of advisors…”
“I see, Sire.”
“Yes, and I have decided in favor of trial in the High Court,” Dunham decreed. “You are as much a member of my staff as Vasilisa Medved was of my sister’s staff, even if your office isn’t in the Palace environs, and you are endeavoring to perform a very specific function for me, just as she did for my sister. And so the same considerations must surely apply. I also discussed it with Consul Saaret, and he is likewise in agreement.”
“I see…”
“I think it will also make matters easier for the interrogations, in that the counsels for the defense have little to no say in the progress of the interrogations.” Dunham shook his head. “That almost made for a bad situation this morning, in that, had the interrogators not discovered that Investigator Peabody had been targeted, Peabody could have been killed before anyone was the wiser.”
“True, Sire. We still don’t know if Bradly had anyone else tagged on the assassination of Peabody, so my people are, rather surreptitiously, keeping an eye on him and his lady friend.”
“Excellent, then. All that said, please realize that I am still likely to watch the recordings in my off hours; other things are moving too fast, and there are simply not enough hours in the day.” Dunham sighed. “However, as I indicated, an attack on you as the head of my Imperial Police is indeed treasonous, and an attack on those in your employ, trying to protect you, is little, if any, better. I will want to see any additional evidence you have, as well as an interview with Investigator Peabody, whom I recall from his cooperation with my sister’s investigations. Also please ensure that I am provided with a rough schedule of the interrogation times; should I be available at any of those times, I can always drop in and watch live. Will any of that be difficult?”
“I don’t think so, Your Majesty. I had figured on making all that available to you in any case, and Peabody would have been a witness for the prosecution in the lesser courts, so it all ties together.”
“Very good then. And so you all made it through the conspiracy unharmed? No one was injured or killed?”
“Well…” Carter paused and drew a deep breath, and Dunham raised an eyebrow, then leaned forward in obvious concern. “I wouldn’t quite say that, Sire.”
“Oh? Tell me.” Dunham’s tone was gentle, though the words were patently an order. “Take your time. We lost someone?”
“A young detective with the ICPD, Sire,” Carter sighed. “Alan Compton. I mentioned him the last time we met, though not by name. He was the electronics expert on the team to disengage the two sabotage packages that had been installed in my home. Unfortunately, given the uncertain and swift timetable of events, it was necessary to do that on the day the tropical storm came through the Imperial City. Lightning ran in on the lines from a very close strike, and…”
“Yes, I recall now. He was in the hospital at that time, I thought. Oh dear,” Dunham murmured, sitting back, eyes wide. “And so young Detective Compton didn’t survive it, after all?”
“No, Sire. It took a couple of days, during which time the doctors assure me that they did all they could, but… no. Even his nanite systems had been damaged. It was a slow deterioration and crash, but… well. He… didn’t survive.”
“Damnation.” The curse from the Emperor’s lips was low, and Carter could not be certain he said it. But when the younger man with the greater power looked up, the blue-white eyes were cold as ice. “And of course, had it not been for this conspiracy, the man would still be alive.”
“Exactly, Sire.”
“He was promising?”
“He was. He had a lot of talent, Compton did. It was – and is – a very close-knit group he was in. He worked for my wife, Colonel Peterson, if you will recall, and he was a close friend and colleague of my current Investigative division lead and his wife.”
“Who are?”
“Detective Dominick Ashton and his wife, Detective Callista Ames.”
“I see. Yes, I recall Detective Ashton as well, though he hadn’t reached that rank yet, and I didn’t have a lot of interaction with him, but rather with his mentor, Detective Gorski. So the lot of you are in mourning, of a sort.”
“Very much so, Sire.”
“I am very sorry for your loss, Director Carter. Please convey my condolences to the rest of your people, and if you would, please send me contact information on Detective Compton’s next of kin. I should like to thank them personally for his willingness to give all on behalf of my Police Director.”
“Thank you, Sire, and certainly.” Carter paused, then asked, “Is there anything else you need from me or my department?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Dunham mused. “I will send over a couple of the Imperial Guardsmen to assist you in the interrogations, to make it more official. If they would not interfere.”
“No, Sire, I think that would be greatly appreciated. Given I’m struggling to ensure my own staff is legitimate, I hesitate to lean any harder on the ICPD staff for assistance than I already am, and your Guardsmen would be a big help in that regard.”
“Ah, very good then. Is there anything else I can do for you, Director?”
Carter paused, as Dunham watched him in
