Ashton just tried to breathe.
“Well, that takes care of that,” General Daggert told Carter and Ashton in their VR meeting almost a week later. “All of the conspirators have been executed, including Carol Urban, and the matter is done. Director Carter, Inspector Ashton, my compliments; your people did excellent work, and coordinated with us smoothly and efficiently. And Ashton, son, that was some brilliant thinking, and fast work, on the Carolina thing. Annette says you were deliberate… and considerate of her situation, too. And that says a lot, from her. I think you played it just right, and I’m far from the only one in the Palace who thinks so.”
“Thank you, General,” Carter said with a smile, glancing at Ashton, who was flushing. “It’s a lot easier to operate when the police force works alongside the Throne, isn’t it?”
“It is, that,” Daggert agreed with an answering smile. “And thank God for it.”
“Do you have anything else for us, General?” Carter continued.
“Not at this time, Director. Thank you. Do you gentlemen have anything else for me?”
“I don’t,” Carter said. “Nick?”
“Actually, now that you mention it,” Ashton began, unsure if he should even bring it up, but realizing he might not have another chance, “I was wondering if I might be given permission to look into something; call it a cold case of sorts…”
The other two men sat up straight in their virtual chairs, startled.
“…But Nick, son, surely you’re mistaken,” Carter said, after Ashton had explained. “Ilithyia the First died of natural causes. Her heart gave out.”
“Maybe she did, and maybe she didn’t,” Ashton noted, even as Daggert pursed his lips and began to nod. “Didn’t it strike you as odd, Lee, with all of the medical capability we have, that the Empress – of all people – should die of something as simple as heart failure?”
“Maybe they discovered it too late,” Carter tried.
“No, I understand what Inspector Ashton is suggesting,” Daggert said, “and he is not the first to have considered it… though he may be the first to have spoken of it somewhat openly. And if he’s right, then we need to know who, and how, and why, in order to prevent it happening again.” He paused, his eyes going distant, then added, “The Empress just gave her permission, and says she will handle the Emperor – who, actually, is already aware of the request, is surprised, and says that if the Council was maneuvering to control the Throne even at so early a date, we need to know, and to know how. And we need to know if any of the conspirators are still out there, given he took care of the Council personally. Director, the IPD has just been given an Imperial mandate. So…go forth and investigate, Inspector.”
“All right. Then that’s what we’ll do,” Carter declared. “Nick, this is your baby, but I’ve got your back. Pull as many people as you think you’ll need, and go find out about this. And if the answer turns out to be, ‘It was natural causes,’ well, that’s okay, too.”
“Yes, because it means nothing got by us,” Daggert agreed. “But I have a feeling. Honestly? I had one at the time, I just wasn’t in a position to be able to act, and my hands were pretty much tied – I couldn’t really do anything without causing even more problems, especially for Ilithyia the Second.” He sighed. “And I’ve been so busy since winding up in a position to do something – which is to say, with Emperor Trajan on the Throne, and the resistance of the IPD and the Council squashed, but war looming, then occurring – that I hadn’t had time to even remember it, let alone think about it. So… yes. It needs looking into. Just in case.”
“All right, I’ll definitely see what I can dig up. I don’t think I’ll need a whole lot of our people for this, Lee,” Ashton noted. “I may not need anybody else. I mostly just need permission to dig into the Empress’ medical files and such, to see what was going on, and who might have been in a position to do something. Maybe someone to advise me on the medical stuff. And then to chase the threads to the end, if there are any. And,” he added to Daggert, “like Lee said, I might be wrong.”
“That is understood,” Daggert said, “and once again I say – even more fervently – I, for one, hope you are, because of what it may say about our screening of the staff. But – again – I have long privately suspected you are not.” He shook his head. “Emperor Trajan has already given full permission for you to look into the entire matter in as much detail as necessary, and I’ll see to it you have access to whatever you need. In fact, if you would meet me in my office, in person, in about an hour, I’ll escort you personally to the medical center to begin your efforts to dig into things.”
“I’ll be there,” Ashton promised.
He was, but never had a chance to sit down; Daggert immediately rose and took Ashton straight through the Palace corridors, up a special elevator, and into the small but efficient medical center on the lower floor of the Imperial Residence.
“Don’t worry,” Daggert told him. “The Emperor and Empress, the Consul and his wife, all four know this is being done, and give full and complete permission for you to be here.”
“Thank you, sir, and please pass on my thanks to them, as well,” Ashton said. “I need to go through the files for the Empress, and maybe discuss it with the physician. Is the current Imperial physician the same as it was then?”
“No, no,” Daggert said. “He was older, and retired after Ilithyia I died. His
