“You and Hernandez can call it a day. Meet us at the hospital in the morning.”
“Are you sure? We can take turns watching Neel.”
Athena leaned back in her chair, noticing a pain in her lower back. “We’ve got it covered. Don’t blow away, and maybe you can babysit tomorrow night.”
As she clicked off her phone, Paulson announced, “Uncle says Neel spent four nights on his couch while he applied for jobs, covering the date of the Little Rock fire. I didn’t mention him burning down Knight’s Construction, and got the impression the uncle’s clueless.”
“Bouvier?”
She swiveled to Shoops, who peered at her hesitantly over the top rim of her glasses. “You’re going to want to see this.”
Chapter 29
As Athena studied the information Shoops unearthed, her plans changed. She ordered Howard to stay at the hospital with Campbell while the rest headed back to headquarters. Stuck in a traffic jam, she phoned the bureau. Of all people, ASAC McCulloch picked up instead of the switchboard operator.
“ASAC Bouvier, what a pleasant surprise,” McCulloch drawled. “Figured you’d be hunkered down with a Mai Tai watchingCasablanca, thanks to that ever-ready generator.”
“I’m working, same as you, it seems. Listen, this is important. I need you to do something for me,” she demanded, devoid of humor.
“Oh, so now you need me?” he ribbed.
“Just pass me to the operator.” The urgency in her voice must have gotten through to him. He sobered up.
“Sorry. Rough day around here. What do you need?”
“Agents to pick up a suspect.”
“Now?” McCulloch’s pitch rose an octave. “You’ve got to be kidding!”
“No, I need them now. Here’s the name and address, plus his work address if he’s not home.” Athena rattled off the information while her co-worker wrote it down.
“What, you’re afraid he’ll disappear?”
“Very likely once he discovers we’ve arrested Simon Neel for the fires,” she replied. “Thank you, McCulloch.”
“You can pay me back by letting me in on the interview,” he said. “It’s the least you can do after you horned in on my cryptocurrency theft case.”
“Sure, if it’ll make you happy.” Athena hung up the call to focus on trying to see through a solid sheet of water slapping the van’s windshield.
“You know I could be wrong,” Shoops mentioned timidly.
“Don’t apologize.” Athena’s tone was sharp, but steady. “Mistakes happen. Own them. But when your gut speaks, listen—and make others listen too. Better to inconvenience a person of interest than to sit back and let an accomplice get away.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And Karen?” Athena’s eyes flicked to the junior agent for an instant. “You’re getting the hang of this. Keep up the good work.”
It was 8:00 p.m. before Athena and Agent McCulloch walked into the interview room. Everyone had grabbed something to eat, taken quick showers, and changed clothes. Flash sat in the booth with Paulson and Shoops. She deserved to be here.
“What was so urgent you had to haul me in here during a freakin’ hurricane?”
Lieutenant Christopher Edwards was dressed in casual civvies for his day off, now wet from being shuffled in and out of an FBI vehicle. Athena wasn’t sure if he was more confused, angry, or scared as his eyes darted and his knee bounced.
“Lieutenant Edwards, is it possible you omitted some vital information the last time we spoke with you?” Athena, in a bold red dress with a daring neckline, tilted her head and arched a brow.
“I, I don’t think so,” he answered, attempting to appear innocent. But the beads of sweat and throbbing neck vein begged to differ.
“Allow me to jog your memory.” Athena opened a folder and referred to notes from the initial joint task force meeting. “At first, you stated that you didn’t believe anything at the Synergy Warehouse fire pointed to arson. You later amended your testimony to blame your disapproval of women operating as firefighters. Finally—and I quote—’How will they ever respect me if every time I turn around, I’m being shown up by a woman—a girl, practically?’” She lifted her eyes from the paper to stare at him.
