An Insignificant Case

Chapter Forty-One

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Charlie made a brief stop at his office before driving to the district attorney’s office. It was dark after hours, and Bridget met him in reception.

“Did you send police to Golden’s estate?” Charlie asked as Bridget escorted him through a maze of cubicles to her office.

Bridget nodded. “As soon as you told me why you thought he was in danger.”

As soon as her door was closed and they were seated, Bridget showed Charlie the snuff film. Charlie felt sick when it ended. Bridget handed him a bottle of water, and he sipped it while he got his emotions under control.

“I found it really hard to take too,” she said.

“You see the resemblance?” Charlie asked.

“I do, and the voicemail makes the identity of Noonan’s victim very clear. So,” Bridget asked, “who is ‘Elin Crane’? After your call, I searched every database I could think of, and no Elin Crane matched your friend.”

Charlie took a plastic bag out of his attaché case. There were three sheets of paper in it. Charlie handed the plastic bag to Bridget.

“I tried to find anything that might have Elin’s fingerprints on it. She was using an office in my suite, but it looks like she wiped down every surface. Then I remembered that she gave me a memo with her notes about her meeting with Guido. Her prints might be on it.”

“Good thinking, Charlie. I’ll have the lab take a look at it.”

Charlie shook his head. “I’ve been a fool,” he said.

Bridget put a hand on his shoulder. “She fooled everyone. No one had any reason to suspect her.”

“Do you think she murdered Hall and Makarov?”

“Do you have any doubts?” Bridget asked.

“No.”

“She killed Brent Atkins too. They ran ballistics tests on the bullet that killed Atkins, and it came from the same gun that was used in Tryon Creek.”

“I know she killed all those people, but…”

Bridget flashed a humorless smile. “If this were a movie, you just wouldn’t cast her as a mass murderer.”

Charlie laughed. “You got me.” He shook his head. “I really liked her.”

“You know why she did it.”

“Oh yeah,” Charlie said. “Vigilante justice for murdering her sister. I know I shouldn’t say this, but in a way, I hope she gets away.”

“I can see why you’d think that, but that’s not going to happen. We’ll figure out who she is, and we’ll get her.”

“What did you find on the flash drive besides the snuff film?” Charlie asked.

“What we thought we’d find. Graphic videos of men having sex with very young girls. A lot of the faces are familiar.”

“Was anyone involved in Guido’s trial on the drive?”

“Henry Roman. We’re getting an arrest warrant for him.”

“I was worried about Henry,” Charlie said.

“I think Noonan wanted to make sure Guido would get out of custody, and he needed the best lawyer in Oregon—no offense, Charlie—on the case so granting bail would look legit.”

“What about Tom Grant?”

“He wasn’t on the drive, and I’m not surprised. He’s got a pretty solid marriage, and someone with his ambitions has got to avoid scandals.”

“I can give you a long list of politicians who didn’t.”

Bridget smiled. “Point taken. But Tom isn’t on the drive.”

Charlie yawned. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. This has been a long day for both of us. Do you want a cup of our awful office coffee so you can stay awake long enough to learn what Sally and Gordon find at Golden’s estate?”