Page 4 of So Sinister
Faith sighed and rubbed her temples.“Sir, I hate to decline but now isn’t a good time for me to leave my current responsibilities.”She meant her responsibilities at home, but she intended Smythe to assume it was her responsibilities as Chief Instructor at the K9 school.
Whatever he assumed, he didn’t budge.“Jackson Entwhistle was found dead in his home with a bomb in his hand.”
Faith grimaced.“Okay, that’s pretty serious.Did the TSA ask for us?”
“Not yet, but they will.I spoke with Administrator Nguyen, and she’s only waiting for the bomb to be successfully defused and the police to officially rule it a homicide to make a formal request.She’s approved your arrival on scene.”
Faith blinked.“Wait, what?The bomb didn’t go off?”
At the word bomb, the others in the room started.Michael whistled.David gasped in shock.Jessica’s eyes popped open, and she walked closer and mouthed,What’s going on?
Faith lifted a finger for patience and listened as Smythe explained, “No, the bomb is currently active.”
“So this guy was killed in his own home, and a bomb was placed in his hand in his own home.”
“Yes.”
“Then how did he die?”
“Stab wound.They didn’t say exactly where.They have more pressing issues to deal with, I guess, considering the active explosive device.”
“Is the bomb endangering anyone else?His neighbors?Other people in the home?”
“No, he lived alone, and the EOD unit on site is confident that the bomb isn’t powerful enough to damage neighboring properties.There’s a fire risk, of course, but the fire department is there and prepared.”
“So no one is in danger.This killer decided to murder someone and put a bomb in his dead hands for… reasons?”
“Reasons that I am sure you and Special Agent Torres will discover during the course of your investigation.”
Faith turned away so she didn’t have to keep feeling the inquisitive eyes of her current partner, former partner, and husband on her.It didn’t help.“Regardless, sir, I’m still not sure why I need to be involved.Or the FBI at all.Until there’s a formal request, that is.”
"To be blunt, Special Agent, this is a chance for the FBI to earn some goodwill.This story is national news, as you might imagine.The presence of our celebrity agent, who is once again in the spotlight, will go a long way to showing our commitment to justice and public safety."
Faith closed her eyes and sighed.How the tables had turned.Only a short while ago, she’d been in danger of losing her career because of publicity.Now she was the FBI’s mascot because of publicity.
I should never have brought the news into my last case.
She had run out of reasons to say no, however.Smythe was a good director, but he was keenly aware of politics, and a chance to make the FBI look good was a chance he’d never pass up.If Faith wanted to stay in his good graces, she needed to take this case.
Once again, David’s case had to take a back seat.“Understood, sir.We’re on our way.Send me the location, and we’ll head right over.”
“Outstanding,” Smythe replied.“Thank you for your help.”
“Of course, sir.”
She hung up and sighed again.
“What’s going on?”Jessica asked.“There’s a bomb threat?”
“Looks that way.Smythe wants us on site ASAP.”
“Onsite?What if it explodes?”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t,” Faith replied.“Let’s hope nothing does.”
CHAPTER TWO
Turk started barking immediately when the agents reached Jackson Entwhistle’s home in the middle-class Mount Washington neighborhood of Baltimore.Though not a bomb detection dog, Turk—being an FBI K9—had training in detecting a number of different scents that could be connected to crime, so he picked up the bomb the moment he stepped out of Faith’s Crown Victoria.
