One Grave Less
and was connected with the attack on the museum that is currently under investigation by the Rosewood Police Department. As to the answer to your question, if your interest had been about the fabric bag, I just assumed you would have gone to Chief Garnett, who is in charge of the investigation, or to the crime lab, but certainly not to the museum to discuss it. All the files related to the analysis are in the crime lab. The crime lab is under the purview of the City of Rosewood, not the museum.”
They hesitated a moment too long and Diane continued.
“Since you began by questioning me as if you had stopped me for running a red light, I had no idea what you wanted.”
“The drug found in the bag is particularly bad. It has been knocking around Asia and Europe for about four years and is just now making its way into the United States,” said Bailey. “We are concerned that some found its way to you. Add that to the, ah, information we received about your time in South America. Well, you can see our interest.”
“I’m sure you received no more than the barest hint of rumor about me. There is simply no information to be had unless someone made it up. I had no drug dealings in South America whatsoever, not on either side of the law.”
“Weren’t you trying to apprehend a man who was known to deal in the drug trade?” asked Stewart.
“No,” said Diane. “We weren’t trying to apprehend anyone. We knew where Ivan Santos was. We were gathering evidence of human rights violations—mass murders, in particular. We had no interest in what other criminal activity he was involved in.”
The two of them looked briefly at each other and Diane could barely resist asking them if they had done this before.
“Do you have any idea why someone might be trying to ruin your reputation?” asked Bailey.
Stewart shot him an irritated glance. Diane supposed he thought that Bailey was letting her off the hook.
“None whatsoever. If you received one of these calls, I was hoping you could track it down, if only to get more information about me.”
“She’s in a meeting.”
Andie’s voice outside her door brought all their heads around. The door opened and Edmond Carstairs walked in with a bouquet of flowers. Diane dropped her pencil and put her head in her hand for a moment.
“I’m sorry, Dr. Fallon,” said Andie.
“Diane, dear, I won’t interrupt you long. . . .”
“Mr. Carstairs,” said Diane. “I didn’t send you any e-mail. Someone hijacked my account and sent those terrible e-mails to everyone, and I’m sorry about the inconvenience. Please, let Andie show you what you can do with those lovely flowers.”
“But . . . ,” he began.
“In fact,” said Diane, “these gentlemen from Home-land Security are going to help discover who is behind this dreadful misunderstanding.”
“Mr. Carstairs,” said Andie, taking his arm, “please come with me. I’ll explain everything.”
Andie managed to steer him out and close the door. Diane sat back and rubbed her hands down her face.
“If you find the person who is fueling the drug rumor, I’m betting it will be the same person who is behind the other rumors. I can’t have acquired two stalkers at the same time. I don’t think it was the reporter, but he probably knows who his source is. If you find out who it is, give me some time alone with him.”
Bailey managed a small smile. Stewart appeared to not know what to think.
“Gentlemen,” said Diane, “I will be glad to share any information I have through Chief Garnett. The details of the evidence we process in the crime lab are not mine to share, even though the incident under investigation happened here in the museum. I’m not trying to be difficult, but rather, trying not to step on any Rosewood toes. As for any questions you have about me personally, at this point I know very little about what is going on. I know a great deal about what I did in South America. None of it involved drugs.”
They glanced briefly at each other. Diane could see they weren’t satisfied, but she could also see they hadn’t collected enough information before they questioned her. She bet it was a last-minute decision. They had already spoken with Garnett and were going to the crime lab and got the idea they would surprise her. But they didn’t have enough information to carry out a thorough interview and now they would be kicking themselves all the way back to Atlanta. Or they wouldn’t go to
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