FBI agent Brooke Reeds examines the bolt action rifle that Sheriff Cooper’s deputies discovered. A modified M1-Garand; Brooke noticed that it was designed to accept and fire a higher caliber bullet then the standard .30 caliber. Altered so the stock and barrel can be disassembled; features that allow the rifle to be stored in a small briefcase or disguised, the FBI agent shook her head in dismay.
“Clearly the tool of a professional hitman,” Sheriff Cooper looking at the tired agent; entering the meeting room that Brooke Reed and her fellow agents have appropriated for their use in assisting the local police. His deputies found the weapon and a discarded cellphone not far off.
“If I were a professional hitman,” Brook Reed putting down the rifle; “I would have used a VSK-94.”
“A what,” Sheriff Cooper looking confused.
“Russian special forces sniper rifle,” Brook Reed smiling as she turned to look at the sheriff; “complete with a built in silencer. It’s a small and compact rifle with an effective range of four hundred meters. The only down side,” Brook looking at a stunned sheriff; “is it takes specialized ammo only available to the Russian military.”
“How the hell do you know that,” Sheriff Cooper looking at the agent before him.
“Not important,” Agent Reed answering; “anything on the recovered cell phone?”
“I was coming to ask you on that,” Sheriff Cooper looking at the agent; “it’s your tech’s that are pouring over that phone as we speak.”
******
Earlier as the Federal agents began pouring into town at Douglas’s request, several deputies headed over to Moon Lake’s only Motel to follow up on a tip regarding a suspicious person. That person matching the description of the man following Joan Morningcloud; the Motel manager had an ‘it’s about time’ look upon his face as he unlocked the door to the room Jose rented. Inside the deputies see what looked like several pieces of camera equipment. Upon closer inspection, the camera equipment was only a shell. Unbeknownst to the deputies, the fake equipment hid components to a rifle; a rifle that was used in the attempted murder of Frederick Parker, a man facing a multitude of attempted murder charges and extradition back to California where a R.I.C.O case awaits him.
The deputies wearing gloves so as not to contaminate any potential evidence provide a cursory examination of what they see. A suitcase open with a random assortment of clothes; none of which match, but do not draw attention to one’s self. A cell phone on the bed, draws the deputies closer; examining it they are unable to pull up a call history or any other information. Noticing that the sim card was removed, possibly destroyed; the deputies theorized that this was a burner phone, and it has out lived its usefulness. Bagging it, the deputies notice a laptop partially hidden under a pillow; both whistle as it was still on and its email program still active as they open up the device.
“We better take this back to the station,” the first deputy slowly closing the portable computer.
“I say we wait,” the second deputy responding; “let the sheriff know what we discover. Plus these phony camera cases and equipment imply something more nefarious than playing paparazzi.”
“You think this has anything to do with what happened at the court house,” the first deputy staring at one of the silver cases.
“Can’t rule it out,” the other deputy nodding; “but there is also a legality issue we are facing. We have no warrant to seize any of the items here, “ the deputy speaking; “nor a legal cause other than a motel Manager’s suspicion.”
“We can always sit on the place and wait for the occupant to return,” the first deputy sighing; having to remove the laptop and cellphone from the evidence bags in their possession.
“My thinking exactly,” the second deputy nodding; “but first we should contact the sheriff. Inform him with what we found.”
*******
Back at the police station; Sheriff Cooper and Agent Reed observed as the tech’s cloned the information off of the discarded phone. The laptop and phone from the Motel was also present. Each being examined carefully after the federal agents collected the devices. Sheriff Cooper breathed sigh of relief as the FBI took possession of the objects in question; having the better tools and equipment needed to examine and collect what evidence may pertain to the situation at hand.
“Any news,” Agent Reed speaking to the tech pouring over the data procured from the cell phone.
“Yes,” the man moving his head up to look at agent Reed; “the cellphone found wasn’t secured so we had plain sight access to it.”
“No warrant needed for that,” Sheriff Cooper chiming in.
“A text message sent shortly after Frederick was shot,” the tech ignoring the sheriff; " it mentioned Target dealt with; going to ground.”
“Who was it sent to,” Agent Reed speaking.
“I traced the numbered to a J. Crawford,” the Tech looking back on his laptop.
Sheriff Cooper growled upon hearing that name; causing the tech to look at the large sheriff as he could have sworn that noise was animalistic. Agent Reed also looking at Sheriff Cooper as she watches the sheriff take his aspirin bottle out of a pocket a take a few pills.
“I take it you know who this J. Crawford person is,” Agent Reed speaking.
“You could say that,” Sheriff Cooper doing his best to keep his anger in check; “If you’ll excuse me, I need to make a call.”
Sheriff Cooper quickly walks towards his office; closing the door, Douglas growls as his fists clench, the fingernails biting deep into his palms; drawing blood. Anger welling up inside him as he struggles to resist the urge to explode into his were-grizzly fursona; Sheriff Cooper slams his fists down onto the desk and in a fit of anger slaps everything on the desk onto the floor.
“You really do know this person,” Agent Reed entering the Sheriff’s office; causing the man to turn around ready to attack. “Out with it,” Brook not intimidated at Douglas’s glaring look. Waiting for him to respond, Agent Reed notices the gaping hole in the wall of his office leading to an adjoining interview room. Not knowing that Sheriff Cooper had to physical beat some sense into Leon Talbot nearly forty eight hours prior; agent Reed naturally shifted her stance in case the sheriff decide to attack her.
“Sit down,” Douglas looking at agent Reed; heading to his side of the desk, picking up the papers and phone that fell to the floor from his fit of rage. “Jack Crawford is a person of interest,” Douglas sitting down; “in an assault of a minor that took place last evening. Douglas goes into detail how the man was in town yesterday, along with his wife Kenya. Piqued that his wife’s plan to run for mayor was torpedoed and having been summoned to appear before the elder council. Jack decided to leave town early; but not before having a few hire thugs assault the person that dated Kenya prior to him. That person being seventeen year old Nate Anderson, a werewolf. Douglas fumed that Jack’s lawyer was able to keep the were-panther and wife out of jail; with nothing but circumstantial evidence and hearsay, Douglas shook his head as he grabbed his now empty aspirin bottle.
“Well we’ll bring him in,” Agent Reed responding after listening to the sheriff; “I doubt his lawyer will be able to counter the evidence we have on his client.”
“Yeah about that,” Douglas dreading what he has to say next; “Jack Crawford has threatened to expose the existence of were’s if he is arrested. You know how I told you he ignored a summons to appear before the elder council,” Douglas crushing the empty aspirin bottle; “he sent the summon scroll back to Tachibana in pieces along with a note, threatening to reveal our existence to the world if he is dragged back to Moon Lake or held for any reason what so ever.”
“That is a problem,” Agent Reed growling; “why wasn’t I told about this?”
“The Luna Brotherhood in Seattle is still in disarray,” Douglas answering; “yet their chapters the world over are currently disseminating the threat Jack made to the various secret were-communities. At best all we can do is turn him into a pariah.”
“Regardless of the threat,” Reed thinking on what she was just told; “I have a legal obligation to bring him in.”
“Can you issue a press conference,” Douglas thinking; “state that Jack Crawford is a person of interest in the attempted assassination? Bait the man to come to you with his lawyer,” Douglas continuing; “that way you can speak to him as you get Seattle PD to search his residence. Then see where the evidence leads you.”
Before Brook Reed could respond a knock on Sheriff Cooper’s door is heard as a deputy opens it up.
“Sheriff,” the deputy speaking; “the tech examining the laptop needs you both. He found an email from Jack Crawford complete with names and addresses here in Moon Lake and how to get to these places.”
“We’re on our way,” Douglas responds as he gets up; “just as soon as I get another bottle of aspirin.”