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Lucy couldn’t tell them about the dead parolees or Prenter, but what if that had something to do with Cody’s death? She couldn’t withhold information if it kept a killer free.
She asked, “You said possible suicide?”
“We’re still investigating. We haven’t made any official determination, but there was a suicide note.”
“Cody didn’t commit suicide,” she said flatly.
“Why are you so sure?”
“He’s Catholic.”
“That’s not always—”
“He wouldn’t do it to his mother. His dad died of a heart attack when he was sixteen, long before I met him; his brothers and sisters all moved out of the area. He wouldn’t do it to his mom. He wouldn’t.” She put her hand to her mouth and swallowed a sob.
Officer Raleigh unfolded a piece of paper. “This is a copy of the suicide note. The investigators are comparing handwriting samples.”
Lucy took the paper and placed it in front of her. Dark spots on the paper, copies of the bloodstain, marred the bottom corner.
To whoever finds me, I’m sorry you have to see me like this. Forgive me.
To my parents, I have failed you. Forgive me.
To my colleagues, I have abused my position of authority. Forgive me.
To my Lucy, the truth will set you free. It set me free.
I’ll see you soon.
Goodbye.
She couldn’t stop shaking. She willed her hands to stop, holding them close to her body. Her stomach dry heaved and she dipped her head down. “Cody. Cody didn’t write this.” Her voice twisted on a cry at the end.
“You don’t recognize the writing?”
“It doesn’t look exactly like his writing, but it could be. I don’t know. But it’s the line about his parents.”
“He might have been thinking about his entire life, and not recently.”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t sound like him.”
“When someone gets so depressed they commit suicide, they’re not always thinking straight.”
“I just…Cody…why?”
The door opened and Lucy looked up to see Sean, his face hard, concern and suspicion in his eyes as he looked from the cops to her. He crossed the small room to Lucy. “Lucy—what happened?”
She stood on weak legs, and Sean put his arm around her waist to steady her. She leaned against him. “Cody’s dead.”
And then the tears came, and Lucy couldn’t stop them.
THIRTY-ONE
When Noah learned that Mick Mallory was in custody, he left Abigail in charge of executing the warrant on Fran Buckley and WCF, and he and Kate went to the Washington Field Office.
He walked into an interview room and was surprised to see Assistant Director Rick Stockton there with Dillon Kincaid and Hans Vigo. But this case was already the most bizarre in Noah’s three-year career in the FBI. He couldn’t recall anything during his tenure in the Air Force that came close, either.
Dillon Kincaid’s friendship with Stockton and Vigo notwithstanding, Noah stated firmly, “I told you to leave Mallory to me.”
