The Crystal Mountains
11-07-2007, 01:03
One Dirty Deal Too Many
Chapter 1
Setting:Highland, a resort city of 1 and 1/2 million people in the sea-side highlands of the Commonwealth.
Erin Hughes, Detective of the Criminal Investigations Division, Commonwealth Militia arrived at the crime scene a little after 1 a.m.
A number of Militia HMMVW's and a crime scene unit [CSU] van were parked on the perimeter of the property. The Militia's Patrol Division had cordoned off the upscale house in the fashionable Seaview Ridge neighborhood on Skyline Drive and curious neighbors had gathered in their yards but were keeping their distance.
Hughes parked his unmarked car behind the CSU van, put his badge on his left front coat pocket and approached the scene. A young patrol officer challenged him at the tape but saw his badge and waved him through.
Hughes asked the rookie, "Who is the senior officer on scene?"
"That would be Sergent Sullivan sir. I think he's making the rounds with the neighbors. If you want, I'll get him on the radio."
"Please."
The rookie keyed the mike on his radio, "This is One-Lima-nineteen to Supervisor: see the CID man at the crime scene, over."
There was a brief pause and a gruff voice crackled over the radio, "Roger that."
Hughes said, "Thanks kid." and gave the rookie a pat on the shoulder. He thought to himself, Either the rookies are getting younger or I'm getting older. In any case, they shouldn't have freckles.
While waiting for the Patrol Supervisor to arrive, Hughes did a walk around of the front yard. It was immaculately landscaped with layered rows of flowering hedges around the house and two small wind swept oak trees on either side of a brick walk up to the front door. There was a small rose garden around the front door split into symmetrical half's by the walk; neatly lined with pine bark mulch without a weed in sight.
Hughes looked up and down the front of the brick house. There was a circular driveway with a late model BMW parked in plain sight. The two garage doors were closed. There was a basketball goal on the side of the garage and a nice mountain bike propped against the house.
He was about to go around to the back of the house when the Supervisor arrived slightly out of breath, "Detective?"
Hughes turned around to see Sergent Sullivan waddling up the driveway. "Sully! It's good to see you. What have we got here?"
Sullivan's face was grave. The fifty-something year old patrol cop was visibly shaken. He walked up to Hughes, shook his hand and said quietly, "Erin laddie. I'm relived that the CID sent me a Detective I can work with. We've got a bad one here boy-o. One of the worst I've ever seen."
Hughes said, "Well- let us start at the beginning, shall we?."
Sullivan said, "Alright. I don't mind telling you this one shook me up. We got the call about 12:20. The house belongs to Minister Colin Brennan of the Ministry of Tourism and his family. One of the Brennan's kids failed to answer the phone when his best friend called. The kid knew they were home and came over. There was no answer at the front door so he went around back. The back door was open and he could see two members of the Brennan family down and bloody. He ran home and called the Militia. We got here a little after 12:30 and cordoned off the area. We haven't been inside. That's the CSU's job and we don't want to get in their way. I talked to a few neighbors. Nobody heard any shots."
"Good job Sully. You followed protocol to the letter." Hughes said.
Sullivan sighed and said, "One more thing Erin."
"What's that Sully?"
"Get this kid killin' bastard."
Hughes just nodded and walked up to the back door. It was standing open with crime scene tape crossing the portal. He reached in his pockets and pulled out a pair of latex gloves and plastic covers for his shoes. Once he had those in place he pulled out a mag light and a digital camera.
He immediately noticed that there were large muddy footprints on the redwood poolside patio that lead up to the back door. He took pictures of the footprints and noted that there was no mud to speak of in the back yard.
Inside the back door was a living room. The television was still on and two bodies were on the floor covered by sheets. One by the door as if one of the victims had opened it and been shot. The other was beside the sofa.
One of the members of the CSU team appeared at the top of the stairs. "Detective Hughes?"
Hughes looked up and said, "Yeah. What have we got here?"
The CSU man came down stairs and said, "Please understand that this is all very preliminary but this is how I read it. Time of death for all the victims occurred between 11:15 and 11:45. Follow me though this and see if you concur. Two of the Brennan kids are watching late-night TV and there is a knock on the back door. They are expecting the Tommy kid from next door. The girl Mandy 15 answers the door and is popped where she stood. Youngest boy Travis, 13, is on the sofa probably half asleep, is surprised and tries to run and gets two in the back. The oldest boy Michael, 16, hears something odd downstairs and looks down from the landing and gets two in the chest. Perp goes upstairs and caps Minister Brennen and his wife Sherry in their sleep."
"The gun was a silenced 9mm and fired at least eleven shots. The perp either bagged or picked up his brass. If I were to guess, I would think maybe an H&K or MP5- something like that. Big mag, easily silenced."
Hughes asked, "Is anything missing?"
"No- money is in the Minister's wallet. Valuable electronics are sitting around in plain sight. There is one thing."
"What is that?"
"The Minister's ID card is missing from his wallet."
Hughes snorted. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking? This looks like Special Branch stuff to me."
The CSU Supervisor nodded his head. "This looks like a professional hit and a very ugly one at that. Sammy O'Shea's mob or any mob that we know of operating in the islands have ever gone after a whole family."
Hughes handed the CSU supervisor his card. "Thanks for the walk through. Do a full forensic work up on the house and forward your report to me at CID. I doubt you'll find much though. Easy money the shooter was a Pro."
Hughes exited the Brennan House out the back door. He followed the muddy footprints back down the hill. The yard ended with a sharp drop off of about 40 feet of steep rock to a service road below. On the shoulders of the road: a still, muddy creek.
He walked back up the hill and took his cell phone out of his pocket. He pressed the speedial for the Militia's Special Branch office downtown.
The Special Branch switchboard rang only once when a crisp, professional voice answered, "Special Branch, Duty Officer Bell, how may I help you?"
"This is Detective Hughes of CID. I responded to a multiple homicide tonight at the home of Minister Colin Brennan of Tourism. His entire family was killed in what looks like a professional hit. The Ministers ID is missing."
Bell replied, "Thanks for reporting this Detective Hughes. Would you mind coming in to Headquarters? We need to get a report on anything that involves Ministry Officials."
Hughes groaned inwardly but said, "Of course. Everything I've got is very preliminary but involving Special Branch is protocol in a case like this. I'll be there in about thirty minutes."
He had a word with the Patrol Supervisor and the Crime Scene Unit who would be working the crime scene until well into the next day before he left the scene. Thankfully the press hadn't gotten word of the Brennan murders yet so it would be noon at the earliest before the press got hold of it.
Detective Hughes got in his car and headed downtown to have a dreaded discussion with Special Branch which he knew meant that he was obligated to tell everything while they were obligated to share nothing.
Chapter 1
Setting:Highland, a resort city of 1 and 1/2 million people in the sea-side highlands of the Commonwealth.
Erin Hughes, Detective of the Criminal Investigations Division, Commonwealth Militia arrived at the crime scene a little after 1 a.m.
A number of Militia HMMVW's and a crime scene unit [CSU] van were parked on the perimeter of the property. The Militia's Patrol Division had cordoned off the upscale house in the fashionable Seaview Ridge neighborhood on Skyline Drive and curious neighbors had gathered in their yards but were keeping their distance.
Hughes parked his unmarked car behind the CSU van, put his badge on his left front coat pocket and approached the scene. A young patrol officer challenged him at the tape but saw his badge and waved him through.
Hughes asked the rookie, "Who is the senior officer on scene?"
"That would be Sergent Sullivan sir. I think he's making the rounds with the neighbors. If you want, I'll get him on the radio."
"Please."
The rookie keyed the mike on his radio, "This is One-Lima-nineteen to Supervisor: see the CID man at the crime scene, over."
There was a brief pause and a gruff voice crackled over the radio, "Roger that."
Hughes said, "Thanks kid." and gave the rookie a pat on the shoulder. He thought to himself, Either the rookies are getting younger or I'm getting older. In any case, they shouldn't have freckles.
While waiting for the Patrol Supervisor to arrive, Hughes did a walk around of the front yard. It was immaculately landscaped with layered rows of flowering hedges around the house and two small wind swept oak trees on either side of a brick walk up to the front door. There was a small rose garden around the front door split into symmetrical half's by the walk; neatly lined with pine bark mulch without a weed in sight.
Hughes looked up and down the front of the brick house. There was a circular driveway with a late model BMW parked in plain sight. The two garage doors were closed. There was a basketball goal on the side of the garage and a nice mountain bike propped against the house.
He was about to go around to the back of the house when the Supervisor arrived slightly out of breath, "Detective?"
Hughes turned around to see Sergent Sullivan waddling up the driveway. "Sully! It's good to see you. What have we got here?"
Sullivan's face was grave. The fifty-something year old patrol cop was visibly shaken. He walked up to Hughes, shook his hand and said quietly, "Erin laddie. I'm relived that the CID sent me a Detective I can work with. We've got a bad one here boy-o. One of the worst I've ever seen."
Hughes said, "Well- let us start at the beginning, shall we?."
Sullivan said, "Alright. I don't mind telling you this one shook me up. We got the call about 12:20. The house belongs to Minister Colin Brennan of the Ministry of Tourism and his family. One of the Brennan's kids failed to answer the phone when his best friend called. The kid knew they were home and came over. There was no answer at the front door so he went around back. The back door was open and he could see two members of the Brennan family down and bloody. He ran home and called the Militia. We got here a little after 12:30 and cordoned off the area. We haven't been inside. That's the CSU's job and we don't want to get in their way. I talked to a few neighbors. Nobody heard any shots."
"Good job Sully. You followed protocol to the letter." Hughes said.
Sullivan sighed and said, "One more thing Erin."
"What's that Sully?"
"Get this kid killin' bastard."
Hughes just nodded and walked up to the back door. It was standing open with crime scene tape crossing the portal. He reached in his pockets and pulled out a pair of latex gloves and plastic covers for his shoes. Once he had those in place he pulled out a mag light and a digital camera.
He immediately noticed that there were large muddy footprints on the redwood poolside patio that lead up to the back door. He took pictures of the footprints and noted that there was no mud to speak of in the back yard.
Inside the back door was a living room. The television was still on and two bodies were on the floor covered by sheets. One by the door as if one of the victims had opened it and been shot. The other was beside the sofa.
One of the members of the CSU team appeared at the top of the stairs. "Detective Hughes?"
Hughes looked up and said, "Yeah. What have we got here?"
The CSU man came down stairs and said, "Please understand that this is all very preliminary but this is how I read it. Time of death for all the victims occurred between 11:15 and 11:45. Follow me though this and see if you concur. Two of the Brennan kids are watching late-night TV and there is a knock on the back door. They are expecting the Tommy kid from next door. The girl Mandy 15 answers the door and is popped where she stood. Youngest boy Travis, 13, is on the sofa probably half asleep, is surprised and tries to run and gets two in the back. The oldest boy Michael, 16, hears something odd downstairs and looks down from the landing and gets two in the chest. Perp goes upstairs and caps Minister Brennen and his wife Sherry in their sleep."
"The gun was a silenced 9mm and fired at least eleven shots. The perp either bagged or picked up his brass. If I were to guess, I would think maybe an H&K or MP5- something like that. Big mag, easily silenced."
Hughes asked, "Is anything missing?"
"No- money is in the Minister's wallet. Valuable electronics are sitting around in plain sight. There is one thing."
"What is that?"
"The Minister's ID card is missing from his wallet."
Hughes snorted. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking? This looks like Special Branch stuff to me."
The CSU Supervisor nodded his head. "This looks like a professional hit and a very ugly one at that. Sammy O'Shea's mob or any mob that we know of operating in the islands have ever gone after a whole family."
Hughes handed the CSU supervisor his card. "Thanks for the walk through. Do a full forensic work up on the house and forward your report to me at CID. I doubt you'll find much though. Easy money the shooter was a Pro."
Hughes exited the Brennan House out the back door. He followed the muddy footprints back down the hill. The yard ended with a sharp drop off of about 40 feet of steep rock to a service road below. On the shoulders of the road: a still, muddy creek.
He walked back up the hill and took his cell phone out of his pocket. He pressed the speedial for the Militia's Special Branch office downtown.
The Special Branch switchboard rang only once when a crisp, professional voice answered, "Special Branch, Duty Officer Bell, how may I help you?"
"This is Detective Hughes of CID. I responded to a multiple homicide tonight at the home of Minister Colin Brennan of Tourism. His entire family was killed in what looks like a professional hit. The Ministers ID is missing."
Bell replied, "Thanks for reporting this Detective Hughes. Would you mind coming in to Headquarters? We need to get a report on anything that involves Ministry Officials."
Hughes groaned inwardly but said, "Of course. Everything I've got is very preliminary but involving Special Branch is protocol in a case like this. I'll be there in about thirty minutes."
He had a word with the Patrol Supervisor and the Crime Scene Unit who would be working the crime scene until well into the next day before he left the scene. Thankfully the press hadn't gotten word of the Brennan murders yet so it would be noon at the earliest before the press got hold of it.
Detective Hughes got in his car and headed downtown to have a dreaded discussion with Special Branch which he knew meant that he was obligated to tell everything while they were obligated to share nothing.