David turned back to the screen. “It’s a copy from the video camera in here. We’re just about to the shooting.”

The two of them watched Dabir move smoothly through the crowd, accepting congratulations and wishes of luck. He was laughing with a small group of women, when someone asked for a picture with her daughters. She took a few steps away, the candidate put an arm around each of the teenage girls, and they all smiled for the camera. The flashbulb went off, and Dabir seemed to slump in the arms of his young supporters. The girls moved slightly farther from him, and the candidate fell to the floor. For half a second there was just a quiet murmur of concern, then a scream broke through the whispering as people noticed the blood.

As she watched the events on the screen, Alex saw a flickering movement that went against the movement of the crowd. While most everyone was surging toward the fallen man, including the image of Alex herself, one individual was headed towards the side corridor. A woman got in his way, and was rudely pushed against the wall. David stopped the tape.

“It was here that I spotted him. I saw the gun in his hand and the girl hit the wall, and I just went after him.”

Alex’s eyes were half closed, but David could tell by looking that the motor behind them was working frantically.

“Has anyone spoken to the girl, can she tell us anything about the guy?”

“Yeah, she was interviewed, I read the officer’s notes. Didn’t see much, just felt the guy bump into her, then she was hitting the wall. She said she barely noticed, all she could think about was Dabir.”

Alex nodded. “Have we found out what happened to the officer stationed on the door? “

“Officer Buckner was found outside, propped up against the wall. He’d been killed from close range — coroner said the powder burns indicated the weapon was less than six inches from the back of his skull. Possibly the same gun that killed Dabir.”

Alex stood and began pacing across the rust colored carpet. “So he whacked the guard, then came through here and hit his target. Then he went back through that door —”

“No, Alex. He didn’t come in through this door. He used it for an escape, but it’s not how he got in.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. It was locked, no one from the outside could get in, though the alarm had been cut. A couple of officers tried the door from outside. They couldn’t get in.” David motioned to the tape. “The camera shows, no one came through it. However the guy got out, he didn’t use this door to get in.”

Alex just stared at the TV in front of her. “How good a picture can we get? Of his face, I mean.”

“If you watch close you can follow him from just a few minutes before the shooting. Price confiscated the original tapes. They’ll go out to Washington by courier later this morning. But he did have copies made of this, and the parking lot. A copy of the camera in the corridor is on the way. I’ll send a message to Washington that we need this tape enhanced, and stills made of all frames that show the killer’s face. Technical should be ready, and with any luck, they’ll have it finished by tomorrow night.”

Alex nodded. “Good job. Maybe with the stills, someone can tell us who this guy is - or was. Have you already seen the parking lot tape?”

“Yeah, for what good it did. Problem is, the place the car was located wasn’t in camera range.”

“Wait a minute, I thought the entire lot was on camera, and anything that wasn’t was off limits.”

“Exactly. The car was parked in an off limits spot. I noticed that when I saw him jump in.”

“Who the hell authorized that?” Alex was glaring at David. “Did you ask Wister?”

“He just said that Sargeant Leonard, who’d been in charge of the parking lot, had received an authorization. He didn’t say who it was from.”

“So where the hell is this Leonard? I’m gonna rip his goddamn -” Alex stopped as she noticed a figure in the half open door.

Officer Stein cleared his throat. “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt. Thought I’d let both of you know that breakfast is here. You might want to eat while everything’s hot.”

David nodded. “Right. Thanks, Stein.”

The young man hesitated in the door way. “Um, Agent Wu, Agent Reis, you wouldn’t be referring to that blue Escort, would you? The one that exploded?”

Both agents looked at him. Reis cleared her throat and took a step towards the young man. “Yes, Stein, that’s exactly what we’re referring to. What do you know about it?”

“Well, didn’t you and Agent Wu okay that vehicle to park there?”

“No, Stein, we didn’t,” Alex’s voice was strained. She hoped she wouldn’t have to yell at the poor man any more; he did seem to have the makings of a fine officer. “Did you see the car, Stein?”

“Yes, ma’am. When I was reassigned to the parking lot, I noticed it was in an off limits area, and I asked Sarge about it. He said a couple of agents parked it there, and they had your permission. I remember, he was grumbling about you changing your mind on things without notifying anyone. He’s my superior, so I didn’t question him, but I remember thinking that you don’t seem like one to change your mind without a good reason.”

Both FBI agents just stared at him. Alex recovered a second before David did.

“Stein, I take it Sarge is Sargeant Leonard?”

“Yes, ma’am. Sargeant Robert Leonard.”

“He said I had authorized a change in the parking?”

“Well, he said that’s what the agents told him.”

“What agents?”

“He didn’t say. Just told me there’d been two FBI agents. One had stayed with the car, and the other went inside. He’d never seen them before, he said, but they showed ID.”

Alex nodded. She could tell that David was fuming behind her and she needed to get Stein out of the room before her partner exploded on the young man.

“Thanks, Stein. I’ll check it out. Are you still on door duty?”

“No, ma’am. I just got released. I actually came over to tell you and Agent Wu that the buffet was up.”

“We appreciate that. What I need you to do, right now, is tell Lieutenant Wister exactly what you just told me. Then tell him I authorized no such change, and all agents were accounted for - they were inside the building from early evening on. Let him know we need to speak to him, now. Can you do that for me?”

“I’ll go find him.”

“Thanks, Stein.”

She watched the younger man walk away, then turned to her partner. Alex could almost see the heat coming off of him.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” David exploded. “Why the hell didn’t they just call you to confirm? That’s the whole reason everyone was carrying a fucking radio, for God’s sake!”

“I don’t know, David.” Alex leaned back in her chair, her arms folded. David’s voice was low, but forceful.

“You know, I think even Stein could probably out think this Sargeant At least he knows how to follow procedure.”

“Sure, after I yelled at him yesterday.”

“You’re right. Maybe Leonard trained the guy.” Alex was watching as David’s anger finally started winding down. “You know, I haven’t even met the guy, and I don’t like him.”

“I think I remember meeting him. I didn’t like him either.”

David took a breath and let his forehead rest against the wall. His eyes were closed, and he waited a moment before he exhaled. When he did, he looked at Alex, and she could see he was back in control of himself.

“Okay, Alex. Now what?”

“I think we wait for Wister.” She shook her blond head. “I don’t know what exactly happened in the parking lot, but at least this answers a few questions.”

“Like what?”

“Like how the guy got into the ball room.”

“Oh.” David waited a moment. “Want to tell me?”

Alex rolled her eyes. “Come on, David. Stein said the guys showed Leonard FBI credentials. If the Sarge wasn’t lying about that, then it’s obvious they used those ID’s to not only get the car in the right place, but to get the shooter into the building.”