Chapter 14: The Woman in the Blue Coat
Dr. Victoria Shaw had testified in the Marcus Bell murder trial twelve years earlier.
Her original forensic report had concluded that the physical evidence did not support the prosecution's theory.
Three days before the trial, she had submitted a revised report.
That revised report had helped convict an innocent man.
Now she was missing.
I studied her photograph.
"Where was she being protected?""
The technician checked the records.
"St. Mary's Medical Center in Atlanta. She was admitted under a federal witness-protection arrangement.""
"Who authorized her transfer?""
He hesitated.
"Malcolm Price.""
I looked at Greene.
"Did you know?""
"No, Your Honor.""
"Who else had access to the protection records?""
"Senior investigators, the hospital liaison, and the federal witness-protection coordinator.""
I took a breath.
"Then someone compromised the protection program.""
Greene nodded.
"We need to locate her before Price does.""
I looked at the clock.
1:17 a.m.
"Get me the last confirmed location.""
The technician brought up a map.
A red marker appeared near an abandoned industrial complex on the outskirts of Atlanta.
"Her vehicle was last detected here.""
I studied the address.
It was an old medical laboratory.
"Why would she go there?""
Greene shook his head.
"Maybe she was taken.""
I pointed to the satellite image.
"That facility has been closed for years.""
The technician zoomed in.
A gray SUV sat beside a loading entrance.
Its registration matched the vehicle associated with Whitaker Consulting Group.
"That's our suspect's vehicle," Greene said.
He immediately called for backup.
I turned toward him.
"I want the operation coordinated with the federal field office. No unauthorized personnel. No local officers from Bellhaven.""
He nodded.
"Understood.""
Twenty-five minutes later, we arrived outside the industrial complex.
Rain had begun falling.
The building stood behind a chain-link fence, surrounded by overgrown grass and broken security lights.
A faded sign identified it as the former Shaw Medical Research Center.
I stared at the name.
"Shaw?""
Greene nodded.
"Could be coincidence.""
But something about it bothered me.
Dr. Victoria Shaw had worked there before the Bellhaven trial.
The facility had been closed shortly after her testimony.
"How many entrances?"" I asked.
"Three," Greene answered.
"Main entrance, loading dock, and underground parking.""
He divided the officers into teams.
I remained near the command vehicle.
I wasn't going to compromise an operation simply because I wanted answers.
A few minutes later, a marshal approached.
"Your Honor, we found a vehicle in the underground garage.""
"Occupied?""
"No.""
"Any signs of Dr. Shaw?""
He shook his head.
"But we found a blue coat.""
I looked at him.
"Where?""
"Inside the vehicle.""
I followed him to the garage entrance.
The coat lay across the passenger seat.
A small envelope was tucked into its pocket.
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph of a young woman standing beside Dr. Shaw.
On the back was a handwritten message.
*SHE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ORIGINAL REPORT.*
I turned toward Greene.
"Who is the young woman?""
He examined the photograph.
"Looks familiar.""
"From where?""
He stared at it for several seconds.
Then his expression changed.
"That's Emily Shaw.""
"Related to Victoria?""
"Her daughter.""
A voice suddenly came from the radio.
"Command, we have movement on the second floor.""
Greene grabbed his microphone.
"Identify yourself.""
"Officer Miller. We found an open room. Possible signs of a struggle.""
"Any casualties?""
"Negative. But there's a computer running.""
We moved upstairs.
The room contained medical equipment, several filing cabinets, and a computer displaying a video call interface.
A woman appeared on the screen.
Dr. Victoria Shaw.
She was alive.
Her face was bruised, and her hands were tied behind a chair.
I stepped closer.
"Dr. Shaw?""
Her eyes widened.
"Judge Whitlock?""
"Yes. We're here to help you.""
She looked toward someone outside the camera frame.
Then she whispered:
"You shouldn't have come.""
Greene approached the computer.
"Where are you?""
Shaw shook her head.
"I don't know. They moved me.""
"Who moved you?""
She looked directly into the camera.
"Malcolm Price.""
I leaned closer.
"Dr. Shaw, we need the truth about Marcus Bell.""
She began crying.
"I tried to tell them.""
"Tell me what happened.""
"The original laboratory results were altered.""
"By whom?""
"Richard Hale brought me a replacement report. He said the original had been contaminated.""
"Was it?""
"No.""
Her voice cracked.
"The original tests excluded Marcus Bell. His fingerprints weren't on the weapon. The blood evidence didn't match him. The revised report changed those findings.""
"Did you sign it?""
She closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because they threatened my daughter.""
I looked at the photograph.
Emily.
"Where is your daughter now?""
Shaw began shaking.
"That's what they want.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Who?""
"Price. He told me Emily had been taken.""
Greene stepped closer.
"Do you know where?""
"No. But he said he would exchange her for the original recordings.""
I looked at the technician.
"Can you trace the video?""
He nodded.
"Working on it.""
Shaw suddenly leaned toward the camera.
"Judge Whitlock, listen carefully. There was another test.""
"What test?""
"A second blood analysis. It was performed independently before the trial.""
"Where is the report?""
She swallowed.
"Inside the original case file.""
"Where?""
She looked down.
Then whispered:
"Under the judge's bench.""
I frowned.
"Which judge?""
"Whitaker.""
Greene looked at me.
"At the old courthouse?""
Shaw nodded.
"There's a hidden compartment. He kept the original report there.""
Before we could ask anything else, the video froze.
The screen went black.
The technician cursed.
"Connection terminated.""
I turned toward him.
"Did you get the location?""
He shook his head.
"No. But I captured a network identifier.""
"Can you trace it?""
"Possibly.""
Greene's radio crackled.
"Command, we've located a second vehicle outside.""
"Description?""
"Black sedan. No plates.""
"Any occupants?""
A pause.
"One male.""
"Do not approach alone.""
Another pause.
Then a gunshot exploded through the radio.
"Officer down! Officer down!""
Greene ran toward the staircase.
I followed as far as the hallway.
Through the loading dock window, I saw a black sedan accelerating toward the exit.
A marshal was lying on the wet pavement.
Other officers rushed toward him.
Greene shouted orders.
"Get an ambulance! Lock down the perimeter!""
The vehicle crashed through the damaged gate and disappeared into the rain.
I ran toward the injured marshal.
He was conscious, clutching his shoulder.
"Did you see the driver?"" Greene asked.
The marshal nodded weakly.
"Yes.""
"Who?""
The injured man looked at me.
Then he whispered:
"Deputy Reed.""
I froze.
Elijah Reed.
The young deputy who had risked his career to protect me.
The man who had exposed the sheriff's records.
The man I had trusted.
I immediately reached for my phone.
"Call him.""
Greene did.
The phone rang once.
Then a message appeared.
*THE NUMBER YOU ARE CALLING IS NO LONGER IN SERVICE.*
I stared at the screen.
A second message arrived from an unknown number.
*YOU TRUSTED THE WRONG DEPUTY, JUDGE.*
Beneath it was a photograph.
Deputy Reed was sitting in a chair.
May you like
His hands were tied.
And standing behind him was Sheriff Dalton Voss.
