Collateral Damage (Stone Barrington 25)

“Expect security outside your house.”

“I’m glad to have that, too.”

Holly sat back in her seat and sighed. “I think I’m glad Jasmine is here,” she said.

“Why?”

“Because I couldn’t do anything about catching her in London. Here, it’s going to be different.”

—

The garage door was operating when her car arrived at the station, but an armed guard looked into the car before the door was opened. Inside, a new security barrier was being installed, and the garage was nearly empty of cars.

—

Upstairs, Holly took her usual office, then called the station chief. “I want a meeting with the FBI AIC and the police commissioner as soon as possible,” she said.

“Where?”

“Let them decide. How are we fixed for armored vehicles?”

“There were two in the garage—one burned, the other is being repaired. Should be back within the hour.”

“I’ll use that to go to the meeting,” she said. “Have them pick me up here.” She gave him Stone’s address. “And I want security outside that address, starting now. I’m staying there. How’s everybody holding up here?”

“They’re all being very cool about it,” he replied.

“Good. Let’s keep it as normal as possible.”

“Will do.”

“How did the bomber car get into the garage?”

“The driver told us that Director Lee was in the car,” he said. “Almost as soon as the door was opened, shots were fired, so the guards knew immediately that the car was a threat. Then the bomb went off. We think the driver was already dead when it blew.”

“Anything on the driver?”

“He’s hamburger. The feds took the pieces for examination. The bomb was in the trunk, so much of the force of the blast went into the street. The rest just hit cars.”

“Traffic was normal when I arrived.”

“It took the police a couple of hours to clear the block, then they reopened it.”

“What’s happening with the media?”

“We’ve referred all inquiries to the police commissioner’s office, and they’re stating that we’re just federal office workers. That story seems to be holding, for the moment.”

/> “Good.”

—

Two hours later Holly sat in the police commissioner’s office with the commissioner and the agent in charge of the FBI’s New York office.

“The car and the body of the driver have yielded little,” the AIC said, “except that he is of Middle Eastern descent. His prints weren’t on file.”

Holly nodded.

“We’ve got everybody on this,” the commissioner said.