“Yes, sir, he does,” Ziegler said. “We just left him.”
“Did you understand what I just told you, Captain?” Hessinger pursued.
The captain nodded, and belatedly added, “Yes, sir.”
“Thank you,” Hessinger said.
“I guess I’m dismissed, right?” the captain said.
“It would be helpful, Captain, if you assisted Mr. Ziegler in gathering up all the paperwork, the photographs, et cetera, everything the Military Police has generated so far with regard to this incident so that I can take it with me. More than likely it will be returned, but tonight—this morning—the chief wants a look at everything.”
“Does that include the shooter’s weapon, sir?” Ziegler said.
“Including the shooter’s weapon,” Hessinger said. “All weapons. I understand that knives were involved?”
“Yes, sir. There were knives,” Ziegler said.
“Additionally, Captain, please advise your men at the 98th that our security people are en route to the hospital, where they will take responsibility for security. I would be grateful if you would leave your MPs there to assist them.”
“Certainly.”
“They and everybody else involved has to be told that the investigation has been assigned to another agency—please don’t mention the DCI—and that all details are classified Secret—just Secret, not Top Secret–Presidential, as that would arouse their curiosity.”
“I understand, sir.”
“Two more things,” Hessinger went on. “Presuming you still have men at the scene of the incident?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Please advise them that I will be taking the ambulance parked next to the ambulance where the shooting took place.”
“Yes, sir. Sir, on the subject of ambulances, the one in which the shooting took place was stolen from the 98th General Hospital’s motor pool sometime today—I mean, yesterday.”
“Mr. Ziegler, you will look into that?” Hessinger asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“The other ambulance, sir, the one with the red crosses painted over, is a questionable item.”
“How so?”
“The bumper markings say it’s from a unit, the 711 MKRC, that’s not on the USFET list of organizations.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s ours. That’s why I’m going to go pick it up,” Hessinger said.
“Can I ask what MKRC stands for?”
“It’s not important.”
And as soon as I get it in the Vier Jahreszeiten garage, that will be changed to something else.
My God, I can’t do that! Cronley’s Nazi cousin swallowed that Mobile Kitchen Renovation Company story whole!
r /> “The second thing I want you to do, Captain,” Hessinger said, “in case the men looking through that one-way mirror . . .”
He pointed to a large mirror mounted flush on the wall.
“. . . didn’t hear what I said in here, is make sure you tell them. Before you get them out of there.”