Read Online On Deadly Ground by Michael Norman - Free Book Online

tell them. We’re not going to reveal any specifics about the crime scenes or any evidence we’ve collected.”
    â€œOkay. It’s your show. What else?” asked Sutter.
    â€œHas your department monitored the activities of the EEWA and the CFW?”
    â€œCall tries to keep track of the EEWA. He might even have surveillance photos.”
    â€œGood, get them for me. I’d like to see them. What about the CFW? Do you have surveillance photos of them as well?”
    Sutter fumbled for an answer. “Well, I’m not exactly sure.”
    â€œFind out, Charley, and then sit down with Call and make a list of everybody you know or even think might be a member of either organization.”
    â€œI don’t see why you need all that—almost seems like an invasion of privacy if you ask me.”
    â€œHumor me, Charley. It’s important to identify the members of each group. It might lead us to our killer.”
    â€œBut…”
    â€œCharley, just get me the lists. Okay.”
    There was a long pause before Sutter spoke. “How soon do you need them?”
    â€œYesterday. I’ll see you at your office a few minutes before the news conference.”
    â€œI’ll see what I can do.” Sutter’s line went dead.
    Books sensed that Sutter’s reluctance to identify members of the rival groups applied only to the CFW. He was certain that Sutter would be more than willing to identify suspected EEWA members. Was Sutter a card-carrying member of the CFW?
    ***
    Books spent the next little while pouring over his case notes. There was a lot to do.
    Assuming everything checked out, Darby’s weekend trip to Las Vegas would provide her with a rock-solid alibi. Books also wanted to find out a little more about Darby’s Las Vegas girlfriend, Erin Rogers.
    He called an old acquaintance from the homicide unit of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Books had assisted Detective Sergeant Grant Weatherby on an old murder case, so Weatherby owed him one. Books asked him to check credit card receipts from the Hard Rock Hotel Casino to corroborate Darby Greenbriar’s presence there and run a background check on Erin Rogers. Weatherby promised to get back to him as soon as he had something.
    ***
    At one-thirty, Books and Sheriff Sutter met with the assembled media in the Kane County Commission chambers. Sutter hadn’t been exaggerating when he complained about the amount of interest the case was receiving from various news sources. There were print, radio, and television representatives from all over Utah as well as from Las Vegas and Denver.
    The sheriff made the introductions and explained that the investigation would be a joint operation between his office and the BLM. He then turned to Books, who agreed to answer questions after reading a brief statement:
    â€œAs you know, the BLM, in cooperation with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, is conducting a death investigation involving a local resident, Dr. David Greenbriar. Dr. Greenbriar’s body was discovered yesterday morning by a group of tourists visiting the old West movie set at the Paria townsite east of Kanab. While we are awaiting an official report from the Utah state medical examiner’s office as to the specific cause of death, we have reason to believe foul play was involved. Therefore, we are treating the case as a homicide. We’ll take your questions now.”
    Hands popped up all over the room. Books had been involved in these kinds of news conferences many times in Denver, so he wasn’t surprised by the questions. The press wanted to know what kind of evidence they had, whether any suspects had been identified, and how close they were to making an arrest. Books answered some questions and declined to answer others.
    One reporter caught him off-guard. The moment this guy began asking questions, Books realized someone close to the case had already leaked sensitive information.