thank you both for being here.”
Drew made a point of looking at his watch. “Spencer has been quite cooperative, but he needs to get to school. I assume I’m free to leave with him?”
“In a minute. I just have a couple follow-up questions. That okay with you, Spencer?”
The kid started a little as Cam turned his attention to him, but never glanced at the attorney before shrugging. “Sure. I guess.”
Drawing out the chair beside Drew, Cam sank into it to face the boy. “We’ve still got your cell, but I’m working on getting that back to you as soon as possible.” He offered a smile he was far from feeling. “Guessing a teenager feels lost without his phone these days, even if it’s just for a few days.”
Another shrug. “I can just activate my old one.”
“Good. Glad we won’t be putting you out. I can probably get that phone back to you sooner if you come clean about what you did with it last night before you ran back to your car.”
That had the kid’s head jerking up, a flare of guilt in his eyes. Drew’s voice was controlled. “Are you accusing my client of a crime, Agent Prescott?”
“Just an omission.” Cam never looked in the attorney’s direction. His attention was focused on Spencer. “I asked if you had used the phone while you were watching that man. You said you hadn’t. Cyber forensics says otherwise. You took a short video. You used the Snapchat app and transmitted it. Good clarity, I’m told.”
A look of incredulity on his face, Pals blurted out, “You can’t trace anything on Snapchat! The pictures disappear.”
“Spencer!” The attorney’s expression was thunderous. “Not another word.”
Cam switched his focus to the lawyer. “He’s not being charged with anything, but he gave misleading information that might have bearing on this case. I don’t think you want him to further obstruct our investigation.”
“That’s bull, Mr. Drew. They can’t access anything that goes out…”
“Quiet,” the man snapped. His gaze never left Cam’s. “I want your word that his involvement is ended after this. That includes no misdemeanor or false reporting charges.”
“You have it. All I want is an answer to the question so I can act accordingly.”
After a long moment, the attorney nodded and switched his attention to Spencer. “Whom did you send the pictures to?”
The kid slouched in his chair, clearly disgusted with the proceedings. “I don’t know.”
“We can find out.” Cam made sure none of his frustration was apparent in his tone. “It’ll take another day or two but forensics can trace the recipients of your messages. You tell me now, it’ll build up some good will. Make up for lying about it in the first place.”
“I mean, I’m not sure. All my contacts are grouped and I sent it out to some friends.”
“How many in the group?” Drew asked.
“I don’t…” With a quick glance toward Cam, the kid backtracked. “I’m just saying I can’t be sure without looking at my phone and counting. Not many, I know that. I’m guessing…thirty or so?”
* * * *
Cam knocked at the SAC’s closed door, a sense of urgency riding him. He was taken aback, however, when Major Crimes Unit Assistant Director Paul Miller opened the door.
“Sir.” It didn’t take much guessing to figure what had brought the man from his office at DCI headquarters to the agents’ field office. Gazing past the man he could see Gonzalez behind her desk, her expression inscrutable as always. “I can come back.”
“No, come in. We were just discussing your case.” Miller stood aside and waved him to a chair, demand implicit in the gesture. Feeling like a fly settling on a spider’s web, Cam walked past the man, sitting in one of the two chairs facing the SAC’s desk.
He wasn’t given to paranoia but he had a healthy sense of self-preservation and
Drew made a point of looking at his watch. “Spencer has been quite cooperative, but he needs to get to school. I assume I’m free to leave with him?”
“In a minute. I just have a couple follow-up questions. That okay with you, Spencer?”
The kid started a little as Cam turned his attention to him, but never glanced at the attorney before shrugging. “Sure. I guess.”
Drawing out the chair beside Drew, Cam sank into it to face the boy. “We’ve still got your cell, but I’m working on getting that back to you as soon as possible.” He offered a smile he was far from feeling. “Guessing a teenager feels lost without his phone these days, even if it’s just for a few days.”
Another shrug. “I can just activate my old one.”
“Good. Glad we won’t be putting you out. I can probably get that phone back to you sooner if you come clean about what you did with it last night before you ran back to your car.”
That had the kid’s head jerking up, a flare of guilt in his eyes. Drew’s voice was controlled. “Are you accusing my client of a crime, Agent Prescott?”
“Just an omission.” Cam never looked in the attorney’s direction. His attention was focused on Spencer. “I asked if you had used the phone while you were watching that man. You said you hadn’t. Cyber forensics says otherwise. You took a short video. You used the Snapchat app and transmitted it. Good clarity, I’m told.”
A look of incredulity on his face, Pals blurted out, “You can’t trace anything on Snapchat! The pictures disappear.”
“Spencer!” The attorney’s expression was thunderous. “Not another word.”
Cam switched his focus to the lawyer. “He’s not being charged with anything, but he gave misleading information that might have bearing on this case. I don’t think you want him to further obstruct our investigation.”
“That’s bull, Mr. Drew. They can’t access anything that goes out…”
“Quiet,” the man snapped. His gaze never left Cam’s. “I want your word that his involvement is ended after this. That includes no misdemeanor or false reporting charges.”
“You have it. All I want is an answer to the question so I can act accordingly.”
After a long moment, the attorney nodded and switched his attention to Spencer. “Whom did you send the pictures to?”
The kid slouched in his chair, clearly disgusted with the proceedings. “I don’t know.”
“We can find out.” Cam made sure none of his frustration was apparent in his tone. “It’ll take another day or two but forensics can trace the recipients of your messages. You tell me now, it’ll build up some good will. Make up for lying about it in the first place.”
“I mean, I’m not sure. All my contacts are grouped and I sent it out to some friends.”
“How many in the group?” Drew asked.
“I don’t…” With a quick glance toward Cam, the kid backtracked. “I’m just saying I can’t be sure without looking at my phone and counting. Not many, I know that. I’m guessing…thirty or so?”
* * * *
Cam knocked at the SAC’s closed door, a sense of urgency riding him. He was taken aback, however, when Major Crimes Unit Assistant Director Paul Miller opened the door.
“Sir.” It didn’t take much guessing to figure what had brought the man from his office at DCI headquarters to the agents’ field office. Gazing past the man he could see Gonzalez behind her desk, her expression inscrutable as always. “I can come back.”
“No, come in. We were just discussing your case.” Miller stood aside and waved him to a chair, demand implicit in the gesture. Feeling like a fly settling on a spider’s web, Cam walked past the man, sitting in one of the two chairs facing the SAC’s desk.
He wasn’t given to paranoia but he had a healthy sense of self-preservation and
Similar Books
