“Sure. Hang on while I get someone to stay with Mrs. Cassidy.” Mac found Detective Jan Adams in her office and brought her up to date, then ushered her into the interview room.
Dana was telling Kelly that they'd found her husband's Jaguar. Mac introduced Jan to Kelly then said, “We're heading over to the airport to pick him up. Hopefully we won't be too late. I'd like you to wait here for us, Kelly, and you could help us out a lot by giving Jan your statement again so we can get it on tape.”
“Sure.”
Mac dove into the driver's seat. Dana and Kevin reached for the front passenger door handle at the same time. “Oh sorry, Kevin.” Dana moved to the rear door.
“No, I'm sorry. You ride shotgun. It's your spot, and you earned it.” Kevin gave her a pat on the shoulder.
“Thanks.” Dana jumped into the front as Kevin squeezed into the backseat, shoving over a pile of briefcases, coats, and evidence collection equipment.
“Still the slob, hey, Mac?” Kevin mumbled. “I thought Dana might have you organized by now.” Mac caught his ex-partner's teasing wink in the rearview mirror. Dana laughed. “I'm working on him.”
“Hey, before I was so rudely interrupted by your eagerness, here,” Kevin nodded in Mac's direction, “I was coming to tell you my news. While you were getting Cassidy on tape, I got a print out from the Avalon Research Institute. Doc Cassidy was one of their outside researchers. That doesn't tie him to the ricin, but it puts him in the ballpark.”
“Great!” Mac flashed him a grin. “Things are finally coming together.”
“Just like I always said they would,” Kevin said. “Prayer works.”
“Maybe you'd better keep those prayers coming,” Dana said.
“We still have to round this guy up in an airport full of people.”
Just as they were entering I-205 northbound, Philly and Russ checked out at PDX over the police radio, which meant they were already there. Dana activated the car's strobe lights and siren as Mac crushed the gas pedal.
They arrived in the drop-off zone in less than five minutes and abandoned the car at the terminal entrance behind Russ's brown Crown Victoria.
The threesome started for the Port of Portland terminal headquarters, which was the police agency tasked with policing the airport. Several uniformed officers were waiting with Russ near the entry to the cramped office, while Philly was on the phone yelling into the mouthpiece. Mac looked for an update from Russ, who motioned toward Philly.
“You turn that plane around,” Philly ordered, “or I'll make sure you never fly again.”
“What's that all about?” Kevin asked Russ.
“We found Cassidy on the flight list in about ten seconds; the dope actually used his own name. He bought a ticket to Denmark a couple of hours ago.”
“Denmark?” Mac had figured Mexico.
“It was the first flight he could get out of the country,” Russ told him. “The plane departed five minutes ago. It's still over Oregon. Philly has the tower convinced he's with the FBI. He just threatened the pilot with bodily harm.”
“Oh my word.” Kevin groaned. “Please tell me he's not doing that.”
“The pilot's giving the air-traffic controller some guff, so Philly's pulling out all the stops, telling them he has executive authority, whatever that means.”
Kevin winced. “Philly's been watching too much television. We are all in trouble big-time when this is over.”
Philly turned toward them, shrugged, and winked. “My name?
Special Agent Frank Evans, FBI.”
Kevin groaned. “I can't believe it.”
Philly hung up and joined the other detectives at the room's entrance. “You don't think Frank will mind, do you?” Philly chuckled.
Keeping his voice low so passengers couldn't hear, Kevin said, “I think at the very least, you might be looking at a few days off without pay.”
“They'll be docking at gate B-4 in ten minutes. Better hurry if you want to tell on me.” Philly started for the gate. “Besides, Frank is retiring. What does he care?”
“Sarge is retiring, for sure?” Mac asked Kevin as the five detectives jogged through the terminal. Four uniformed officers from the Port of Portland Police joined them, putting plenty of muscle behind them as they made a mad dash through the security gates.
“That's what I was going to tell you before all the excitement. Frank announced that he was retiring at the end of the month.”
“Who do you think we'll get as the new boss?” Mac asked, thinking that this was an odd conversation to have on the way to arresting a murder suspect. He also noted the look of fatigue on Kevin's face. In his current condition, Kevin had no business coming with them to make the arrest.
“You're talking to him,” Kevin panted. “I'm taking the job.”
“Really?” Mac couldn't hide his pleasure.
“Really.” The conversation ended as they watched the giant 757 jet maneuver into the gate port.
The uniformed officers opened the door to the jet after it was docked, clearing the way for Mac and Dana to enter the plane's body. “He's all yours,” one of them said. “Seat 6A.”
“You get the honors, Dana.” Mac stepped aside, allowing his partner to go in front of him.
They didn't need the seat numberâRaymond Cassidy's fearful expression gave him away. Dana walked directly up to his seat. “Dr. Cassidy, come with us, please.”
Mac stood by, ready to assist if Cassidy tried anything.
“What's this all about?” The doctor seemed to have regained his composure. He started to rise, then sat back down.
“Please, Doctor,” Dana urged. “I need you to exit the plane with us, and I'd rather not have things get ugly.”
“I'm not leaving until I know what this is all about,” Cassidy insisted, his momentary appearance of cooperation fading.
“I was hoping we could do this without making a scene, but you are leaving me little choice.” Dana pulled her handcuffs from her belt.
“Raymond Cassidy, you are under arrest for the murder of Clayton Mullins. Either you walk off this plane with me right now, or we're dragging you off.”
Cassidy glanced around as if looking for an escape route. “You'll hear about this from my lawyer.”
“Would that be Addison Shaw?” Dana smiled. “I don't think he'll be defending anyone anytime soon.”
His Adam's apple rose and fell as he swallowed, giving away his alarm. Stepping into the aisle, Dr. Cassidy stumbled and fell to one knee. Dana grabbed an arm to help him up. “Place your hands behind your back and turn around.” When he complied, Dana slapped on the cuffs. Mac followed as she escorted him off the plane.
As they headed up the enclosed ramp, Dana read the doctor his Miranda rights. Dr. Cassidy had nothing to say, which was fine. They'd have plenty of questions to ask him once they got to the office. Entering the terminal, Mac was surprised to find a media crew already set up. “Those guys work fast,” he said to one of the uniformed officers.
“They were already here doing a story on terrorist screening. Guess your collar is more interesting.”
A media crew snapped photos and stuck microphones in their faces.
“Get these people back,” Kevin ordered, leading the way through the crowd, who were no doubt attracted by the camera crew and their handcuffed companion. The bevy of officers cleared a path for Kevin, Mac, Dana, and their suspect.
Once they returned to the office, Mac and Dana led Dr. Cassidy through the detectives' office, pausing momentarily as Kelly exited the interview room with Detective Adams.
She glared at her husband, tears gathering in her eyes. “How could you? How could you use me like that to kill my own father?”
“I didn't do anything.”
“And for what, Ray? Money? You don't have enough?” Kelly turned away from him and went back into the room where she'd been waiting.
“I don't know what you're talking about,” he called after her.
“We'll see about that.” Dana prodded him to move ahead.
With Dana on his right and Mac on his left, they guided him into the “hard” interview room.
“Why am I here? I haven't done anything,”Dr. Cassidy insisted. “What did my wife tell you?”
Mac sighed and hitched his hip on the table a couple of feet away from their detainee. “With all due respect,Dr. Cassidy, you may be a brilliant surgeon and researcher, but you make a terrible liar.”Turning to Dana, he said, “Would you like to play the tape, or should I?”
Dana grinned. “Oh, let me do the honors.”
While he listened, several emotions flitted across his face. After hearing his so-called apology, he asked, “What does that prove? You have nothing. I meant I was sorry for leaving.”
“And why did you feel the need to get out of town, Doc?” Mac asked.
“I had a conferenceâ”
“Save it, buddy,” Mac interrupted, leaning into the doctor's face. “We know about your access to the Avalon Research Institute. You and Shaw planned this whole thing. Shaw called you when he found out about the new will, and the two of you devised a plan. You couldn't stand the thought of all that money going to a railroad museum. Isn't that right?”
“It might have worked too,” Dana said, “if Clay hadn't been so determined to live. Your plan was to give him enough ricin to kill him. He'd be found dead in his house and there'd be no autopsy. Everyone would figure he died of old age.” She shook her head. “Do you have any idea how much pain that poor man was in?” Dana gripped the back of an empty chair, her knuckles white. “What am I saying? Of course you do. You work with the stuff. What happened to your Hippocratic oath, Doctor, to do no harm?”
He broke down then, putting his arms on the table and resting his forehead on his fists. “I never wanted him to suffer. It was supposed to happen faster than it did. I can't explain why it took so long.”
Mac glanced over at Dana and nodded. She turned on the tape recorder and sat down next to Dr. Cassidy, telling him they wanted to get his statement on tape. During the next few minutes, he told them about his plot to secure Clay's land and holdings for himself and Kelly. Shaw had called them when he found out about the will change, and he saw a way to make a few extra bucks. “I was going to pay him thirty percent.”
“Did Kelly know about your deal?” Mac asked.
“No. I knew she'd never go for it. The old man was a drain on her, always needing this and that.”
“Whose idea was it to kill Mr. Mullins?”
Dr. Cassidy ran a hand down his face. “Shaw told me something had to be done before Clay got the second will notarized. He told me he could still make the new will disappear. The plan would have worked if you guys had just left it alone.”
“Was anyone else in on this plan of yours and Shaw's?” Mac thought about Spalding and his hurry to whitewash the investigation.
“I'm not sure. After the accident, I knew there'd be an autopsy, and I was afraid the insulin vials would be found. Shaw said he'd make sure there was no evidence in the house and told me not to worry about it.”
“What about Jacob, Kelly's brother? Was he involved?”
“No. Shaw told me he'd come down after Clay's death and demanded to see the will. Maybe he wanted in on the deal, I don't know. All I know is that Shaw said he'd take care of it, and the next thing I know Jacob is dead too. I had nothing to do with that.”
“Too bad the State Police had to get involved, huh.” Mac glanced at Dana, wondering if they could pin anything on the ex-chief of police. He'd like to, but chances are the guy wasn't involved in Shaw's little scheme. After thinking about it, Mac doubted that Spalding would do anything to take funds away from the railroad. “I think it's time to pay Shaw a visit.”
The investigation wrapped up quickly after that. Mac and Dana returned to Avalon Research Institute, where Dr. Kennerman confirmed that there were no missing vials of ricin, but one of the vials had come back from testing with a 50 percent dilution. Half the ricin had been replaced with water.
With Dr. Cassidy's confession and the evidence they now had, both men would face charges of aggravated murder and for Shaw the added charge of arson. Learning of the evidence the state had against him, the attorney finally ended up taking a plea deal and rolled on Ray. He pled to Manslaughter for Jacob and Conspiracy to Commit Murder for Clayâaccepting twenty years in prison in exchange for the confession implicating Dr. Cassidy. The state would go for life in prison or the death penalty for Dr. Cassidy.
A WEEK AFTER CASSIDY'S ARREST, Mac handed in his final bit of paperwork.
“Hey, partner.” Kevin looked up from his own stack of paperwork. “You all set to head out?”
“Yeah. Sometimes I think these reports take longer than solving the crime.”
“True, but knowing you got your manâor in this case, menâ makes it all worthwhile.” Kevin had moved into Sarge's office earlier in the week.
“How's the view from the top?” Mac asked.
“I think I'm going to like this.” Kevin leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on the desk.
“So you're feeling okay? I mean with the chemo and everything.”
“Doing much better than I thought I would. Had my last treatment yesterday.” He grinned. “I'm going to make it.”
“Great.”
“Speaking of which . . . has that old partner of mine gotten hold of you yet?”
“You mean Eric?” Eric O'Rourke had been Kevin's partner before Mac and was Mac's cousin on the McAllister side. He'd been working in the Salem office for several weeks. “He called?”
“Actually, he's in town. Probably up with the brass as we speak.”
“You mean he's back from Salem?”
Kevin grinned. “I should probably let him tell you, but . . .”
“You sure should, baldy.” Eric entered the room. “What Kevin was about to tell you is that I'm his new bossâand yours. I just got promoted to lieutenant.”