Panic Attack by Dennis Palumbo

Author:Dennis Palumbo [Palumbo, Dennis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2021-07-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

Clemmons had pronounced the woman’s name with steely, undisguised contempt. I realized then that the rumors were true about the assistant director. He was a dick.

Nevertheless, his comment reduced everyone in the room to silence for a full minute. Because, despite what Chief Logan had told the media, and regardless of the relief the general public was doubtless feeling, Tony Clemmons was right.

Instinctively, I glanced over at Denise Ramirez, to find that she’d been pensively looking at me. If she’d been offended by Clemmons’ tone of voice, she hid it well, though she’d obviously decided it was safer to direct her question at me.

“But how were the victims chosen? Why?”

“I think it’s a reasonable assumption that they all share something in common.”

“Not that we have any idea what that is,” said Sinclair.

“It also confirms my suspicion that the video sent to the police and then leaked online was meant to throw us off,” I added. “To reinforce the idea that the shooter was seriously unbalanced and that his victims merely random targets.”

“Yet if he was serious when he said that this was only the beginning,” Sinclair went on, “it makes me wonder how many more victims were on his list. If any.”

“I was wondering the same thing,” said Biegler. “Whoever they are, at least we can hope they’re safe for the time being.”

“Of course, that just leaves us with a whole new set of questions.” Sinclair steepled his fingers. “Not only how Jason and the earlier victims were connected, but who was behind their murders? Because I seriously doubt that Porter was acting on his own. Nothing in his history indicates he has either the intelligence or the temperament to mastermind these attacks. He was either paid or in some other way induced to methodically track down and kill these people.”

“That’s how I see it, too.” Clemmons nodded. “So maybe if we can figure out what connects all the victims, we’ll have a better idea of why someone might want them dead.”

“It might also give us a clue as to whether there’re more potential victims. Maybe even some idea of who they are.”

“Are you saying there might be more people in danger?”

It was Ramirez again, her eyes flitting from one of us to the other. The concern on her face was clearly genuine.

“Why not?” Biegler snorted, as though irritated by the question. “Whoever’s behind these murders could always get himself another shooter. Maybe not a sniper, but…”

“Stu’s right.” Sinclair grimaced. “At this point, other than having Porter in custody, there’s a hell of a lot we don’t know. Still, if we’re lucky, this is the end of the killings, and Jason was the last loose end the sniper’s handler needed him to tie up.”

“Too bad Porter won’t talk,” Biegler said sourly. “Save us all a shitload of trouble.”

There was another long silence, after which Sinclair once again regarded Ramirez.

“As far as the public is concerned, Denise, the sniper’s been caught. For now, let’s allow them to believe that Porter’s victims were chosen at random.

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