Rick Mofina - Every Second

Help me here, Jenn, what am I missing?

Varner’s heart softened. As he took in her smile he could almost smell her, feel her and hear her laugh. It’d been three years since he’d lost her to brain cancer, just when they’d started talking about having children. His life was never the same. Every year since, he’d run in the charity marathons with her photo tucked into his participant badge, so it faced his heart. Not a day passed that he didn’t ache for her.

Next to the photo, he noticed a reporter’s business card tucked in with some papers. Pulling it out, a different woman’s face came to mind.

Kate Page.

She haunted him because her eyes held the same spark, the same intensity as Jenn’s. She was a firebrand, one of the best reporters he’d encountered. She frustrated him, yet he was drawn to her.

Varner shifted his attention to preparing for the press conference and continued working until his phone rang.

“Varner.”

“Nick, Bill Kendrick in Los Angeles. Sounds like Wade Darden, our RA in Orange County, got something out of Santa Ana.”

“Better give it to me fast, Bill. I’m heading into a news conference.”

“When Lori Fulton was with the Santa Ana PD, she used her maiden name, Wallace. She was involved in a shooting where her partner was killed, and she killed his shooter. The shooter was Malcolm Jordan Samadyh, but-get this-his little brother is Jerricko Titus Blaine.”

Varner was stunned. “Damn.”

“I know. We’ll send you everything.”

“All right. I’ve gotta go, but, thanks, Bill. And thank Wade and Santa Ana.”

Varner had less than ten minutes before the press conference but first he had to alert his boss…

He hurried from his desk to brief his supervisor face-to-face.

Manhattan, New York

Dan, Lori and Billy Fulton stared from enlarged photos posted to the tripod beside the podium with the FBI seal.

On the opposite side of the podium stood another tripod bearing an enlarged head-and-shoulder shot of Jerricko Titus Blaine and a picture of a Ford Taurus identical to the color and year of Dan Fulton’s car.

Kate Page estimated some seventy newspeople had gathered for the FBI’s press conference at Federal Plaza. Intense light washed over the room’s front as news crews adjusted lenses and microphones. Reporters tested recorders, texted, scribbled notes, gossiped or made last-minute calls while FBI, NYPD and other officials took their places, lining up abreast behind the podium.

Standing at the back, Kate tapped her notebook gently against her leg, searching the line of investigators until she found Varner and Tilden. She needed to talk with them privately later about what she’d discovered.

Prior to the press conference she’d contacted one of the legal research agencies Newslead used. After conducting an urgent documents search, they’d obtained records showing Wallace was Lori Fulton’s maiden name. Her marriage license showed that she’d kept it after marrying Dan. Later, around the time they’d moved from California to New York, she’d changed her name to Lori Fulton.

In the cab to Federal Plaza, Kate had devoured several more archived articles on the shooting from the Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register . No other news organization had reported that Lori Fulton had shot and killed Malcolm Jordan Samadyh.

That was all Kate had, and, so far, it appeared that no one else had this information. Her competitors’ news reports never went beyond portraying Lori as an insurance fraud investigator with Dixon Donlevy. The shooting was Kate’s lead and it could be a significant exclusive.

Kate was doing all she could to keep her friend Ben Keller at the LA Times from jumping on the California angle to the New York robbery. She continued promising she would share information once she’d unearthed more about whether Lori’s past was tied to the robbery.

“Let’s get started,” FBI special agent Leo Hurwitz said from the podium.

After introducing the sober-faced men and women in suits and uniforms who were flanking him, Hurwitz gave a summary of the case, which echoed the handout every journalist had received upon arrival. Then he moved on to their latest findings.

“Security video from the branch shows Dan Fulton in the bank’s vault removing the cash and departing the parking lot in his blue 2015 Ford Taurus SEL, which has not yet been recovered,” Hurwitz said as the FBI then showed about twenty seconds of footage on the large monitors at the front of the room.

“Our investigation has identified Jerricko Titus Blaine as a person of interest.”

Kate wrote down the name in her notebook. Another piece of the puzzle, she thought as the agent continued.

“We’re currently attempting to locate Mr. Blaine. We’re appealing to the public, to anyone with any information about this crime, to contact us right away. We’ll take a few questions now,” Hurwitz said, opening the floodgates.

“If there’re bombs involved, have you ruled out a link to terrorists?” a reporter shouted over the cacophony of voices.

“Nothing’s been ruled out.”

“What about reports that the robbery’s connected to someone with mob ties-is this true?”

“While not all reporting on the case has been accurate thus far, nothing can be ruled out at this time.”

“Have you dismissed the possibility that Fulton himself is involved, that this is an inside job?”

“We are prepared to say that that scenario is also being investigated.”

“What can you tell us about Jerricko Blaine?”

“His last known address is in Dallas, Texas.”

“Why are you interested in him? Is he a suspect?”

“We’re not prepared to go into that sort of detail.”

“Does he know the family?”

“Again, we’re not going into that kind of information.”

“Is anyone else involved?”

“All part of the investigation.”

For the next twenty minutes the press was unrelenting with questions.

Kate watched Varner and Tilden, who remained poker-faced, betraying no reaction to the questions or responses. When many of the questions became repetitive, Hurwitz moved to conclude matters, stating, “Before we wrap this up, we want to stress that this case only became known to law enforcement earlier today. The investigation is ongoing on several fronts. More information will be released when we have it. Again we’re asking for anyone with any information about this crime to contact us. Thank you all for coming.”

Kate was relieved that no one else had raised questions about Lori Fulton’s time as an ex-cop in California. She texted Varner.

Need to speak with you now. Have information on the case.

Kate saw Varner reach for his phone, read her message, lift his head and nod to a corner. She worked her way through the departing press and police pack toward an alcove where Varner and Tilden waited.

“What is it?” Varner kept his voice low.

“There’s more to this case than you guys are telling us.”

“Is that so?” Tilden said. “Why don’t you enlighten us?”

“I know Lori Fulton used to be a cop in California with Santa Ana PD and that she killed the perp who killed her partner. Why did none of that come up here?”

Varner and Tilden shared a look but said nothing.

“How did you come about this information?” Varner asked.

“Journalistic investigation. Some of us still do that sort of thing rather than just swallow what you guys shovel out.”

“So why are you telling us your theories?” Tilden said.

“These aren’t theories. They’re cold, hard facts, Detective Tilden, and I’m going to report them. Now, here’s my theory-I think there’s way more to this case than you’re releasing. I think this could be about somebody settling an old score.”