# 16

“Lt Poole, is it? I’m special Agent Johnson of the FBI and I’m in charge of this investigation*.

“Yeah, I’m Lt Poole – APD.”

“Well Poole, thanks I heard you secured the scene for us but we’ll take it from here.”

“If you say so.”

“I insist on it. The FBI is more than capable of handling a matter such as this.”

“I’d hope so considering the number of people you’ve got out here. You must have twenty-five agents running around trampling everywhere. How many people you got out here? Twenty-five or so.”

“Detective Poole let me assure the FBI will use as many people as it takes to resolve this incident.”

Sarah was beginning to doubt that agent Johnson was really in charge. His answers were just a little too canned as lf already scripted. Her doubts were confirmed moments later when another man walked up. Sarah could tell agent Johnson was a little nervous in this man’s company.

“”Are you detective Poole?”

“Yes, I’m detective Poole, Atlanta PD”

“Ms Poole, I heard there might be a photograph of the shooting. Do you have it?”

Sarah’s mind was churning. Ok, who is this new prick? He had purposely addresses as Ms Poole there by cutting her rank and stature from her.

“You’ve been misinformed then, Mr. Ah…” Sarah had decided to push back some. The man saw this but didn’t give an inch. Bingo! It clicked in Sarah’s mind. The dress, lack of manners, this guy was a Spook for somebody CIA, NSI or some other Washington anachronism.

“Well Ms Poole, you can call me Virgil.”

“Then as I was saying Virgil, what I said originally was that someone was about to take a photo of the ridgeline charge and saw the park ranger fall in his viewfinder”

Sarah didn’t like this Virgil but she hadn’t directly lied. There was no photograph, at least not yet. It was still just an image on Berg’s compact flash card and he did see Peter fall. She just omitted the fact they both knew Peter and the more important fact about the laser sight dot on Peter’s forehead.

“Who is this person and where is this person?”

Agent Johnson was quick to supply Virgil with the who.

“The guy’s name is John Sandberg”

Sarah helped out. “Last I saw of him, he was down there being interviewed by another one of the FBI jocks.”

“Thank you Ms Poole, you’ve been a great help. By the way, I’m having Agent Johnson here collect all the film you’ve shot today. It’ll be returned to you as soon as possible.”

Without time to protest Virgil was down the hill in the direction Sarah had pointed out although it would do him no good. Sarah knew berg wasn’t there.

The ever-dutiful Agent Johnson followed an expletive fuming Sarah back down the hill to her set-up.

Sarah reached down and handed Johnson a large duffle bag.

“What’s this? Where are the photographs? This is just a bag o some kind of cases.”

“You’re looking at them Mr. FBI.”

Johnson began fumbling with one of the film holders.

“NO! Those are film holders and there loaded with undeveloped 4x5 film. Your were about to expose it.”

Agent Johnson’s face reddened over his lack of knowledge and his almost destroying of evidence. “Thanks detective” With that he scurried off towards one of the FBI vans.

Sarah turned her attention to her camera and saw she had remembered to place the lens cap no the camera even with all the excitement. There was still film inside too. She packed her wagon and glanced around to see if she saw Berg but he wasn’t in sight.