Another of those lackluster shrugs. “I don’t know if they were friends. But my dad knows everyone who’s anyone. Hell, the mayor and every other boss in town was at his party.”

“Thank you, Mr. Vandiver. If we have other questions, we may need to speak with you again.” Kerri passed him a card. “Please feel free to call us if you think of anything else you want to tell us.”

Vandiver took the card and looked it over. “Can do. If you call me, just be sure you call my cell phone and not the house. My dad is not a nice guy.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Kerri assured him.

When he had swaggered away, she turned to Falco. “We should talk to his father.”

Falco nodded. “I’m down with that.”

Kerri stood and pushed in her chair. “If McGill and Kurtz were intimately involved on some level, maybe she knows a little more than she’s shared.”

Falco grinned. “Count on it.”

“She may have been pressuring him for a raise or some other benefit that had him doubting his decision to promote her into management in the first place. That could explain what Caldwell noted about his old friend.”

“Either way,” Falco offered, “McGill needs a little more of our attention.”

“No question.”

The door opened, and a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair walked in. He wore a designer suit that spoke volumes about where he shopped, and he carried himself like a military general. Maybe Vandiver had decided to summon the family attorney.

A little late.

“Detectives,” the man announced, “I am Special Agent in Charge Mason Cross, DEA.” He produced his credentials, then repocketed the leather case.

Cross? DEA? Kerri extended her hand. “Kerri Devlin.”

He shook her hand, then reached for her partner’s.

“Luke Falco. I’ve heard about you, Agent Cross.”

Kerri considered her partner, but she supposed it made sense. Falco had once worked under deep cover with narcotics. He likely was acquainted with a number of DEA agents.

“I apologize for barging in like this,” Cross said. “But we need to talk before this goes any further.”

“This?” Kerri pulled on her jacket.

“This investigation,” he explained. “The DEA is taking lead. We hope you’ll continue to support our efforts to solve this case.”

What the hell? “Agent Cross, I’m afraid you’ve been misinformed,” Kerri countered. “This is a homicide investigation. The BPD’s Major Investigations Division is lead.”

“Perhaps there has been a lapse in communication, Detective. You may not be aware that Asher Walsh had stumbled into an ongoing DEA operation. We’re not sure yet how Mr. Kurtz was involved, but the investigation is ours. As I said, we appreciate any support you’d like to give us. But we’ll need you to take a stand-down. All movement related to his case will need to be approved by me first.”

Falco stepped into the conversation. “If Walsh had stumbled into your op, why wait until he’s murdered to make it known? You’re a little behind the curve, Agent Cross.”

The older man smirked. “Falco. I know that name. You made quite the reputation for yourself a few years back down in . . . where was it? Mobile? Although I respect your impressive record in my world, this is my world. We clear?”

“Very,” Falco confirmed.

Kerri, on the other hand, was not clear at all about this turn of events. “We’ll check back with you, Agent Cross, after we speak with the chief.”

As far as she was concerned, the chief of police trumped some federal agent in charge any day of the week.

10

1:30 p.m.

Birmingham Police Department

First Avenue North

“This is what the chief wants.” Lieutenant Dontrelle Brooks didn’t look any happier about the decision than Kerri or Falco.

She wanted to scream. The joint task force was a go, and DEA Special Agent in Charge Cross was lead, just as he had warned.

“This is our case, boss,” Falco said. “It’s a homicide, and we haven’t even confirmed a connection to drugs.”

Brooks leaned back in his chair and studied Falco. “So, you’re suggesting Agent Cross made up this whole ongoing op story just to steal your double-homicide case.”

“That’s not what we’re suggesting,” Kerri countered. “What we’re saying is that since the homicides are two locals, we should be lead. Cross and whoever else the mayor and the powers that be have decided needs to be involved are welcome to play with us too.”

Kerri liked the new mayor’s plans and goals, but having one who wanted to run the police department, too, was crossing the line. Wasn’t that the way of things now? Everybody thought they were better at policing than cops. Cops were suddenly the enemy.

Brooks turned up his palms. “This is what the chief wants, and this is what we’re going to do. End of story.”

Kerri glanced at Falco. He looked even more irritated than she was.

“The first task force meeting will be at four this afternoon in the main conference room. Be there and be nice.” Brooks looked from Kerri to Falco and back. “I don’t want to hear about you two unless it’s news that with your gracious and insightful cooperation the case has been solved.”

“Yes, sir.” Kerri turned to go.

“Do not push the boundaries on this one,” Brooks warned before she could get out the door. “Mayor Warren is watching the department closely. No missteps. No ignoring orders. She wants to see team players, and so do I.”

This time Kerri didn’t bother with a response. She walked out, Falco close on her heels.

“You know they’re going to leave us out of the loop every chance they get,” Falco muttered.

As much as Kerri didn’t want to go straight to that conclusion, she’d worked with various federal agencies enough times to know he was right. “That’s exactly what they’ll do.”

Rather than go back to their cubicle, she headed for the exit. They didn’t have a lot of time before the task force meeting, and she wanted to talk to Sadie Cross first.

Once they were outside, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me Cross had a father who lives right here in Birmingham and who’s DEA?” It hadn’t been until they were driving away from the tobacco shop that Falco had announced: “Oh, by the way, Agent Cross is Sadie Cross’s father.” The concept was startling considering the two were polar opposites.