Blow Out

“Director Mueller.”

Everyone settled in and listened to the FBI director fill them in on what had been happening in the executive wing, Congress, and the media. He closed by saying, “We have the resources to find the person or persons responsible for this heinous crime. I have confidence in all of you. We are the best police force in the world.” He looked around the room for questions, then turned the meeting over to Jimmy Maitland. Maitland was brief, reminding them how critical this investigation was to the nation and the Bureau. “Justice Califano was murdered right under the noses of the Supreme Court Police. Fair or unfair, it doesn’t matter, we’re on the hot seat with them since we’re Federal, too. All of us are painted with the same brush. Let’s get this nailed down, boys and girls.” He introduced Savich as the person who would be heading up the operation.

Savich walked to the lectern and adjusted the mike, since he was about five inches taller than his boss.

He looked out over the fifty-odd agents, the representatives from the CIA, the Secret Service, and Homeland Security. “Everyone’s greatest fear is that Justice Califano’s murder might have been committed by a terrorist. Both Homeland Security and the CIA are covering every aspect of this possibility, calling on every government to provide any intelligence that might point in that direction.

“However, we’re all inclined to think this wasn’t a terrorist act for several reasons. There has been no such intelligence, no hint that any group was thinking along these lines. No terrorist organization has taken credit. The murder does not fit the profile of any known foreign-based terrorist group. While it’s true that a home-grown terrorist, such as a political extremist or a deranged individual, could be expected to go for a high-profile assassination, you have to wonder why such a murderer would not have gone after the Chief Justice himself. That would have created even more chaos, more publicity, worldwide.

“So why would a terrorist of any sort select Justice Califano to murder? What kind of statement was he hoping to make? Justice Califano’s opinions were considered mostly centrist. Well, let me qualify that. Like some of the other Justices, his opinions could go to the right or the left, depending on the specific issue. For example, he was basically conservative on affirmative action, but he voted for the most sweeping definition of sexual harassment in the workplace. But there are Justices who are far more polarized on issues. Justice Califano doesn’t fit the bill as a prime target.

“Don’t forget, the murderer followed an extremely high-risk script. He actually struck down a Supreme Court police officer, he took his uniform and entered the building itself. Even in some fundamentalist mind, this was a huge risk. And then garroting Justice Califano and slipping away? That was not the act of a bomber, or a shooter in a crowd. That was the act of a single man, done in a very personal way.

“The chances are greater, as many of you have already concluded, that this murder was personal. It was up close and hands-on. Revenge, possibly. Justice Stewart Califano served as a DA, an Assistant Attorney General, and the Attorney General before he was named an Associate Justice of the New York Court of Appeals in 1979. He prosecuted drug dealers, mobsters—people who could have spent twenty years in jail planning to murder him. We will scour every high-profile case he was involved in throughout those years.

“At the same time, we can’t afford to take the chance that the murder wasn’t the work of terrorists or a madman for the simple reason that Justice Califano’s murder could be the opening assault with more to come. Extra security has been provided, not only to the Justices, but to a number of elected federal officials as well. As you know, federal marshals accompany the Justices only when they travel. They have temporarily extended their protection to twenty-four/seven.

“All of you, many through painful experience, know that the media will be following all these directives right along with us. When they find out which of you are involved in the case, they’ll hound you. We will expect your usual professionalism. You will refer all press questions to DAD Maitland for official comment.

“We’ve got all of Justice Califano’s phone logs and contacts, his computers, both from his chambers and his home, and those of his law clerks and secretaries. We have a list of all pending cases that the Supreme Court will be hearing, also cases handed down in the past years in which Justice Califano played a critical role in reversing decisions such as those involving race, abortion, individual death penalty cases, and the like. The list is daunting, but we’ll take them on.

“Investigation of the crime scene itself and preliminary interviews are already ongoing, as you know. We have divided you into twelve teams of four agents each. Ollie Hamish will be posting your names and handing out assignments to each team, hoping to key in to the strengths and experience of the members. We are fortunate to have the teams made up of agents from a wide variety of FBI divisions and units assigned to us. It is true what Director Mueller said. We are the best police force and intelligence community in the world, and we will solve this and do it quickly.