Back in his office the following day, Corey heard from the Chief that Henley was to be released from the Hopkins medical facility and flown home with Baltimore police escorts, as planned. Chief Meyers also made it clear, due to the ongoing investigation and the young woman's frail condition, that she would be shielded from any interviews with the press. Corey knew there would be serious grumblings from the public about this, and the general blackout of information about her treatment while incarcerated. He understood the ghoulish nature of the masses to want to hear any and all shocking details associated with crimes. Not getting more information about this or any identity of her "abductors" would only lead to more fascination with the sensational story. Yet even with such intriguing cases, once considered solved, interest in them dissipates over time.

There was still an icy atmosphere in the Las Vegas Police Precinct, however, which Mattingly sensed also, suggesting there had been a general dampening down of the case among police personnel from the highest level. This was made clearer when none of the officers approached him about his heroism in helping to rescue Henley or by refraining to privately to question him about his experiences while on the East coast. As he and his partner began the futile process of trying once again to piece together the night of Henley's abduction, Corey debated if he should even share with his investigative partner the sobering existential threat, he was given by phone from a mysterious caller the day before. Thinking he would breach it to him the next day, he could only wonder if Bill had received the same personalized warning to play the game of silence.

That question would never be answered as a result of the news he would receive that very night. The call came at after 1:00 AM, while Corey was still trying to sleep.

"Hello . . .?"

"Corey, Chief Meyers here . . . Prepare yourself for some tragic news, young man.

"What? What's happened, Chief?"

"Bill was found dead earlier this evening. An apparent suicide."

Corey was speechless.

"It's being investigated now. His body showed no signs of struggle. But preliminaries are he must have jumped out of a window at the Palms Place Hotel. Over on Flamingo Road."

"My God . . . Bill!"

"He'd been in a room on the tenth floor. Witnesses said he entered earlier with a female. No suspects or persons of interest yet. I've got Williams and Kirby doing the investigation. Thought it would just be too tough on you."

"Chief . . . what else do you know?"

"Not much else . . . Jeffers, were you aware of any extramarital affair he may have been having?"

"Mattingly? No way, Chief. The guy was always talking about his wife and daughter."

"Right. Now I know what you're thinking, young man. But let's keep that to ourselves . . . until we get more information from forensics. There's no need to come in tonight, Jeffers. His body's been picked up and identified. His wife's dealing with this. It's all I've got to tell you, son. We'll discuss things further in my office in the morning. Sorry about the terrible news, Corey."

He heard the Chief's phone click off.

Corey got out of bed and began pacing the room in the dark. He had the absurd idea, out of shear habit, to call Mattingly. But then tearfully rejected the futile impulse as wishful thinking. Again, the notion that what he had just heard was a terrible dream came to him—then disolved, as instead the hard reality of Bill's sudden loss of life overwhelmed him.

Getting into a cold shower to focus his thoughts and cool his emotions, Corey could not stop thinking about the earlier caller's warnings. Specifically, the time he gave as forty-eight hours to show his resolve as a threat. Rejecting the idea to call Elora for any type of comfort, or even his sister in Los Angeles, Corey felt for the first time in his life authentically alone. And evermore vulnerable to the same coldblooded fate of his partner.

* * *

The following day was a blur. Corey spent it trying to comfort Mattingly's wife and deal with his loss personally. The investigations of his mysterious death were not widely announced on the Las Vegas news, nor was there any mention of it associated with the national story of Henley's discovery and recovery only days before. Corey naturally had his suspicions about the tragedy, as nothing about Mattingly's death made any sense to those who knew him well.

Between dealing with this shock and preparing for Bill's funeral, Corey had Elora calling to console him. There was another call from the police chief in Baltimore that Corey had been waiting for.

"Hello, Lieutenant Jeffers?"

"Speaking . . ."

"Chief Kolinski from Baltimore PD?"

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to follow up on your chief's request for the witness protection service we'll be providing for the Marlow girl. You and he are in the lead for this?"

"Excellent. That's correct"

"So, as planned, we'll be flying her out to the Scottsdale Airport day after tomorrow. Important that this not be announced to the press or public. Firstly, as the case from your end is still in progress. And second, to avoid the chaos of questioning the victim would face."

"Completely, Chief. Thank's for the heads-up."

"Right. We've arranged with the Scottsdale County Sheriff's division to maintain that security detail outside at Miss Marlow's mother's home for a duration of five days. It gives your department time to intercede and depose the victim. Beyond that, it's your own department's call as to how to go forward."

"I see. Great."

"I've already notified Chief Meyers about this schedule, and the two of you should meet to coordinate your investigation once Marlow is settled in."

"Very fine, Chief. Thanks again. It's critical the plan be followed closely."

"That's right. We'll be in touch. My team will be expecting you, Lieutenant, and you only, with ID clearance at the Scottsdale Airport upon the girl's arrival. Our own officer Greely will intercept you there. Five-thirty PM. Arizona time. Day after tomorrow. Delta flight 2603. You copy that?"

"Yes. Hold on." Corey grabbed a pen and wrote the information down on the back of an envelope. "Alright, Chief. "I'll be looking forward to meeting up with your man and Miss Marlow then in Scottsdale."

"Excellent. Travel safe."

"Thanks again, Chief."

As the phone clicked off, Corey was relieved—both to not be so consumed with Mattingly's death for the first time, and that Henley might be finally on her way home. Of course, he had his worries and suspicions about the transfer. There was nothing anymore relating to his present life or the case of Henley Marlow that would be without the overshadowing feeling of a general crime cover-up at the highest levels.

Back in the precinct that very afternoon, at the request by Chief Meyers for a brief meeting, Corey greeted him with a somber handshake and took a seat across form him.

"So how you doing, Corey?" Meyers asked.

"Could be better, Chief."

"We're all in shock, young man. This crazy profession. You just never get used to this kind of out-of-the-blue shit. Mattingly was a good man. Hell of an investigator. His experience will be missed around here. But also, his good nature. Must be tough on you, after what? Three years knowing him?"

"Yeah, Mattingly was a prince of a guy. I was touched to see you at the funeral, Chief, and so many of the force."

"Well unfortunately we all must go sometime, Corey. But the living must go forward. And for us, that depends a lot on you as the lead in this case, young man. I understand you were contacted by Chief Kolinski, from Baltimore yesterday. He laid out the security plan?"

"Yeah, he did. Guess I'll be leaving in the midday sometime tomorrow, for Scottsdale?"

"That's right, Corey. I'm requisitioning the two-way flight and a rental car at the Scottsdale Airport. You'll be staying two nights at a Best Western in the city. Enough time to check on the Marlow girl and her protection. You'll escort her safely to her mother's home from the airport, and during those two days you'll get an official deposition from her as a possible key witness for her abduction."

"Right."

"You'll also make sure the Scottsdale Sheriff Department is doing its part outside their home. Securing it, especially from the press. You'll return to Vegas that third day, Jeffers. To begin our necessary proceedings to wrap-up our responsibilities with this case. As you know, we've still got nothing from the unmarked limousine lead Bill was working on, and a big dead-end from witnesses the night of Henley's disappearance from the Luxor."

Corey just looked down at the cluttered desk, dejectedly.

"Between you and me, young man, except for the suspects taken off the yacht by the FBI . . . who should face their own charges of kidnap and ransom attempts, we've got a cold case brewing from our end. And now, with the girl returned home . . . that's the way it's going sit with us . . . and hopefully end."

Corey was quiet. He knew the Chief had been briefed by someone higher up the line of command to forever back away from the more sensitive elements of the case. He also knew it would be futile trying to get him to have the courage to pursue any further leads involving agencies of the government. It seemed the cover-up was in full force, and frighteningly so with Mattingly now dead.

"So," Corey responded matter-of-factly, "if there's nothing else, I need to know about this assignment . . . I'll be on my way to prepare for tomorrow's trip to Arizona."

"That's right, Corey. Just stop by my office early morning. I'll have ready your flight tickets, hotel reservations, and a stipend of eight-hundred dollars for cash, food and the rental vehicle."

"Fair enough, Chief."

Corey got up from the desk and knew there was no more need for conversation. Once again, he felt the world closing in on him, with the forty-eight-hour warning he was given, still promising to show its powerful grip on the future.

* * *