The Bone Tree

The sound of boot heels on a tiled floor echoes from the front of the sheriff’s office.

“What’s your plan, then?” I ask Kaiser. “Are you going to back off like you did at the hospital? If so, tell me now, and we’ll take our chances ru

Before Kaiser can reply, a muscular man with black eyes and copper-colored skin rounds the corner in highly polished knee boots and a state police uniform. A Louisiana Redbone, Alphonse Ozan radiates a quality of eerie apartness that has nothing to do with his race, but what I perceive as his sociopathic nature. He walks up to the little hall table and taps one of the red Christmas balls on the plastic tree.

“Well, well,” he says, looking around the corridor with amusement in his eyes. “Four men burned to death out by the lake, more likely shot dead, and here we’ve got everybody in the hall having a Christmas party.”

Sheriff De

Ozan pretends to notice De

CHAPTER 8

SHERIFF WALKER DENNIS’S face has gone through about six discernible shades since Captain Ozan declared he was taking over all his investigations—starting at pink and arriving at purple. But when Sheriff De

“We seem to have some jurisdictional confusion, Captain. Those crimes happened in my parish, and I’ve got the staff and resources to investigate them. That’s what I’m doing now. We don’t need assistance. Not from the state police or the FBI.”

A chuckle of ridicule escapes Ozan’s thin lips. “Sheriff, you ain’t worn that badge but six weeks, and it shows. You can’t even manage the pitiful resources you do have. You should have called us the second you heard what happened out at Brody Royal’s place.”

John Kaiser clears his throat and turns his gaze on Ozan. “Just what do you think did happen out there, Captain?”

Ozan smirks, emboldened by his successful intimidation of Kaiser earlier tonight. “Well, I’ll tell you, Agent Kaiser. We’ve got one of Mr. Royal’s security perso

Kaiser looks sharply at Sheriff De

Ozan barks out an incredulous laugh, then hooks his thumbs in his trousers and turns to give Kaiser his full attention. “I thought we’d straightened this out back at the hospital. Murder’s a state crime, and that’s the end of it. You didn’t argue then, and I don’t expect any lip now.”

To my amazement, Kaiser’s face remains calm. In fact, I see what looks like a trace of anticipatory pleasure in his eyes.

“I’m going to have to take exception with your opinion, Captain,” he says in a tone of mild regret.

Ozan draws back his head, squinting. “Exception to what? You federal boys ain’t got a damn thing to do with murder, unless you’re invited in by local authorities. Even then you’re only there to advise. We say who comes and goes from that crime scene. We handle all the evidence. And we make the arrests. By the way, I’m go

“What?” Caitlin cries, her face going red.

Kaiser holds up a restraining hand.

“I’ll use one of the sheriff’s rooms to start,” Ozan continues, “but if necessary, I’ll have them transported to Baton Rouge.”

Everyone in the hallway is watching Kaiser, wondering if he’ll keep playing out the milquetoast role he began at Mercy Hospital. For a moment he purses his lips as though considering Ozan’s argument. Then he steps squarely into the state trooper’s space and speaks with the calm authority of a military officer addressing a subordinate.

“In conventional situations, Captain, you’d be correct. But as Ms. Masters informed you earlier this evening, the murder of Henry Sexton was a hate crime. That gives the FBI automatic jurisdiction over that case. As for Mayor Cage and Ms. Masters, they were victims of a kidnapping and attempted murder tonight. That kidnapping was instigated by Brody Royal and Randall Regan. While they were hostages, Mayor Cage and Ms. Masters heard Royal confess his involvement with the Double Eagle group dating back to 1964. They also witnessed Mr. Royal murder the black man you mentioned, whose name is Marshall Johnston, Junior, nickname ‘Sleepy.’”

While Ozan blinks at the flood of details coming from Kaiser’s mouth, the FBI agent says, “You may not know it yet, but the Double Eagle group has been designated a domestic terror organization under Title Eight of the USA PATRIOT Act. Under the provisions of that act, the FBI has assumed full primacy of authority over any and all investigations pertaining to that group. Tonight’s events fall directly under that umbrella. The Royal house on Lake Concordia is now a federal crime scene. Should you choose to interfere with our investigation, you will find yourself subject to severe disciplinary measures, begi

Ozan’s face has gone even darker than the sheriff’s did. He’s spitting mad, but Kaiser presses on relentlessly.

“Further, under Title Eight of the Patriot Act, kidnapping in co

Now Ozan’s face is losing color.

“Title Five of the Patriot Act,” Kaiser continues, “stipulates fifteen-year prison terms for any public official found to have taken a bribe. Any offender’s personal assets can be seized under this act. In that co