Murray’s first reaction was to pivot on his heels and turn around to look at the nearby Normanstone Park, where the detonation had come from, while drawing out his service pistol. Then, he twisted his head and swore when he saw that Tandy was now sprawled on her back on the pavement of her entrance path. Swearing to himself, he ran to his Administrator, whom he was supposed to protect, and knelt beside her to check if she was still alive. However, one look at the bullet hole in her forehead and at the splattered blood and brain fragments on the pavement told him quickly enough that there was nothing he could do for her now. Hearing a male voice nearby and looking around, he saw Tandy’s cell phone, lying on the grass lawn bordering the path, opened and with the line still active. Going to it and grabbing it, he then spoke urgently in the phone.
‘’Hello! This is Agent Robert Murray, presently in front of the home of Administrator Tandy. A sniper firing from the area of Normanstone Park just killed her with a bullet to the head. Alert the police and send reinforcements at once in order to
231
block all the streets around Woodley Park District before that sniper could escape...
YES, DAMMIT: SHE IS DEAD! NOW, GET AGENTS HERE, FAST!’
The distraught agent then put down the phone and looked down sadly at the dead face of his boss: she had been completely dedicated to her work and had proved to be both competent and incorruptible. Getting back on his feet, Murray took off his trench coat and gently laid it over Tandy’s head and upper torso. Once that was done, he threw a black look at the trees in the park and ran back to the SUV, jumping back in the front passenger seat and nearly shouting an order to the female agent who was driving the vehicle.
‘’LET’S DRIVE AROUND THIS PARK! WITH LUCK, WE MAY STILL CATCH
THE BASTARD WHO DID THIS.’
The young female agent, a near rookie, obeyed at once and rolled out of the house’s driveway, then drove at speed down Normanstone Terrace Northwest and towards the corner with 30th Street Northwest, which itself connected with Normanstone Drive Northwest, which ran through Normanstone Park.
07:12 (Washington Time)
26 Woodland Drive Northwest