Then he told Naomi about the small raven tattoo.
The mark wasn't unique to Rook.
Hammer and four other founding members of the club wore variations of the same symbol near their wrists, inked after a dangerous charity ride years earlier. Each bird had a slightly different shape, but all carried the distinctive broken-looking wing.
At the time, the tattoo represented a private promise among the founders.
They would never abandon one another on the road.
Now that promise seemed poisoned by what had happened.
Naomi looked toward Hammer's wrist.
“Did you know the child described a raven tattoo?”
He nodded.
“I heard that in the initial reports.”
“Did you identify the members who had comparable tattoos?”
Hammer stared at the table.
For several seconds, he didn't answer.
Then whispered.
“No.”
Naomi's expression tightened.
“Why not?”
He swallowed.
“Because I didn't want to believe one of them could be involved.”
The detective remained silent.
Hammer looked up.
“And because Rook was my friend.”
For a moment, the room was quiet.
Then Naomi spoke.
“Mr. Dawson, friendship doesn't establish innocence. Neither does a child's recognition establish guilt. We need evidence.”
Hammer nodded.
“I understand.”
She continued.
“Your failure to disclose relevant information may also have consequences. I'm going to need a complete account of what you knew and when you knew it.”
He looked toward her.
“Then you'll have it.”
Brick placed his notebook on the table.
“Mine too.”
Naomi opened the file box.
For several minutes, she examined the records.
Then she noticed an envelope labeled with the name of a company that had appeared repeatedly in Emma's financial questions.
Voss Community Contracting.
She looked toward Hammer.
“Did the club have a conflict-of-interest policy for these purchases?”
He hesitated.
“We had rules.”
“Were they followed?”
Hammer looked down.
“I don't know.”
Naomi studied him.
Then asked the question he'd been avoiding since the fundraiser began.
“Who was responsible for making sure they were?”
Hammer closed his eyes.
He had been president.
His signature authorized certain expenditures.
His reputation encouraged donors to trust the campaign.
And when people raised concerns, he told them Rook would handle it.
He took a slow breath.
“I was.”
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then Naomi nodded.
“Let's start there.”
That evening, the Iron Ravens held an emergency meeting.