March 14, 8.33 p.m.
The plan had been set. They didn’t even tell Lafayette the truth. They only wanted the three of them to know. Any more added extra layers of doubt. A single offhand word, the smallest indication that it was a fraud and they were dead in the water. And that meant Lucy and Abby were also dead.
The evidence was sealed in a brown paper evidence bag. Harper brought it into North Manhattan Homicide after a further visit to Lucy Steller’s apartment.
He threw it down on the table and called to Denise, ‘Hey, we’ve found something that might give up the clue to this boyfriend.’
‘What have you got?’ said Denise. The team listened in.
‘We’ve got a roll of film. Lucy used an old 35mm camera. She liked to take shots. This is dated the last week of May last year – anything in the journals?’
Denise nodded and moved towards her desk. The other members of Blue Team started to draw in.
‘What is it?’ asked Garcia.
‘Film from Lucy Steller’s place. Dated. Could have shots of the killer,’ said Harper.
‘Jesus Christ,’ said Garcia, ‘and it’s just been sitting there all this time.’
‘Exactly.’
Denise rushed back over with an open journal. ‘That’s fantastic,’ she said. ‘Lucy spent the whole week with this guy in Yellowstone. This is dynamite.’
Harper banged the table. ‘We might just have him. Let’s get this down to the photographic lab, see if they can get us something.’
Harper made sure that the team spoke about the new evidence via email, radio and phone. He had no idea who the killer was or how and when he was listening, but things were getting increasingly tense so he presumed the killer had some direct line.
Harper, Kasper and Levene made their way down to the Forensic Unit’s photography labs. They checked in the evidence and walked through the corridors.
‘We need to stick with the evidence,’ said Harper. ‘If he comes, it has to be tonight. Tomorrow would be too late if we had the film.’
‘What about me?’ said Denise.
‘I want you to sit in the parking lot, keep an eye on who’s coming and going. Try to give us some warning.’
The three of them walked to the photographic lab and looked into the room. ‘That’s the in-tray over there,’ said Harper. ‘In thirty minutes that’s where our lure will be sitting.’