They parked along the curb just outside Kim’s house and waited for Royce’s call. Patrol was on standby to cordon off the area if needed.
Finally, after ten minutes, Rue’s phone rang. “That’s got to be Royce.” Rue answered, nodded as the person on the other end spoke, and hung up. “Let’s go. Royce got the verbal okay to enter Kim’s residence from Judge Laughlin. He also caught a glimpse of Danny’s face as he was pawning the stolen goods in North Carolina just this morning. He accidentally looked toward a camera that he hadn’t noticed when walking in. That means he isn’t home, and all we need is the warrant to search his premises.” Rue turned to the three patrol officers. “We don’t have to worry about Danny showing up, but keep the street clear anyway. If that Tahoe is in the garage, we’re going to need Forensics to haul it out of there.”
Rue, Bentley, and Lawrence walked up the sidewalk.
“How do you want to play this, Devon? We aren’t going to get into that garage without the code, and all the walls are connected to the other row houses. There won’t be a side door.”
“Right, so I guess we’re going in through the front. If we can’t get in with a kick to the door, we’ll be forced to use the ram.”
They reached the front door and saw the dead bolt.
“Shit.” Rue called out to the officer nearest his squad car. “Bring the ram. A swift kick isn’t going to do it.”
With the ram in hand and on three, the officer hit the door. It flew open, tearing the frame off.
“Let’s go.” Rue ignored the lingering smell of death. Even two weeks later, the house still had an odor from being closed up.
They rushed through the kitchen and laundry room. Rue yanked the garage door open and swatted the light switch. When the room lit up, they were staring at the Tahoe.
“Son of a bitch, it’s really here,” Bentley said.
They rounded the SUV and looked at the front—damaged just like they’d hoped.
“Okay, don’t touch anything. I have to call Royce back, and he needs to get Forensics and the flatbed out here right away.”
Rue made the call. As soon as he hung up, he called Mitch’s cell phone in case Mitch had already been picked up by Marie.
“What have you got?” Cannon asked.
“Would you believe we’re staring at a front-end-damaged green Tahoe?”
“No shit?”
“Yep, no shit. Royce is getting Forensics and the flatbed out here right away. He also said a pawnshop in North Carolina just contacted him about a man bringing in stolen goods from the Grimes robbery. The man was on camera. Royce just watched the footage and said without a doubt it was Danny.”
“But why? I don’t understand any of this, Rue.”
“I don’t either, partner. We’re waiting on the warrant for Danny’s house as we speak, so maybe we’ll find the answers we’re looking for in there.”
It didn’t take long for Royce to show up with the warrant in hand.
“Gotta go, pal. Sarge just arrived. I’m sure he wants to see that Tahoe with his own eyes. After that, we’re heading to Danny’s house. We’ll have hours to search it before he ever arrives back home. By then, with the incriminating evidence we’re hoping to find, we can arrest him for murder and attempted murder of a homicide detective.”
“Keep me updated, Devon. Marie is picking me up in an hour, so only call my cell going forward.”
“Will do.” Devon hung up and led Royce into the garage. “There it is, Boss. If that isn’t undeniable proof, then I don’t know what is.”
Royce walked around the vehicle, shaking his head the entire time. “There’s got to be something we don’t know about Danny Whitman. Something really serious.”
Rue scratched his cheek. “Apparently so, but once he’s in custody—and hopefully, he doesn’t immediately lawyer up—we’ll get to the bottom of it. Meanwhile, let’s see if there’s anything in his house that’ll tell us the story.”