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Northcutt and Cantin tiptoed up the fire escape. The window was locked.
“Damn,” Gary whispered. “So much for this great plan of action.” Wentzel might be on duty, but Gary knew he had to keep his voice down because of the neighbors.
The men took their time. No need to rush. Fortier intentionally ordered Wentzel to patrol the north side of the city. For the next few hours he’d be miles away.
Unlocking the front door effortlessly, they entered. Went their own way. Neither of them saw any noticeable differences other than a red coffee mug turned upside down in a slate blue dish drainer in the kitchen sink, and Wentzel’s office door partly open this time.
Cantin positioned the little box on the metal shelf, close to the way he remembered.
Northcutt turned on the computer. Looked at Cantin. “Might as well. Wentzel won’t be home until midnight.”
Cantin clicked on the link for the email account. It was empty. Everything had been deleted. Inbox, outbox, saved and sent drafts. Even the recycle bin had been cleaned out.
“Let’s assume he knows we, or someone else, accessed his account. Question is, how did he know?” Gary scrutinized everything on and around the computer desk.
“There.” Lucas pointed to a mini camera mounted on the top shelf of the hutch.
To one side of the camera were several crime novels between a set of bookends in the shape of a large pair of silver handcuffs. The other side held a subwoofer and two small speakers, all wired to the outdated computer.
Lucas examined the camera without touching it. “Shit. How’d we miss it before? Or did we? Maybe it’s new. And if it is new, why’d he install it?”
“Isn’t there supposed to be a little green or red light to show whether or not it’s in use? Every security camera I’ve ever seen lights up once it comes on.”
“This might be one of those cameras I’ve heard of where people can link up online and actually see one another. A webcam, I think it’s called. I’m pretty sure the newer ones have a red and a green light, but this one is obviously an older model. He should just get a laptop. They have a built-in camera that isn’t as noticeable.”
“Yeah, and I don’t like that. I keep a bag clip over mine to prevent hackers from spying.”
“I don’t know about you, but this guy and his apartment give me the creeps,” said Lucas, looking the room over. “We’ve done what we came for. Let’s get out of here.”
“Hold on a second.” Gary slid out the top drawer of the filing cabinet. Much to his surprise the photos were still there. “We’re missing the obvious. He found the window open. That’s what tipped him off and got him cleaning out his computer. Yes? And for the camera to work, the computer has to be on.”
Wentzel’s phone rang, startling them. They stood stock-still. The answering machine came on after the second ring. A soft whirring sound, followed by a familiar voice.
“Hello, it’s BJ.”
Gary walked closer to the desk. Visualized her talking on her phone: shaking her head once to toss her hair out of her way.
“Something’s come up. I’m canceling our appointment for Saturday.”
Her voice sounded uneven. Was she in her car, driving with the window down?
“I’ll get back to you later.”
Eerie silence.
Gary and Lucas exchanged a baffled expression.
“I haven’t been able to reach her for the past few days. Every time I called she either didn’t answer, or her phone wasn’t on. But here she is, leaving messages for some other guy.”
Lucas had chosen to stay out of it, whatever it was. He didn’t have a clear understanding of Northcutt and Donovan’s relationship. Gary was into her, that much he knew. Lucas suspected the feelings weren’t mutual. He didn’t know for sure. Gary hadn’t confided in him, which said a lot about their relationship.
Lucas locked the door.
They proceeded to the stairwell, preferring not to use the elevator for superstitious reasons.
“Wanna go get a beer?” Gary asked. “I have something to tell you.”
I jumped the gun. “Sure.”
On the sidewalk in front of Wentzel’s apartment building, Gary looked up and down one street after the other. He pointed to the first street he had looked at. “I think the bar’s this way, on Decatur. Remember? The bar Wentzel stumbled out of the morning we investigated Nolin’s death? The morning we talked with the woman’s employer?”
The light changed, they strode across the intersection.
“We talked a little about it being too early to be out drinking.” Lucas stopped in mid-stride after stepping over the curb. “He’d worn a dark blue hoodie. A hoodie on a hot summer day? Damn. The witnesses said somebody tore out of the alley wearing a dark blue hoodie.”
“Are we sure we’re talking about the same day Nolin’s body was...?” Gary glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry. I can’t get my mind off BJ’s phone call. Why’d she call him? And what appointment was she referring to?”
“He called her Suite Sue in the email. These two got something going on?”
“I don’t know. If they are online lovers or whatever, why does she have to make an appointment to see him?” Gary was ill at ease. “Appointment. An odd choice of a word, don’t you think?”