was the opposite of computer proficient. He had the system that he utilized in the garage that he understood pretty well, but anything else was basically Greek to him. It made the four monitors and two different keyboards set up in front of Kendrick even more intimidating.
By the time Baby and Gavin got to Kendrick’s place, he had footage pulled up from the supposed break-in at TSC.
“A security guard checked into the computer lab yesterday and found evidence of the break-in. The surveillance footage was sent to the police, but it wasn’t until early this morning that one of the deans suggested that Quinn tended to wear her hair like that all the time.”
Kendrick played the footage for them. The woman walking across the hall was the same rough build as Quinn. It was almost impossible to make out her features, but like Kendrick said, the most obvious thing about the perpetrator was her hair being pulled up in a severe bun at the top of her head. They watched as she jimmied open the door and disappeared into the computer lab. A couple minutes later, face still averted, she came back out with her arms full of laptops.
“I have to admit, it does look like her,” Gavin said. “I wouldn’t think twice about naming that person Quinn.”
Baby turned to Kendrick. “Is there any way you can access the footage from Harvard where they accused her from stealing from the petty cash can?”
“Yeah, no problem. Give me a second.”
While Kendrick searched for what he needed, Baby and Gavin watched the TSC footage again.
Baby could see what Gavin meant. It did look like her.
But it wasn’t Quinn. And Baby wasn’t saying that on blind faith. He watched it again.
“Okay, got it.” Kendrick clicked a couple of buttons and a picture popped up on another screen. “This was last year at Dana-Palmer House on the Harvard campus, home of the comparative literature department.”
It was almost the exact same thing. There was no direct shot of her face, but the most prominent feature was once again a brunette bun, high and tight on top of a woman’s head. The camera caught her as she walked into an office and again when she came back out less than a minute later, stuffing something into her pocket as she went.
Gavin didn’t say anything this time, but he didn’t have to. It was the bun. Quinn wore it every damn day, whether she was waiting tables, teaching class, or out on a date. He could hardly ever get her to take it down.
And whoever had done this, was counting on the fact that no one would look much past that damned thing to see what else was in the footage.
“That’s not her.” Watching the second video made him more positive about it.
“How do you know?” Gavin asked.
Baby didn’t mind the question. “Don’t look at her hair. Look at her body.”
Kendrick played the footage of both again.
“I’m sorry, man,” Gavin shook his head. “Whatever it is you see, I don’t see it.”
“Look at the shoulders. Look at the way she’s walking. Just look closer.”
Kendrick played it again. “Looks pretty normal to me.”
“Exactly. Quinn is never that relaxed. Trust me when I say I’ve seen her at her most relaxed, and she’s still more stiff than whoever it is walking in that footage. She never slouches like that. That’s not her.”
Gavin sighed. “I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but I don’t know if that’s going to stand up in a court of law.”
Kendrick spun in his chair to face them. “You think someone is framing Quinn? Who?”
“My bet is her ex-husband,” Baby said. “I know for fact he took money that rightfully belonged to her, and maybe wanted her completely discredited. I think he’s manipulated her bank and her computer, at both Harvard and here.”
Kendrick spun back around. “That would be someone with some pretty savvy computer skills—to hack into two different university systems, not to mention financial systems.”
“Peter Prichard? Do you think he’s capable of something like that?”
“If so, I’ll find out. I need a little time.”
“Check out his girlfriend too. I don’t remember her name, but she’d have a lot to gain from Quinn being out of the picture.”
“Look for someone who might be capable of manipulating law enforcement’s communication between states,” Gavin added. “And if you can, keep an ear out for any chatter about Wyoming law enforcement systems being on the fritz today.”
Kendrick’s fingers were already moving a mile a minute. They didn’t