searching my mind for what it wanted to tell me last night but did not. When my cereal is gone, I’m no closer to the answer. No wonder of course, considering the beating I’m about to take from the captain.
Maybe it’s time to go see my grandfather. He has moments of clarity even if he doesn’t remember them later. And he’s far more a master of poetry than I am.
Chapter 61
I swing by my apartment office with the intent of grabbing the security feed of my night stalker before heading to the station, but they aren’t open yet. Any other time, I’d run across the street for coffee and try again, but that’s not going to happen now. It will happen, though. It absolutely will. He will not frighten me away from life or my own neighborhood. It still needs to happen, just at a time when I can deal with the emotional baggage that Dave being dead will inevitably stir.
With that in mind, I head to my car, and once I’m on the road, I swing by a Starbucks drive-thru. My order includes the green tea drink the captain drinks and two venti skinny white mochas for Chuck and me. While waiting for my turn at the window, I text Tabitha and Chuck to coordinate the security feed pickup.
Once I’m at the station, I stop by the conference room before heading to the firing squad, where I find Chuck and everyone on our team but Lang and Jackson. I tilt my head toward the door and Chuck stands, looking remarkably good considering he’s probably slept about as well as I did on the floor of my giant attic. We pause in the hallway where I motion to the tray and his coffee.
“Thank you, Lord and Jazz,” he says, grabbing his cup. “I need this badly.”
I get rid of the tray and hold onto my cup and the captain’s.
Chuck sips from his and crinkles his nose. “Is this skinny? Are we on a diet and I didn’t know it?” He holds up a hand. “Not that I don’t appreciate the caffeine immensely. I do.”
“Extra fat next time. Promise. I save my calories for chocolate. I thought you might as well. You have more room for chocolate now.” I switch gears. “I’m about to go in and get destroyed by the captain. Do you have anything to save me in there?”
“I’m trying, Jazz. I really am. I’ve bombed on any reason Newman’s job or his wife’s had them go to conventions in New York City. If we had any educational or criminal law events, I could go wide and look for additional suspects as well that might link to us here, but I got nothing.”
“What about hobbies that might bring either to an annual convention?”
“I’m already looking into that angle. I’m also looking beyond the conventional angle to family or old friends with an annual get-together, things to that effect. That means going to the social media of anyone connected to them to try to piece it together. Because even if he didn’t fly to New York, he could have driven. And we won’t have warrants to look at his bank statements this early.”
“Right.” I sip my coffee. “Keep doing the great job you’re doing. Where is Jackson, by the way?”
“Picking up the security feed from your office, and he’s going to hit up anyone who had an angle on your place last night for camera feed.”
“You really are Superman. I’d tell you I’d get you a raise, but I probably should make sure I keep my job first.”
“That bad?” He eyes the extra cup in my hand. “Pretty bad.”
“Yep. More soon.” I point to my bag. “Can you take this?”
He grabs it eagerly and I move away from him, heading to the captain’s office, arriving with only a few minutes to spare according to the clock in the hallway just outside his office.
I toss my cup in a nearby trash can and then step inside his open door to find him sitting behind his desk. He’s not wearing a suit jacket, but his shirt is crisp and white. His tie a bright blue. His overall appearance is like a sword sharpened for war with me his target, but I’ve never let a battle send me running. I’m not going to start now.
Using my foot, I shut the door and cross to stand in front of his desk. “I brought you your favorite green tea.” I set his cup in front