Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
We went back to the front office and Ewan handed me a pair of gloves from his pocket. “We’ll need to fingerprint everything, so use these to get into Abigail’s computer,” he said.
I nodded.
I put on the gloves. Then I typed in the password and used my phone for the authentication code. Abigail had put in several fail-safe measures for this reason.
Once the screen popped up, I clicked on the video file.
I sighed when I saw the figure dressed in black.
“Why do they always wear hoodies and dark clothing.” It had been so dark outside that it was difficult to even see the figure, who kept their head down.
“The outside light didn’t come on,” I said.
Ewan went through the front door. “Busted,” he said. “They knew what they were doing. And you didn’t set the alarm before you left, or it would have notified you and us. We’ve talked about that.”
He wasn’t wrong. I’d been in a rush and running late. “I must have forgotten.”
Whoever it was had definitely been looking for something. We had one camera facing Abigail’s desk. Whoever it was didn’t even try to get into the computer. They went through the paper files. Tossing most of them on the floor.
“They are keeping their head down,” I said. “It seems like someone who has been here before and knows I have cameras. And they didn’t come through the front door. Maybe, the back?”
“We’ll check. Or just a clever criminal, who would know to look out for them.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Ugh. This was so annoying.
“You’re better at this than I am,” I said. “Can you tell if the hooded figure is male or female?”
He shook his head.
“Could be female or a smaller male.”
“That doesn’t really narrow things down. They have to be after information concerning Jacks’s murder, right?”
He shrugged.
I sighed. “I know, we should never assume.”
“Exactly.”
“Did this ever happen with the former doctor? Why do people keep breaking into my office and home?”
“It did a few times but most of them were teens or someone looking for drugs.”
“This is supposed to be my safe haven,” I said. It was frustrating. And I wasn’t easily frustrated, except for these times when someone wanted to mess with my Zen to commit a crime.
“I don’t understand why they would go after the body. It is days after the murder, and we’ve run all of our tests. We are waiting for some of the results. It doesn’t make sense.”
“While I won’t make an assumption, my guess is they were after information. Perhaps something they thought might be in the clothing or the body. Or it might be the labs. They want to know what you figured out so far.”
I snapped my fingers.
“What is it?”
“I’m sure Abigail went through the clothing. We should check the evidence bags to see what’s in there. Maybe he was carrying something in that coat he wore.”
“Abigail is always thorough, if she found something suspicious, she would have told us.”
“True, but we were moving quickly that night. It’s possible she didn’t think it was that important.”
Henry was the first one through the door. “Evening, Doc. Sorry about this.”
“Thanks,” I said.
He carried a large kit that they used for evidence gathering. More of Ewan’s officers followed not long after.
“I need you to make me a copy of the security tape, and we’ll go over it again. Oh, and let’s check the autopsy door cam.”
I clicked on the separate file. The light was a bit better back there because I’d left the kitchen lamp on.
The person was smart enough to keep their head down, though.
And they wore gloves. If we could see the hands, it would have helped.
It seemed like the hands were larger and perhaps male. But it was impossible to tell.
There was a moment when the burglar turned their head and a short bit of black hair shone under their cap.
“Who have we been talking to that has dark hair?” I paused the video to show Ewan.
His eyebrows rose. “The partner,” he said.
I nodded. “But why? He isn’t even a suspect, right? He had an alibi.”
“True. The killer could have hired someone, though. If it is him, he could be trying to clean up a mess left by someone else. It is within the realm of possibility.”
“True.”
“But it is also a reach. There are many people with dark hair in Sea Isle. Let us get on with things,” he said. “Why don’t you go up to your room and get some rest.”
“Ewan, someone just broke into my home and business. I will not be able to go to sleep.”
He crossed his arms and stared down at me. He had that please-do-what-I-ask-just-this-once look on his face.
“But I will stay out of your team’s way while you do your job.”
“Thank you.”
I picked up my purse off the desk and went into my living room where I dumped it on the side table.
More than anything, I wanted to make my way into the autopsy room to go through the evidence bags, but with the security panel broken and part of the crime scene, it would have to wait.
I flipped on the television and put on an episode of Agatha Raisin I’d seen many times.
I loved the M.C. Beaton books, and the television show they had adapted from them.
It was what Mara called murder-lite and comfort television.
Quaint English village with a great group of friends, who solved crimes together.
Yes, it was familiar.
At some point, I must have dozed off. Funny, since my home was full of officers, but it had been a long day.
When I woke, the room was dark, and the television was off. Someone had covered me in a blanket, but I’d fallen asleep in a weird position and my shoulder was killing me.
I sat up to find Ewan asleep on the other end of the couch. He hadn’t wanted to leave me alone. Even though we often disagreed, he was very protective of me. I appreciated that he cared enough to know that I was unsettled by the break-in.
I checked my watch to see that it was six, which was about an hour earlier than I usually woke up.
After a quick shower, and a change of clothes, I headed back downstairs. The sofa Ewan had been on was empty, but the scent of coffee wafted in from the kitchen.
I found him at the coffee maker waiting patiently for it to brew.
“Mornin’,” he said.
“Thank you for staying over. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I’m going to have one of us here until we solve the case,” he said.
“Do you think that’s necessary? Since they were unsuccessful, they probably won’t come back.”
“We have no way of knowing exactly what it was they were after. And it is for your safety, as well as Abigail and Tommy.”
I’d known him long enough to understand he wouldn’t back down.
“OK. I need to know who to call in order to get the security system on the autopsy lab fixed.”
“I’ve already taken care of it. They’ll be here in an hour. As will Henry. He’ll be working from your office today.”
I smiled. “Abigail will be happy about that.” After a moment, I asked, “Did they find any fingerprints or fibers from the person who broke in?”
“No. They wore gloves. We saw that in the security video.”
“Is there any way we can get into the autopsy suite?”
He shook his head. “Solid steel door, and with the mechanism jammed, it’s impossible. We tried a couple of times last night.”
There was a click at the back door, and we both stiffened. Ewan took a step forward, just as Abigail and Tommy came into the kitchen.
It was comical the way her eyes went wide at the sight of Ewan and then me. Her eyebrows went up, and Tommy, who was staring down at his handheld game bumped into her.
“I. Uh.”
“There was a break-in,” Ewan said quickly.
“Again?” She asked exasperated. “Why dinnae you call me, Em? I could have come and stayed with you. What did they take?”
“It was late, and I didn’t want to bother you,” I said. “As far as we know, they didn’t take anything.”
“That may be something you can help us with,” Ewan said. “Do you remember when you were going through Jacks’s clothing if there was anything of interest? Something maybe other than the lip balm?”
She blew out a breath. “If I did, it would be in the evidence bags in autopsy. I’ll go check.”
“You can’t get in,” I said, and then I explained what happened.
“Oh. Bother. Why can’t people mind their business? Do we think it’s the killer? That means the Doctor isn’t safe.” She constantly worried about me. I wasn’t sure the last time in my life I had someone who was so concerned with my welfare. All my new friends were like that. I was extremely lucky.
“I’m fine,” I said.
Ewan explained that there would be an around-the-clock watch until the killer was caught.
Her shoulders, which had bunched up with stress, eased down a few inches at the mention of Henry coming to work from the office.
“I thought with all the precautions we took after the last time, this wouldn’t happen.” She stared pointedly at Ewan.
“The security team will be back today, and I’m having them put more cameras in the office area, and back door near the autopsy room.”
She nodded.
“Do I get a say as to where cameras go in my home and business?” I asked.
They stared at me.
“OK, then. As long as they aren’t in the bedroom or bathroom, and as long as we are the only ones with access.”
“How did they get through the front door?”
“They didn’t,” he said.
That was news to me. The front door had been open when we’d arrived the night before.
“They exited that way. But they came in through the kitchen window, which wasn’t locked.”
He pointed to the large window that overlooked the cemetery in the backyard. It had been stuffy in the kitchen earlier, and I’d forgotten to close it. As for the cemetery, I’d long ago come to terms with my fellow residents, who were dead. So much so, that I often forgot they were out there.
“The window hadn’t been locked?” Abigail asked.
I pursed my lips. Then I sighed.
They turned toward me.
“It was stuffy in here yesterday even though it was cool outside.” The AGA stove was always on, which was great in the winter but could make it too toasty in the summer months.