Chapter 43
FORTY-THREE
Medina was arranging for a search warrant for the safe deposit box but refused to do a trace on Todd’s phone or issue a BOLO on him.
Eric was also to stay away from Finley for the time being.
Even though Eric shared the contents of the confession letter, Medina preferred to put his hands on what was in the box before taking further action.
While Eric waited for the approval, he drove to Travel Safe with his hopes high.
When he entered the auto rental, there was a customer at the counter being helped by a woman in her late fifties. Her brown hair was clipped back, and she acknowledged Eric with a smile.
“If you go around the side, Steven will be there with the truck,” she told the customer. “He’ll go over the vehicle and give you the keys. Thank you for choosing Travel Safe.”
The customer passed by Eric and gave him a warm smile.
“You’re the detective, aren’t you?” the woman from the counter said. “The one looking for that old rental agreement?”
“That’s me. Detective Birch. You’re Carly Knox?”
“The one and only.”
“Were you able to find the paperwork?”
“I haven’t looked yet. I was wondering if you’d come back with a warrant.”
Eric should have seen that request coming and been prepared for it. He’d blame the situation with Todd for messing with his mind. “I haven’t. Is that going to be a problem? If so, I can get one. I just figured since it was so long ago…”
Carly smiled and batted a hand. “I’m just messing with ya.
Thirty-three years was forever ago. Now if it was about a recent rental, I would insist. Let me go into the storage room and see what I can dig out.
You watch the store?” She grabbed the note that Jodi had written, then chuckled.
“I’m just joking. The chime will let me know if a customer comes in.
” She winked at him before she took off into the back.
Interesting woman… At least she was finding joy in life.
More than he could say for himself at the moment.
Last night he’d grasped a bit of that. But joy came from being in Sandra’s orbit.
There was just something about her, how she saw into him and understood him.
She brought him to life, even when the job sometimes threatened to destroy him.
He stood there waiting for fifteen minutes before Carly returned with a thick folder in her hand.
“This is for the second week of January. Let me thumb through it.” She set the folder on the counter and flipped the pages. “Ah, here we go.” She set the stapled agreement in front of Eric.
He leaned in to read it over. No name, but there was a signature on the bottom line. It was barely decipherable, but it looked familiar. He pulled out his phone and compared it to Kramer’s signature that Sandra had sent him yesterday. Perfect match.
His phone rang, and Medina’s name splashed on the screen. At the same time, a customer entered the store.
“Can I take this with me?” Eric asked Carly.
“Sure, not a problem at all. It’s ancient, and technically I should have thrown it out a long time ago.”
Thank God she didn’t… He gave Carly a thumbs-up and answered his phone.