15
“Bolton! Hang on a minute.”
Evan had just shoved open the exit door of the sheriff’s department on his way to Rod’s autopsy, but he turned around and saw his lieutenant hustling to catch him. Louis Ogden had been with the department for at least two decades. Evan found him to be rather unimaginative when it came to investigative work, but he had a knack for supervision, delegation, and organization. He was a solid but dull boss.
Evan wasn’t complaining. During investigations, Louis gave Evan everything he asked for—within reason. Louis always knew where to hunt down extra hands and was fair with expenses. He caught up to Evan, his face red from the sprint. Louis planned to retire the next year and had noticeably cut back on maintaining his physical health. And increased the doughnuts. On his dark tie was telltale white powder, the leavings from a doughnut.
“What can I do for you, Louis?”
“I got part of the forensics report from Rod McLeod’s house.” He frowned, looking around at the number of people close by. “Let’s talk in my office.”
Evan checked the time. He didn’t need to be there for the whole autopsy. But it was important to him to attend at least some of it in person. He always tried to be present for the victims in his cases. It was a matter of respect. “I’ve been waiting on that report,” said Evan as they walked down the hallway. “How come it went to you instead of me?”
“You’ll see.”
Louis was putting out antsy vibes. Not his usual relaxed-but-competent aura. Evan studied the man from the corner of his eye. “Anything helpful?”
“Not sure.”
A small chill went up Evan’s spine. Louis was rarely so closemouthed, and Evan wondered what had shown up in the evidence. There hadn’t been any obvious signs of violence in Rod’s home. No blood. No destruction. But his computer tower was gone, the key had been left in the filing cabinet lock, and his files had clearly been tampered with. Someone had been there.
Maybe shit’s hitting the fan because Rod had photocopies of those files.
Whatever it turned out to be, Evan was ready for some more leads. “Anything from RCFL?” The FBI computer forensics lab in Portland.
Louis gave him a look. “You just sent them the McLeod phone and computers yesterday.”
“Just checking.” He’d hoped that if Louis had gotten the forensics report first, maybe he’d heard from the computer forensics lab already. It occurred to Evan that the forensics report might have gone to Louis first simply because Rod had been one of them. Retired, but still one of them.
They entered his office and Louis shut the door.
That cold feeling crawled up his spine again. Louis rarely closed the door. Whatever Louis had to tell him, it was private and important. Evan took a seat and looked expectantly at his boss. “I was on my way to Rod’s autopsy, so I don’t have a lot of time.”
“Shouldn’t take long. Just a minute.” Louis hit a button on his desk phone. “He’s here?” he said into the receiver. “Yeah, tell him to come in.” A second later there was a double rap at the door. It opened and Deputy Hartley stepped inside, his eyebrows going up at the sight of Evan. Louis gestured for Hartley to sit in the other chair, by Evan.
“Okay,” Louis began. “Now that you’re both here, I have some questions about what you found at Rod’s. Evan, walk me through it from the moment the two of you went in the door.”
“I already did this,” said Hartley. “An hour ago.”
“I know,” said Louis. “But now it’s Evan’s turn.”
Evan froze and his skin prickled.
Someone just debriefed Hartley about our time at Rod’s home? And now it’s my turn?
He suspected they had done something wrong in the house, and now the department wanted both their views. Evan thought hard, retracing their steps, unable to think of what they’d done incorrectly. He knew proper procedure. Hartley did too. The only odd thing had been the neighbor woman showing up with the casserole. There wasn’t procedure for that.
We should have sent her away and not spoken with her.
Is that what this is about?
Evan cleared his throat and described how he and the deputy had cleared the home, working their way up to the second level and ending in Rod’s office. He explained how they’d seen the persistent neighbor from the upstairs window, how he’d refused to let her in the home and then shown his ID. They’d accepted the casserole to make her leave, and then they’d returned to the office and noticed the missing tower and files.
“Were you gloved?” asked Louis.
“We gloved up before we touched anything in the office,” said Evan. “After Hartley noticed the computer tower was gone, I opened the filing cabinet. Every other door or knob had been elbowed or bumped open while we cleared.” He turned to Hartley and lifted a brow. The deputy nodded in agreement.
“The report said there was a key in the filing cabinet lock,” said Louis.
“Yes,” said Evan. “I knew Rod would never leave a key like that. It was one of the reasons I opened the drawers.”
“But you didn’t turn the key.”
“I did with gloves on and discovered it was already in the unlocked position.”
“I opened the fridge without gloves,” said Hartley with an apologetic shrug. “I put the woman’s casserole in there.”
“Oh ... I opened the front door without gloves to tell her to leave,” said Evan. “Forgot that. Does it matter? Forensics already has our prints on file for elimination.”
“Were you in each other’s sight the entire time?” asked Louis.
Evan was liking the questions less and less.
“As I said before—” began Hartley.
“I’d like to hear from Evan.” Louis looked at him.
I feel as if I’m walking into a trap.
“While clearing we stuck together. If we were apart, it was for a split second.”
Hartley nodded.
“I left Hartley in Rod’s office when I went to answer the door,” continued Evan. “But he came down probably within fifteen to twenty seconds of when I opened it. I didn’t follow him when he put the casserole away.” Evan had to think for a second. “I went back to the office while he was still in the kitchen. I was going to take a closer look at Rod’s gun safes. Hartley walked in seconds later and pointed out the tower was gone. Then we gloved up.” Evan forced himself to not look to Hartley for confirmation.
“The only thing you touched barehanded was the inside doorknob of the front—” Louis started.
“And the outside handle,” added Evan. “I unlocked it with a key from Sophia’s.”
Guilt swamped him from forgetting two small things.
Is that all I forgot?
“You didn’t touch anything in the kitchen?” Louis asked Evan.
“No.” He was positive on that. “As soon as I realized files were missing, we exited the home and waited for forensics.”
“What about Rod’s desk? Did you move things on his desk?”
“No,” said Evan. “There was no need.” He gave a half laugh. “And I think it was still engrained in me to never touch Rod’s desk at work. He was particular about where he placed things.”
Louis’s smile was sad, memories in his gaze. “Wasn’t that the truth.” He adjusted his seat and cleared his expression. “The only time you were alone in his office was looking at the gun safes a few seconds before Deputy Hartley entered. Do you know the safe combinations?”
“Yes, that was the only time I was alone in his office, and no, I don’t know Rod’s combinations.” Evan was ready for Louis to get to the point of this questioning. He was treating Evan like a suspect—questioning him exactly the same way Evan questioned his suspects. Repeat. Rephrase. Clarify.
Louis looked at Hartley. “You didn’t see Detective Bolton in the kitchen or see him move things in the office?”
I just said that.
Slow-brewing anger replaced the chill in his spine.
“No, sir.”
My prints turned up somewhere. And they don’t like it.
“Louis, you know I’ve socially been in Rod’s house tons of times over the years,” said Evan, fighting to keep his tone even. “I’ve used the bathroom there, made food in the kitchen, opened the back sliding glass door and screen. I’ve used the big barbecue on his deck, and I’ve been in his garage. If my prints have turned up in a place I didn’t mention just now, there’s plenty of reasons why.” He met Louis’s gaze and waited.
“Deputy Hartley said earlier he had the impression you’d never been in McLeod’s home office,” said Louis.
“That’s true,” said Evan. “In fact, I’d never been upstairs in that house. The first time I saw the office was yesterday.”
“And you touched only the filing cabinet.”
Evan leaned forward, holding Louis’s gaze, giving his best “Don’t fuck with me” glare. “If you have something to tell me, get to it.”
“Evan, forensics found your prints on the key in the filing cabinet, on top of the cabinet, and on the sides. They were also found on the dials of both the gun safes, and on several items on Rod’s desk.” Louis took a breath as Evan stared. “Several knives in Rod’s butcher block have your prints ... but nothing else did.”
His vision tunneled until all Evan could see were Louis’s glasses.
How . . . ?
“That’s impossible.” Evan struggled to speak. “Maybe they could be on the knives from a previous visit ... I honestly don’t recall. But I didn’t touch the key without gloves. I’m positive.” From the corner of his eye, he saw Hartley nodding emphatically.
At least one person backs me up.
Louis sighed. “It’s possible there’s a mistake somehow. Let’s get your file fingerprints retaken.”
“It has to be an error,” said Evan, his mind whirling and feeling unbalanced. “I’d never been in his office. I knew about the gun safes, but I’d never seen them, let alone touched them.”
It doesn’t make sense.
He stared at Louis.
No wonder he questioned me like a suspect.
And that’s why the report went to him first.
“Get new prints and then get back to work,” said Louis, standing to show the meeting was over. Evan stood and followed Hartley out the door.
Several yards down the hall, the deputy turned to Evan, sympathy in his eyes. “Sorry about that. I had no idea that’s where he was headed with those questions. That’s a bunch of bullshit.”
“Who questioned you earlier?” asked Evan.
“My lieutenant. Had me walk through our time there like you just did. I didn’t think anything of it. I figured they were being extra careful to dot their i’s and cross their t’s since it was Rod’s case.”
“No more careful than with anyone else,” said Evan, knowing that wasn’t quite true. Rod’s case was on every law enforcement member’s mind. He clapped Hartley on the back with more enthusiasm than he felt. “See you later. I need to get printed.”
Then I have an autopsy to get to.
Evan walked away.
This has to be a mistake.