Chapter 55
When it pulled away, the camera captured the license plate. At night, the footage was blocky and grainy. But with some enhancements, we might be able to identify the vehicle. I sent the clip to Isabella. She had better resources than the department, and she’d do it faster.
The black sedan was parked at the curb when we arrived. JD pulled behind it.
We hopped out, pushed through the gate at the white picket fence, and followed the walkway between two large palms to the porch.
I rang the doorbell—no video.
Rose came to the door a moment later and called through it. "Who is it?"
I flashed my badge to the privacy glass and said, "Deputies Wild and Donovan with Coconut County."
Rose unlatched the deadbolt and pulled open the door. "Did you find the son-of-a-bitch who stole my car?"
Rose didn't mince words. She had short, dyed auburn hair, brown eyes, and didn't look anywhere near 75.
I couldn't help but chuckle. "No. But it seems you got your car back," I said, motioning to the vehicle behind me.
"It’s the damnedest thing. I parked it on the street.
When I went out the next morning, I could have sworn the car had moved.
I always park close to the curb. I don't want to get a ticket.” She muttered aside in an annoyed voice, “Every now and then, parking enforcement comes through trying to do a revenue grab.
I think it's ridiculous. They gave me a ticket last year for parking more than a foot away from the curb!” Rose was still angry and offended.
“I went out there and measured it myself.
It was 12.5 inches. I think there ought to be a little leeway, don't you?”
"I agree.”
"Anyway, I got into the car, and the seat was all the way back. Look at me. I'm 5’2”. Do I look like I need the seat all the way back?”
"No.”
“The radio was tuned to a different station. And that god-awful cologne.” Her face twisted with disgust, and she groaned. “Cheap.”
"You reported this to the county, correct?”
"You wouldn't be here if I didn't," she said.
"Did deputies come out and look at the car? Dust for prints?”
She scoffed. "Are you kidding me? I called to report it, saying it had been stolen and returned. You know what they said? Don't worry about it.” She huffed. “Unbelievable.”
"Sorry you weren’t satisfied with the department. You mind if we take a look around the vehicle?"
"Knock yourself out. But why all the sudden interest? Or is this just how long it takes the department to get around to things?”
“We think it may have been involved in the commission of another crime.”
“What kind of crime?” she asked, leaning in with intrigued eyes.
“A murder.”
Her brow lifted with surprise. “A murder? Who?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t discuss ongoing investigations.”
Disappointment filled her face, but she got over it. “I'll get the keys for you.”
Rose spun around and darted down the foyer and disappeared into the living room.
She fumbled around in the kitchen, and keys jingled.
She returned a moment later and handed the key fob to me.
“Just get near the car with that, and it'll open. Keyless entry. I guess that means keyless entry for anybody,” she quipped.
"It's possible someone may have cloned your key fob.”
"Then what good is a key fob? Can we just go back to the way things were? Just give me a key. You can’t clone a key without stealing it.
A key has worked just fine my whole entire life.
I don't know why they had to change it. I don't need push-button start. I don’t need lane change assist. I don’t need half the crap they put in cars today to drive the price up.
Just more to break.” She sighed. “I guess pretty soon cars are going to be driving themselves. "
“It seems that way,” I said with a smile.
JD and I made our way to the sedan. We both put on a pair of nitrile gloves, pulled open the doors, and glanced around the vehicle. The faint traces of cologne still lingered. It smelled familiar, but I couldn't quite make out the scent.
We scoured the front and back seats, looking for any clues, but found nothing. It seemed odd to just return the car, but maybe the perps were hoping Rose wouldn't notice it had been taken. If it would have been me, I'd have burned the car to destroy any evidence.
I called Daniels, filled him in on the situation, and had him send the forensic team. We waited until they arrived. They went over the car, collecting fibers from the seats and dusting for prints.
I checked with the neighbor across the street as well as the surrounding area. There were no video doorbells that might have captured the theft.
Rose wasn't going to be happy about this, but the vehicle was now evidence and would need to be impounded until the investigation concluded. I told her as much when we returned to her door.
Her face twisted, and her cheeks flushed. "How am I supposed to get around?”
"You’ll have to make other arrangements," I said.
"Other arrangements? Let me get this straight… Someone steals my car, uses it to commit a murder, and somehow I have to go out of pocket and rent a new car because of that?”
"That's kind of messed up, isn't it?"
"It's beyond messed up.”
"Look, JD and I will cover the expense for a rental car. How does that sound?”
She lifted a curious eyebrow. "What kind of rental car? I don't want some shit box econo crap.”
"If you can find another car just like that, we’ll pay for it.”
She took a deep breath, then exhaled, feigning irritation. "I guess that would be acceptable."
I gave her my card and told her to get in touch.
The tow truck came and hooked up the vehicle. JD and I left and headed back to the Avventura. It was reasonably close to dinner, and JD figured the Bluewater Bistro might be a good way to celebrate Kara’s new lease on life. But a call from Isabella changed our plans.