Page 66

Story: Deep as the Dead

“What if this is his home province?” Jonah Bannon’s question hung in the air between them. “He could go back to his house. Abandon the rental, hide the van and no one would know thedifference.”
“Except for the release of the sketches.” The UNSUB knew they had the drawings because they’d been made public. But he wouldn’t know the team had one of his fake identities, and the makes of the vehicles he was driving. That, Alexa mused, could lead him to believe he could safely leave the province while leading him right into atrap.
“What’s to say he doesn’t just abandon the car and the Econoline, don a disguise to match yet another ID and take a bus? A train or airplane?” Nyle was slowly scrolling through his emails on his cell. “Let’s face it. Witnesses haven’t been great at IDing this guy. No reason to think ticket agents would be anybetter.”
“I don’t think he’ll leave the van behind if he can avoid it.” Alexa didn’t go into the reasoning that she’d shared with Ethan earlier that day. She almost wished she could believe that the UNSUB would leave the province soon. But there was some instinct much more primitive than logic that told her he wasn’t donehere.
“Well, all is not lost.” Nyle sounded a bit more cheerful as he looked up from his cell. “Someone at the top must have pulled some strings, because I’ve already got the records for the credit card statement in Merkel’s name.” He was silent for a moment as he looked it over. “The user signed up for online-only statements. It looks like payments were made that way, too.” He shook his head in bemusement. “That’s one way to keep the person at that address unaware that another card has been taken out in hisname.”
Alexa frowned. “I don’t understand. The cards would still be delivered to Merkel’saddress.”
Nyle wagged a finger at her. “You’re not thinking deviously enough. Merkel’s name and address were listed on the phony license. But while the name matched on the credit card, the address given to the credit card company doesn’t. It’s still in Nova Scotia…” He paused while he tapped in a search. After a few moments, he said, “The address given on the credit card information doesn’t show up in a search. So, he likely used a mail forwardingservice.”
“Which would send his mail to the address of his choice, while shielding his location,” she saidslowly.
“And,” Ian added, “tracking down mail forwarding services is almostimpossible.”
“But you still have the transactions, right?” Jonah went to Nyle’s side and peered down at his screen. “Where’d he use the credit card most recently, aside from the car rentalagency?”
Nyle scanned the statement. “Only two transactions. Gas stations.” His mouth flattened. “Both in New Brunswick. One in Edmonton and the other in Fredericton.” The three men looked at each other. “Where the two victims there were from.” Jonah peered over Nyle’s shoulder. “What are the dates for those…Shit.”
“Edmonton date is two days before Henry Paulus left for his backpacking trip. The Fredericton date is the day before Albert Norton disappeared.” McManus picked up his cell and started texting. “Steve can check the gas station security cameras. Lots of times those places reuse the tapes after a week or so, but you neverknow.”
Ethan strode over. “The ERT team found a few clothes in one of the bedrooms that appear to belong to a male. Different size than those in the master bedroom. One of the T-shirts is from Fundy National Park.” He smiled grimly when Jonah’s brows shot up. “A couple of local RCMP officers will accompany us to Merkel’s nursing home. I’m anxious to talk to this guymyself.”