Page 19 of Go First
“Exactly.Maybe we’re not just looking for someone angry at Whitfield.Maybe we’re looking for someone with ties to Japan.Someone who knows this tradition.”
She considered that, weighing the implications.“Three thousand victims of Whitfield’s scam.If even one of them spent time in Japan…”
Marcus was already nodding.“We cross-reference the lists tomorrow.It’s a long shot, but it’s something.”
Kate’s mind flicked back to the crime scene.“Meanwhile, what about the footprint?”
“Partial print.Running shoe, size eleven.There’s something else, too.Partial of a bike tire in the same vicinity.The size is consistent with one of those folding electric models.More stuff to cross-refer once we can narrow it down.”
“That’s great.We should still be looking at Whitfield’s employees and church members, as well as the acknowledged victims of his scams.I just don’t believe that hymn of praise they’re all singing.”
“Agreed.On a less encouraging front, we’ve completed our review of all the CCTV, and its garbage.We’ve got one image from the camera covering the back entrance to the church, and it’s just an outline.Here…”
He clicked a couple of times on his screen; Marcus never had to hunt for things.He could have a hundred open tabs on his desktop; he’d still, automatically, take you to the very spot you needed.The last time Kate had tried that—whilst explaining something to Winters—she’d brought up her resumé.
“Here.”The figure was a dark silhouette, broad and strong-looking, despite the lack of details. “Five feet eight and probably the same wide,” Marcus quipped.“Definitely male, definitely spends a lot of time kissing those biceps.”
“I guess that’s what we mean when we say ‘stocky build’,” Kate said.“But it’s weird, isn’t it?He’s obviously been very careful about the cameras.Then he leaves prints and tire tracks like breadcrumbs.”
“Maybe he was sloppy.Rushed.Maybe the job took longer than he thought, or for some reason he couldn’t get away quick enough.Don’t forget, he would’ve had a huge ticking clock in the shape of daylight.Hehadto get away under cover of night.Hence, the rookie mistakes.”
“Or the shoe print and bike don’t belong to him at all.”
Marcus nodded slowly.“Local PD’s canvassing staff and congregation, checking who wears what and rides what.Could be a red herring.”
Kate rubbed her temples.“Too many variables.But okay.What about that meeting O’Malley dragged me to?Still doesn’t make sense.”
She reached for her laptop, following the itch of a hunch.Fingers tapped quickly.
A few moments later, she made a call to Phil Daniels, the county sheriff she’d met at Bow Lake.Marcus went off to fetch more coffee, returning with two slices of birthday cake just as Kate finished her call.
“I had no idea, Marcus!”Kate exclaimed.“Are you going to have a party with a clown?What was your best present?”
“I don’t need any more clowns,” Marcus growled.He took a deep bite from one of the slices.“It’s Taneesha’s birthday.Big four-oh.”
“Taneeshais 40?Jeez.I thought she was like 23.”
“Never mind.There’s always cake.What did you want with Daniels?”
“At the meeting there was some back-and-forth about this guy who hadn’t showed up.Hector Martinez.I got the impression that people in the group were worried about him, but as soon as I took an interest, the gates slammed shut.I know it’s random, but I just thought I’d do some digging, on the off-chance.Daniels says he was charged with assaulting Whitfield, eighteen months back.Lost his life savings to the scam.Case dropped because Whitfield refused to press charges.Then Whitfield offered him a job—catering manager, of all things.Martinez turned it down.”
Marcus whistled.“That’s a grudge.”
“More than that.The job offer wasn’t completely random, because Martinez used to be a butcher.”
“An interesting choice of career.”
“Wait til you see what he does now.”
Kate turned the laptop so he could see.A photo of a food truck, bright colors, cartoon fish, manga characters and Kanji script.Hector’s Ocean Bites.“He runs a sushi truck now.Specializing in sashimi.”
The two agents locked eyes.
Marcus said, “Blades.Japan.Sushi.”
Kate closed the laptop with a snap.“Tomorrow, we find Hector Martinez.”
CHAPTER EIGHT