Henrik led them into an office in the back of his shop. The cramped room held eight computer monitors, all displaying live feeds from his seventeen security cameras. This guy was next-level paranoid. But maybe they could benefit from his obsession.
His claims to Jason made a little more sense when he explained that the property behind his shop, including a warehouse, belonged to Byron. And he had plenty of footage.
"Henrik, this could be very helpful," Knox said. "Any chance we could get a copy of all your footage from the past three weeks?"
Henrik looked like he'd won the lottery. Obviously, this is what the armchair sleuth lived for. Helping WhiteRock with their investigation had made his week. Maybe his year.
He uploaded everything Knox asked for onto an external hard drive and handed it to Allie.
"Thank you, Henrik. If you see anything worrisome on the Byron property, let us know. But please, do not go over there under any circumstances. We have reason to believe some employees of that company are dangerous."
Henrik's head bobbed. "Oh yes, I mean no, I won't go over there." He pointed to his monitors. "I'll keep an eye on them. I'll let you know if I see anything."
Knox handed him a card. "You can call this number if you see something fishy. If no one answers, leave a message, okay?"
"Oh yes, yes." His head continued to bob. He held the card like it was made of gold.
Henrik's eagerness made Allie uneasy. She didn't want his snooping to get him in real trouble.
Knox must have felt the same because he pointed at Henrik. "Remember, do not go over there. Promise?"
"You have my word. I'll just watch from here."
Knox shook his hand. "By the way, we were thinking of checking out that ice cream place next door before we head back. Anything suspicious going on over there?"
Henrik smirked. "Nothing you need to worry about. One of the employees sneaks milkshakes to her friends at the end of her shift when the boss isn't there. Nothing else nefarious." His eyes brightened. "You should try the Caribbean Cocoa Sundae. Pineapple ice cream with a coconut-chocolate sauce. It's delicious."
"Good to know," Knox said. "Thanks."
They left Pelican Rentals. And Allie wasn't a bit surprised when Knox made a beeline straight for Island Scoops. "He got you with that Caribbean Cocoa Sundae, huh?"
Knox brought a hand to his chest. "He had me at coconut-chocolate sauce."
"You haven't had enough coconut today?"
"Nope. Besides, they have an outdoor seating area that winds around to the back of the building. I want to check out their view of the Byron property as well. And ask if they've had any interactions with Byron."
"And try some ice cream."
"That goes without saying."
Allie glanced at the clock in the corner of the monitor. She'd been watching Henrik's security footage for over five hours. The time had flown by, but her neck and back muscles demanded a break. She stood, stretched, and walked a lap around the conference table.
Rowan was working on his laptop, and Knox and Jason were meeting someone on the main island of Morghana, in Morghana City. That errand was a ferry ride away, so she'd enjoyed blissful silence in Room 336 while she studied every movement of each person entering and exiting Byron's property behind Henrik's shop. Some of it was actually interesting. Today reminded her that this was something she loved about her job.
Staring at hand gestures, foot movements, and facial expressions for hours might not be most people's idea of a good time, but she found it fascinating.
The door lock clicked. Knox and Jason walked in carrying coffees.
"Ooooh. Coffee. You read my mind." She paused the footage she was studying. Jason looked content, happy even, so it was probably safe to ask about Tayla. "Jason, how's Tayla doing?"
He grinned. "The Grayhouses are hiring bodyguards for her. She didn't want them around 24/7 so she's moving into theroom at the end of our hallway—the one we're not using. The bodyguards will escort her when she's running errands around the islands. And—"
"And you'll keep her safe here?" Knox asked. He placed a hand over his heart with exaggerated seriousness. "And you're only thinking of her safety. Sacrificing your personal time and energy to ensure—"
"Knock it off." Jason's eyes smiled, but he also looked like he would have thrown something at Knox if his hands weren't full of coffee.
"Just messing with you, man. It makes sense. We have a more secure setup here."
