Eddie looked to where Marty went through image after image. “Okay.”
“I’ll ask Davis to keep an eye on Marty while we’re gone.” He hurried to make arrangements while Eddie got his things, and soon they were in the car heading to the now-quiet building where Marty had once worked.
The office was still taped off, and they moved it to the side to enter. “He was shot at relatively close range from right in front. Ballsy,” Eddie said.
“Stone-cold,” Brian added. “So why would they have had a falling-out? If Bryce brought him in… and now he’s dead. What made our killer cross the line?”
“We’re assuming that they’re the same person. But the easy answer is money. Either Bryce skimped and didn’t pay, or our guy wanted more, and Bryce balked at the wrong time.”
“Have we been able to get into Bryce’s computer?”
Eddie shrugged. “The tech guys are working on it, but we had to get in line. There are a number of cases that need their help.”
“Call back and see when they expect to get to it. It’s very possible that there is information on that machine that could help us solve a murder.”
Eddie nodded and left the office to make the call, leaving Brian alone in the space. He talked to the head of the department, who promised to get someone on it right away. Eddie thanked her and ended the call, then rejoined Brian, who hadn’t moved. “They’re starting on it now.”
“Good,” Brian said. “I keep wondering if there isn’t something I should be seeing, and yet the more I look…. It’s obvious that the guy wore gloves and stuff.”
“Why?” Eddie asked.
“If you’re going to kill someone,” he began, and then turned to Eddie. “The bastard came here to kill Bryce. There was nothing else. He covered up as much as possible to leave little evidence because he was going to kill the guy.” He smiled atEddie. “And there’s one person I can think of who would want Bryce out of the way—his boss.”
“Yeah… but Haver copped to the money-laundering, not the killing.”
“Yeah… so? He has an airtight alibi because he paid to have Bryce killed. It’s that simple. Proving it is going to be more difficult, but I can see it. Sure, Haver admits to the money-laundering. He’ll get out in a few years, and he’d live off his hidden ill-gotten gains. But murder is another issue entirely.”
“Yeah. But someone died as part of the scheme, so it doesn’t really matter. He confessed to being part of the criminal enterprise, so we charge him with being an accessory to murder and see how much howling he does.” Brian paused. “Either that or we let him get out on bail, which I’m sure his wife is arranging right now. Then we follow him and monitor his phones and electronic communications. Our guy is going to get in touch with him… or Haver will be in touch. Either way, we get out suspect.”
“Okay. It’s a step forward. But what if he decides to run?”
“We’ll request an ankle bracelet. It’s pretty standard on cases like these. That will restrict him to his home, so our suspect will have to come to him.” Brian grinned and got on the phone with the captain, explaining what they suspected and the plan. “The captain agrees, and he got the DA on the phone. He’s on board with the plan as well. So, we’re good to go.” Brian strode out of the building, with Eddie hurrying behind him.
“Your friendmight have found something,” Officer Davis said once they returned to the station.
“Thanks,” Eddie told him, and hurried over to Marty. “What’s going on? Did you find him?”
Marty shook his head. “No. I knew this was a long shot. But….” He pulled up the picture of a man. “This guy looks a lot like him, I think.”
Eddie turned to Davis. “Did you look into this?”
“Don’t snap at him. I just found it a few minutes ago. He’s trying to find pictures of the guy’s relatives,” Marty said, while David worked and then turned his screen around.
“This is Larry’s brother, Kevin Reynolds.”
Marty gasped. “That’s him. That’s the guy I saw in the office and the guy who followed me.” He sat back, and Eddie smiled.
“Good job. Davis, send that to Brian and everyone else. We have an image of our possible killer. Now we have to find him.”
The captain strode into the squad room. “Go pick him up. Take plenty of backup in case he gives you any trouble.” He left the room as everyone got set to head out. Davis agreed to stay behind with Marty while the rest of the guys headed to their cars.
“No sirens. We don’t want this guy to run if we can help it.” Brian led the way to the address that they had from the DMV—right into a dead end. The address they had on file was an empty lot. The officers fanned out, but no one knew anything about the man they’d identified. This case was one thing after another. At least they had a name and a face now. And the empty lot told them they were most likely on the right track. After all, who needed a fake address unless you were someone with plenty to hide.
Eddie returnedto the station in a bad mood. Just when they might have gotten a break, he came up with nothing. “Do we know where the brother lives? His parents?” Eddie asked as they walked inside, answering his own question. “Let me see if I can get addresses for them. The entire family can’t have disappeared.” He hurried inside and started looking. It took awhile, but he was able to get an address for the brother from the parents, who also mentioned his parole officer.
Eddie contacted the parole officer and found out that he was supposed to meet with Larry Reynolds in less than an hour.
“I’ll be there as quickly as I can,” Eddie said, and explained to Brian where he was headed. “I’ll call you if I find anything.”
