“They can do their job, but I’m not relying on anyone anymore. We were fed false truths back then. Do I think Ford will do what is right? Yeah, I do. But I can’t walk away without knowing or seeing what he has or even sharing what I’ve got. The court records aren’t really giving me much insight into anything other than too much was botched. There were a lot of things missed and it leads me to wanting to talk to that detective more than thinking the answers are in front of me.”
“Meaning that what you’ve discovered isn’t on paper, but in minds?”
“Exactly. That’s what I’m doing right now. Gathering who I’m going to talk to next. I’m not running, I’m not even shaking trees. I’m coming out with a chainsaw ready to clear the place out and they just better be ready for me.”
His mother laughed. “Now you sound just like Rene.”
“Maybe I need to. I’m not leaving here without answers, Mom. And I’m not sure being told there isn’t anything to find is going to be the answer I’ll settle for.”
It couldn’t be. Not now.
He was getting closer and it was time to let this town know nothing was stopping him.
20
JUST SOMETHING DIFFERENT
“Hi, this is Gale Ridgeway. I live in building three, apartment 4C. I was wondering if it’s possible to view the cameras on the building from yesterday afternoon.”
“Can I ask why you want to do that?”
She’d gotten to her office two hours ago, sent her text to the three men that she’d arrived bright and early on a Monday. She’d like to think she got their asses out of bed but knew better than that. She got no reply from anyone. Talk about annoying. She had to report to them, but they couldn’t even acknowledge it.
Once she got a few things taken care of, she shut her office door to make this call.
“While I was out yesterday, someone slipped a note under my door. I’d like to see if I could narrow it down to someone who isn’t a resident.”
“I’m sorry,” the woman said. “I can’t release that footage without permission. I’ll have to ask my boss and get back to you. Can I get your number?”
She gave her number and hung up. Now it was time to wait and see how long it took to get a call back. She’d bet anything she heard directly from Kane, and if she did, that was more telling than anything.
The woman hadn’t asked what the note said and she hadn’t volunteered. Without Rory in town, something like this wouldn’t go as high as the owners.
Would they be stupid enough to show their hand? She’d like to think not, but could be wrong.
She texted Rory she’d made the call and would just wait now and went back to work.
Twenty minutes later, he called her.
“What did they say?” he asked.
“She needs permission to show me,” she said. “Which I kind of figured, but still don’t understand it. She could have just said she’d look herself or have someone else do it and get back to me.”
“What do you think will happen?”
“Oh, I’ll get a call today. They’d be stupid to not let me see it. I’m not asking anything crazy, just to see if anyone other than residents came in. If I get a call from Kane or Daniel, I’ll know something is up.”
“That’s who she’d go to for something like this? Seems extreme, don’t you think, for as large as they are?”
“Exactly. What are you doing now?”
“Reading through more notes. I talked to my mother this morning after she called and got my butt out of bed.”
She smiled. “Did my text wake you?”
“No. I slept through it, which is horrible to say.”
She laughed. “Kind of defeats the purpose of letting everyone know now, doesn’t it?”
