My alpha nature, dormant for weeks, stirs awake and demands action, confrontation, something to actually move.
So I guess I owe Rocco that push.
One more time, I pull out the picture of me and Salt and lock my eyes on his face.
"Maybe you hate me… okay, it’s hard for me to accept, but I have to. And no matter what, you still deserve closure with Senu. I have to figure this out, for you, Salt," I whisper, then sit down.
I squeeze the photo in my fingers and close my eyes.
Focus, Eliano!
Think about what’s been done and what you still have to do.
Go through everything carefully.
Analyze the scenarios.
Watching Tanner’s house all that time hasn’t been pointless. I now know exactly where the cameras covering his yard and driveway are positioned.
Cutting the power would not solve anything. I have learned that systems like this usually have backup batteries that keep recording even during a blackout.
I assess how the cameras are positioned and what angles they cover, until I finally determine that there is exactly one blind spot. It faces the back wall of the building, where there is nothing but a downspout.
There is, however, a small attic window in the roof. I watch it, struggling with myself.
After one more day of deliberation, I choose early morning, shortly after Tanner leaves the house.
Of course, he could come back quickly. I know by now how unpredictable he is, but I have to take the chance. I cannot stay stuck forever.
The downspout turns out to be solidly attached. Climbing it is not especially difficult. I’ll admit my forearms are still sore after the fight with Rocco, but I refuse to let it discourage me. There are brackets at regular intervals holding it to the wall, forming a kind of ladder. Since I took off my shoes, I can wedge my toes between the wall and the downspout and pull myself up that way.
The climb takes about ten minutes. I stay focused, careful, and move as fast as I can.
The window is locked, but wrapping my fist in my jacket, I break it, clear away the glass and open it from the inside.
Beyond it is a dusty attic filled with cardboard boxes and old furniture. I doubt Tanner comes up here often.
Just to be safe, I lift the lid of one of the boxes and temporarily block the window to prevent any draft that Tanner might notice.
Since I am here, I quickly go through the boxes.
Most of it is junk, but one thing catches my attention. In a big box that looks relatively new, there is a pile of clothes.
I am almost certain these are not alpha clothes. The sizes are smaller. I press them to my nose. Undeniably omega scent, and not just one. At least several. What are these clothes doing here? Former lovers of the Tanners, maybe, or not so former? The scent is still fresh, not faded. I am convinced it is only a few months old at most.
For now, there is nothing more I can do with them. If Salt were here, he might recognize whether any of them belonged to Senu.
I check the remaining boxes. No clues. Nothing overtly incriminating. I assume that when the police questioned Tanner, he removed anything that could cast suspicion on him. He probably expected his house to be searched.
I wander the attic aimlessly, then decide this is not the right lead.
Just as I consider lifting the hatch and heading down, I hear the sound of a car engine pulling up.
Tanner is back.
Damn it!
He was gone for barely half an hour. Just my luck.
