She dug deeper into Murphy's business records, her exhaustion completely forgotten now.The company maintained a warehouse on the industrial outskirts of Duluth—a facility that, according to the property records, contained dozens of industrial freezers in various states of repair.Murphy regularly visited closed restaurants to assess equipment for purchase, which would explain how he knew which locations were shuttered and accessible.And his company had been maintaining utilities at several properties under the pretense of equipment testing—keeping the freezers running so potential buyers could verify they still worked.
Including the freezer at Harrington's Steakhouse.Including the freezer where Sarah Ramsey had been found, still warm, less than twelve hours ago.
The conference room door opened, and James walked in carrying two cups of coffee and a paper bag that smelled like everything bagels.He took one look at her face and stopped.
"You found something."
"Daniel Murphy."Isla turned her laptop so he could see the screen."Owns a restaurant equipment salvage company.He's purchased freezers from all three crime scene locations."
James set the coffee and bagels on the table and leaned in, his eyes scanning the records she'd pulled up.She watched his expression shift as he made the same connections she had—the equipment purchases, the utility payments, the access that Murphy's business would give him to closed restaurants across the city.
"He'd know which places were shuttered," James said slowly."He'd know which ones had working freezers.Hell, he'd have keys to some of them if he was there assessing equipment."
"And his warehouse."Isla pulled up the property records."Contains dozens of industrial freezers.If we're looking for someone with a...special interest in cold storage, a salvage dealer who collects them professionally would certainly qualify."
"Does he fit the physical description?"
Isla brought up the driver's license photo again.James studied it, his jaw tightening.
"Average height.Average build.Brown hair."He looked at her."Could be the guy Cross saw at the yoga studio.Could be the guy Harrington saw leaving the steakhouse."
"Could be."Isla reached for one of the coffees, wrapping her hands around the warmth."It's not definitive.We still don't have physical evidence connecting him to any of the victims.But the connection to all three crime scenes—"
"Is enough for a warrant."
The door opened again, and Kate Channing strode in, her silver-gray hair immaculate despite the early hour, her expression carrying the particular intensity of someone who'd been woken by a case that refused to let her sleep.
"I heard you two never went home," she said, her gray-blue eyes taking in the scattered files, the empty coffee cups from the night before, the general air of controlled chaos."Please tell me it was worth it."
Isla filled her in quickly—the equipment salvage company, the connections to all three crime scenes, the physical description that matched their limited witness accounts.Kate listened without interrupting, her expression giving nothing away, but Isla could see her processing the information, weighing it against what they needed to move forward.
"His warehouse," Kate said when Isla finished."You said it contains industrial freezers?"
"Dozens of them, according to the business records.He buys them from closed restaurants and resells them.The place would be—" Isla paused, thinking about what they might find."It would be full of the exact equipment he's been using to store his victims."
"And you're certain about the connection to all three locations?"
"Business records confirm it.Murphy's company purchased equipment from Bella Ristorante and the Shoreline Diner.They were in negotiations for Harrington's Steakhouse equipment at the time of the murder.And his company has been maintaining utilities at several closed restaurants—including Harrington's—under the pretense of equipment testing."
Kate was quiet for a moment, her eyes moving to the whiteboard with its web of connections.When she spoke again, her voice carried the decisive edge that meant she'd made a calculation and found it acceptable.
"That's enough for a warrant.I'll call Judge Martinez—she's been following the case; she'll understand the urgency."Kate checked her watch."I can have it done within the hour.In the meantime, I want you two to pull everything you can on Daniel Murphy.Employment history, known associates, any prior contact with law enforcement.If he's our guy, I want to know everything about him before we walk into that warehouse."
"What about surveillance?"James asked."If Murphy realizes we're onto him—"
"I'll have a unit on his warehouse within thirty minutes.Unmarked car, eyes only.If he tries to run, we'll know."Kate moved toward the door, then paused and looked back at them."And get something to eat.Both of you.You look like hell, and I need you sharp when that warrant comes through."
She was gone before either of them could respond.
Isla stared at the door for a moment, feeling the exhaustion of the past three days pressing against her skull like a physical weight.
"You think it's him?"James asked quietly.
Isla thought about Daniel Murphy's driver's license photo.That unremarkable face, those forgettable features.The kind of man who could walk into a yoga studio and watch women without anyone remembering he'd been there.The kind of man who could maintain freezers in closed restaurants and no one would think to question why.
"I think he's connected," she said carefully."Whether that connection is criminal or coincidental—that's what the warrant will tell us."
James handed her one of the bagels, and she took it without really tasting it, her mind already racing ahead to what they might find in Murphy's warehouse.Freezers.Dozens of freezers, standing silent in the dark, waiting for someone to open their doors and discover what waited inside.
