“Not so far. Some clubs at school, a couple of part-time jobs.”
“Where at?” Tanner turned to look at her in the back seat.
“Pizza delivery a couple of years ago and one of those giant home improvement stores for the last eighteen months.”
“Good place to get low-density polyethylene and any other materials needed to build your very own coffin-sized human aquarium,” Whitaker muttered.
“Is this house we’re going to anywhere near where the first two victims were found?” Tanner asked.
“Not at all. I’m as surprised as Penelope that this was where the killer was operating. It’s an older neighborhood. Not very upscale, but pretty quiet.”
“This probably isn’t where the killer is operating,” Bree said. “He’s just rerouting through his system here.”
Tanner rubbed his eyes. “Why would he do that at his own house?”
“That’s a good point.” Bree’s fingers began clicking on the keyboard again. “Elliot Webster could just be a patsy, and someone is using his house while he’s not aware. But it’s also possible that Webster is the killer and he never thought anyone would figure out his pattern and break his little code.”
When they pulled up in front of the house, Tanner understood why Penelope had been so surprised at the address. It was a nice neighborhood—small houses with well-manicured lawns. The type that had Neighborhood Watches and little old ladies peeking out their windows to see what was happening with their neighbors.
Not the type of place to easily get kidnap victims in and out of without being seen.
They parked and Penelope immediately knocked on the front door to make sure no one was around. While they waited for the search warrant since there was no one in the home in immediate danger, the team spread out, looking around the yard and questioning the neighbors. Bree and Jeremy continued to dig for info on Elliot Webster, including known associates.
Less than thirty minutes later they got word the warrant had been approved.
“Let’s move in,” Penelope said. “You want to come, Tanner?”
He looked over at Bree.
“Go ahead,” she said. “You’ll do more good in there than out here. I’m going to stay and see what else I can dig up on Elliot.”
Penelope handed him a Kevlar vest and began strapping on her own. “What exactly are we looking for in there, Bree?”
“Anything computer related. Try not to touch it if possible. He might have it rigged to notify him if someone messes with it.”
Penelope nodded and moved quickly to the front door. Tanner joined Whitaker and they jogged up the front porch steps together.
“Leon and I will swing around to the right,” Penelope said. “Whit and Tanner, you head to the left. Everybody stay sharp. I know we don’t expect trouble here, but that doesn’t mean we won’t find it.”
She banged on the door. “This is the Dallas police. We have a search warrant for this property and need you to open the door.”
Nobody answered. Penelope knocked and identified herself one more time. Everyone had their weapons raised as Leon kicked in the door with as little damage as possible a few seconds later.
Inside, Tanner and Whitaker swung to the left as instructed, checking each room and making sure no one was hiding anywhere. Penelope and Leon did the same on the other side of the house and they eventually met up back in the kitchen.
“We’re clear,” Whitaker said. “Nobody in the east side of the house.”
Penelope and Leon nodded. “Nobody on our side either.”
The all holstered their weapons. Now the search began.
“What sort of computer are we looking for?” Whitaker walked around the living room. “Laptop? Desktop?”
Tanner shrugged. “She didn’t specify, so keep an eye out for either.”
Thirty minutes into searching the house and there was no computer showing up anywhere. Tanner had double-checkedall the rooms in the small house himself. They’dalldouble-checked.
“What kind of engineering student doesn’t have a computer at his house?” Whitaker asked.
