Newton ushered Ian into his office and gestured at contemporary chairs ringing a round glass table. Ian sat in one of the upholstered chairs.

  Newton took a seat across from him and put his leg over his other knee. He looked down and brushed something from his black pants as if he didn’t know what to say. “Now, suppose you tell me what this is all about.”

  “I’m investigating the deaths of Joanna and Lewis Rice,” Ian said bluntly in hopes of putting the guy on edge.

  Newton dropped his foot to the thick pile carpet. “But they died, what? Twenty-five or so years ago in an accident. Why bring it up now?”

  “Because we now have evidence that shows the crash wasn’t an accident.”

  “Not an accident?” Newton tightened his eyes.

  “That’s correct,” Ian said, not willing to tell him about the car tampering just yet. “Can you think of anyone who might have wanted to kill either of them?”

  He sat back and clasped the arms of his chair. “I didn’t know Joanna very well, but Lewis was a valued member of our staff. He worked hard and had exceptional skills. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to kill him. Especially not anyone I know.”

  Okay. He wasn’t going to mention the drywall, so Ian would. “Tell me about the Chinese drywall issues in the nineties.”

  Newton shot forward in his seat, and his face blanched. “Drywall? What on earth does that have to do with their deaths?”

  “Didn’t your company import the drywall and use it on projects?”

  Newton gritted his teeth. “Where are you getting such information?”

  “From Lewis Rice’s files, which have been kept in storage since his death.”

  Newton’s grip on the arms tightened. “I’d rather not discuss that subject without our attorney.”

  “Why’s that?” Ian persisted.

  “I’m sure such an issue should be handled with kid gloves, and I’m not always the best at doing that.” He forced a laugh. “Don’t let this office and my expensive clothes fool you. I started as a laborer and worked my way up. My finesse in these matters isn’t always at the level it needs to be.”

  “Why does it need finessing?” Ian asked, hoping to get him to admit something he was doing his best not to say.

  Newton stood. “Let me get with our attorney, and we’ll schedule a meeting.”

  Ian had no choice other than to comply and hope the attorney was more forthcoming. Ian eyed the man. “You know your need to call in an attorney makes you look guilty.”

  “I sure didn’t kill Lewis, and no one else here did either.”

  “Were you trying to cover up the drywall? Is that why Lewis had the information in his personal files?”

  “No. No. We didn’t cover up anything.” He rubbed a hand over his face.

  “Then why the attorney?”

  “It’s sensitive, like I said, but it has nothing to do with Lewis. I swear.”

  Whenever someone added I swear, Ian figured they were lying. He locked his gaze on the man. “Then get that appointment set and don’t string me along. We need to do this sooner than later.”

  Newton gave a sharp nod and escorted Ian to the reception area. He said a hasty goodbye and fled back to his office. Ian had obviously rattled the man, but that didn’t mean he had anything to do with murder. In fact, Ian wasn’t liking him for it at all. The guy didn’t react like a killer might when he was outed for a crime he thought he’d gotten away with for over twenty years. He did, however, act guilty when it came to the drywall.

  Ian stepped into the brisk October day, the wind blowing multi-colored leaves across the parking lot. He’d no sooner settled behind the steering wheel when his phone rang. Seeing a call from Londyn, he eagerly answered.

  “Searched ViCAP,” Londyn said. “I found something interesting regarding a drone, but don’t know if it’s related.”

  “Go ahead,” Ian said, his interest piqued.

  “A ten-year-old girl who was walking home from school says she was followed by a drone all the way home on Thursday. She just told her parents about it, and they called the police. The detective posted it in case someone was stalking children with this drone.”

  Ian’s lead radar started pinging, and he hoped she fit the studies today showing the average ten-year-old had a cell phone. “Tell me she got a picture of the drone.”

  “She did.”

  “Send it to me. I’ll hang on while you do.”

  He tapped his foot and waited until he heard the ding then looked at the photo. “It matches the one that delivered Malone’s package.”

  “Really?” Londyn asked. “I don’t know much about drones, but I’ve never seen one like this one. Doesn’t mean it was Olivo’s drone that followed the girl. We’ve seen no sign he’s into young girls.”

  Ian cranked his car engine. “True, but since the drones match, it’s worth interviewing the girl.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Young girls often do better with female officers,” Ian said. “I want you in on the interview.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  “I’ll pick you up at the office, and we can head over there.” Ian shifted into gear and offered a prayer as he flew out of the parking lot toward what he hoped was the lead that set his gut burning with hope.

  14

  The large two-story Tudor house where the girl, Nicole Thompson, lived was located in one of Portland’s most affluent neighborhoods. And the home’s inside décor spoke to the opulence he’d expected to find.

  Nicole stood next to her mother, Ruth, who just finished introducing herself in their entryway that sported a soaring ceiling. The child had dishwater-blond hair woven in braids, and it was windblown as if she’d been outside playing before they arrived. Her powder-blue eyes were dimmed with worry, and she held her mother’s hand and looked up at Ian and Londyn.

  “I’m Londyn.” She stepped forward and squatted to eye-level with the girl. “You look a little worried, but don’t be. I’m a regular person like your mom here. No big deal. I only have a few questions. You think you’re up to that?”

  “Yeah.” Nicole bit her lip.

  “Sometimes if you’re in the place you like best in the world, it’s easier to talk. Is that your room? Or outside?”

  “My treehouse.” A half smile quirked up her lips.

  “Do you want to go out there to talk?”

  She nodded and looked up at her mom, who nodded too.

  “Is there enough room up there for your mom and this big oaf I brought with me?” Londyn asked.

  Nicole giggled. “I think so. At least me and all my friends fit.”

  “Then lead the way.” Londyn got up.

  “It’s gonna be fun to see all of you up there.” Nicole stared at Ian. “’Specially you. You’re big.”

  She bolted from the room, and her mother mouthed thank-you.

  “Nice work, Steele,” Ian said as they followed the mother into a well-manicured yard with flower beds coloring the perimeter.

  They crossed a patio flanked with an outdoor kitchen and gas grill that gave Ian grill envy, to three massive maple trees. The house was built among them. It had wide steps leading up to a twenty-foot platform holding a house that was styled to match their home, even down to the gingerbread shingles at the peak.

  “Wow,” Ian said. “That’s more like a mansion.”

  Her mother looked back at him and smiled. “My husband’s an architect. He built the treehouse of his dreams.”

  Nicole had already scampered up and waited for them at the door. The other women climbed the ladder, and Ian took up the rear. He arrived in time to see Nicole scoot a box out of sight with her foot. Of course, that set off Ian’s radar. The mom faced the other way and had her gaze fixed on Ian and Londyn, so she missed the action.

  “Where should we sit, Nicole?” Londyn asked.

  “The floor.” Nicole dropped to the wood planks in the space with pink walls and big purple beanbag chairs.

  Everyone settled with crossed legs on the floor, Londyn across from Nicole.

  “So tell me about this drone,” Londyn said. “Was it scary?”

  “Not at first, but when it kept following me, I remembered all the things my mom and dad said about safety.” Nicole shook her head. “They didn’t say anything bad about drones. So I didn’t tell them right away.”

  “And why did you decide to tell them?” Londyn asked.

  “’Cause it came back the next day.”

  “Did it follow you again?”

  She shook her head, her pigtails flying, and bit her lip.

  “Where were you when it came back?” Londyn asked.

  Nicole clutched her hands together. “In the family room. I heard it and looked out the window. It went to Ty’s house.”

  “Our neighbor,” Ruth said. “Nice family.”

  “And did the drone just fly up to the house and leave?” Londyn asked.

  “Not exactly.” Nicole clutched her fingers together.

  “Exactly what did it do?” Londyn asked, her tone softer this time.

  Nicole glanced at her fingers, then up at her mother and back down.

  “It’s okay, honey,” Ruth said. “You can tell us what happened.”

  Nicole chewed on her lower lip. “You promise you won’t be mad?”

  Her mother’s eyes tightened, but she smiled. “Promise.”

  Nicole looked at Londyn. “It dropped off a package on his porch.”

  “A package,” Ian said, unable to keep quiet any longer. “Was it a special package?”

  Nicole shrugged.

  “Can you describe it to me?” he asked.

  “Just a small box. Brown. About this size.” She held her hands out to show the size.

  “Is it sort of like the one you pushed behind the bench when we came up here?” Londyn asked.

  Nicole’s eyes widened.

  Ruth locked gazes with her daughter. “Nicole, did you take the package? Is that what this is about? Is that why you didn’t want to tell me what happened?”

  “I just wanted to see what was so special that someone delivered it by drone. So I hurried over there to see. But I heard someone inside, so I took it and ran.” She looked up at her mother. “I was going to put it back. Honest. I wasn’t stealing. But then you came home and made me come help with dinner. So I couldn’t do it without you finding out. And I couldn’t tell you.”

  “Why not just put it back before helping with dinner?” Londyn asked.

  “Ty was home, and I didn’t want him to catch me.”

  “But you’ve had a few days to give it back,” her mother said.

  “He’s been home all this time. So has everyone else.”

  “Can we see the box?” Londyn asked.

  Nicole grabbed it and handed it to Londyn like she was passing off a hot potato. Londyn immediately held it out for Ian to see. The cardboard box sealed with packing tape had the neighbor’s name handwritten in black marker, just like the way Malone’s name had been written on her package. That wasn’t what had Ian almost falling out of the treehouse. It was the name on the package.

  Ian met Londyn’s gaze and saw that her mouth was hanging open.

  “Is there something we should know?” Ruth asked.

  Ian shook his head, but there really was something they needed to know. The box was addressed to Tirone Olivo, whom Ian now assumed went by Ty with his neighbors. The box also had the word PROOF printed in big red letters across the top. Similar to Malone’s package, but the handwriting didn’t match the box she received.

  Ian swallowed to calm his excitement and looked at Ruth. “I noticed you have security cameras around the property. I’d like to get a copy of any events it might’ve recorded to see if there are other drone sightings.”

  “I can get that for you,” Ruth said. “But I’ve never gotten an alert that included a drone.”

  Despite Malone’s neighbor catching the drone on camera, Ian knew whoever flew the drone would try to avoid cameras, and if Nicole hadn’t been watching, no one would ever have known about the delivery.

  Ian handed over his business card. “Send the picture and video to this email address. Do it immediately if you can.”

  “Yeah, we can do that.” Ruth turned the card over and over in her hands, studying it with eyes that were wide with concern.

  “Thank you for telling us about the box, Nicole,” Londyn said. “We’ll take it with us and make sure your neighbor gets it back.”

  “Will you tell Ty I took it? He’ll be mad when he finds out. He pretends to be a nice guy, but I’ve seen him be mean to his kids and to other people too.”

  Ruth’s gaze shot to her daughter. “You never told me that.”

  “I couldn’t.” Nicole scooted away from her mother. “I was watching him in his backyard from up here. You told me not to.”

  Ruth studied her daughter’s face, her hands clenched in her lap. “Sounds like we have some things to talk about.”

  “You should do that,” Ian said, eager to leave and find out what the box contained. “And if there’s anything we need to know, give us a call.”

  Nicole looked at him, her eyes wide. “Am I going to get arrested for stealing?”

  “Not this time, but in the future, don’t take things that don’t belong to you. And don’t worry about telling Ty about this. We’d prefer to keep this information quiet for now,” Ian said, but deep down he was glad she took the box. She might’ve taken something that would break this investigation wide open, and for that, he couldn’t fault her.

  Ian was desperate for a lead, and he was sure he’d held one in his hands. He’d wanted to rip the box open and ignore the legal ramifications. But before Londyn even got a word out telling him not to do it, he’d come to his senses and put the box in the back seat.

  Still, as he raced for the office, he kept looking in the rearview mirror to be sure he hadn’t imagined the child turning over the box.

  They’d nearly reached downtown when his phone dinged, and he glanced at the screen. “Text from Ruth. Go ahead and look at it.”

  Londyn grabbed his phone, and he had to share his password so she could unlock it.

  “Ruth didn’t find any videos with a drone,” Londyn said. “She’ll keep looking for older footage that might show a drone.”

  “Still seems like the photo will give us the connection we need to Malone’s delivery.”

  “Photo’s not clear enough to read the serial number,” she said. “It’d be better if we had matching numbers, but it’s the same model.”

  “Send it to Nick at Veritas, along with the video from the delivery at Malone’s house. Ask him to compare the drones, and tell him it’s urgent. His number’s in my contact list.”

  She tapped the screen, and when she’d finished, she placed the phone back in the holder.

  He sped to the office, and the second he reached his desk, he applied for a warrant to open the box and reveal its contents. The warrant was taking too long, and Ian was too anxious to sit. He jumped up and started pacing, mentally willing the judge to give his approval.

  Londyn got up from her desk where she’d been researching the drone company and crossed the room. She stopped in front of him. “Pacing won’t make the warrant come in any faster.”

  “What if we don’t get one at all?” he asked, feeling like the mere thought was strangling him. “What if we have to give the box back to Olivo unopened?”

  Londyn tilted her head and took a breath, then slowly let it out. “We have probable cause. The picture Nicole took showing the drone matched the one that delivered Malone’s package. And my research says it’s not a common brand. Add Junior’s association with Olivo, that the packages were delivered in the same manner…”

  “It seemed good going in, but when you list the reasons, it doesn’t seem like enough.”

  “It was enough for the LT to sign off on the request. He wouldn’t do that if we didn’t have enough to request it.”

  “Then why is it taking so long?” Ian looked at his watch. “It’s been a couple of hours already.”

  “You know crime’s up and warrants are taking longer.”

  He did know. Their murder rate had skyrocketed this year, as had other crimes. His desk phone rang, and he snatched it up.

  “Your warrant’s on the way to your fax machine, and I’m also sending an electronic copy,” the judge’s clerk said.

  “Thank you.” Ian ended the call and looked at Londyn. “We got it.”

  He charged across the room to the fax machine. He tapped his foot until it started humming and spitting out the pages. He snatched them up and hurried back to his desk. “You want in on this?”

  She nodded.

  “Then let’s go.” He’d arranged for Sierra at Veritas to X-ray the box before he opened it, just in case it held a dangerous powder. Now he could take it over there.

  He and Londyn nearly jogged for the elevator and raced to his car in their secured lot. He put the package in the trunk so he didn’t keep looking at it but kept the warrant in the car with him.

  Londyn clicked on her seatbelt. “I keep wondering what we’re gonna find.”

  Ian cranked the engine. “It’s such a small box, but heavy for its size, so who knows. Not likely a picture this time, unless he tossed a brick or two inside the box.”

  “A photo could hold proof of something, which would explain the word written on the outside of the box.”

  “But proof of what?” Ian’s phone rang from the dash, and he used his car’s infotainment system to answer the call from Nick on speaker.

  “I finished analyzing the photo you sent and comparing it to the video,” Nick said, his voice deep and concise. “When I enlarged and enhanced them, I discovered you’re looking at two different drones.”

  Ian cast Londyn an uncertain look. Good thing he didn’t know that bit of information when he’d asked for the warrant. It might’ve stopped him from getting it.

  “Good news. The picture the kid took has such clear resolution that we got a fingerprint from the drone, and Reed said he would run it through the fed’s database.”