Part 15 (2/2)
”Initially, yeah. Then it gets modified by position. The higher up you are, the more places you can go. Like there are places even in the Whitford Security building that I can't get into.”
”And if clients have a Whitford Security System?”
”I can't get in. But some of my bosses can. And the operations guys and maintenance guys, they can. But they leave a trail so if something bad happens, then they'd get blamed, you know.”
It didn't sound very efficient to her, but she wasn't going to trust the probably-fired almost-nonemployee employee. She would have someone else explain the system to her.
”Yet you could open your boss's front door?” she asked.
”He's the one who sets the level of security at his house,” Lan said. ”If he didn't want someone like me in there, he would have had a tighter security system.”
She frowned. ”You never told me how you did get here. You said you didn't have a car and there was no nearby public transportation and you couldn't afford a taxi.”
He pressed his lips together. He had clearly done something he wasn't supposed to.
”I promise I won't tell your bosses,” she said. And she wasn't lying. She wouldn't tell his bosses because his bosses wouldn't care.
”I got a friend to drop me here.” He spoke quietly.
”And who is this friend?” she asked.
He still wasn't looking at her. ”Jude Andreeson.”
”Did Jude Andreeson come onto the property with you?”
”No!” Lan whirled his head toward her. ”They might've been watching. I'd get fired.” ”All right,” she said, using her mother voice. Reasonable, yet demanding. ”Where did he drop you off?” ”Up the street, far from here,” Lan said. ”I made him turn around so he wouldn't drive down the street.” She nodded. ”How were you planning to get back to work?” ”I thought maybe someone would come for me, but if they didn't, I'd walk to the public transport.” ”You figured they were watching you when you got here?” ”That was the whole point,” he said. ”They were afraid the system wasn't working.” ”Do you know why?” she asked.
”Because they thought Mr. Whitford was here. There was no other place he'd be. Or maybe they tried to find him somewhere else or something. I'm not exactly sure. But they wanted-”
”A real body, I know,” she said more to herself than him. Was the missing word in that phrase live live? A real live body. She almost asked Lan how the system worked, then decided not to. He probably didn't know.
But if it wasn't registering a glitch in the system and it wasn't getting a reading of anyone alive here, wouldn't they have sent someone more experienced?
She smiled at Lan, making sure the expression was rea.s.suring. ”I'm going to need you here for a few more minutes. I'll send someone over to get your personal information and do a follow-up interview. Then you'll be free to go.”
He nodded, even though he looked unhappier than he had before.
She got out of the car, closing the door, before she allowed herself a deep frown. The kid had raised a lot more problems than he had solved for her.
”Find the killer?”
Romey started. She should have noticed that a man was standing near the back of the squad, but she hadn't. Part of the reason was that the man had somehow made himself blend into his surroundings.
He was taller than she was, which wasn't difficult to be, and he looked square, probably because the jacket he wore didn't taper from his broad shoulders. His blue-black hair was thinning, and his face was oddly lined, as if he had started to develop wrinkles and then they moved to a different part of his skin.
He also looked tired.
It took her a moment to recognize him. Detective Bartholomew Nyquist, surly and temperamental, with one of the best closing rates in the department until he nearly died trying to thwart an a.s.sa.s.sin last year. ”I take it you're the new lead on the investigation.” She tried not to sound disappointed, but she doubted she was successful.
”Sorry,” he said. ”I hate taking over cases someone else has started, but it looks like your case and mine are related.”
”Related means that I stay lead on mine and you stay lead on yours.” Now she did sound bitter and she didn't mean to. Or maybe she did. She'd caught this case because Gumiela said there was no one better, even though Romey needed a day off, some time with her family, and some sleep.
Now, apparently, there was someone better.
”Okay,” he said, ”so I couched the language a bit. Our cases aren't just related. I think they're the same case. Which is why I'm here.”
”You think?” she asked. ”The chief said it was her idea.”
”It was her idea after I explained the ties between the cases to her,” he said. ”Let me explain them to you, and then you can catch me up on what's going on here.”
He rounded the car and held out his hand.
”Let's start, though, with a formal introduction. I know who you are, but you probably have no idea who I am.” The words didn't sound fake. He truly thought she had no idea who he was. ”I'm Bartholomew Nyquist.”
She took his hand and shook it. ”Savita Romey.”
”You've done some great work,” he said, letting her hand go. ”I'm going to try to stay out of your way on this. I just need the information that being part of the investigation yields.”
”All right,” she said, not sure if he was now trying to smooth things over.
”And of course, you're going to have full access to my investigation as well.” He smiled at her, then glanced inside the car. ”Witness or suspect?”
”I'd almost say victim, but he's not injured,” she said. ”At least not that he knows about.” ”Meaning?”
”I think he works for a company that knew he might die when they sent him out here.” Nyquist whistled. ”That's a harsh accusation.”
”Just my sense,” she said. ”But I have a hunch it'll be accurate.”
”Do you work a lot on hunches?” he asked.
She felt her spine stiffen. ”Is that a problem?”
He grinned. ”No. I like partners who trust their gut. Too many don't.”
She nodded. ”I think I should warn you that I don't have a partner because the chief knows that I don't play well with others.”
”Well,” Nyquist said, ”I'm working without a partner because I'm newly back from medical leave. I guess we buddy up on this case.”
”I wasn't kidding about my predilection for working alone,” she said. It gave her a little extra time with her family without the risk of being reported. It also streamlined her investigations.
”I understand,” he said. ”I've chased away a few partners on my own. I've never understood the need the department has to a.s.sign two radically different people to share a.s.signments. I used to compare it to an arranged marriage.”
”Is that what this is?” she asked.
His smile widened. ”More like a shotgun affair. Does that work for you?”
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