Everyone's Man – 54

 

 

Whoever had gone through the apartment left no fingerprints, although there was trace evidence that the forensics team collected, bagged, and tagged. The only visible thing done by the perpetrator, other than the message on the computer, was the destruction of the scrubs Colin had been wearing when he'd first arrived there. They were slashed to shreds, an obvious warning, as if another one were needed. Bill watched with trepidation as the techs picked up every last scrap.

 

While the forensics team was doing its job Keyes had made a call to arrange for a safe place for Bill and Marc to stay for the interim. When his captain asked, Keyes quietly mentioned that the crisis center had found a safe place to house the victim. After Bill packed up clothes and necessities for the both him and Marc, he followed Keyes out of the apartment.

 

"I hope they don't come back and do real damage once they realize we're not here."

 

"I doubt they will. The message was delivered and they're not stupid. They know we'll be watching now."

 

After delivering Bill to a fellow officer and arranging for Marc to be picked up from the hospital, Keyes left things in the capable hands of his colleagues and headed back to the station house.

 

Several phone messages sat on his desk. Most were easily answered, which he did quickly. That left the only really important one. It was from Janice Montgomery, who'd been investigating Marcus Randall's social contacts. She wanted Keyes to come by her place.

 

Keyes signed out. After a ten-minute drive, he parked in front of Janice's house and was soon being greeted with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. The woman drew back to look at him. "You need more sleep," she said.

 

"Mothering me, Janice?"

 

"Someone should." She nodded to one of the sofas in the large living room. "Sit."

 

"Yes ma'am," he replied with a chuckle. "So what do you have for me?"

 

She picked up a folder from her desk and joined him. "Marcus Andrew Randall and his wife Caroline are quite popular, so be glad you only wanted the men in his social circle. Even then, there are quite a few names and pictures." She handed him the thick file. "Are you going to tell me what this is about, Dane? I can't believe he's done anything criminal, especially considering who his father is."

 

"At the moment I can't, I'm sorry. But once I can, you'll be the first to know."

 

Janice smiled. "Before or after it hits the news?" She watched as he thumbed through the file, noting the tight expression on his face. "Or maybe I don't really want to know?"

 

Closing the folder he nodded. "Probably not." Standing, he bent to kiss her cheek. "Thank you for doing this for me."

 

"The best thanks will be you're catching whoever you're after, I suspect."

 

"I'm going to, trust me."