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Unless, of course, he was known to them.
He was leaning more and more to that theory. But who could have done this? Stan had gotten back to him with the staff list — and it all checked out: all the people who were supposed to be herewerestill here.
No one had left.
Round and round his thoughts went, none of them able to reach a satisfactory resolution.
What was he missing?
There had to be something here, something so obvious that he’d not paid attention to it.
“Sir, I’m going to need you to leave,” came a voice that interrupted his thoughts. One of the uniforms, a twitchy bean-pole thin man announced with an imperious tone. “This is an active crime scene.”
“I’ve got clearance to be here,” Kane began fishing for his ID. The cop didn’t care to look at the badge he offered him, staring down his long nose at him instead.
“That’s news to me. You need to leave, right now.”
“I run the security in this house.”
The cop gave him a look that clearly showed what he thought ofthat. He didn’t like Kane’s tone or that he wouldn’t do as he was told.
“Perhaps, you’d like to look for another line of work, all things considered.”
He might have had a foot over him, but Kane must have weighed fifty pounds more. He could knock out the fool without even trying. Subconsciously, his hands formed into fists when he caught a glimpse of Bud, who seemed fixated by something.
Not wanting to alert the cop, Kane shrugged, allowing his face to twist into apology. “You’re right. I’ll get out of your way. Let me get my dog.”
Content that he had won the moment, the cop left him to it.
Hurrying to Bud’s side, he saw what had captured his attention: round and red and half hidden beside a plant pot where it had been dumped. It was a soda can. Some of the dark, sugary drink had spilled out onto the white pebbles covering the soil, leaving a sticky stain.
The white lettering on the can said it was Cheerwine.
He tensed, a jolt of recognition shooting through him: he had seen this can before.
Finding a quiet corner away from any cops, he made a call to the lab he had used, got through to the tech who had lifted the prints of the soda can found on the property previously. After a quick greeting, he jumped right into it.
“I forgot to ask before, did you manage to get a look a what brand of drink that can was? It was so crushed that I couldn’t make out what it was.”
“One sec. I can’t remember off the top of my head. It wasn’t something I’ve seen before.”
The tech tapped away on a keyboard, recalling the information.
“Here it is. Once we’d straightened it out, some of the lettering was gone, but we were able to match it to a brand called Cheerwine. It’s some sort of cherry soda manufactured regionally.”
“Where from?” Kane held his breath.
More tapping came down the line.
“North Carolina, looks like.”
Kane’s breath hissed out of him. “Thanks.”
Disconnecting the call, he went to the kitchen where having been unceremoniously removed from their work stations, Stan, Johnny and other members of his staff congregated around Ruth sipping from drinks she had made for them.
On his arrival, her pale face turned to his. As in the previous times he’d seen her, Bud bounded over and started pawing at her apron. Absently she patted him on the head, but he didn’t move from her, choosing to sit by her feet.
“Any news?” She was as concerned as any family member. Reaching for a clean cup, she started to pour a coffee for him.
