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His frown changed abruptly to a supercharged grin. “Was gonna ask if you two wanted to come with?”
“Yes,” Connor said before Goddard was finished asking.
Kit chuckled. “Yes, please. You’ll brief us ahead of time as to what we should and shouldn’t do?” Robbery division were the experts here. If there were no dead bodies, Kit and Connor would be ordinary backup.
Goddard nodded, and it seemed her unintended dig was forgiven. “I will. I have to admit that I was surprised to see the coins hit the web so quickly. Usually, the thieves hold on to the merchandise for a few weeks to a few months.”
“They know we’re looking for them,” Kit said. “We’ve put uniformed officers outside the apartments on Flynn’s floor and in the office and at the major exits. Everyone at Shady Oaks has to know by now that we’re suspicious, and we’re thinking that includes the thief.”
Goddard blinked. “You’re not looking at Crawford?”
“We don’t know anymore,” Kit grumbled. “Look at those two videos side by side and tell us what you think.”
Connor restarted the video of the coin thief alongside the intruder the morning of Benny’s death and Goddard’s gaze fixed to the screens.
“Play them again, please,” was all he said when the videos ended. He ended up watching four times before turning to Kit and Connor. “You think it’s the same person?”
“We can’t say that it isn’t,” Connor said, his tone heavy with disgust. “What do your eyes tell you?”
“Seventy-five percent sure that it’s the same person, but there’s enough doubt. Have you asked the guys in IT to take a look? Maybe they can analyze something we can’t see.”
“That’s our next step,” Kit said. “Also, no coins in Crawford’s storage locker, but that would make sense since you have a seller looking to get rid of them.”
“True enough. What’s next?”
“We’re taking a break,” Connor said. “Then I’ve got plans. It’s my girlfriend’s birthday today and I don’t want to cancel on her if I don’t have to.”
“Oh, that reminds me.” Kit emptied the contents of her pants pocket onto the table, separating a new carving from her cat-bird. The new figurine included three small children hugging a woman, because CeCe was a kindergarten teacher. “For CeCe from Pop. He says you can tell her that it was your idea for him to carve it.”
Connor took the carving, clearly delighted. “She’s gonna love this, but I won’t tell her that I asked for it. Knowing that Harlan thought to make it for her on his own will make her so happy.”
“He says that he likes CeCe and that you shouldn’t screw it up.”
“I’m doing my best.”
Goddard held out his hand for CeCe’s carving. “May I?” He took the carving and held it up to the light. “This is exquisite. Your father made this, Kit?”
“He did. Made this one for me, too.” She showed him the cat-bird. “For luck.”
“It’s amazing,” Goddard said. “Make sure you have it in your pocket tomorrow night. I hope we don’t need luck, but I’ll take all I can get. Are you free for dinner, Kit?”
Kit pocketed the cat-bird, reading between the lines to know what he was really asking. Free for dinner usually meant Wanna go on a date. And she didn’t want to, at least not with him.
If she were being truly honest with herself, she’d admit that she wanted to see Sam Reeves again.
“Not tonight,” she said with what she hoped was a kind smile. “I’m going home for dinner at my parents’ house. They have new fosters that need attention. And after dinner, I’m going to Shady Oaks for the night. I want to keep an eye on the nursing staff since we’re almost certain that one of them stole the coins or killed Benny and may even have killed Frankie Flynn. They’re all walking around with master key cards. One of the residents should have a sofa bed I can use.”
“Sam’s going to be there, too,” Goddard observed.
She felt her cheeks heat. “I know. I worry that he’s there alone. If the killer thinks Sam suspects the staff, he could be a target.”
“Didn’t Navarro say that he’d put a uniform on the floor where the friends of Benny and Frankie live?” Goddard asked.
“He did, but I want to watch the nurses. I have a feeling we won’t get a warrant for searching their homes and finances very easily. We don’t have enough direct evidence, only circumstantial.”
“Call if you need me,” Connor said with uncharacteristic urgency. “You might worry about Sam, but I’m going to worry about you, too, if you’re there all night.”
She smiled at her partner. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
