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“So much for not showing up on recordings.”
Michel chuckles. “Hollywood lore.”
“Obviously. I’m coming with you.”
“Fine.”
We head out of the office, telling Crystal we’ll be back soon, and make the ten-minute walk to the police station. Michel walks fast, but now I can easily keep up with him. When we enter, he’s treated like a celebrity as several officers stop what they’re doing to greet him.
The officer at the front desk calls Chief Nader, and a few moments later, the man himself appears in the hallway.
“Mr. Toussaint,” he says, extending his hand. “I take it you’ve spoken with Maren George.”
“I have. Obviously, I have some concerns with shady behavior around my building. Have you found out more?”
“Come to my office,” Chief Nader says, his tone still casual and light.
As we walk, I’m bombarded with a thousand noises mixing into one disorienting din. I can hear criminals I can’t see demanding lawyers and phone calls, officers updating others about a case, two people talking about a date one of them had last night, and the low frequency of electricity pushing through wires. I smell coffee, cologne, and body odor. It’s overwhelming to say the least.
I try to focus my thoughts on the two men in front of me, the sound of their dress shoes on tiled floors guiding my way. Chief Nader smells like coffee and cologne. It’s not unpleasant, fortunately.
Michel glances back at me, checking in with his eyes, and I nod with a simple smile. I just have to adjust.
Inside the chief’s office, he gestures for us to sit down. “Can I get you some terrible coffee?”
Michel chuckles. “No, thank you. We just had some.”
“You’re not missing out.” He sits, clicking keys on his computer before twisting the monitor around to face us. “The video is dark and there’s not much to go on except a snippet of a face at the end. Could be anyone.”
I focus on the chief, searching for a vibe on his feelings, but coming up with nothing. He’s pretty guarded, which makes sense given his profession.
“Could you show me the face?” Michel asks. “I have an eye for details. Maybe I can help.”
“Sure.” Chief Nader slows the video and we see the same image we saw earlier.
Michel leans in, pretending to study the frame, tilting his head back and forth and squinting. “Are you sure that’s a face from a person?” Michel asks, lifting his gaze to meet Chief Nader’s. I already know he’s going to use compulsion again. I wonder if I can do that. “It looks like an owl or something to me.”
“An owl?” Chief Nader leans close to the screen, eyes narrowed.
“Yeah,” Michel says. “See here.” With his finger, he draws a circle around the face. “Deep black hollowed eyes, white face, this could even be a beak.”
“Huh,” Chief Nader says. “You know. You could be right.”
“And really, unless the person is very tall, it would almost have to be a bird. That would explain the shadows too.”
Chief Nader turns to Michel. “I could have sworn it looked human earlier, but you make a good point.”
“I really don’t see how it could be a person,” Michel says, holding the chief’s gaze. “I feel a lot better knowing someone isn’t lurking around my place. Well, except for Garrett. Makes me wonder if he’s trying to set me up, knowing how much he hates me. I haven’t reported it yet, but my Maserati was vandalized last night.”
The chief blinks slowly. “Why didn’t you report it?”
“I already know who did it. No need to waste your time.” He smiles. “Anyway, it seems this mystery is solved. Do you have your men working on it?”
“Not yet.”
“Good. No need to involve anyone else. I’d hate for you to put resources on it when there are real problems to solve. Like breaking ground on the new housing for the limited income area.”
Chief Nader nods slowly, obviously still affected by Michel’s compulsion. “We’re almost ready to roll out the passes that will provide housing or medical and mental health support.”
