AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Pigsty, Hiro, and Tanner from the tech team with Voodoo Guardians arrived at La Fromage the following morning loaded with gear. Their plan was to place cameras at the entrance, exit, in the dining room, and at least five in the kitchen. Islip had given them the alarm codes as well as a key, so they were free to enter the building and do their thing.
“This is a weird setup,” said Hiro. “Lots of small alcoves and angles. I think this must have been a house at some point, and everything was closed off or made as separate rooms. The back door opens to an alley and another business. Every time some drunk comes through, they’re going to catch it on the camera.”
“It can’t be helped,” said Pigsty. “We have to put them in the most logical places. I’ll handle the front and back doors. You guys get the dining room and kitchen.”
With their assignments in hand, they began the long process of making sure they had total coverage of the restaurant. More than once, they remarked to one another that this did absolutely nothing if the culprit was doing something to the food before it got to the restaurant. It wouldn’t explain the maggots, but it could explain everything else.
“We just have to hope it’s someone coming into contact with the food,” said Pigsty. They stopped briefly around one to grab some lunch across the street at a taco place. When they were done, they returned, the doors still locked, everything untouched.
By four, they were ready to test the cameras. Connecting the software to the laptop in Islip’s office, they ran several tests.
“Why does this have so much interference?” frowned Pigsty. “We never have problems like this with the signal. Something is wrong.”
“Is there a television or radio nearby?” asked Hiro. Pigsty shook his head, searching the small office.
“I don’t see one.”
“Another camera,” said Tanner quietly. The two men looked up at him, frowning. “There’s another camera that’s already here, and someone is watching the feed, or at least, they were.”
With their detection devices, they walked slowly around the restaurant, finding seven cameras placed behind objects, paintings, and shelves. They were pointed in strange directions as if to not see the patrons but, instead, the staff.
“Tap into them,” said Pigsty.
Tanner nodded, seated at his own laptop. Within moments, he was in the feed, seeing what the owner of the cameras was seeing. Everything pointed toward food. Pickup counter, prepping stations, pantry, refrigerator, freezer, all of it. Someone was watching every move.
“Disconnect their feed and remove the cameras,” said Pigsty. He picked up his phone, calling Islip and then his own senior team. An hour later, they were all standing in the kitchen, staring at the devices on the table.
“They’re cheap but effective. Someone purchased these at a typical spy store. You can find them anywhere or buy them off the internet,” said Pigsty. “They weren’t watching restrooms or front doors. Hell, they didn’t give a shit if the Pope walked in here. They were watching your food preparation, pickup, and storage.”
“I don’t understand any of this,” said Islip, taking a seat on the stool. “Someone did this when I wasn’t here, which could have only been a Monday. But how did they get in and out without me knowing about it?”
“What about a cleaning service? Maybe carpet cleaners?” asked Ghost.
“No. We have wood floors. Carpet is a nightmare in a restaurant like this. We have to have something that will easily clean, and if we flood can be replaced quickly. The floors are laminate, so it’s even better. Our cleaning service comes in the morning, first thing. There’s always someone here with them.”
“Is there a roof entrance?” asked Gaspar. Islip looked at him, nodding.
“Yes. I didn’t think of that. Like all the places in the Quarter, we’re four floors. The first two are restaurant. The third is storage of documents, old reservation books, that sort of thing. I used to live on the fourth floor, but it got to be too much. Living and working in the same place meant that I never left this building. I needed a break.
“On the fourth floor, there’s a balcony and an outside ladder to the roof. But again, like all the buildings around me, we’re connected to the one next to us. If someone was on their roof, they could easily hop over and be on my roof.” Islip handed Ghost the keys.
Nine and Ghost headed up the stairs to the fourth floor. There was a padlock on the outside of the door. He frowned, staring at his friend. Someone coming in through the window would be trapped inside the room.
“Unless you’re Rubber Man, you’re not getting through that door from the inside,” said Ghost.
“No, but you could get in from that door, from the outside,” said Nine, pointing to the narrow French doors leading to the balcony. “Someone could have climbed over the railing on one of the other buildings or slid down off the roof to the balcony. That’s an easy fucking lock to pick.”
Standing at the glass of the doors, both men looked at the balcony. It was covered in bird shit, old Mardi Gras beads, and footprints. One set. Coming in and going out.
“Size ten work boot,” said Nine. “Not like that’s common as shit. Needle in a haystack here.”
“Well, someone wanted to destroy him enough to break in, set up cameras, and watch as people got sick on their food,” said Ghost.
“Or he wanted to know how they delivered and prepped the food,” said Nine. “Maybe we need to send the boys to check out the other restaurants where there were issues. If they all have cameras as well, we’re looking at the same person. If not, we’ve got someone with a grudge.”
“I’ll see if we can’t get some of the guys back out here tomorrow to check the other restaurants. If they run the search devices, we should be able to find the cameras without an issue,” said Ghost. “I think we should also send someone to look at the distribution locations. Maybe get Wilson to take Sara and Dylan to see how they’re handling the food.”
“Good idea. Let’s get with them tonight.”
