It Started With Breakfast and a Murder
Ch. 4
I still don't own anything, but I'm working on that. I want to thank my wonderful, amazing reviewers who inspire me to keep the chapters coming. If you have any suggestions please share and I will try to incorporate them. Big thanks to LJ Bard, Celluloidtears, Worstliarever, AlexandriaVE, Power2corrupt, breezie531, Thetamarine, Heatwave16, ryanalone, fanofhearts, Spedlady, Winegirl, Faberooze, Darkemberdagger, Vmikki67, Goose197, and Kgriffithm,
An hour later the trio stood around a large television screen in the communications center watching surveillance video from the warehouse. Frost paused the video to highlight the critical points.
"OK. Right here, at 3:45 AM, we see Bannon's van pull up to the west side of the building. He disables the external alarm at 3:55 AM. He walks around to the back of the building; reaches in his back pocket, changes his mind then goes back to his van, grabs a crowbar and pries open the backdoor."
"Pause it right there!" Jane had Frost stop the action at the point where Peter Bannon was patting his back pocket. "Look, there's something sticking out of his pocket. Can you enlarge it?"
Frost hit two buttons and the grainy black and white video zoomed in on the criminal.
Maura squinted. "I see it. It's a set of burglary tools."
Frost and Jane gave Maura the, "How the Hell did you know that look."
"What? I've seen burglary tools before. I do work in a crime lab."
Smiling, Jane said, "You work in a morgue, and just spend a lot of time in the crime lab."
Maura did her best to scowl at Jane rather unconvincingly.
Jane returned her attention back to the video and surmised, "The tools were never recovered from the crime scene. Whoever killed him probably took them. The ice pick must have been in there; the killer saw it was broken and tossed it."
Frost chimed in, "Why would anyone keep a broken ice pick in a tool case?"
Maura was deep in thought, "Well, we know the tip of the pick was found in a murdered pimp. If Bannon killed the pimp, he may have been hanging onto the handle as a souvenir. The man was stabbed fourteen times; that indicates it was personal. However, that's speculation which is something I don't like to do, so I really can't make a determination until..." She stopped herself when she saw the looks her counterparts were giving her.
"Here's where it gets really strange," said Frost. "Bannon trips the internal alarm at 4:05 AM. If we fast forward the video to the start of the first shift, which is when we reopened the warehouse to staff, no one else leaves that building. And all the time cards match up with the employees who were supposed to be on site."
Jane looked to both Maura and Frost. "Obviously the killer was already inside hiding somewhere, and didn't leave until some time later. Frost, run the video from the previous day's shifts. We're looking for someone who went in the day before the murder and didn't exit until the following day's afternoon or evening shift."
Maura looked more relaxed than she had in days. As they uncovered additional evidence, she realized that the case probably had little if anything to do with her, or her biological family.
"Jane, can we go to breakfast at the diner?"
"Sure we can." Jane grabbed Maura's hand and led her out of the communications center.
The pair walked down the street in companionable silence still holding hands. When they reached the diner, Jane held the door open for Maura to walk in ahead of her. Maura enjoyed Jane's being tough and assertive, but yet sweetly conscientious about opening doors and always saying, "Please and thank you." Maura smiled widely at the detective as she entered the restaurant sending a little ripple through the detective's stomach as Maura brushed against her body.
Minutes later, Jane crunched a piece of buttered rye toast. "Now, if Bannon killed that pimp, I need a motive for both of their deaths, but that's going to wait until after I finish breakfast."
Maura lifted her coffee mug to her lips with both hands, and took a long sip. "We can look at the inventory and pictures from the search of Bannon's house while Frost goes through the video."
"Yep, we'll have this mess wrapped up before you know it." Jane rested her hand on top of Maura's and left it there. Maura reached over and gently rubbed her thumb over Jane's knuckles.
"Jane, I want you to know that I really appreciate everything that you're doing, and how understanding you've been considering the circumstances. You've been great."
"Great, only great? I was expecting amazing, wonderful, unsurpassed, but I guess I'll settle for great."
Maura playfully slapped the top of Jane's hand. The pair paid their bill and then made their way back to work.
