Chapter 13: Hidden Room
Lassiter took a deep breath before pressing the doorbell. Its homely sound matched the setting perfectly. A quaint little house in a quiet urban neighbourhood. How a man like McNab could be a killer, or involved with one, Lassiter would never understand.
Glancing over at the dark car parked in the driveway, Lassiter wondered if it belonged to the person Francine McNab wanted to be with, but couldn't. No matter what, it had nothing to do with why he was here.
The door opened and a confused Francine stared out at him.
"Detective Lassiter," she breathed, "I'm sorry, but Buzz isn't here."
"I know Mrs. McNab and … I'm sorry, but I'm here to execute a search warrant on your house." Lassiter handed her the warrant.
"What for? Where is Buzz?" Panic made Francine's voice to rise as she glanced passed Lassiter looking for her husband.
"He's back at the station, under arrest for his involvement in the assassination of Chief Vick."
"No!" Francine's whole body started to shake. "Buzz wouldn't … he couldn't. That damn Shawn."
"Sorry?"
"If Buzz has done something wrong, Shawn Spencer would've gotten him involved. I ..."
"Don't say anything else, Francine," a gentleman said as he stepped out from behind the door. Taking the warrant, he glanced over it. "Let the Detective do his job," he added looking at Lassiter.
"And you are?"
"Matt, David Matt and I am Francine's lawyer."
"Right, her lawyer." He had heard that Matt was like a dog with a bone in the court room and even worse in the real world. "Can we come in?"
"We can't exactly stop you," Matt replied as he stepped aside.
"You're looking for anything to do with the shooting, kidnapping or any sign that Iris Vick has been here," Lassiter ordered the two officers with him. "And keep the place tidy. Mrs, McNab is pregnant and doesn't need the stress."
"Yes, sir," they replied before heading to the back of the house.
"Mrs. McNab, Francine, I know this is hard, but if you know anything, please tell me."
"I don't ..."
"Francine, I advise you to say nothing," Matt interrupted as he turned to face her.
"Mr. Matt, please. I know all about you, Francine, and McNab's arrangement. I will admit I don't understand why you two, or McNab and Spencer can't be with each other, but it has nothing to do with this. I only want to know if Iris was here. McNab has a hidden place or somewhere Francine isn't allowed to go. That's it."
"David, please?"
Seeing the pleading in her eyes, Matt gave in. "Okay," he nodded in agreement.
"Follow me, Detective," Francine said as she headed to the kitchen. Moving the chair that was sitting in the corner, Francine pushed on a panel, and the wall slid open. Once the door clicked in place, a light turned on, revealing a small room. "Buzz said it was a panic room. It creeps me out, so I've never entered it."
Stepping back into Matt's arms, Francine watched as Lassiter pulled gloves on and entered the room.
Lassiter was shocked. For a small room, it held a lot. One wall was lined with filing cabinets. The back wall was covered by an array of weapons and the third wall had a desk against it.
"Officers, come to the kitchen," Lassiter called out the door before he walked over to the desk.
Sitting on top was an open book. On closer inspection, Lassiter could make out times, dates and some sort of code next to numbers.
"Sir?"
"Take photos of everything, starting with this book, then secure the room. I'll send the forensic unit over," Lassiter ordered, before stepping back into the kitchen. "Thank you, Mrs. McNab."
"Francine knew nothing about this, Detective. Neither of us did."
"I'm sure you didn't but please, both of you report to the station to give a statement tomorrow."
"I'll make sure we're there. Can Francine get some clothes? I'll put her up in a hotel for the night."
"As soon as the forensic unit has finished, yes, of course she can." Lassiter popped his head back into the room. "I'm going onto the next place. Don't leave this house until I say you can."
"Yes Sir," came the replies.
Lassiter nodded at Francine and Matt before making a call to the station to get two more officers to meet him at Shawn's apartment.
Thank you for reading.