Least Wanted (Sam McRae Mystery #2)

Chapter 18

Walt had arranged Brad's pre-trial release by convincing the judge that Brad was neither a threat to the community nor a flight risk. Walt emphasized that Brad was on administrative leave due to an employment-related situation. He assured the judge that Brad had every reason to stay in the area. The judge accepted the argument and allowed Brad's release on bail. I wondered how much Walt's argument had weighed in the judge's decision. Or had the judge merely acquiesced to the wishes of his frequent drinking buddy. The two were fixtures at a pub near the courthouse.

Brad gazed at the screen, looking dazed and dejected. On the tape, people paraded in and out. He recognized several Kozmik employees leaving between 5:00 and 5:30. The next half hour revealed nothing new.

A little after 6:00 p.m. he said, "Hold it." Walt hit Pause. Brad sat up straighter and made counterclockwise circles with his hand. "Uncle Walt, run that back, could you?"

Walt did so. A large man backed out of the building.

"That guy," Brad said, pointing at the screen. "I need to take a closer look."

Walt ran the tape forward at normal speed until the man's image filled the frame. He paused it.

Brad's eyes narrowed. "Yeah. That's him. I don't know who he is."

"You've seen him before, though?" Walt asked.

"Yes. At the office."

"Any idea what he might be doing there?" I asked.

Brad shrugged. "I saw him once or twice in the hall. But I'd never forget that face."

I took a good look. His mug would leave a lasting impression on the blind. Buzz cut blonde hair covered his block of a head. About six feet tall and bulky, his shoulders extended from Maryland to Ohio. And he wore a menacing look that said Don't mess with me.

There was something familiar about his looks that I couldn't put my finger on.

"So just 'cause this guy showed up on a tape doesn't mean he killed Sondra," Brad said. "Anybody who worked at Kozmik could be on that tape."

"True. But most of the employees had left by the time this fellow showed up," Walt pointed out. "And he isn't a Kozmik employee, is he?"

"We have a lot of employees." Brad shook his head and became pensive. "I can't swear that he isn't. I only saw him a couple of times. He may have done business with the company."

Walt laid a comforting hand on Brad's arm. "It's a start. We'll tell the police. Maybe it'll provide a lead."

Brad asked if he could go. After he'd left I said, "Given the fact that the weapon was found in Brad's condo, don't you think we need something stronger than Brad's word about this man? Maybe someone can identify him and tell us what he was doing at Kozmik."

"Good point. Maybe Hirschbeck knows something. In the meantime, I still think it's a good idea to alert the cops. Don't you?" Walt nodded as if anticipating my affirmation. "By the way, thank you for not mentioning the need for evidence to back Brad's story in front of the kid. He's shaky enough already."

The kid's in his mid-twenties, I thought. Old enough to understand we might need more than his word to keep him out of the big house. But he wasn't my nephew, and Mrs. Higgins wasn't my sister. And it was Walt's case. I saw no harm in playing it his way. Up to a point.

Walt knew someone who could produce photos from a single frame and do it stat. Once I had the photos, I'd show them around. "Let's set up a meet with the detectives and the state's attorney ASAP."

"Are you sure we want a big meeting so soon?" I asked. "How about if I call and share this with the detective on the case."

Walt, who'd been gathering his papers, stopped abruptly. "I want to make sure they don't blow off this evidence. This character could be a significant lead in the case."