Marcus looked through the window.
Valerie sat at the patio table speaking with Lieutenant Price.
Cody sat twenty feet away with a female trooper.
“I think she taught him a lot.”
His mother sighed.
“Be careful.”
“I am.”
“No.”
She corrected him.
“Be careful with your anger.”
Marcus smiled.
She knew him.
“I will.”
After the call, Marcus noticed something outside.
Lieutenant Price was holding Valerie’s key ring.
She photographed it.
Then placed it inside a temporary evidence pouch.
Valerie protested.
Marcus could not hear.
Price pointed toward the gate lock.
A state technician arrived.
He compared the key.
It fit.
That established entry.
But the bigger question remained.
Why did Valerie possess it?
That question became much bigger the next morning.
Marcus woke at six.
He had slept badly.
At seven thirteen, Lieutenant Price called.
“Can you talk?”
“Yes.”
“We confirmed Whitmore’s key matches an old builder maintenance master.”
Marcus sat at the kitchen table.
“Okay.”
“There were supposed to be eighteen originals.”
“How many destroyed?”
“HOA records say eighteen.”
Marcus became still.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning the destruction certification may be false.”
He leaned back.
“Who signed it?”
“Valerie Whitmore.”
There it was.
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
Marcus stared at nothing.
Price continued.
“We're asking the management company for supporting records.”
“Good.”
“Marcus.”
He heard the change.
“What?”
“Do not start asking residents about access incidents.”
He almost laughed.
“You know me.”
“I do.”
“Fine.”
“This is not sheriff business.”
“I know.”
“It is also not your private investigation.”
“I know.”
She paused.
“You are annoyed.”
“Yes.”
“Excellent.”
She hung up.
Marcus obeyed.
Mostly.
He did not investigate.
He did, however, receive twelve calls by noon because Willow Crest residents had already begun investigating each other.
One came from Helen Garner.
Seventy-one.
Widowed.
Lived on Oak Terrace.
“Sheriff Hale?”
“Marcus is fine.”
“I heard about Valerie.”
He closed his eyes.
“What did you hear?”
“That she has old maintenance keys.”
Marcus chose words carefully.
“There is an investigation involving a key.”
Helen became quiet.
“Then I need to tell somebody.”
“What?”
“Someone entered my yard last year.”
Marcus sat straighter.
“Did you report it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I thought I forgot to lock the gate.”
“What happened?”
“My patio storage cabinet was open.”
“Anything missing?”
“No.”
“Anything else?”
“The next week I received an HOA violation.”
“For?”
“Improper pesticide storage.”
Marcus frowned.