Page 74 of Lost Lake
“Maybe not. It wouldn’t be unheard of to funnel drugs through a daycare with or without the director’s buy-in. It’s a place people trust and one that sees constant movement of adults, their bags, and vehicles. Makes it a very effective front or conduit for criminal activity.”
“But not activity that Kenna would be involved in. I’m certain of that.”
El fired a questioning look his way, but didn’t say anything.
He would move on for now. “What about the missing travel trailer? What do you make of that?”
She shrugged. “Stolen like the boat, maybe. Hopefully, we’ll find something at Mason’s place to help with that question.”
The GPS voice announced their destination on the right in a middle-class neighborhood with smaller and older homes that were well maintained and the lawns manicured.
She leaned forward. “Looks like we’re looking for the blue duplex ahead.”
She parked in front and didn’t waste any time, but charged up the sidewalk. Gabe appreciated her sense of urgency. Lucy had been gone for thirty-eight hours by now and every minute counted.
Gabe trailed her steps to the two-story duplex with faded blue paint and overgrown shrubbery. She had to give the door a hard bump with her hip to get it to open. The pungent odor of marijuana seeped out. The inside of the small place smelling even worse.
“Okay, not what I expected a former police officer’s house might smell like.” El pocketed the key. “But it’s legal here, and he’s free to smoke it or take it in any formula he wants as longas he doesn’t get on the road or commit a crime while under the influence.”
Gabe stepped further into the dark living room, the only light inching from the edges of closed blinds. He went to the long coffee table, stacks of papers piled high on top. He clicked on the overhead light then dropping onto a couch, he put on his disposable gloves.
El sat next to him. “If things go our way, he was working on these papers right before he died.”
Before she could touch anything, her phone rang. She answered. “Ulrich. Putting you on speaker with Gabe, too.”
Gabe rested the stack of papers he’d picked up on his knees and sat back to listen. Unless he had an urgent question, he would keep quiet.
“Just got the report on Mason’s autopsy,” Ulrich said.
“Interesting timing, since we’re sitting in his duplex.”
“Yeah. Dr. Briggs said he died somewhere between three and five days ago. Beyond that, we’d be looking more at estimates than facts.”
“Until we can get his phone processed, we can assume he was still alive on Tuesday around ten a.m. when his daughter talked to him. Did Faye find his cell?”
“In his pocket, but that means it spent a few days in the water. Still, I’ll pick it up and get it to Sierra today. Maybe it’ll give us vital information we need.”
“Let’s hope,” El said, but looked disappointed. “What was the cause of death?”
“Multiple stab wounds to vital organs including his heart. The wounds are about two centimeters wide on the surface, and the knife was most likely a single-edged blade. Probably somewhere between half an inch and an inch across.”
“A single-edge blade makes me think of a kitchen or pocketknife. I didn’t see any knives in the kitchen at theboathouse property, but I’d like you to check that out. Did she find a pocketknife on Mason?”
“None in the inventory. You thinking that could be our murder weapon?”
“His daughter described it as more of a penknife that he carried with him every day, but it’s possible.”
“Then where is it?” Ulich asked.
“We’ll keep an eye out for it here. You go back to the crime scene to look for it and other knives.”
“Will do but there’s one more thing. Mason had lung cancer. Dr. Briggs says his lungs showed advanced cancer. An extensive spread. She wouldn’t speculate on the time he had left, but it wasn’t long.”
“Wow.” She shared a look with Gabe. “How terrible for him, but how it affects our investigation remains to be seen. Call me after you finish searching the crime scene again.” She thanked Ulrich and ended the call.
“Crazy when his daughter said he didn’t smoke to avoid getting cancer and then he does,” Gabe said.
“Knowing he didn’t have long to live could make it easier for his family to accept his death.”
