Chapter 13 - THE LAST CAMERA
Ellis moved Claire and Lily to a guarded home outside the city. This time, only Ellis and two officers knew the address. Grant stayed at the estate, where police monitored every gate.
Atlas went with Lily.
That night, Claire sat by the window after her daughter fell asleep. She thought about leaving the state when this was over. There were other jobs, other towns. Lily deserved a place where a trip to the garden meant nothing more than muddy shoes.
A patrol car slowed on the road beyond the house. Atlas lifted his head. The car continued past.
At Grant’s estate, a technician reviewed every image the photographer had taken. One photograph showed the courtyard through the bare trees. In its corner was the reflection of a parked car.
The plate belonged to Leah Voss.
Ellis questioned her again. Leah admitted she had driven the photographer to the estate. But she insisted Victor had ordered the pictures before Lily ever approached Atlas.
“He wanted photos of Grant with anyone he cared about,” she said. “When the dog went to the girl, the photographer kept shooting.”
“Who got the photographs?” Ellis asked.
“Victor. Then Rourke.”
Leah gave Ellis a cloud account where Victor had stored the images. The account also held video from a camera overlooking the west service gate on the day of the explosion.
Victor had forgotten it was there.
The video showed him opening the gate remotely. It showed the three men entering. And it showed Victor speaking into his radio while watching the garden on a second screen.
Ellis had enough to charge him for the attack. She still needed to find him.
One of Victor’s messages led her to a shipping office on the edge of town. Officers moved in quietly. They found Victor in the back room, packing cash into a bag.
He raised his hands when Ellis entered.
“Rourke knows about the witness,” he said.
“He’s under protection.”
“Not Owen.” Victor’s eyes moved to the phone in Ellis’s hand. “The maid.”
Ellis called Claire’s detail.
May you like
No answer.
She called again. This time an officer picked up, breathless. Someone had struck his partner outside the guarded house. Claire, Lily, and Atlas were gone.
