Crime (h.s. au)

Chapter Seven

Harry

"The Peters came in to speak about Victoria. They have no clue, no leads, as to who could have done this. I'm assuming they were able to sit through the interview simply because they are in shock and denial. Last I followed up, the coroner showed them her body and they confirmed it was her despite the substantial injuries to her face," Chief Vincent tells Ava and me, the two of us sitting in his office.

"We have potential leads," Ava tells him, his hand taking the recorded tape.

"Bernadette was friends with Victoria," I explain, the Chief looking up at me. "Our main lead is Bernadette's boyfriend. Apparently the two had mutual feelings of distaste for the other."

Chief raises his eyebrows at the information, nodding his head. "I trust the two of you to continue your search. Thank you," he says, dismissing Ava and me.

We leave the office and Ava walks to hers, my body entering my own office. I take a seat and pull out my notes, as well as the notepad from my jacket. Ava enters shortly and takes a seat, reviewing over her notes.

"Alright, I need a dry erase marker," she tells me, and I hand her one.

Then I watch in awe as she writes out each and every connection she's made. I'm bewildered this all came from her mind without even so much as making a note other than the ones she made at lunch.

As we had sat for lunch, I found it easy to talk to her. Our conversations were simple and I tried not push any sort of questions or conversations that'd steer one to believe we were on a date. It's difficult to go on lunches with coworkers, struggling to find conversation other than work, but I'm glad I was able to get to know Ava. Even if it was to find out she enjoys yoga and hates tomatoes.

It was a stretch to even suggest getting drinks with her, but in the way she responded, as guarded as it was, there seems to be a possibility I may get to do so after this case. However, I'm not giving my hopes up.

"There, this is everything I conjured up in the car," Ava states, staring at the board after. I stand up to observe it, standing behind her but shifting so I don't look as if I peer over her. She crosses her arms over her chest and stares ahead of her, my eyes studying each word she's written.

Victoria is friends with Bernadette and her boyfriend is becoming the main suspect. However, Alexander has an old coworker in Manhattan which gives the coworker a possible connection to the homicide investigation. Alexander lives in Rochester, which means he lives five hours away. If he had stayed in Manhattan longer than Bernadette had, this would give him a longer time to commit the crime while Bernadette was no longer in the area.

"Alexander needs to be brought in for questioning; I'd say immediately," I tell her, and she nods. She grips the marker and presses her thumb to the top, her lips pressing to her nail. Her mind is clearly turning with thoughts and she turns to look at me.

"I need to find out the old coworker. He's a possible suspect as well," she tells me, her gray eyes peering into mine.

"I'll contact the Rochester police and get permission to use their questioning room, and from there I hope we can get the name of the old coworker," I suggest, her hand setting the marker down on the ledge of the white board.

"Take a picture of the board and print it before you erase it. I have to do some research," she says, walking out of my office. I do as she says and I take a seat on at my desk, my hand writing down a few notes. I pull out the file from my desk and retrieve the piece of paper the neighbor had brought us yesterday, typing in the coordinates into the database once more. It lands where it has prior and I take note of the street name. I compare the photo from the coordinates and place it into map application on the computer.

I find the address to the house and I search it in the database, finding the owner of the home. It's confirmed the house belongs to Jacqueline Rae, apparently the sole owner of the property. I print out the information and store it in the same file, placing it back in the bottom drawer.

Once I find the number for the Rochester police station, I dial the number and await the call to go through.

"This is Detective Styles from the Manhattan Police Department. May I speak to the Chief?" I ask, the officer on the other end of the phone directing my call to the Chief.

"Chief Stone," the man states and I introduce myself again.

"We have a citizen in your city whom we'd like to bring in for questioning. He has become a person of interest in a homicide case here in Manhattan and the Lieutenant and I would like to use your questioning room," I explain, and he agrees.

"I'd like to speak with you first prior to understand the case so we can be as of any help. If you need a search warrant from our department, we'd be happy to help," he tells me, and I agree to the suggestion.

"We'll bring him in tomorrow, but we'll stop by prior to going to his house. We will retrieve the address of our suspect," I inform, hanging up after finishing the arrangements.

I go into Ava's office, knocking on the door prior to entering. "We have the questioning room tomorrow. I followed up on the coordinates from the neighbor," I tell her, her head turning to look at me.

"It's the home belonging to Jacqueline Rae. Her address is in the database," I tell her, and she grabs the paper.

"Have you been able to find Alexander Cross' residence?" she asks, and I take a seat.

"I hadn't looked into it yet," I tell her, and she turns her attention to the computer. Her emotions aren't present, and I've learned they usually aren't when she's focused with a lot on her mind.

Her eyebrows pull together and she looks at the address on the paper I had just handed to her, looking up at me.

"It's the same," she reveals, my eyes blowing wide. She turns her screen and shows me what is pulled up on her monitor, the exact image I had just seen plastered on it.

"My question is still where the note came from. The neighbor has a solid alibi; she wasn't in town for the week this homicide could have occurred. She returned home on Sunday and found the note Monday morning. The body would have been buried either Friday or Saturday," I explain, Ava looking at me.

"If Alexander did commit this crime, he would not have written coordinates directing himself to his place of residency," she tells me, and I nod in agreement.

"He could have had someone with him who knows his address. Someone who may have tried to frame him," I suggest, and she and I make eye contact immediately. We have the same thought: the coworker.

"We need that coworkers name," I say for what seems to be the millionth time today.

"I'll start forming some questions," she says, and I tell her I'll do the same. I walk back to my office and think of possible questions to start with.

My eyes glance over the statements the Zetters made, as well as some of the things Bernadette had talked about. There isn't much more the work with until we get answers from Alexander tomorrow.