Chapter 16
I got out of the car and shielded my eyes with my hand as I turned in place.
“What are we looking for?” Max asked, stepping out of the passenger side.
“Looking for any clues that will lead me back to Larry’s identity,” I answered. “Most parks havesecurity cameras. Whether they work is the question, but it looks like this park is no different.” I pointed to two poles in the parking lot. “This one has two pointed at the parking lot.”
“That’s not helpful if there isn’t one aimed at the play area.”
I sighed. Max was right. The best this could give us was the license plates of everyone in the park on the days Petunia might have seen this Larry character. It wouldn’t give us a face for the creep, but the cameras could provide us with a list of people coming and going. I’d have to email Ms. Delany to pull the digital footage. “Without using Petunia as bait, this is a bust. Maybe we’ll have better luck at her school.”
“Uh… I’m sure the school has security. It’s just a matter of whether they’ll let you access it without a flashy badge or a warrant to shove in their faces.”
I grinned. “I should probably drop you back off at Carter’s house. What I’m about to do might be consideredan invasion of privacy.”
Max rested his hand on my arm. “Petunia’s school is the best in the country. They’ll know they’re being hacked. The students and faculty are screened because of potential security threats. We’re talking about the children of senators, diplomats, a judge, an FBI agent and the mayor. Every high-profile profession you can think of. I’d advise you against any illegal activity.”
“You’re no fun. Now how about I take you home so you won’t be involved.”
We both got back in the car.
“Who were you talking to on the phone when you got upset earlier?”
The lawyer was observant.
“My distant cousin.”
“Did she have bad news?”
“You could say that.”
“Care to share, or are you going to make me guess?”
“She’s a forensic specialist. I’d sent her Fillpot’s invitation, and it didn’t garner any useful information.”
“I’m not surprised. Look at the way they baited you and set you up just to get you to the island. That took planning and patience,” Max said.
“Not only was the invitation a bust, but someone has erased Fillpot’s federal file. All traces of him are gone.”
I slowed the car to a stop and glanced at Max, who was scratchingthe stubble on his chin.
“How is that possible?”
“I’ll let you know when I find out,” I answered.
“You don’t have to break the law to get into her school. I can take you,” Max said.
I didn’t need his help. Not like I had needed it to get on the island. Hacking school computers were a piece of cake. Yet, if what he said was correct about the students at that school, I might need more information than what I could find on the computer. Social interaction, in this case, would probably be a must. “All right, Counselor, if you can get me in, and in front of the teacher, that would help.”
I could find things online. A single hacked social media account and email could garner most of the juicy details I’d ever needed.
Max was right about this case. The last thing I needed to do was draw attention to anyone who might view me as a threat. They might be more inclined to talk if I showed up with the doting Uncle Max since a warrant was out of the question. All he had was the ramblings of a five-year-old about a man she see’s around school.
Max gave me directions to Petunia school. I’d been a little surprised when we arrived to find a twelve-foot stone fence around the perimeter. Whether they used it for keeping criminals out or children in, it made me grin.
“Why isn’t Petunia in school today?” I asked after an administrative assistant ushered us into a conference room across from the principal’s office. I’d been in places like this before. I hadn’t been much of a problem child unless someone was picking on one of my younger sisters. Then I didn’t care what happened as long as my sisters were out of the line of fire.
“With everything going on, we thought it best to keep her out for the week until the wedding is over, which was probably smart now that Johnny isn’t around to escort her,” Max answered.
