Brian sighed as he looked through the folder on his desk for the tenth time. He hadn't found what he was looking for: the internet connection between the victims. Though both women had been talking to someone over through e-mails, the e-mail addresses weren't the same. Brian grabbed the phone from his desk and called Colleen's desk.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Colleen, get Carl on the phone for me. I need to ask him a few questions," he said.
"Alright, I'll do what I can."
"Thanks."
"Brian," Kevin said as he walked into his cousins office.
"Yeah Kev?"
"I decided to run a check on McLean. Just to see if there was anything there that you should know about," he answered, handing Brian the folder. "He's clean. He's never been in trouble with the police before any of this started."
"What are you trying to tell me?"
"Nothing, I just thought that you might want to know the past of the man that you're after."
"Kev, you know as well as do that sometimes people can get away with something that they've done but I don't intend on letting him get away with this."
"What makes you so sure that he had something to do with it?"
"Have I ever been wrong before?"
"There's a first time for everything."
"I know you're just trying to look after me but I can handle myself. I'm a trained professional just like you are. You don't have anything to worry about."
"There is just something about this case that doesn't seem right. There has to be something that we're missing."
"Like what Kev?" Brian questioned. "I have some of my best people on this case. If there was something else to find, we would have found it already."
"Okay, just keep an eye open for anything."
"I can handle this, alright?"
"I know," he replied as he exited the office.
"Hello?" Brian answered upon hearing his phone ring.
"Officer Littrell, it's Carl. What can I do for you?"
"I have a question. Would it be possible to see if two different e-mail addresses are coming from the same computer?"
"Sure. Why?"
"Because both women were talking to someone but the e-mails are different. I want to see if they were coming from the same computer or not."
"Alright, I'll get right on it."
"Thanks."
Nick impatently tapped his fingers on the stearing wheel of his car as he sat two blocks away from AJ's house. He was waiting for him to do something that he could use as evidence. The sound of his cell phone ringing, brought Nick out of his almost trance like state.
"Hello?"
"Carter, where are you?" Brian asked.
"A block away from McLeans house," he replied.
"What?? What are you doing there?"
"I'm just keeping an eye on things, don't worry. I'm not going to do anything but sit here and watch," Nick assured.
"Stay there for a little longer and then get back to the office alright?"
"Hold on a second," Nick replied, as he saw a car pull up to the house that he had been watching all night. He watched, still holding the phone in his hand as he observed April and Howie stepping out of the car. His eyes widened in shock.
"Howie's here with April," Nick said, his voice a whisper.
"What?" Brian replied. "Tell me what's going on."
"They're at the door, waiting for him to answer. There he is. By the looks of things, they all look kind of upset. I think today was Spellman's funeral. April and Doreen knew each other so that must have meant that she met AJ a few times. I don't know what they're saying, but she looks kind of shaken up. Howie isn't saying or doing anything."
"I can't believe that son of a bitch. He's tampering with the case."
"What do you mean?"
"Howie. He's going to tell McLean what we know. Why else would they both be there?"
"Brian, I don't know about that. I mean I don't even think that April knows what he's doing for us so why would he tell McLean?"
"Just get out of there Nick."
"No, I want to go in."
"Don't even think about doing that. Just get out of there right now."
"Alright," Nick replied as he started up his car and headed towards the station. A few minutes later, Nick was at the station and heading towards Brians office.
"Brian," Nick said as he walked into the office.
"I'm having my cousin do a background check on Howie," Brian stated.
"You think there's something there?"
"Yes."
"We going to tell him that we know that he was at McLeans house?" Nick asked.
"No, we're going to keep that between us for now. Did McLean see you in your car?"
"No, no one saw me. It's been quiet around here."
"Alright, just get out of there now."
"Why can't I just stay and see what happens? This might be the big break that we've been waiting for. There is definately something up here. Why else would they be meeting like this?"
"Fine, but just watch yourself. Don't let them know that you're watching them and don't move from where you are."
"Don't worry, I won't and I'll let you know what I find out."
"Alright, be careful." Nick hung up his cell phone and continued to stare into the direction of AJ's house. He really wished he could find out what was going on right now. They wouldn't have anything against any of them if they couldn't prove what they had spoken about when they met. Nick sighed anxiously and started to drum his fingers on his steering wheel. Waiting was never something that Nick could do, so against Brian's wishes, he imerged from the car and casually made his way towards AJ's house.
His eyes were drifting around to see if he was being watched. When he saw that no one was around, he made his way on to AJ's property and off towards the side of the house. As quietly as possible, Nick cautiously made his way towards an open window and froze when he heard voices.
"I'm really sorry about Doreen," AJ stated.
"Don't be. You didn't have anything to do with what happened," April replied. Nick rolled his eyes. Could she possibly be that naieve?
"I still feel really bad. I did care about her."
"We know you did," April stated. "But maybe we should talk about something that isn't going to put us all in the gutter."
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," AJ agreed. Nick glanced down at his watched and wondered just how long this conversation would drag on for. Maybe moving in like he had wasn't the best idea that he ever had.
"April, I really think we should go," Howie cut in before anyone could say anything futher.
"I'm sick of sitting in the damn house Howie. I feel and look like shit and I just want to have some time to myself when I'm not on the verge of tears," she refuted.
"Fine," he answered.
"I don't want to make you guys feel like you have to stay or anything," AJ commented.
"It's okay, don't worry about it. Howie's been acting weird lately, I think everything is just getting to him."
"April that's not it. I just don't want to be here."
"Then what's stopping you from leaving?"
"The fact that I drove you hear and I'm not leaving without you."
"I'll be fine and you really don't want to be here so just go."
"Not without you I'm not." Nick heard a loud, agrivated sigh and figured it was probably coming from April.
"Fine..." she snapped. "AJ I'm sorry about that." Nick was about to move when he heard talking start up again.
"Look, you stay away from my sister, alright AJ?" Howie warned.
"Don't get all crazy on me alright? I'm just trying to be a friend."
"Well you can be a friend at a distance." Nick heard the door slam and figured that Howie had stormed out of the house. Waiting in the same position he had been in the last few minutes, he waited as until he was sure that the car had pullen far enough away that they wouldn't see him walking back to his car. Quickly, Nick made his way back to his car and headed off towards the station.
Chapter 13