Cause to Kill (An Avery Black Mystery—Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

SIX
     
    Outside, Avery turned her face to the sun and breathed out a heavy
sigh.
    Church Street was busy, and there were numerous storefront cameras.
Even in the middle of the night, she couldn’t believe it was where the
abduction had taken place.
    Where did you go? she wondered.
    A quick check on her phone revealed the easiest route to Winthrop
Square. She took a stroll up Church and turned left on Brattle. Brattle Street
was wider than Church, with just as many shops. Across the street, she noticed
the Brattle Theatre. A small alley was on one side of the building, buttressed
by a coffee house. Trees hid the area in shadows. Curious, Avery crossed over
and entered the narrow strip between buildings.
    She moved out onto Brattle again and checked every storefront
within a one-block radius on both sides of Church Street. There were at least
two stores with cameras outside.
    She headed into a small smoke shop.
    The bell on the door clanged.
    “Can I help you?” said an old, white hippie with dreadlocked hair.
    “Yeah,” Avery said, “I notice you have a camera out front. What
kind of range do you get on that thing?”
    “The whole block,” he said, “both directions. Had to install it
two years ago. Goddamn college students. Everyone thinks these Harvard kids are
so special, but they’re just a bunch of assholes like everyone else. For years
they’ve been smashing my windows. Some kind of college prank, right? Not for me.
You know how much those windows cost?”
    “Sorry to hear that. Listen, I don’t have a warrant,” she said and
flashed her badge, “but some of those idiot kids might have caused a
disturbance right up your street. No cameras there. Any way I can take a look?
I know the time. Shouldn’t take too long.”
    He frowned and mumbled to himself.
    “I don’t know,” he said, “I’ve got to watch the shop. I’m the only
one here.”
    “I’ll make it worth your while.” She smiled. “How about fifty
bucks.”
    Without a word, he lowered his head, walked around the counter,
and turned the sign on the door from “open” to “closed.”
    “Fifty bucks?” he said. “Come on in!”
    The back of the shop was cluttered and dark. Hidden among boxes
and spare supplies, the man uncovered a small television set. Above the set—on
a higher shelf—was a series of electronic equipment attached to the TV.
    “Don’t really use it that often,” he said, “only when there’s
trouble. Tapes get erased every week on Monday night. When was your little
incident?”
    “Saturday night,” she said.
    “All right, then, you’re in luck.”
    He turned on the set.
    The black-and-white image was from right outside the shop. Avery
could clearly see the entrance to the store, as well as the opposite side of
the street and right up Brattle. The area she specifically wanted to
investigate was about fifty yards away. The image was grainier, and it was
nearly impossible to make out shapes in front of the alley.
    A small mouse was used to scan backwards.
    “What time did you say?” he asked.
    “Two forty-five,” she said, “but I’ll need to check some other
times as well. Do you mind if I just sit down and look for myself? You can get
back to the shop.”
    A suspicious brow greeted her.
    “Are you going to steal anything?”
    “I’m a cop,” she said. “That goes against my motto.”
    “Then you’re not like any cop I know,” he laughed.
    Avery pulled out a small black chair. She wiped off the dust and
took a seat. A quick review of the equipment and she was able to easily scan
forward and back.
    At two forty-five, a few people walked up and down Brattle Street.
    At two fifty, the street appeared empty.
    By two-fifty two, someone—a girl by the hair and dress—came into
view from the direction of Church. She walked across Brattle and turned left.
Once she passed the coffee shop, a dark image from under the trees merged with
hers, and they both disappeared. For a moment, Avery could only see