Exposed (Rosato & DiNunzio #5)(67)

“I know what you’re thinking. I noticed the same thing.” Bennie craned her neck, as Mary pulled up behind the police cruiser.

“The killer could’ve come on foot, from behind those bushes.”

“Yes, that’s what I was thinking last night. On Google Maps, the bushes had died back because it was winter. Nobody would’ve been able to hide there because they would be seen. But in full bloom, those bushes would hide anybody behind them.”

“Right.” Mary felt her heart beat faster. She cut the ignition and reached for her purse. “We have to see what’s on the other side of the bushes and trees. If there’s access, then things are looking up.”

“Bingo.” Bennie and Mary got out of the car, and the uniformed officer emerged from the cruiser, leaving it idling.

“Good morning,” the cop said, with a smile. He was older and stocky, with a silvery mustache and thick glasses that covered warm brown eyes. He held a clipboard, and his name tag read PATTERO.

“Officer, I’m Mary DiNunzio and this is my—” Mary stopped herself, then let it go. “My partner Bennie Rosato.”

“Nice to meet you both.” Officer Pattero handed Mary the clipboard, which held a crime-scene log and an attached ballpoint pen. “Please sign in, and include your address, phone number, and the time and date.”

“Sure.” Mary filled in the information, then handed it to Bennie, who did the same thing and handed it back.

“Ladies, thank you very much. You’re free to look around and take any pictures or measurements you need.” Officer Pattero gestured beyond the cordon. “I’ll wait in the car and please touch base with me to sign out.”

“Thank you,” Mary said, ducking under the cordon, with Bennie right behind her.

“I brought a measuring tape.”

“Good thinking,” Mary said, looking over. “Again, I should’ve thought of that.”

“It’s just experience, Mary. Nothing else,” Bennie said after a moment, and Mary looked away, touched. She took a few steps forward, then Bennie caught up with her, and both women looked around, taking in the surroundings. The secondary parking lot was completely out of the action. The driving range and tennis courts were way back beyond the other cars, and ahead to the right was the clubhouse in the distance.

Mary turned around and looked up at the metal stanchions that held covered lights, which were located in each aisle of the regular parking lot. “I’m looking for the security cameras.”

Bennie turned around, squinting at the covered lights. “I think they’re hidden in the lighting fixture. But you can see how the range wouldn’t cover the far end of this lot, the secondary lot.”

“Right, but it would get the entrance to the primary lot.” Mary turned back again to the bushes. “Let’s go look there. I’m dying to see what’s on the other side.”

“Me too. We can measure later.” Bennie followed Mary and they fell into stride, walking across the parking lot, into the grass, and stopping at the fringe of the bushes, which automatically felt cooler.

“What kind of bushes are these?” Mary took out her phone and started taking pictures. The bushes were well established and had grown together, making a perfect screen from the parking lot. The photos would be for their own use back at the office, and she’d have to take some better ones later, for trial exhibits. Though she prayed it wouldn’t get that far.

“We used to call them sticker bushes.” Bennie reached in her purse and pulled out the measuring tape. “I want to see how wide this thicket is.”

“Agree, I’ll come with. You don’t have to go it alone.” Mary plunged into the thickets, turning sideways so she didn’t disturb it completely. She felt little thorns scratch her legs, and catch her suit jacket, but she kept going. Bennie did the same thing two bushes away, measuring at the same time, and they arrived at the far side of the bushes at roughly the same time.

“Six feet!” Bennie called out, retracting the measuring tape. “These bushes are six feet wide. That’s quite a barrier.”

“And then there’s these trees.” Mary looked up, and the oaks were tall, leafed almost all the way down the trunk. There was a grove of them, and the underbrush was thick with weeds and tangled overgrowth. She made her way through the trees, and so did Bennie on the other side, and both women went forward until they cleared the woods.

They found themselves standing on unmowed grass that bordered what appeared to be a service road that led to a metal gate, which stood propped open. Outside the gate was a street, situated perpendicular to the service road, and traffic traveled on the street, which appeared to be public.

“That’s good news,” Bennie said, shielding her eyes from the sun.

“Agree.” Mary squinted, then moved diagonally to get a parallax view and see the end of the service road. “Goes right off the property. It’s like a service entrance.”

“Nice. We’ll double-check it after we leave.”

“Could you see this road on Google Maps?”

“Yes.”

“So the killer could’ve looked on Google Maps and seen the road too. At this time of year, he would’ve known the bushes and trees provided cover. He doesn’t have to have come in a car, parked in any lot, or be a member of the club.”