The Silence (Columbia River #2)(32)

“Paula had spoken to the police?”

“She told me they’d just left when I called. Said they took copies of the day’s video coverage and questioned her, but she hadn’t seen anything. She heard sirens at one point, and some customers had come in all jacked up about the police activity, but no one knew what had happened for a good half hour.”

Ava nodded. So far Todd’s story matched the officer notes from Paula’s short interview.

“You don’t know who did it yet?” Todd asked, looking from Zander to Ava.

Realizing she could smell his body odor, Ava studied the older man. He didn’t seem nervous, just interested. The smell was understandable for the hot day, but he worked in an air-conditioned store.

Maybe he just didn’t wear deodorant.

“We’re following leads,” said Zander smoothly. “Lots of information pouring in.”

Todd nodded. “So you’ve got nothin’. That’s why you’re talking to me.”

“We’re talking to you because your supervisor said you had something to share.”

“Yeah. Another asshole. Comes with the job.” He didn’t sound annoyed, just resigned. “I bet you deal with them a lot too.”

“Absolutely,” answered Zander. “What happened?” he asked to steer the man back on track.

“It was when I got off. I left through the back door ’cause that’s where we park, and some dick had just parked in one of the employee spaces. It happens sometimes. The street parking here can get tight around lunchtime.”

“What did you do?” Ava asked.

“Told him to move his car.” He laughed. “Dude had already walked to the sidewalk, so I went after him, telling him I’d have his car towed if he didn’t move it.”

“Can you show us where this happened?” Zander asked.

Todd nodded and gave a jerk of his head for them to follow as he walked around the side of the store toward the back. At the rear of the store were four parking spots. The yellow lines separating the spots were nearly worn away, and Ava didn’t see a sign stating they were for employees only.

The clerk pointed at the spot closest to the side street. “Right there. Since I kept bitching at him to move, he finally turned around and came back.” Todd raised his eyebrows. “Dude was pissed. He didn’t say a single word, but the look he gave me had me backing up a few steps. He wore sunglasses, but I could tell how angry he was. Was in the way he held himself, you know?” He ran a hand through his hair. “After I heard about the shooting, I thought of this guy. He definitely had enough bottled-up anger to shoot someone.”

Ava silently sighed. An angry man wasn’t a great lead. Were they wasting their time?

“Cameras?” Zander was scanning the back of the building.

“Used to be one right there way above the door,” Todd said. “Got stolen last week. Probably to sell it for a quick buck. They must have had a ladder to get all the way up there and unscrew the bolts. Took the whole thing.”

Last week? Removed in planning for yesterday?

“No video of it being stolen?”

“Nah. We checked it out. You can’t see anyone. They stuck close to the building out of view. The camera shakes and jerks for a few minutes; then it goes black.” He dropped his cigarette and ground it out with his shoe. “Can’t really be worth much.”

“What happened with the angry guy?” Zander asked. “You must have got a good look at him.”

“He backed out of the spot, spun his tires, and left. Of course I got a good look at him. I said I talked to him.” He gave Zander a suspicious side-eye, as if worried the agent was missing a few marbles.

“What did he look like?” Ava asked, amused at the clerk’s misunderstanding. “Was he carrying anything? What was he wearing?”

“Oh . . . black baseball cap, sunglasses. Dark pants. Long-sleeved black T-shirt. Pretty good-sized dude—”

“Taller than you?” asked Zander.

“Nah.”

“How old?”

Todd thought for a moment. “Hard to say. Moved like a young guy and had the attitude of a young guy, but his face was weathered—that might be from working outside. Anywhere between thirty and fifty, I’d guess. If I’d seen his eyes, I’d have a better idea.”

“Shoes?”

“Ah . . . tennis shoes?” Todd looked uncertain. “Wasn’t looking at his feet.”

“Hair?”

“Sort of a dirty blond. Had it pulled back in a ponytail that stuck out under the cap.” Todd wrinkled his nose. “Had a backpack on one shoulder.”

Ava perked up. Black shirt and pants on one of the hottest days of the year and a backpack that could carry a weapon.

A possibility.

“What was the vehicle?”

“Dunno.” Todd shrugged. “White. Four-door little boring sedan that looks like every other car. I guess not very old because the paint was shiny. I only remember that much because I thought it was funny that he burned rubber on a lame car like that.”

“Which way did he go?”

“Turned left.”

The opposite direction of the shooter’s location.

They asked a few more questions, trying to prod Todd’s memory, but he had no other useful details. Ava gave him her card. She and Zander silently walked around the store to the front parking lot. “What do you think?” she finally asked as they reached his vehicle.