Page 10 of Rekindle My Heart

A block down, across the street, a steel warehouse had a camera in the back facing the side street. It wasn’t on the same block, and he didn’t see it listed in any of the reports. Maybe his luck was on the upswing?

Inside the Metal Mart, it was as Ryan expected. A front desk with a cash register, and the back held open rows of steel tubing and sheeting. A man in a work-shirt with the name LeRoy on the front came out of a small office no bigger than a bathroom.

“May I help you?”

“I sure hope so. I’m Detective Daniels, and I’m looking into the fire that happened down the block last weekend.” Ryan showed him his badge.

“I don’t know what I can help you with. I wasn’t here that night.”

“I see you have a surveillance camera out back. Could I take a look at the footage from that night?”

“You got a warrant?” The large man crossed his arms over his broad chest.

“I can get one.” People in this neighborhood weren’t always the friendliest to the police. Ryan stared back. Waiting. Watching. The man didn’t budge. “Is there something you don’t want me to see on it?”

LeRoy chewed on his lip, then dropped his arms. “No, sorry. I’m not used to cops being up in my business. They don’t do any good when I need them.”

He trudged into the office. “I didn’t see anything unusual on it when I checked this morning. Not that you can make out squat. Piece of shit is grainy as fuck.”

Ryan followed him into the small office and waited while he pulled up the feed on his computer.

“It’s motion activated, so it only records when there is movement. I installed it after I had some thefts last year. I had to mount this bugger up higher on the wall. My first camera got ripped off. Damn thieves.”

“Did you report it?”

“Damn straight I did. I even had the video of the little ‘hood-rat’s face, but they never found the kid.” He turned the computer to Ryan. “Here, this was from that night.”

The camera’s angle was set to pick up the Metal Mart’s back yard and only caught a slice of the street and adjacent alleyway. Ryan hoped it was enough.

As LeRoy ran the footage, he watched a couple of cars drive by on the street. In the next clip, a newer, dark SUV rolled out from the alley.

Ryan leaned in. That could be the guy. He looked at the time stamp. It was earlier than when he would have been there. He watched the rest of the videos and it was officers and lookie-loos. But no other vehicles came down the alley.

“Can I get a copy of that?”

LeRoy hesitated. Ryan could see the indecision in his face. Finally, he said, “Sure. Do you have an email? I can send you the link.”

Ryan gave it to him, and a minute later, his email pinged on his phone. “Thanks for your help.”

“I’m guessing it was arson if you’re here looking into it. I have to say, I’m not sure who owns that building, but it was an eyesore. I know this isn’t the best part of town, but we still have businesses to run, and buildings like that attract the riffraff. You know what I mean. Squatters. Drug dealers. Trash.”

Ryan agreed. “Had you seen anyone hanging around that particular building lately?”

“Nope, except the drug dealer.”

“Dealer? You’re sure he’s selling drugs?”

“Well, it could be an Amway exchange, but this guy doesn’t look like the type I’d let into my living room if you know what I mean.”

“Can you describe him?” He might not be an arsonist or murderer, but he could have seen something or someone that night. Not to mention, if this was the dealer’s turf, he’d definitely have eyes and ears on the place.

“Well, he’s about five-eight, dark hair, light brown skin.” LeRoy rubbed his scruffy beard as he talked.

Hell, that could be two-thirds of the guys in this neighborhood. “You wouldn’t know his name, would you?”

“No, but he had some interesting tats. A word on his collarbone. Don’t know what it says. I don’t speak Spanish, but the other one, on his face… That one I remember. It’s a pot leaf. Right here.” LeRoy tapped his temple.

“You got a good look at him then?”

“Well, yeah. I ran him off a time or two. That shit’s bad for business.”

“Could you contact me right away if you see the guy around?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

“Thank you for your help. And if you remember anything else, please let me know.” Ryan handed him his card and left.

He didn’t know if the video would be a complete waste of time as the SUV hadn’t been there at the same time as Ryan had, but he’d check it out. Same with this drug dealer, but the puzzle pieces were appearing. He just needed to collect some more to see the whole picture.

He climbed into his vehicle and thought about the few pieces he had as he headed back to the station. If those tire treads he snapped a photo of matched the SUV in the video, it wouldn’t be a solid connection, but it would be a start.

Right now, he would welcome a jumping-off point.