keep our caps on, at least.” A lot of the workers she could see were wearing hats. “Where are the video cameras?”
He shrugged. “Never bothered to check.”
Casey scanned the face of the building, and saw two cameras. One was high on the wall, to get an overall view of the entryway, and one seemed to be trained on the door. She couldn’t spot any in the parking lot. There would be at least one inside the building, she was sure.
“We’ll have to leave our dark sweaters here,” she said. “I’m glad we can wear these caps, though. Be sure to keep your face down.”
They got as close as they could within the shadows before strolling together into the break area, acting like they were in conversation. No one bothered them, or seemed to even notice they were there. They neared the door, and Casey felt like she could breathe again.
“Hey.”
Casey froze and turned toward the voice, pivoting on her feet to place her weight on the right one, ready to fend off an attack.
The man held an unlit cigarette between his thumb and forefinger. “Either of you got a light?”
Casey shook her head. “Sorry.”
The man grunted his displeasure, but turned to another co-worker to repeat his question. Casey and Eric continued on into the building. Casey didn’t look up to search for videos, but she was certain they were there. She hoped Security wasn’t looking at the monitors too closely.
Eric didn’t hesitate, but headed casually toward the door at the end of the hallway marked Administrative Offices. He put the key in the door and turned it, and before anyone could say anything, they were in the silent, dark hallway, with the door closing behind them. Eric punched the code into the alarm and the access light turned green.
“They’ll be able to tell that I was here, when they look,” he said.
Casey shrugged. It couldn’t be helped. “Let’s go.”
They walked the length of the hallway, and Casey stopped Eric before he opened the door. “Video cameras? Any idea where they’re placed?”
“I know there’s one in the lobby, watching Gloria and the front door. I don’t think there’s one in the administrative offices. My…Karl’s big on privacy in the workplace. His own workplace, anyway.” He opened the door.
The hallway led directly into the lobby of the building, where Gloria the receptionist sat during the day. They kept their heads averted from the desk, hoping the inmates weren’t being seen on the monitors. Eric went directly to the other door, and within moments they were in the main office.
Yvonne’s computer was off, as were all of the lights, except for a security lamp on the wall. Casey took a moment to look around, and saw that Eric had been correct. No video cameras. At least none that she could see. She went to Yvonne’s desk, sat down in the chair, and booted up the PC.
Eric flipped on one of the overhead lights. “No one can see us in here.”
Casey looked around the room. He was right. No windows. How depressing.
“I’m not sure Karl would let Yvonne keep sensitive information out here,” Eric said, yanking open one of the desk drawers.
“But we’ve got to look. And we know things are on the computer.”
A box came up on the screen asking for a password. Casey looked to Eric, but he shook his head. “I have no idea what it is.”
Casey examined Yvonne’s desk, and the photos of her family. “What are her kids’ names?”
“Joshua and Caitlin, but why would she—”
“It’s what people usually do.” But not this person, apparently. Casey tried every combination of the names she could think of. “Okay. Husband’s name?”
“Jimmy.”
No good.
Casey turned with mounting desperation to the final photo on the desk, one of two Doberman Pinschers taking up an entire sofa. They looked a lot sweeter there than they’d seemed back at the house. “Pets.”
Eric sighed heavily, his face creased with irritation. “I don’t know. How am I supposed to know that?”
Casey grabbed the frame and slid out the cardboard, exposing the back of the photo. “Roxie and Jabba at Christmas.” It was worth a try.
Seven long minutes later she hit it with “JoshJabCaitRox.”
“Guess Jimmy’s the fifth wheel,” Eric muttered.
But Casey didn’t care about that. She searched the computer for anything that said, “Marlowe.”
There was nothing there.
“But we saw it,” Eric said. “Right on the screen.”
“Well, it’s not here anymore.”
Casey sat back, looking over the computer toward Karl’s door. “We have to get in there.”
“I don’t have a key.”
“I know. But that’s where the information is.”
“Casey—”
She got up and went to Karl’s door, examining it. Assuming there was a way to get in, there was probably an alarm set to go if anyone entered. “You’re sure your key doesn’t work?”
He came over and tried to put his key in the lock. It didn’t fit.
Casey studied the door some more. It was wooden, not steel. She placed her hand on it. It was made of good quality wood, but it was also paneled. The insets would be weak points. All hell would break loose if she did what she was considering, but if they were quick enough…
“Be ready to move, Eric.”
“What? What are you doing?”
Casey took a deep breath and sat back on her left leg. She focused on the door, the upper section of the lower right panel, closest to the doorknob.
“Casey…” Eric’s voice rose.
She ignored him, and snapped her foot at the door. A loud crack ripped through the office.
“Casey!”
She kicked the door again, and once more, until the panel broke free from the door’s skeleton. She pushed the panel out and squeezed her arm through, unlocking the door from the other side. The door scraped open, crooked on its hinges. Casey stood in the opening, surveying the office. No security measures were immediately apparent, but she had no doubt they were there.
“Come on, Eric.” She strode into the room and approached the file cabinets along the side wall. They were labeled clearly, and she went for the one holding L-M. Of course there was nothing inside with the name Marlowe.
Eric stood in the middle of the room. “What should—”
“Check his desk.”
“The drawers are all locked. But the desk is wooden.” He looked at her expectantly.
“I can’t kick apart everything, Eric. Here.” She grabbed Karl’s letter opener from the desk and handed it to Eric. “See what you can do with this.”
He stared at it for a moment before going after the lock on the top middle drawer.
Casey turned back to the files. There were too many to go through in the few minutes they had. What else would it be under? Dryer? Lawsuit? We’re Screwed?
Eric cried out. “Got it!” He yanked the top desk drawer open.
“That was fast.”
“Cheap lock.”
He rifled through the contents of the drawer and came up with a key, which he shoved into one of the other drawers. It opened. Casey began going through that one while he opened the drawer on the other side.
She flipped through the contents. Folders for insurance, lawyers, Mexico…Marlowe. She pulled it out and slapped it open, resting it on the drawer. The top paper was the first page of the contract. The one they’d seen on
