Right now, nothing new was coming to her, though. Myki had been in bed, passed out, and had apparently slept through the whole thing. Barker was on his balcony, dead, and there was smashed glass around him. So had he gone out there to put the glass door between him and the killer? Or had he gone out there to talk to the killer, so as not to wake Myki?
Barker had been laying face down and the back of his skull had been smashed in. Salvi double-checked Weston’s report and although there were injuries to the front of his skull, they were most likely obtained when he fell. Which means he was attacked from behind. Neighbors reported no yelling, just the smashing glass and banging. So the question was, did someone hack the apartment AI, gain access and sneak up on Barker from behind while he stood on the balcony? Or was he talking to someone? Someone he knew and trusted enough to turn his back on.
Barker was definitely murdered on that balcony. That meant someone, somewhere, had to have witnessed something. Salvi thought again of the blinds stirring in the opposite apartment.
“Riverton?” Salvi asked. “Request details on the owner of the apartment directly across the street from Rusty Conner’s. I need full details and their interview report.”
“Yes, detective.”
The interview report displayed on her screen. The owner of the apartment was Carole Van der Kint. She was 68 years old, retired, and lived alone with three virtual pets.
“Ms Van der Kint claims to not have seen anything, Detective Brentt. She said she was only awakened by the sirens and police drones hovering close by.”
“It was 12.30am and it was in the Sensation,” Beggs said. “Someone must’ve seen something.”
“If they have, no one is coming forward, detective,” Riverton said. “And with the immediate street security footage erased, and drones not in the area at the time of the murder, we cannot place any witnesses at the scene.”
Salvi sighed. “What about the fibers Weston found?”
“One of those fibers has been identified as belonging to that of a sateen-infused cotton, usually found in bedsheets, detective. Expensive bedsheets. However, they have also recently been used in a menswear fashion line by designer Lana Courtier.”
“Fashion our killer may have been wearing?” Salvi asked.
“Yes, detective. Lana Courtier’s collection includes a black sateen-infused cotton sweatsuit.”
“So our killer has expensive taste in clothes,” Beggs said.
“And possibly bedsheets,” Salvi added. “Do the sheets come in black?”
“Yes, detective. I have requested a check on Barker’s wardrobe to confirm if he has any of the menswear line. He was not wearing this at the time of his death, so the fibers came from elsewhere.”
Salvi sat back in her chair and looked at Beggs. “I think we should give Myki another day then chat to her again and see if any new memories have surfaced. She’s the only witness we can place at the scene.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Beggs nodded, then checked the time on his iPort. “Look, I got tickets to the game tonight. I’m calling it a night.”
“Fine,” Salvi said. “I’m going to keep searching for a bit.”
“Like a good junior should,” he smirked, grabbing his coat and heading for the door.
Salvi shook her head, then turned back to her console. “Riverton, show me the drone footage of the balconies in the Barker case again.”
“Yes, detective.”
Salvi buzzed on Mitch’s door.
He opened it, then checked his iPort. “11pm. Better.”
She smiled. “Well, I would’ve popped by sooner, but I had murders to solve.”
“And did you solve them?” he said, motioning her inside.
“Nope,” she sighed, entering. “What about you? How’s the Langford case going? You figured that one out yet?”
“Nope. Langford was working late at his auto accessory business, stepped out into the alleyway to smoke a fauxgarette, and someone almost beheaded the guy. Nothing was stolen, he still had his wallet on him and everything.”
“Sounds premeditated. Security footage?”
“Hacked and wiped. No witnesses, and according to everyone we speak to he was a nice guy and no one can possibly imagine why this happened.”
Salvi took off her gun belt, slumped down on his bed, then laid back. He sat down beside her.
“Was that in the ‘Sation?” she asked. “His store?”
He shook his head. “No. Hayes Hill. Right next door though.”
“Payes Hill,” she smiled. “That’s what we call it here, ‘cause you gotta pay a whole lot to live there.”
Mitch smiled. “Payes Hill. Well the guy had expensive taste, that’s for sure, and the auto accessories he sold?” Mitch whistled. “You’d need a bank loan to shop there.”
“Our photographer was in the Sensation,” Salvi thought aloud, staring at the ceiling. “The Kelto’s Diner murders were right in the Sensation too.” Her mind wandered. “Both appear to be premediated murder. The apartment AI had been wiped, but not the diner’s security footage.” She looked back at Mitch, mind still processing. “Hernandez and Bronte are working a murder in the ‘Mission, their footage was wiped too and nothing stolen. They think it was a targeted hit. It sounds similar to the Langford case.”
Mitch nodded. “But Riverton hasn’t unearthed any links between the cases, right?”
“No,” she said, stifling a yawn.
Mitch lay down beside her. He checked his iPort and sighed.
She stifled another yawn and blinked her eyes heavily. “Something wrong?”
He exhaled and ran his hand through his hair. “Caine was supposed to upload information to our case file and hasn’t done it yet. He’s been largely AWOL these past few days.” Mitch looked at her. “I’m getting the feeling he prefers to work solo than with me as a partner.”
“He’ll adjust,” she said sleepily.
Mitch studied her and the silence sat.
“Why did you come here?” he asked.
She realized her eyes had been closed and opened them again. “I’m sorry… I had other intentions but…”
He smiled, amused. “Get some sleep, Brentt.”
She reached out and brushed her fingers down his mouth.
“I’m sure with a little encouragement you
