Bennie shrugged it off. “It had a street-view photo, but it was taken in winter. I think it will be different in summer. We’ll see.”
Mary felt guilty that Bennie was being so helpful and kept trying to put the partnership dispute to the back of her mind, but wasn’t succeeding. Bennie had worked her butt off last night, digging into the case, organizing the files, and setting up a war room in the conference room. She had even taken orders from Mary, who was trying to get used to being the one giving orders. It felt strange to be the driver of a car in which Bennie Rosato was a passenger, both literally and figuratively.
Bennie pointed to the right. “Go that way, it’s back there.”
“Thanks.” Mary slowed to let a golf cart go by, then followed the curve around the clubhouse. To her left was a set of tennis courts, already full of singles and doubles players, and beyond that, just ahead, on the left was a driving range that had golfers whacking the ball into the distance.
“This is the first parking lot,” Bennie said, gesturing, and Mary looked around to see a large parking lot shaped like a square, mostly already full.
“I guess people get here early to avoid the heat.”
“Probably.”
“That’s it, up ahead.” Mary drove forward and pointed to a secondary parking lot beyond the large one, a smaller square that was completely empty and cordoned off by yellow crime-scene tape, a grisly note that was incongruous in the lovely, exclusive setting.
“I see.”
Mary fell silent. A man had died here, horribly. The thought made her sick inside, even though Simon could be on the hook. Murder would always be more than a crime to her. It was a sin.
“You okay?” Bennie asked, cocking her head.
“Yes.” Mary shook it off. A single police cruiser idled at the entrance to the secondary parking lot, and inside sat a uniformed policeman, probably running the air conditioner.
“Where does Todd park again?” Bennie asked. “In the very last spot?”
“Yes, in the farthest corner.” Mary cruised around the perimeter of the first lot. “I’m approaching it the way Simon did, around the outside.”
“I don’t know if those other cars that were parked here will yield anything.”
“Me neither. If the killer knew Todd parked at the far corner and wanted to get him, they’d wait for him in the second lot. No reason to risk being seen running from one car to the next.” Mary eyed the empty spot where Todd would have parked, but noticed that on its far side was an expanse of grass, then thick bushes. Beyond that were oak trees. “Look at that, beyond the lot. That’s interesting.”
“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.”