Turning around, Colin drove back through the neighborhood, not sure what he hoped to find, until he came upon a park that included a grassy field, a jungle gym, and benches stationed beneath oak trees. On the opposite side of the street, ten or twelve cars were lined up; adjacent to the park were seven more. The lateness of the hour suggested that they belonged to the people who lived across the street, owners with multiple cars and nowhere else to park.
However, another car here would be more likely to go unnoticed – ideal for Lester – and he was sure he was right. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he snapped photos of the cars, along with their license plates. He wanted to know which ones belonged. And as he did, his thoughts began to coalesce.
He wanted to know what Lester looked like.
He wanted to find Lester’s car and license plate.
He wanted to know whether Lester was staying in the area, and if so, where.
Then, after that, he wanted to spend a few days watching and learning everything he could about the man.
“To what end?” Evan asked, squinting at him across the kitchen table; Lily was already asleep in the bedroom.
“Margolis said that he needs proof. I’ll get him proof.”
“You’re sure you’re not doing this because you want to beat the crap out of him?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, you want to beat the crap out of him, or yes, you’re not going to beat the crap out of him, even though you want to?”
“I don’t intend to go anywhere near him.”
“Good idea. Because you have serious issues.”
“Yes.”
“And how exactly do you intend to find him? Are you just going to hang out at the park and watch for strange cars?”
“Probably.”
“Because you think that Lester might one day park there again?”
“Yes.”
“And how are you going to know which cars belong and don’t belong?”
“Persistence.”
Evan was quiet for a moment. “I still think it would be a better idea if you just let Margolis do his job.”
Colin nodded. “Okay.”
After a few hours of sleep, Colin was back in the Sanchezes’ neighborhood with a notebook the following day. He’d parked a few blocks away and headed to the park, exercising on a floor mat he’d brought from home while he waited.
It was early, the sun not yet up, and all the cars he’d seen a few hours earlier were still there.
It was more than an hour before the first person emerged from one of the houses, hopped into a car, and drove off. Colin jotted the make, model, and color in the notebook. There was a flurry of activity at half past seven, and another flurry forty-five minutes later. Two more people claimed their cars as Colin was getting ready to leave for class, leaving only a single red car – a two-door Hyundai – adjacent to the park, and another two on the opposite side of the street.
Probably nothing, but he nonetheless noted the information.
On his way out, he detoured down the street with the vacant house. The street was empty, and he decided to risk it. Pulling over a few houses down, he headed for the house before cutting toward the fence.
Peeking over, he saw that the plastic picnic table was exactly where it had been hours earlier; the window, too, appeared to be untouched. If Lester wasn’t here, then the three remaining cars weren’t likely his. Call it 99 percent certain.
In class, he found himself only mildly interested in what the professors were saying and struggled to take proper notes. Instead, he wondered whether he should head to Lester Manning’s last known address in Charlotte or continue to stake out the vacant house. Or, if Maria slept at her place, whether he should watch for Lester there.
All good options, but it was impossible to be in three places at once.
What if he chose wrong?
His mind continued to circle the problem.
After leaving campus, he returned to the Sanchezes’ neighborhood. The red Hyundai parked adjacent to the park was still there, while the two others across the street were gone.
The lonely car seemed out of place. Again, on his way out, he stopped at the vacant house and peeked over the fence. No change.
Lester wasn’t in the vacant house. Which made sense. Neither Maria nor her family were home.