EIGHTY-NINE

3.35 P.M.

‘I mean where do we even start?’ Penn asked as they headed down the stairs.

‘Anywhere from the secure point outwards. Ain’t nobody getting past Jack,’ Stacey said as they headed into reception.

‘And to what do I owe this pleasure?’ Jack asked as they started to look around. ‘Lost something?’

‘Any strangers been in here today?’ Penn asked.

‘Err… no, just my mates been to visit today. Of course we’ve had strangers in. About bloody thirty of them.’

Stacey ignored his sarcasm. ‘Anyone leave anything behind?’

‘Well, as it happens, this really dodgy guy came in and left a duffel bag in the corner. As per my training, I cordoned off the area and called the bomb squad. Can’t believe you didn’t hear it all.’

‘Jack,’ Stacey persisted.

‘Fine. What kind of thing do you mean?’

And that was the problem. After what the boss had told her about the sticker-sized clue at the canal, she had no idea what they were looking for.

Having lost interest, Jack turned back to his computer.

Penn was overturning the chairs to ensure there was nothing on the underside.

‘Gotta be outside,’ Stacey said after checking the notice board to ensure there was nothing that shouldn’t have been there.

They headed through the automatic doors. Stacey turned right, and Penn turned left.

Fifteen minutes later, after checking every inch of the car park and the pavement that ran the length of the premises, they met up back in front of the building.

Penn held out a hand filled with crisp packets, chocolate wrappers and a few scraps of paper that looked like discarded receipts.

‘Picked up every bit of rubbish I saw just in case.’

‘Me too,’ Stacey said as they placed their offerings on the wall.

After checking every item, they agreed that there was nothing that had been left by their killer and put the rubbish in the bin.

‘What now?’ Stacey asked, looking back towards the building.

‘It’s here somewhere,’ Penn said. ‘He may have changed the rules, but he hasn’t outright lied to us yet.’

‘It can’t be. Perhaps he put something somewhere and it’s been picked up.’

‘He would have allowed for that. He had to be sure that it stayed here or made its way— Hang on,’ Penn said before rushing back into reception.

‘Okay, Jack, you said plenty of strangers. Any of them hand in any lost property?’

‘Actually, a woman handed in a bag she found by the bushes over there.’

He nodded towards the furthest point away from the building.

‘It’s nothing special, and there’s no identification or money in it. Most likely someone dumped it, but I’ve got it just there in case the owner realises they lost it and fancies a board game tonight,’ he said, nodding towards the end of his desk.

‘Pass it here,’ Penn said, holding out his hand.

Jack shrugged and did so.

They both peered inside. The only thing it contained was Scrabble tiles. But there was no doubt in Penn’s mind. Somehow, this was their next clue.