3am

Chapter 11

I drop Liam off at the warehouse for Basic Manufacturing on my way to the boarding house. When I arrive, the landlady kindly allows me access to Joe's former rooms. Luckily for me, Joe has always been tidy, so it is easy for me to spot where someone has searched the place already. Even though they were neat about it, I see clothing peeking out of drawers, papers spread over the desk, and items in minor disarray on top of the dresser. Things that Joe would have never allowed. I radio dispatch and have them send out a CSI team to dust for prints, just on the off chance the snooper wasn't wearing gloves.

I glance over the papers on the desk, doing my best to read them without disturbing them. After I have done all I can in the room without touching anything, I head back downstairs to await the CSI team and also to talk with the landlady, Mrs. Habersham.

"What kind of tenant was Joe?" I ask.

"Oh the best kind," Mrs. Habersham replies. "He was friendly, always offering to help out around here. And he paid his rent promptly each month. He was a bit quiet, though. He sometimes took his meals in his room, which I was fine with so long as he returned promptly the dishes and he kept the room clean. I cannot abide by pests in my house!"

"And Joe kept his room clean?"

"Oh yes. He borrowed my vacuum at least once a week. And he always dusted his entire room on Sunday. The same day he cleaned his bathroom, come to think of it."

"What about after he disappeared? Didn't you think that was strange?"

"To be honest Detective, no, no I did not. Joe had mentioned he was thinking about going to visit his family out of state. He said as soon as his parole officer signed off on the trip, he was taking a week and a half vacation to see his parents."

"You didn't report him missing when he didn't return on time?"

"No. I thought he might have extended his visit a few days. When his parole officer called here and said Joe missed a meeting, I knew something was wrong. But by then, his parole officer had filed the report, and I figured the police would take his report more seriously than one from me."

"Has anyone gone into the room since Joe went missing?"

"No, not that I know of."

"Who was the last person you saw going into Joe's room?"

"Joe. I saw him the night before he disappeared. He was late getting home. Claimed he had had some car trouble."

"And you haven't seen anyone else  going into the room?"

"No, but that's not to say someone else didn't go in there. No one bothers to lock their bedroom doors, so anyone in the building could have accessed Joe's room."

"How many other tenants do you have?"

"Not including Joe? About five." Just then the CSIs show up. I escort them to room and point out the places I think would be best bets for prints. Once they get started, I return to the Mrs. Habersham. I thank her for the information and excuse myself. I head over to Basic Manufacturing, where Liam is waiting outside for me.

"About time you showed up," Liam admonishes me. "I was beginning to think you had found a new partner."

"Oh cool your jets," I chide him. "I found Joe's room ransacked, so I had to call in CSI. And I interviewed the landlady to see what she knew."

"And?"

"Not a lot. She says Joe was a model tenant, paid on time, offered to help out around the place, just an all-around nice and friendly guy. Said he was quiet, but not rude or unruly. She didn't report him missing because she thought he might have gone to visit family out of state. She claimed Joe was just waiting on Roberts to sign off on the trip. When he disappeared, she figured he got the okay and had left. It wasn't until Roberts called her looking for Joe that she realized he was missing. And by then, Roberts had already filed the police report."