Page 25 (1/2)

"This man’s an electrician and he’s retired, which means he has an independent income and can travel Plus, he has reason to hate you"

"Yeah, add it all up and George Dodd is looking more and more like our prime suspect"

Seven

They easily located the address Alan had given the froaloas lined with neglected flower beds

"It doesn’t seerass and yellowing newspapers lying on the doorstep

"Not for soain, harder There was only silence "Let’s try around the back"

They followed the sidewalk that curved around the house to the rear Despite the overgrown flower beds, it was apparent that the house itself had been well-cared-for by its owner

Jake pounded on the back door No response He turned in a slow circle, scanning the backyard A high wooden fence blocked the neighbors’ viehile the house concealed them from any passerby on the street or sidewalk

He bent and slipped a knife froasped The blade was long and wickedly lethal "What are you going to do with that?"

"Unlock the door" He nodded toward the ay at the side of the house "Keep watch, will you? Soe car is parked out front"

Chloe left the doorstep and peered around the corner of the house The lawn, sidewalk and the street beyond were quiet in the warot it"

She looked over her shoulder Jake pushed open the door, pausing to slip the knife back into the hidden sheath in his boot top He beckoned and she left her post to rejoin hi the door The roo, the counters and white cabinets immaculate

"I’ve never been in a man’s house this clean," Chloe whispered

"Yeah, it’s practically sterile"

Jake walked out of the kitchen, with Chloe behind hi area was as pristine and neat as the kitchen They passed through it, skirting the square ned precisely opposite each other, and entered the living roos were neither expensive nor new, and the sofa, with itsupholstered chair, had wear marks on the arms, but all was tidy and clean

"I don’t see evidence of anything other than that George Dodd is aly neat" She moved down the hall and looked into the bathrooh that’s unusual for aalone, it doesn’t prove he’s our crazy stalker"

"No" Jake’s voice caot a feeling about Dodd" He opened and closed doors, glancing briefly into rooet out of here It’s clear no one’s been here for some time, and if Dodd is our man, then he’s somewhere in Seattle"

They retraced their steps through the living roo room and into the kitchen

"Wait" Chloe stopped hi to the backyard A phone was erator The top corner of the fridge door held a narrow pad of paper with a netized back A pencil stub was attached to the pad by a neatly knotted length of fishing line

"What is it?"

"Shouldn’t we check the e pad? I’ve read hundreds of mystery novels, and the amateur detectives always check the blank pad for pencil impressions"

"Couldn’t hurt Go for it" Jake half grinned, waiting patiently while Chloe went to stare at the pad

She squinted at it, frowning "I think heon the pad, then torn off the paper There see pencil stub and carefully rubbed the lead over the paper

Jake bent closer to read the shaded letters "Sunshine Real? No, Sunshine Realty And the rest is a phone number--with Seattle’s area code"

Chloe dropped the pencil and ripped off the sheet "The phone number for a Realtor in Seattle? Maybe he used them to find an apartht" He took the paper, folded it and tucked it into his shirt pocket "S the door behind them Jake called Gray as soon as they were in the car and on their way out of town

"Gray? It’s Jake" He turned onto the highway and headed north "Granstroave us some valuable information Kenny Dodd’s father still lives in Mason City Granstrom says Dodd blao, right after receiving the military incident report"

Chloe listened to Jake’s half of the conversation

"Hold on a sec" He lowered the phone to hold it and the steering wheel in one hand while he fished the slip of paper out of his pocket with the other "He left the phone number of a Seattle realty office on the pad in his kitchen Want to check it out?" He read off the nulanced at Chloe and the corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile "No He tore off the note, but Chloe saw the impression his pencil made on the pad beneath"

His smile disappeared "Yeah, do that" He looked at his dashboard clock "We should be back in town by eight or so--too late to do anything tonight Right, see you tomorrow" Gray apparently had another question Jake responded "No, she’s staying withoff, put down the phone and slipped the folded paper back into his pocket

"You told Gray I’aze briefly, then looked again at the e ahead of them "Gut instinct tells me there’s ut"