“Not exactly,” Stone answered. “A few employees have prior records, but nothing that sticks out or fits the profile. It does help me at least whittle down who to consider, but I’m not fully eliminating anyone.”

I nodded. Seeing Stone actively working on the case outside of the small bubble we had formed in his rental had my heart beating a little harder.

Stop it, Len.

There was no doubt in my mind that if anyone could find the person responsible for all this, it would be him, but I couldn’t let the feelings growing inside me disrupt that.

“I should warn you, my colleague also found this,” he said and held up his phone screen for me to see.

When he flipped it, my breath caught in my throat. On the screen, staring directly at me, was a blown up version of the footage I had sent him. The keychain I’d been adamant about was now readable. I didn’t know what told me it was important, maybe it was instinct, but I knew there was a reason we had to read it. There were those three little words, staring right at me on the tag attached to a key inside whoever threatened me’s pocket.

High Tide Pub.

The same pub we sat in now.

I glanced around the room, as if I was going to be able to spot the keys out in the open. Tourists walked in the front door, wearing hats with BP embroidered on them. Waitresses hustled around the place, taking orders and cleaning tables. The longer we sat, the busier it became.

If they were truly keys to the pub, anyone could have them. It wasn’t exactly the damning evidence I hoped it was, but it did at least confirm we were starting in the right place.

“We should  begin,” Stone said gently.

“How?” I asked, unsure of what exactly it was he wanted me to do.

“Take a deep breath,” he instructed. “And close your eyes.”

I inhaled and let it out slowly, letting my eyelids flutter shut. I focused on what I could sense around me. The low hum of music and the distant conversations that carried through the air. The smell of food being brought out from the kitchen. Beneath me, I could feel the way the leather of the seat felt against my thighs.

I didn’t need my eyes open to know exactly what the scene around me looked like.

“Where were you in the pub that night?” Stone asked.

Easy.

“I was over by the bar. It was Calvin‘s birthday.”

“Good, keep that same focus,” he instructed. “What do you remember about the atmosphere? Was it loud? Were there many others around you?”