“My specialty is ornithology, the study of birds,” Houghton said, as he led Noble to the yard and the pole capped with a birdhouse. “I’d study resident species. I’m partial to the hermit thrush, our state bird.”

Noble nodded, but said little as they walked. He was focused on investigating the camera firsthand.

At the pole, Houghton gestured for him to ascend the ladder leaned against it. “As you requested. If you climb up and look inside, you’ll see the lens.”

With Houghton holding the ladder, Noble made his way two dozen feet up. The birdhouse was beautifully constructed. It smelled a little like a chicken coop, and was jammed with a nest and feathers.

“No worries, Detective,” Houghton called up. “No one’s home up there!”

Noble saw the lens in the upper rear corner aimed at the entrance. He turned to see the motel below. The vantage was perfect. But what did it capture? And how long did Houghton’s system keep recordings?

Noble put those questions to Houghton after he’d climbed down and they’d gone inside the house to Houghton’s office.

“I’ll show you everything.” Houghton set to work on his computer. “This is live, right now.”

The daytime view captured by the camera filled Houghton’s large monitor. The nest and entrance were clear, sharp, and in color. The street and Noble’s SUV were visible. The motel and its front parking lot were visible in the background, but the image curved with distortion cutting off some of the motel and the parking lot. The motel’s roof obscured the rear lot.

Not the view I was hoping for.

Noble rubbed his chin, then asked, “And how long do you keep recordings?”

“I don’t keep them.”

“But on the phone you said—”

“I have an arrangement with the university. I use their network. They’ve archived everything, twenty-four seven, since we put up the camera a couple of years ago. With mine, it’s more of a hobby for me now. I still help with some research. But the university has cameras across the state and works with other systems across the country. It’s all for study. We measure bird patterns against climate change, water quality, against urban development. Everything. All footage is archived through the university.”

“And the dates I’d specified? The times and dates Kevin Tatum and Samantha Moore were at the motel?”

Houghton’s mouse and keyboard clicked.

“After our call, I contacted the university, and they sent me archived footage for that period.” Another couple of clicks. “Here we go.”

The monitor darkened. The footage had been recorded at night. Noble eyed the time stamp on the video watching the seconds, minutes, and hours for the approximate time Tatum and Moore arrived at the Green Rolling Hills Inn.

Noble saw nothing but the lonely lights of the motel and a couple of vehicles passing in each direction.

Then nothing.