“What is it?” Val came to his side. The Ballards’ back porch light was on, illuminating the rear yard. “I don’t see anything.” The key was still in her hand and she was about to show it to Jack when she saw what he had noticed. “Jesus, the fence.”

“Yes. Look at how the two slats are on an angle, causing them to separate. Looks like they’re loose and eventually got stuck apart in the snow as it piled up.” Jack quickly headed out of the room. “Only one way to know for sure.”

“Jack!” Val followed close behind. She was out of the room and down the hall before she realized she still had the key. “Jack, slow down. We’re not going out there, are we?”

“You don’t want to?” He was already slipping on his boots.

Val had to think of her job description and how she was already crossing over several lines, lines that could get her fired. Jack was right though. She wanted to see this. Just like coming into this house. Plus checking out a back fence outside was probably the least of her worries. She still held the key. “What kind of lock do you think this belongs to?”

Jack squinted. “Where did you get that from.”

“The chain was poking out from a pocket in a pair of jeans in the laundry pile on Gabrielle’s floor.”

“Looks like it belongs to some type of lock box.”

“What should we do with it?”

“Put it back.”

“What do you mean put it back?” Val looked at Jack, dumbfounded. “Maybe I should give it to Detective Gavin.” Val winced at that thought. Then she’d have to tell him she was in the house.

“No need. If there was a lock box in this house, Detective Gavin would have confiscated it and he wouldn’t need the key to open it. They’d break the lock. Plus, why would Gabrielle put any kind of important key in her pocket. Then take off the piece of clothing and discard it in a laundry pile?”

Val felt relieved at those thoughts. “Okay, give me a second.” She ran back to the bedroom and was about to slip the key back into the jeans pocket when she hesitated. I can always come back and return the key in the next day or two if I have to. Right now, she just wanted to know what it belonged to and having the key itself would help with an internet search. She put the key in her own pocket and ran back to Jack, quickly putting her boots and coat on. “I kept the key,” she said as they exited.

Jack laughed. “That was my next test. It’s exactly what I would have done.”

“Do I get an A for today, then?”

“We’re not finished yet.”