CHAPTER IX: THE UNPACKING CONTINUES...

I let that sink in for a minute. I didn't want to spook Ryan. God knows. Then cautiously I pressed a little.

"You have seen that watch before?"
"Yeh."
"Do you remember where or when?"

It got REAL quiet. Deadly quiet to use a metaphor. I sat looking at Ryan and then over at Joey who looked equally as tense, and then back at Ryan but I couldn't tell what he was thinking behind the look on his face.

We sat for at least 5 minutes and I simply knew that Ryan was merely trying to recall. There would be no urging him or rushing him but rather we would have to let his memory play out as it will with no other way around it.

Finally...
"Sorry Dylan. I don't remember. But I swear I have seen it before."
"Maybe just a watch like it? Or one worn by someone around here? Maybe a common looking watch?"

"NO!"
He said that rather forcefully and I leaned back. I had to keep reminding myself that Ryan cannot be rushed, or he goes into a mental freeze of sorts and that is never helpful, but especially now.

"Sorry, but no. It was on a wrist that I have seen before. I am SORRY, Dylan, Joey...I don't remember anything more right now. I just know I have seen it before."

"It's ok, Ryan, that is a good step."
He looked a bit relieved and I looked at Joey and he nodded.
I decided it was time to eat something and got both Joey and Ryan in the kitchen to help. Not just to help but also to relax the tension. Something that is the best time for the mind to ruminate on things. I sure as hell hoped so. After dinner, I intended to go to the station and share with Jonathan what had transpired and that is exactly what I did.

"Hey."
"Hey Boo."
He smiled and then I pulled up a chair and divested myself of my findings.
"Hmmmm. Ok, so you maestro sleuthy, lol....have secured a gold mine of info from our perp, eh?"
"Lol. One way to put it I guess. So do you think Lt. Brantford will be interested?"
"I would think so but he isn't here. He went to Philadelphia for a few days. That's where he worked last, and I don't know why he went if you were planning on asking."
"Philadelphia? But what about this case?"
"On hold I guess. He doesn't consult with me, Dylan."
"Good God. Well, I guess it is up to us paeans."
"Uhhhh...well, uhhhh."
"Oh hush. You know you like when I get into sleuthy mode."
"Yeh, and like I also always loved the measels and chicken pox and dry rot and..."
"Almost as much I bet."
"You gotta be careful, Dylan. You don't want to run afoul of a murderer you know."
"He should be the one to be scared."
"Hmmm..."

I wasn't sure how much more I was gonna be able to get out of Ryan or how long it would take so I knew we were gonna have to explore other aspects, and I decided that late or not it was time to pay another visit to Jonathan. Ryan had already gone upstairs to watch TV in bed and so Joey and I headed downtown.

"Hey monkees."
"Hey barrel of..."
We all laughed and then once seated got down to business.
"Jonathan, can we find out what Lt. Brantford has done so far?"
"Sure. I can pull his dailies and see what he has posted."
I nodded while he got busy on the computer.

"Well."
"What?"
"According to what I can find out, he hasn't really done much of anything. He seems stumped, but that makes no sense. He is supposed to be a very good investigator but...this? Just not much of anything."

"Can you see if he followed up on tracking Lucille Williams' son Doug?"
"Doesn't look like it."
"WHY?"
"I have NO idea Dylan."