He reached past her shoulder and keyed in his override code, and the red bar stayed put.

Then he stood there holding his glasses in his hand.

“Maplewood’s been a quiet street all year.

One complaint last month, some guy fooling around with a junction box in the alley.

Nothing came of it.” He put the glasses back on.

“Nine years I’ve been on this floor.

You want to tell me what a snake has to do with a junction box?”

Claire keyed the transmitter.