“That’s a good idea,” Shawn said. “We’ll meet you inside when you’ve got the paperwork figured out.”

Shawn reached for the door, but Lassiter positioned himself in front of it. “I can’t let you do that, Spencer,” he said.

“We called you for help.”

“And I came,” Lassiter said. “But if you request official police help, it comes with official police rules. Rule number one is you can’t search private property without a warrant.”

“Unless we’ve got a really good reason,” Shawn said.

“Not unless,” Lassiter said. “Not despite. Not because. Not even if.”

“There is such a thing as an exigent circumstance,” Shawn said.

“Technically true,” Lassiter said. “If I had reason to believe there was a crime in progress or a person in imminent danger, I would be able to go through this door. But I’ve already walked around the property, and the blinds are down on all the windows, so I couldn’t see inside.”

“Isn’t that suspicious?” Shawn said. “Who keeps their blinds closed on such a nice day?”

“People have a right to protect their privacy,” Lassiter said. “I have no reasonable expectation there is anything seriously wrong.”

“Not even a mime pulling a gun to steal the necklace Ellen Svaco hired us to retrieve?” Shawn said.

“I can’t guarantee what a judge would call reasonable,” Lassiter said, “but I’m pretty sure that’s not even close.”

Shawn and Gus exchanged a frustrated look. Then Gus straightened up. “Say, Shawn,” he said, “did you hear that?”

“Why, yes,” Shawn said. “Yes, I did.”

“I didn’t hear anything,” Lassiter said.

“Listen harder,” Gus said. “It sounded like a cry.”

“A cry for help,” Shawn said.

“A cry for help from inside that house,” Gus said.

Lassiter squinted his eyes and listened so hard they could see his ears moving. After a long moment he opened his eyes again. “Nope,” he said. “Nothing.”