Джонатан Келлерман - Serpentine

“Ellie’s house.”

“That was her assumption. She’d been leaving four cars between her and Galoway, closed it to three, then two. Then the driver in front of her made a lane change and she was right behind. Not ideal, but why would he suspect anything?”

I said nothing.

He exhaled. “Exactly, best-laid plans. Alicia’s expecting Galoway to turn into Ellie’s neighborhood, instead, he keeps going and swings in here. Alicia played it by the book, making sure his taillights were a good block ahead before she followed. All of a sudden, Galoway’s brake lights go on and he’s roaring straight back at her, going thirty, forty per. Alicia thought she was gonna get pulverized, tries to back away, can’t do it in time. Galoway’s heading right at her but instead of crashing, he screeches to a stop, jumps out, and runs up to Alicia’s window. Tinted glass, he can’t see, that doesn’t stop him from producing a gun and aiming it. We’re talking seconds since they entered the street, Alicia goes for her sidearm but it’s snapped into her holster, she keeps trying and ducks as low as she can, hoping to avoid a direct headshot.”

He sucked in air, rubbed his face.

I said, “Trapped. Oh, God.”

“Woulda been an oh God but the rookie jumped out on the passenger side with her service weapon and shot Galoway nine times.”

“Oh, my.”

“Didn’t give the kid enough credit,” he said. “Unfortunately, she’s gonna find herself in an officer-involved situation.”

“Sounds totally justified.”

“Since when does truth have anything to do with it? I’m hoping her dad’s well thought of. Anyway, Galoway’s done for, crypt wagon just took him away. I had an ambulance cart Alicia and Arredondo to Hollywood Pres for evaluation. They claimed they were okay but I said observe them for shock. At the least, playing the sympathy card could help with the shooting board. You weren’t involved I’d ask you to certify them traumatized.”

Talking had shortened his breath. His eyes looked unfocused as his right hand rose to the left side of his chest and stayed there.

I said, “You okay?”

“Peachy. Funny thing is, I’d decided to take it easy tonight because Rick was off-shift. We made some spaghetti, had the wine uncorked, then I get the call.”

I laughed.

He said, “What the hell is funny?”

“Synchronicity.”

I explained about Robin and my dinner. Normally, he’d be amused by that kind of thing.

He said, “Weird…at least you got to eat…what I’m having trouble with is why would Galoway risk trying for Ellie? Unless you can see another reason he’d drive all the way here from the Valley with two guns—there was also a rifle with a nightscope on the backseat. And then after figuring out he was being tailed, he pulls that cowboy move on Alicia?”

I said, “No other reason. He was either after a kill or just planned to scare her off with some shooting. The motive’s the same as when he bumped Phil Seeger off his bike.”

“Clearing the deck.”

“Hammer–nail.”

“It’s crazy-risky, Alex. And for what? Screwing up an investigation that as far as he knows is going nowhere?”

“Lying to you about everything is crazy-risky,” I said. “We can’t eliminate the possibility that Galoway got off on it. Or he looked up your solve rate and got nervous. Told Dorothy—imagine their pillow talk—and she dispensed him on an errand.”

“Dispatched by the evil queen…if that’s the case we could be talking kill your own daughter. Or not…okay, putting that aside, how did Galoway get Ellie’s address? That I know I never told him.” A beat. “You remember different?”

“You never mentioned it.”

“Then how, Alex?”

I thought about that. He lit up his cigar, blew a single gelatinous smoke ring, and began tapping his foot.

I said, “If he was a real estate agent, he could have contacts with rental agencies.”

“Real estate’s cutthroat,” he said. “The enemy calls you’re gonna cough up client info?”

“With enough motivation, you are.”

“A bribe.”

“Something more subtle. Like telling the agency Ellie had contacted him wanting to rent a bigger, more expensive place, if they agreed to help terminate the lease, he’d split commission. He tosses out big dollars, the other agent says let’s talk. Once it got to that point, it would’ve been easy enough get the address. He needed it for verification. Or better yet, he had another client for that property and they could pull off a two-fer.”

“Devious,” he said. “I’m always impressed by how quickly you don that hat.”

“Nothing like a few years in academia,” I said. “So what’s next?”

“Besides handling this mess? Obviously the main thing is getting into Galoway’s house but the one night-owl judge I can count on is on vacation. I’ll start again in the morning, could have a warrant by noon.”

I said, “How about a victim’s warrant? Quicker.”

“Too risky with an officer-involved and the possibility that Dorothy’s in there. Once I get paper, I need to figure out the best approach. That I could use you for. C’mon, I’ll walk you.”

—

Cool night but he’d paled and began sweating.

At the Seville, he said, “Guess you really didn’t need to come, apologize to Robin for me.”

“Glad I’m here,” I said.

“Why?”

“More time to think about tomorrow.”

He craned his neck, as if working out a kink. Cherries in the jaw. Racing carotid pulse.

I said, “Take it easy, friend.”

“What?”

“You look a little wound up.”

“Par for the course. No prob, it always dissipates.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll be fine, Alex. Know why?”

I shook my head.

“This feels like a turning point.”

A white Benz coupe screeched to within inches of the Seville’s rear bumper. The driver’s door swung open, a woman got out, saw Milo, and stomped forward, arms swinging.

Forties, short blond hair, a chin that led the way.

She wore a knee-length plum-colored coat over a matching dress and shoes, pearls, heels, full makeup. None of that detracted from the image of an infantry soldier marching to battle.

She stopped within inches of Milo’s face. All that was missing was the tire squeal.

“What happened?”

Milo said, “Dr. Delaware, this is Deputy Chief Martz.”

Martz looked at me as if I was a flu-carrier who’d broken quarantine. Back to Milo. “What. Happened.”

He told her.

She said, “When you decided to take the case on you were supposed to be careful.”

“I decided?”

“Who else?” said Martz. “This is the era of modern policing. No one forces anything on anyone.”

“Except for the criminals,” said Milo. “Oh, yeah, not always that, either.”

“Cut the humor, irrelevant,” said Martz. “Any way you cut it, tonight’s outing was at your behest. And now we’ve got a DB.”

“Who was a prime suspect in multiple murders.”

“So you say. I’m expecting backup and verification of any fact you purport to be in possession of. Understood?”

“And comprehended.”

Martz said, “I’m not talking your usual level of data memorialization. Details.”

“Got it.”

She looked up the street. “What a disaster. Does Ernie Arredondo know about his daughter?”

“Not from me,” said Milo.

“You didn’t think to inform him?”

“My concern has been preserving the scene and making sure Officer Arredondo and Detective Bogomil are okay psychologically.”

Martz turned to me. “You came here to certify their mental health?”