Faye Kellerman: Blindman’s Bluff

“Yeah, they’re my cousins.”

“And you know Julio Davis. He’s the one who gave you your alibi.”

“Yeah, I know Julio. He wasn’t there, either. I told you we were both getting drunk in a bar. About a million people saw us.”

“And you know Miguel Mendoza.”

“Met him a couple of times.”

“That’s all I’m saying. That you know the guys that Joe Pine said were involved in the murders.”

“Joe’s full of shit.”

“Probably. But let’s get back to you. If I believe you and I’m willing to help you out, you’ve got to help me.”

“Depends on what.”

“Can I be straight up with you?” When Cruces didn’t object, Decker said, “We’re in a little bit of a quandary. We know that the people who shot the Kaffeys were paid off by someone with a lot of money. Because Joe Pine said he got ten grand for the murders.”

“Joe’s full of shit.”

Decker leaned forward. “We know that the Kaffey murders were an inside job, Martin. We know that it wasn’t just planned by a bunch of Bodega 12th Street boys and a couple of guards. We know someone with a lot of money started the whole thing going, know what I’m saying?”

Cruces didn’t say anything, but he managed a small nod.

“And whoever started it…he’s the real bad guy. Why should your cousins take a fall for some fat cat?”

Cruces didn’t answer.

“Look, you had nothing to do with it,” Decker said. “So you’re okay. So why don’t you man up and help your cousins? Tell me who paid them to murder the Kaffeys?”

“I don’t know,” Cruces said. “I wasn’t there.”

Decker said, “But if you had to guess who El Patrón was, who would it be? You know El Patrón, right?”

“Why should I know?”

“Because you’re a player, Martin. You know about these people.”

Cruces didn’t answer.

“Who is El Patrón?”

“Why would I know about him?”

“I’m just asking for your opinion.”

“Well…” Cruces sat back. “If I give you my opinion, are you gonna let me go?”

“It’s not up to me. But I’ll tell everyone that I believe you. And I’ll tell everyone that you helped me out by giving me your opinion.”

“That means you ain’t gonna do dick.”

“What’s the harm in giving me your opinion? You’re not admitting to anything.”

“That’s right. I ain’t saying anything.”

Decker made a point of sighing. “I know you could help me. You’re a smart guy.”

“Why should I help you?”

“’Cause I’m the only one who believes you.”

“Are you really a lieutenant?”

“Yes, sir, I am. All I want is your opinion, smart guy. Nothing that’s admissible in court. Just want your plain honest opinion, sir.”

Cruces blinked then lay back in the chair. “Okay…in my opinion, if I was you…I would say…look at the brother.”

“Grant Kaffey or Gil Kaffey?”

“Not the sons, dude, the hermano. Mace Kaffey. Man, he never liked Guy at all.”

“Excuse me for a moment.” Decker walked out of the room-a big smile on his face.

Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

THREE WEEKS LATER, Martin Cruces agreed to turn state’s evidence against Mace Kaffey in exchange for a plea of life in prison with the possibility of parole. But even after Decker had heard the story, Mace was not an easy fish to land. The district attorney wanted more and more, and it took months of tedious investigation to uncover the few shreds of evidence against Mace. With Cruces’s testimony, a judge agreed to issue warrants that allowed the police to study Mace’s bank accounts, credit card receipts, e-mail correspondence, and phone records.

Oliver and Marge were able to document two places where conversations took place between Cruces and Mace. The sides argued vociferously about what was said between the two of them.

Lee Wang uncovered a trail of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in ten withdrawals that exited Mace’s bank accounts and traveled from one dummy corporation to another until it appeared to reach Martin Cruces’s hands. It was never specified what the money was for, and each side gave a different interpretation. Cruces claimed it was ten thousand for each of his drones in the hit and one hundred thousand for himself. Mace’s lawyers claimed it was a payment for beefed-up security after Guy received anonymous threats against his life. Why it went from Mace to Cruces was the subject of more speculation on the defense side.

Messing and Pratt were able to find about a half-dozen phone calls from Cruces to Kaffey, all of them placed on disposable cell phones that Cruces never disposed of. Particular attention was paid to two calls made on the night of the murders-one before and one after.

Willy Brubeck probably was responsible for the most damning piece of evidence: a gun registered to Mace Kaffey that was matched to the bullets pulled from Kaffey’s own body as well as in the jacket taken from Neptune Brady. Why Mace chose to set himself up using his own gun was anyone’s guess, but it probably had more to do with desperation measures than with common sense.

The total evidence was enough for the Los Angeles D.A. to take the case.

Immediately a warrant was issued for Mace Kaffey’s arrest.

The man came into the police station armed with a posse of lawyers, all of them claiming that Martin Cruces was a lying psychopath and his statements were fabrication. The charges were foisted upon Mace because the police needed a quick solve. The money transfer never happened. The conversations between them never happened. And the phone calls on a couple of throwaway phones? Who knew why Cruces was calling Mace? And suddenly Mace had remembered that Guy had asked Mace to borrow his gun. The thugs must have picked up the gun when they rampaged Coyote Ranch.

The defense claimed that the murders were a case of robbery gone wrong, and the subsequent shootings were the thugs trying to get rid of witnesses against them. Mace needed all the spin and help he could get. The charges against him included the premeditated murders of Guy Kaffey, Gilliam Kaffey, Denny Orlando, Alfonso Lanz and Evan Teasdale, Alicia Montoya, and the attempted murders of Gil Kaffey, Grant Kaffey, Neptune Brady, Antoine Resseur, Piet Kotsky, Peter Decker, and Cindy Kutiel. It had taken almost a year to bring the case to trial. With the evidence and a star witness, the prosecution convinced a jury of twelve peers that Mace Kaffey was guilty of six counts of murder one. He was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Gil Kaffey. But the jury remained deadlocked on the charges of the attempted murder of Neptune Brady, Grant Kaffey, Antoine Resseur, Piet Kotsky, Peter Decker, and Cindy Kutiel.

It was unlikely that Mace would be tried again by the state as he already faced the death penalty.

“IT’S STINKY THAT you won’t have your day in court,” Rina told Decker over dinner.

“You can only die once,” Decker answered.

“You’re lucky I wasn’t on that jury.” The verdict had been announced a week ago, but it was still on everyone’s minds. “That would have taken me away for months.”

Decker eyed her over a glass of cabernet. “You would have been recused.” They were in Tierra Sur restaurant inside the Herzog Winery, Decker’s favorite place. It had a friendly waitstaff, the best kosher wine list bar none, a lovely ambience, and a killer chef who made magic with every edible thing he touched. “Do you know what you want to eat?”

“I’m looking at the lamb.”

“Is it looking back at you?”

“That would be a little too rare for my taste,” Rina said. “What an evil man.”

“You’re still back on Mace?”