“Yep, and I did you one further.”
“Oh?”
“I updated the information on the murder board.”
“Great,” she said, reading his notes about Candace’s relationship with Ray Conner and where she had been the last five years. “I didn’t have time last night.”
“And… one of my requests has actually paid off.”
Katie’s eyes lit up. “Oh please, let’s have some good news.”
“I had set up a search with some of the more prominent charities for various fundraising arenas. Everything from building a new wing on a hospital to feeding the children. And…”
“And?”
“I found Jonathan and Sara McKinzie.”
“Fantastic. When can we set up an appointment with them?”
“Well, that’s not the way it works.”
“What do you mean?” she said.
“These are very private, very wealthy people who only really come out into the public for a rare charity event. I couldn’t find their residences, probably because the real estate is under trusts or corporations. With more time, I can probably come up with something more.”
“So we can’t talk to them?”
“We can, but…” he said hesitating, “it’s going to require some creativity.”
Katie thought about what McGaven had said. “Are they in California?”
“That’s the good news.”
“More good news?” She smiled.
“There’s an event on Saturday in Sacramento at the Four Seasons.”
“This Saturday?”
“Yep, and the McKinzies are the benefactors of the Children’s Cancer Research & Medical Care Gala.” He read from his notes. “It’s an annual event and dinner that takes place in different cities in California, Texas, and New York. The cost is, are you ready for this, $2,500 a plate.”
“Wow, not in my budget.”
“I think we should go.”
“How?”
“We can go in undercover with the caterers and then change and make our way into the event. This would be a police undercover assignment to gather more information for not one, but two of our active homicide investigations.”
“I don’t know…” she said. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, but I don’t think Dottie is going to go for it. They let us slide on the park surveillance, but… And it’s in two days.”
“C’mon, Katie, it’s worth a try. Just ask. I don’t know how we’re going to be able to speak with them otherwise. I haven’t been able to get a response from their spokesperson, attorney or whoever.”
Katie stood up, rereading the murder board, painfully aware of this gaping hole in it. “Okay,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Don’t get all happy yet, the sheriff still has to approve it. Don’t forget, this is out of our jurisdiction, so the sheriff will have to smooth it over with Sacramento PD. I’ll put the request together.”
“You used to be a cop there. That should help. And the fact that the McKinzies could be jetting off to who knows where afterwards. This is the only time that we’ll probably get a chance to talk to them.”
“Maybe.”
McGaven turned back to his computer and seemed to be excited about the prospect of working undercover.
Katie wasn’t as convinced, but she would get the paperwork together and speak with her uncle. “Okay, first we have to try to fill in some of these blanks.”
“I’m game.”
“We need to talk to Tanis again. I’m worried she’s not responding. And I need any information about the McKinzies we can get ahead of time, especially around when they owned Elm Hill Mansion. And, we should try and check out Candace Harlan’s story and find her ex-boyfriend Ray Conner.”
“I’m on it.”
“You up for a quick trip to Tanis’s place first?” she asked.
“You have to ask?”
Forty-Six
Thursday 1115 hours
Before leaving, Katie emailed Sheriff Scott about their proposed undercover assignment to go to the Four Seasons as guests to talk to Mr. and Mrs. McKinzie. She would wait to hear if they received a preliminary approval and then she would write a more in-depth request.
The rain had stopped and the sun shone brightly as they drove back to the small tourist town where Tanis Jones lived. Katie was quiet, lost in thought.
“You know,” said McGaven breaking the silence and Katie’s train of thought. “You didn’t need me to come with you to question Tanis Jones.”
“I know. I just thought… that we both needed to be there.”
“You’re keeping an eye on me, aren’t you?”
“No.”
“Yes, you are. I know the entire metal container thing scared the crap out of you. It did me, too.”
“No.”
“Yes, it did.”
“Maybe a little.”
“I’m fine. The bruises are much better and it doesn’t hurt when I laugh. Okay?”
Katie glanced from the road to McGaven and she smiled. “Yep, everything’s okay.”
“Now, getting video footage of you doing a muddy cannon ball down that path was something else.”
“Great. Don’t pass that around.”
“Don’t worry. John and I won’t ever share it.”
Katie looked at him sternly. “You better not.”
He laughed.
Things were better between them and Katie was glad how things had turned out. They now shared a more solid bond of trust and she felt it was a blessing.
“I’m glad we were able to figure out that the folded piece of paper with ‘ETL’ had been torn from a full piece of paper from another locker,” he said.
“Weird coincidence?”
“It was in Deputy McAlaster’s locker next to yours, and because she had been doing some research and in haste she had slipped the torn piece in the wrong locker.”
The sun flickered through the branches and the landscape was greener and lusher than before. It was as if a new, stronger beginning was launching and anything was possible. Katie hoped that was the case for the homicides.
It took Katie about ten minutes before they arrived at Tanis’s apartment and found a parking place. Katie and McGaven exited the vehicle and took a look around. Everything appeared just like it was when they were there last.
“I’m calling lunch at that awesome-smelling bakery after we catch up with Tanis,” said McGaven.
“You don’t need to twist my arm.”
Katie led the way as she walked down the back alley and up the stairs to the studio apartment. The door was closed, so Katie knocked. “Tanis, it’s Detective Scott. Are you home?”
There was no answer and no sound from inside.
She waited a moment and then knocked again. Turning to McGaven who was waiting a few steps down, she said, “I guess she’s not home.”
“Maybe she’s at the shop?” suggested McGaven.
“Of course.”
They left the apartment and walked to the little souvenir tourist shop. Opening the door, the chime announced their entrance. Mandy, dressed in a tie-dyed purple and yellow dress, came out from behind the counter. When she saw Katie and McGaven, she raised her arms, causing the dizzying bangles on her wrists to clatter. “It took you long enough. Where have you been?”
“What do you mean?” said Katie.
“They said they would send someone out when I called, but no one came,” she huffed and then had to sit down.
“Take it easy,” Katie said as she helped the older woman to sit down. “Now, tell us what’s wrong? Who did you call?”
“The police.”
“About what?” she asked.
“Tanis is missing.” It was clear that Mandy was distraught. “I knew that something might happen to her based on her past, but I always, always protected her, you have to know that.”
“Okay, Mandy, start from the beginning. Take a breath, okay.”
She rubbed her arms and t
ook a few breaths before explaining, “Tanis didn’t show up for work.”
“When was that?” asked Katie.
“Tuesday.”
“That was two days ago.” Katie’s gut instinct turned cold and she knew that it wasn’t an accident that Tanis didn’t show up for work and wasn’t home. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I called the police right away, but they wouldn’t help me at first. I didn’t think to call you because I thought I needed to call the local police. I waited another day and called again. They finally took a report and said that they would send someone out, but they didn’t.”
“Okay, take it easy. Are you sure that Tanis didn’t say anything about going somewhere? Or visiting someone? Anything?”
“No, you don’t understand. She wouldn’t go anywhere without letting me know. I hadn’t talked to her for a few days, but that wasn’t unusual. But her not showing up for work is not like her.”
The breeze from outside blew through and several wind chimes fluttered a tune that was almost eerie, like a warning. “Okay, have you been inside her apartment?”
“I just looked inside to see if she was there but she wasn’t.”
“You own the apartment?”
“Yes.”
“May I have your permission to look inside?”
“Yes, of course.” She got up and rummaged in a drawer and retrieved a key ring.
“Thank you. We’ll be right back, okay?”
She nodded.
Katie gave a look to McGaven as they left the store and then recovered their search gloves from the car.
When they were at the landing at the studio apartment pulling on their gloves, she said, “I think she’s in trouble.” Her words hung in the air and didn’t need a response from McGaven. She tried the doorknob and it was already open.
She slowly pushed the door open and scanned the room. Everything looked like it did before but there were several pillows thrown on the floor which didn’t seem right.
They entered. Katie saw that there were two coffee cups on the table. She motioned to McGaven. “Looks like she had a visitor.”
By the impressions on the carpet, he saw that the chairs had been moved. It appeared that she knew her visitor well enough to make tea. The kitchen revealed a half-full teapot and two small plates with crumbs left behind.
“Her personal toiletries are still in the bathroom, toothbrush, hairbrush, and such,” said McGaven.
On one of the small tables, there was a crochet purse. Katie picked it up and inside there were a set of keys and her wallet. “Her purse and everything is still here,” she said, laying it back on the table. “We need to contact the local PD that Mandy made the report to, and have them search and document this studio. Maybe we might get lucky and get prints off the mugs or plates. There might be cameras across the alley—have the PD pull those as well.” She thought about it. “And, we need to get someone to stay with Mandy and make sure she’s alright.”
“On it,” said McGaven as he pulled out his cell phone.
Looking around the studio, Katie realized that her worst fear might have become a reality.
Forty-Seven
Thursday 2115 hours
“You going to be okay?” Chad asked.
“Of course,” Katie replied and kissed him again.
They stood at the front door threshold. The cold air rushed inside making her shudder as Chad held her tighter.
“I can stay.”
“You need to spend some time at your new place. I’m fine. Look, Cisco even thinks so.”
The dog let out a low grumble.
“See?” she said.
“Get a good night’s sleep, okay? I don’t know what’s going on with your cases, but I can see that it’s wearing on you.”
She nodded. “I’m going to bed in a few minutes.”
He kissed her again and headed toward his truck. “Talk to you in the morning.”
“Talk to you then,” she said and slowly closed the door.
Katie stood for a moment listening to the quietness and then she heard Chad’s truck start up, headlights pierced through the blinds, and then he backed down the driveway, the lights slowly dwindling.
She knew that she had missed two sessions with Dr. Carver and that wasn’t the way she wanted it to be. Dr. Carver had expressed that she sensed extra tension and anxiousness so she wanted to talk to Katie more than twice a month. Her work, Chad, and all the recent drama had taken up every minute. But still—she felt guilty—that was the way it had to be… for now.
“It’s bedtime,” she said to Cisco. “C’mon.”
The dog jumped off the couch and followed Katie as she turned off the lights and secured the doors.
After going through her evening ritual, Katie tumbled into bed and fell asleep within minutes. Her dreams were tame. No victims begging for help. No crime scenes needing attention. Just sleep.
Rapid knocking at the front door woke Katie out of a deep sleep. At first she thought it was in her dream, but the knocking continued as she groggily became more awake.
Cisco barked and stood in the doorway of her bedroom. His tail low. A guttural growl. His body tense.
She had left her phone in the kitchen and couldn’t see her security cameras. The knocking continued. Glancing at her alarm clock, she had only been asleep for forty-five minutes. Pulling on a robe, Katie secured her sash and rummaged in her nightstand drawer until she pulled out a gun. Readying it, she moved quietly through the house, leaving all lights off. She used a hand gesture to Cisco and he shadowed her in silence, blending in with the darkness.
Peeking out the window, Katie didn’t see any car and wondered who had so boldly knocked on her door at night. It wasn’t Chad because he would have had his truck.
She stood next to her door and turned on the outside light. “Who is it?” she said with authority.
“Candace,” came the unexpected reply.
Katie took a moment to comprehend. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m sorry, Detective, but I had no other place to go.”
“Bleib,” she instructed Cisco to stay.
Katie opened the door. Candace stood there in the same clothes she had been wearing during their scuffle in the rain at the park. She had a lightweight beige backpack slung over her right shoulder.
“How did you find where I lived?”
“I… I have been following you.”
“Of course,” she said with some cynicism. “You have my number. Why didn’t you call me?”
“I did. It went to voicemail.”
“Oh.” Katie remembered that she was charging her phone.
“Is there something wrong?” Katie didn’t know what else to say.
“May I come in?” the girl asked.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Please can I crash here tonight?”
Katie blinked in surprise, realizing that she probably didn’t have anywhere to go.
“Please, just for a little while. I can’t get ahold of anyone I know here. They just let me go tonight and it’s late.”
“They just let you go?”
“Yeah.”
“What did they charge you with?”
“Obstruction. Hindering an investigation.”
“How did you make bail?”
“It was $5,000 and I was able to give the bail bonds $500—that’s all I have.”
Katie felt bad as she watched the girl explain what had happened to her. “I can’t let you stay here with these investigations underway. But, you can stay tonight due to extenuating circumstances—I’m going to see if I can get you some safe housing. I have to let my bosses know tomorrow that you were here. I don’t know if that’s going to help or hurt your case. Understand?”
She nodded.
“Come in,” she said and opened the door wider.
Candace walked inside and stood about six feet away, politely waiting.
“Have you eaten any
thing?” Katie asked.
She shook her head.
“I can make you a sandwich,” Katie said and walked to the kitchen.
Cisco padded to the new person and gave her a once-over, finally ending up sniffing her shoes.
“Is he friendly?”
“Cisco? Yes, he’s friendly. He was a war dog. We did two tours in Afghanistan.”
Candace carefully walked past the dog and sat at the counter facing Katie.
“Turkey and Swiss?” Katie asked.
“That’s great.”
Katie put together a hearty sandwich with turkey, Swiss cheese, mayo, lettuce, and tomato on wheat bread. She put it on a small plate and slid it over to Candace. “You want something to drink?”
“Milk? If you have it.”
“I get the feeling that you have something to tell me,” she said, pouring a glass of milk.
Candace took two hefty bites and thought as she chewed. “I’ve had a lot of time to think. And I think that someone is going after us girls—”
Katie put down the milk. “Why do you think that?” she said suspiciously. Still not convinced that the ordeal with the containers at Elm Hill was as innocent as Candace claimed.
“Because.”
“Why, Candace?”
“It’s no secret that we, all of us girls, aren’t perfect.”
“And?”
“We’ve all done things that we’re not proud of—but we’ve had to survive,” she said, stuffing more of the sandwich in her mouth.
“Slow down. When was the last time you ate?”
She shrugged. “I dunno.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ve been trying to get in contact with a friend. I know she’ll let me stay with her.”
“Who’s your friend?” said Katie.
“Tanis,” she said quietly.
Katie sighed and her heart sank.
“What? What’s wrong?” Candace stopped eating. “Tell me.”
“I went to visit Tanis today.”
“Yeah.” Her eyes watched Katie carefully.
“According to her landlord and boss, she has been missing since Tuesday, maybe earlier.”
“What? No… no… no.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Not Tanis.” She stood up and was going to head toward the door. “You have to find her. Please…”
Last Girls Alive: A totally addictive crime thriller and mystery novel (Detective Katie Scott Book 4) Page 24