Obsession

by Jonathan Kellerman

  “There is a problem?”

  “Not with Kyle.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  “A man living in the building on Cherokee was murdered yesterday. The building’s owned by Kyle’s mother. She got it as part of a divorce settlement but back when you lived there it was owned by Colonel Bedard.”

  “It’s all…connected?”

  “It’s possible your mother got the job at the mansion because someone from Cherokee recommended her.”

  “Who would do that?”

  “That’s what we’re trying to find out.”

  She reached for a half-empty yogurt container and squeezed. “I still don’t see why you’re talking to Kyle. He was a kid back then.”

  “The man who was murdered was named Lester Jordan. Sound familiar?”

  She shook her head.

  “He was living there when you were. First-floor apartment, left side of the corridor, toward the back.”

  “I’ve never heard of him, Dr. Delaware. Mommy never let me go inside the building alone. Who killed him?”

  “We don’t know, yet.”

  “You think Kyle knows?”

  “Lester Jordan was Kyle’s mom’s brother.”

  “And now he’s—oh, my God, you’re saying it’s because of what I started?”

  “No, there’s no evidence of that, Tanya.”

  “But you think it’s possible.” She grabbed a handful of hair and twisted. “Oh, my God, I couldn’t let go of it and now that man’s dead.”

  “You are not to blame,” I said. “Zero responsibility.”

  “This is horrible.”

  “Tanya, Lester Jordan was a heroin addict who led a high-risk lifestyle, it’s a miracle he’s survived this long. Unless your mother and he had some kind of relationship when he was alive, there’s no reason to believe she’s connected to his death.”

  “Of course they had no relationship, why would she hang out with someone like that?”

  “It didn’t need to be a social connection,” I said. “An addict could require medical care from time to time.”

  “You’re saying she helped him with overdoses?”

  “Or with kicking his habit.”

  Or feeding it.

  “I never saw or heard of anything like that,” she said. “But I was so young.”

  “Even if your mother did help Jordan, it doesn’t mean that had anything to do with his death. This was a man with an extensive criminal record. He associated with bad people. Lieutenant Sturgis is looking into Jordan’s background. He needs to talk to Kyle’s parents but they’re both out of town. Kyle was the next best thing.”

  Letting go of her hair, she played with the yogurt cup. “I really can’t see Mommy knowing someone like that. Her big thing was protecting me from bad influences.”

  “What about those drunks who knocked on the door?” I said. “That could’ve been an addict going through withdrawal.”

  “I guess. I never saw her open the door. That was the whole point, keeping that world outside.”

  “Sketchy neighborhood,” I said. “But she lived there for six years.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “Maybe she stayed that long because she was earning extra income caring for Lester Jordan. When Colonel Bedard needed nursing, his family remembered how effective she’d been and asked her to live in.”

  “She never told me anything like that.”

  “There’d be no reason to tell a seven-year-old.”

  A clapping sound drew our attention. Milo’s hand landing on Kyle Bedard’s shoulder. Kyle flinched, made eye contact with Tanya.

  She stared past him and he turned back to Milo.

  Milo spoke a bit longer, gave Kyle a half salute and a wolf-grin. Kyle chanced another glance at Tanya, headed for the physics building. Fooling with his glasses and hitching his pants, he stepped inside.

  Tanya said, “He left his lunch.”

  Milo said, “His appetite may have waned.”

  A big padded hand shot out. “Milo Sturgis.”

  “Tanya.”

  He sat down next to her. “Sorry to interrupt.”

  “Lieutenant, I’ve never heard of that man, Jordan.”

  “Didn’t expect you would, Tanya.”

  “Kyle’s uncle,” she said. “How’d Kyle take the news?”

  “He’s a little shaken,” said Milo.

  “Do you think this happened because of me?”

  Milo eyed the murals. Promethean figures lofting test tubes, holding calipers, watching sparks fly. “That would be a quantum leap, Tanya. Jordan’s lifestyle was what we call high-risk.”

  “Dr. Delaware told me all that, but how can you be sure it’s not related?”

  “We can’t, that’s why we’re here. You told Dr. Delaware you thought your mother brought up the ‘terrible thing’ because she was trying to protect you.”

  “It was more a feeling than a rational thought, Lieutenant. I sensed it.”

  “Nothing she actually said led you to that?”

  “No, just her intensity. As if it was really important for me to have the knowledge. She used to say ‘Knowledge is power.’ It just felt like this was another example—pointing me in a certain way. That’s why I contacted Dr. Delaware.” Looking down. “So he could direct me to you.”

  Milo scratched his nose. A pigeon swooped into the fountain’s plume. Drank, showered, shook its feathers dry, and departed. “Are you pretty aware of personal safety issues?”

  “Am I in danger, Lieutenant Sturgis?”

  “I’m not ready to put you in the witness protection program but I would like you to be careful.”

  “About?”

  “The basics. Keep your doors and windows locked, turn on your alarm when you get home, look around before you get out of your car, don’t talk to strangers. Stuff you should be doing anyway.”

  “I am,” she said. A trio of pigeons dive-bombed the fountain. “Is Kyle considered a stranger?”

  “Not anymore, I guess—Tanya, I can’t give you a cookbook. There’s no problem hanging with him at a public place. In fact, that could be a positive if in the course of hanging you learn something useful.”

  “You want me to spy on him?”

  “Sometimes things come out in the course of conversation.”

  “Like what?”

  “Maybe Kyle will recall something about his uncle that will help close this murder.”

  “Did Kyle say he was close to him?” said Tanya.

  “He said the two of them haven’t had contact for years.” Milo smiled. “Tanya, my bet’s on Jordan’s addiction and criminal history being the main factors in his death. But Dr. Delaware tells me you’re mature and smart and you seem that way to me. So I’m being straight with you. At this point, nothing can be ruled out.”

  She thought about that. “Makes sense…I can see Kyle not wanting to hang with someone like that. Beer’s the strongest thing he takes.”

  I said, “How’d that come up?”

  She blushed. “We were discussing…values. I guess that sounds geeky.”

  Milo said, “Tanya, if more people paid attention to values, I’d have more leisure time.”

  I said, “You were talking about values and drugs came up?”

  “Actually, I brought it up. I mentioned I was thinking of becoming a psychiatrist and that the whole biological revolution interested me. Kyle said he had a cousin who was on medication for all sorts of behavior problems and from what he’d seen, he wasn’t sure that was the way to go. We ended up talking about where you draw the line between treatment and fostering chemical dependency. That’s what we were discussing when you showed up.”

  Bouncing her knees. “Maybe Kyle has reservations about medication because of his uncle’s problems.”

  “Could be,” I said.

  “If he’s someone I shouldn’t be hanging with, just tell me.”

  Milo said, “Keep your eyes open and trust your instincts.”r />
  Her eyes shifted to the entrance of the physics building. “Is inside Bergson Hall considered a public place?”

  “For the time being, yes.”

  She stood, began collecting the food and depositing it in a bag.

  He said, “Have you found your mother’s gun?”

  She stopped moving. “Do I need to learn how to use it?”

  “I’d like to have it for a few days to run some tests.”

  “You think it was used to do something criminal?”

  “I’m sure it wasn’t but let’s verify that. Do you know where it is?”

  She nodded. “Should I bring it to your office?”

  “How about I pick it up? When will you be home?”

  “Today?”

  “Sooner is better than later.”

  “Let’s see…around five, five thirty. Six to be safe, if I end up doing some studying after work.” Checking her watch. “I’m due at the library right now.”

  “Go ahead, see you at six,” he said. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you, too,” she said. “And thank you for taking the time to help me. I really appreciate it.”

  This time she held out a hand. Pumped Milo’s mitt then gave me a quick hug. “I know I’ve made things complicated…I feel safe with you on my side. Say hello to Dr. Silverman, Lieutenant. Mommy adored him.”

  When she was gone, Milo said, “You lie to her, too?”

  “You bet.”

  “Good man.”

  CHAPTER

  17

  One thing was true,” said Milo as we drove away from campus. “Can’t protect her twenty-four seven, she needs to look both ways and be smart. Think she got the message?”

  “Probably,” I said. “All that gravitas you project. What did you learn from Kyle?”

  “Uncle Lester was persona non grata, no one in the family had much contact with him. Last time Kyle remembers seeing him was after his parents divorced—shortly after the old man died. His mom and dad had been separated for a while and Kyle flew down from Atherton with her so she could get some art objects she considered hers. While she was scrounging, Jordan dropped by and Kyle answered the door. Jordan tried to make conversation, Mom saw who it was and told Kyle to go inside.”

  “Kyle have any idea why Jordan dropped by?”

  “Nope. But seeing as Jordan was an addict and she was supporting him, my bet would be he was hitting on her for extra cash. What did you lie to Tanya about?”

  “I suggested Patty might have been helping Jordan with his addiction but said nothing about her feeding his habit.”

  “All that medical-quality dope within reach and a junkie with a rich family. Yeah, it fits nicely, doesn’t it?”

  I said, “Patty stayed there six years, got paid by the family to keep the black sheep out of their lives. The old man turned ill and his needs took priority over Jordan’s. When the colonel died, it was time for her to move on.”

  “Moving her around like a chess piece.”

  “Kyle’s mother has definite ideas about social class.” I told him about the daily purse inspection.

  He said, “The wretched refuse. Still, if we’re right about Patty being helpful with Jordan, why not send her back to Cherokee after the old man was gone?”

  “Jordan was Mrs. Bedard’s kin. I can see Mister not being thrilled about letting him live rent-free. Once he split from his wife, no more indulgence.”

  “Good riddance to you and your loser brother,” he said. “Who just happened to be a pal of Lowball Leland Armbruster who just happened to get shot by a .22 while Patty was living a few blocks from the murder scene and just happened to own a .22. We handed Tanya a whole load of emotionally supportive bullshit, Alex. She was right to make the connection. Jordan survives twenty years shooting dope, we chat with him about Patty, and all of a sudden he’s sitting dead on his toilet. If ballistics matches Patty’s gun to the slug in Armbruster, we’re talking major-league complications. The kind that could lead to eliminating witnesses.”

  “Jordan saw Patty shoot Armbruster? Who’d be threatened by that?”

  “I’m saying Jordan knew something about the shooting that was worth killing for.” His cell chirped some kind of Hawaiian music. “Sturgis…hey, how’s it going…did you?” Big spreading smile. “Restores my faith in technology, kid. Yeah, let’s do that, say half an hour? The doctor’ll be there, too, maybe we’ll gain some deep intrapsychic insights.”

  He hung up, still grinning.

  I said, “Sean?”

  “Petra. Jordan’s john was wiped clean and so was the inner sill of the open window. But the techies got a partial palm print from the ledge outside. Palms are finally being cataloged on AFIS and there’s a hit. Some naughty boy busted for assault last year. Ain’t it nice when the bad guys don’t learn?”

  We sat with Petra in an empty interview room at Hollywood Division. Raul Biro was out recanvassing Lester Jordan’s building and its neighbors on Cherokee.

  The room was windowless and hot and smelled of witch hazel. Petra had removed her black jacket. Underneath was a sleeveless gray silk shell. Her arms were white, smooth, sinewy, her nail polish a deep brown that fell just short of black. Lipstick of the same hue, a half tone lighter. She slid an arrest form across the table. Clipped to the top were full-face and profile mug shots.

  “Gentlemen,” she said, “meet Robert Bertram Fisk.”

  Fisk’s picture screamed the virtues of cliché: bony off-center countenance, head shaved clean, close-set eyes devoid of feeling and dark with menace. A skimpy mouth was further reduced by a heavy black mustache, right-angled down to his chin like a croquet wicket.

  Basic Bad Guy.

  The taut, corded, tattoo-brocaded neck substantially wider than Fisk’s jaws was overkill. But this was L.A., where subtlety could be a shuttle to obscurity.

  Milo said, “You gotta be kidding. I’d take him for a social worker feeding the homeless.” He ran his finger down to the stats.

  Male Caucasian, twenty-eight, five seven, one forty. A gallery of skin art.

  “Little guy,” said Milo.

  Petra said, “Didn’t stop him from taking on a big guy—the assault victim was six one, two ninety. It happened last year, in a downtown club. Fisk was working as some kind of bodyguard, got into an argument with another hunk of hired muscle named Bassett Bowland.”

  She clawed her fingers. “First Fisk whipped off a few martial arts moves, then he pulled a one-handed move, got Bowland by the Adam’s apple and started squeezing. He came pretty close to crushing the guy’s neck before people pulled him off. Bowland lived but he suffered permanent vocal damage.”

  “Fisk does this a year ago and he’s out?”

  “It got pled down to misdemeanor battery, time served. The two weeks Fisk spent at County waiting to be arraigned was his entire sentence. According to the case file, Bowland didn’t want to cooperate and witnesses disappeared.”

  “Any pressure for them to disappear?”

  “Wouldn’t surprise me, but the main obstacle was Bowland. Humiliated by having his butt kicked by a guy half his weight, he absolutely refused to talk.”

  “Fisk have any buddies?”

  “No gang affiliation or felonious K.A.’s,” said Petra. “He seems to be more of a freelance, hangs around the club scene, sometimes he gets up on stage and thinks he’s dancing.”

  I studied the scowling face. “Bet he doesn’t get too many bad reviews.”

  Petra laughed. “The only other thing I can tell you about him is he fought in some of those tough-guy contests—barbarians in a wire cage, testosterone running amok.”

  “You don’t like competitive sports?” said Milo.

  She stuck out her tongue. “Five brothers meant I had to fake liking competitive sports. Now I’m a big girl and can admit they suck.”

  I said, “Fisk uses a bare hand on a huge guy but slips a ligature around Jordan’s neck.”

  “Maybe he didn’t want to leav
e a handprint on Jordan’s skin. Or a ligature was what he was instructed to use.”

  “Hired hit,” said Milo.

  “Fisk didn’t do it for dope. He’s got no narcotics history, just the opposite, and there was about a thousand bucks of heroin in Jordan’s bedroom drawer. But no cash in evidence, so maybe he went for the money.”

  Milo flicked a corner of the arrest report. “What do you mean ‘just the opposite’?”

  “Fisk seems to be one of those health nuts. Irwin Gold—the Central D who handled the assault—listed three different gyms Fisk frequented, wrote down he was into martial arts, yoga, meditation. We went to get him this morning at three. Unfortunately, Fisk hasn’t lived at his last known address for six months. Vacated soon after he got out of jail, no forwarding.”

  “No parole officer?”

  “Clean release, no parole.”

  “Sounds more like a parking violation than choking someone out.”

  “Fisk had no priors, and given Bassett Bowland’s size I suppose a case could be made for self-defense.”

  “No priors,” said Milo. “A guy that aggressive stays clean for twenty-eight years?”

  “Or doesn’t get caught,” I said.

  Petra shadowboxed. “Maybe he channeled his aggressiveness.”

  Milo said, “He channels, then all of a sudden he’s choking Bowland and a year later he’s a murderer.”

  I said, “Maybe all it took was meeting the right person. Someone who needed a job done and was willing to pay.”

  Petra nodded. “I like that.”

  “From the way Jordan died—sitting there, no struggle—he was stoned or not alarmed seeing Fisk.”

  Milo said, “Fisk crawls through the window and Jordan’s not alarmed?”

  “Maybe someone else let Fisk in.”

  “The contractor,” said Petra. “Maybe Jordan’s dealer. He supplies Jordan, Jordan fixes up, zones out heavily. Would’ve been easy enough to go to the bedroom, crack the window. Fisk is waiting by the side of the building, climbs in, sneaks behind Jordan, and slips the cord.”

  No one spoke for a while.

  Milo said, “Whose body did Fisk guard?”

  “Gold’s notes just say he described himself as a bodyguard. And Gold is retired, traveling somewhere in Southeast Asia. Guess it’s time to start visiting gyms and yoga classes, what a drag.”