Part 51 (1/2)
”So you intentionally traded to work the scene.”
”I know it was wrong-not saying anything to you. If they want to charge me with obstruction, I can't stop them. But given what Monte's done compared with what I've done, I don't think there's any question who you'll want to believe.”
”We sure do, Lara.”
”Pardon?”
”Want to believe you.” He opened the case; closed it. ”Um, I just glanced at my notes and there's another problem, let's resolve that, too. I'm talking the date.”
”Of what?”
”When you asked Dan to trade. It wasn't the morning of the murder, it was the day before. So if you traded specifically to get control ... you can see what I'm getting at.”
”Who told you that date?”
”Dan did.”
”Then he'd have to be wrong.”
”Normally I'd say that's possible, no one's memory is perfect, especially for small stuff like that. But Dan changed the log right after, dated, signed his name to the change. He may be wrong but to John Nguyen-and a jury-that's evidence.”
Silence.
”Lara?”
”I don't know what to say, Lieutenant.”
”Let's put it aside for the moment, maybe you'll figure out a solution-”
”Wow. My brain feels kind of scrambled. The psychologist who tested me said it happens under stress. I'm sure you've seen that, Dr. Delaware?”
”Of course.”
”What are you scrambled about, Lara?”
”The sequence. The reason I traded Dan-the first reason, wanting more experience-was the right one.”
”Not the part about psychological control?”
”That's also true but it came later-an afterthought, you know? When the call came in, I couldn't be sure it was going to be them but I was scared. Because they lived on the Westside-both of them, in Santa Monica-”
”Des on California. Where did Doreen live? We still haven't found out.”
”Somewhere on the Westside, she never said. So it made sense the Westside was where they'd-where Monte would do it.”
”Close to home.”
”Don't geographical profilers say that? Crimes occur in comfort zones?”
”That refers to the killer's comfort zone.”
”Monte lives on the Westside, too, it made total sense. I just had to see for myself. So there's really no contradiction. I wanted more experience plus I wanted psychological control.”
”Did you learn anything at the scene to help you up your control level?”
”I learned Monte was even worse than I imagined. He claimed he was just getting even, but then I saw that she'd been strangled, up close and personal. Saw that s.e.m.e.n stain and knew he'd done something twisted.”
”You suspected the stain was Monte's.”
”Des uses condoms and that kind of thing fits Monte-dominant, cruel. That's why I pointed it out to you, Lieutenant. I was too scared to come out and tell you but I hoped you'd follow the trail.”
”Aiding and abetting me, huh?”
”Right from the beginning.”
”So you figured out the s.e.m.e.n was Monte's, not Des's? Okay... um, how do you know Des used condoms, Lara?”
Silence.
”Lara?”
”Must be something I heard. Back in high school. Des was a huge player, everyone talked about it, how he'd jump anything with a pulse. How he carried condoms in his wallet.”
”We didn't find any condoms at the scene.”
”I figured Monte took them.”
”Why would he do that?”
”He's evil-maybe for a trophy, some kind of sick male dominance. Just like e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.n.g. on Doreen's leg.”
”You're sure it wasn't Des's s.e.m.e.n?”
”I can't be sure of anything. I just figured Monte was capable of something twisted like that. Killing Doreen, then demeaning her. When I pointed it out, I was hoping you'd a.n.a.lyze it, find out it was Monte's, and that would tell you had something more than a simple murder.”
”One thing this case hasn't been, Lara, is simple. Something John Nguyen reminds me every day. Now it looks like it's not gonna close anytime in the future. Especially with that s.e.m.e.n stain gone. What do you think caused that?”
”Someone here screwed up. It happens more often than you think.”
”A screwup as opposed to something deliberate.”
”Who would do that deliberately?”
”That's what Bobby Escobar wanted to know.”
”Who?”