My Dark Places

the far end of a shared backyard. The yard featured shade palms and tall banana plants, with a rock-and-mortar pond as a centerpiece. The two houses were situated at the southeast corner of Maple and Bryant. The Ellroy place had a Maple Avenue address.

The front door faced the pond and the Kryckis’ back door. It was constructed of louvered glass affixed to wood framing. A pane near the keyhole was missing. The door could not be locked from the inside or outside.

Hallinen, Lawton and the print deputy entered the house. The interior was cramped: two tiny bedrooms off a narrow living room; a stand-up kitchen, breakfast nook and bathroom.

The place was neat and orderly. Nothing looked disturbed. The victim’s bed and her son’s bed had not been slept in.

They found a glass in the kitchen, partially filled with wine. They checked the drawers in the victim’s bedroom and found some personal papers. They learned that the victim worked at Airtek Dynamics—2222 South Figueroa, L.A.

They learned that the victim’s ex-husband was named Armand Ellroy. He lived at 4980 Beverly Boulevard, L.A. His phone number was Hollywood 3-8700.

They saw that the victim did not have a telephone herself.

The print deputy dusted the wineglass and several other print-sustaining surfaces. He came up with no viable latent fingerprints.

Hallinen walked over to the Kryckis’ house and called the ex-husband’s number. He let it ring a good long time and got no answer.

Virg Ervin walked in. He said, Dave Wire found the victim’s car—parked behind a bar on Valley Boulevard.

The bar was called the Desert Inn. It was located at 11721 Valley—two miles from the dump site and a mile from the victim’s house. It was a flat one-story building with a red clay-shingle roof and front window awnings.

The rear lot extended back to a line of cheap stucco bungalows. A grass strip covered with sycamore trees divided four parking space rows. Low chain-links closed the lot in sideways.

A red-and-white Buick was parked by the west-side fence. Dave Wire was standing beside it. Jim Bruton and Harry Andre were standing by a Sheriff’s prowl unit.

Al Etzel was there. Blackie McGowan was there.

Hallinen and Lawton pulled into the lot. Virg Ervin and the print deputy pulled up in separate cars.

Dave Wire walked over and laid it all out.

He caught the license plate call and started checking side streets and parking lots. He found the victim’s car at 3:35 p.m. It was unlocked and appeared to be unransacked. He checked the front and back seats and did not find car keys or the victim’s purse, undergarments and shoes. He did find a half-dozen empty beer cans. They were wrapped in brown paper and tied up with string.

Hallinen and Lawton examined the car. It looked pristine inside and out. The print deputy photographed the interior and exterior and dusted the doors and dashboard. He came up with no viable latent fingerprints.

A Temple deputy arrived. He impounded the Buick and drove it to a nearby Ford dealership for safekeeping.

Some civilians were lounging on the grass strip. Wire pointed out Roy Dunn and Al Manganiello—two Desert Inn bartenders.

Andre and Hallinen talked to them. Dunn said he worked last night; Manganiello said he only worked days. Hallinen showed them Mrs. Krycki’s snapshot of the victim. Both men said they’d never seen the woman before.

They never saw the red-and-white Buick before. Dunn was on duty last night—but he was buried behind the service bar and didn’t see any customers come and go. They both figured the Buick had been parked in the lot all day—maybe even overnight.

Andre asked them who else was working last night. Dunn said, Talk to Ellis Outlaw, the manager.

Hallinen and Andre walked inside. Captain Etzel and Lieutenant McGowan tagged along.

The Desert Inn was narrow and L-shaped. Leatherette booths lined the walls. A sit-down bar faced three rows of tables and the front door; the service bar and kitchen stood directly behind it. A dance floor and raised bandstand formed the short part of the L.

Andre and Hallinen braced Ellis Outlaw and showed him their photo of the victim. Outlaw said he’d never seen her—or that ’57 Buick out back. He wasn’t working last night, but he knew who was.

He gave them some names:

His wife, Alberta “Bert” Outlaw. His sister, Myrtle Mawby. They were both at his place now. Try the Royal Palms Apartments—321 West Mildred Avenue, West Covina. And try Margie Trawick—Gilbert 8-1136. She waitressed at the Desert Inn on and off—and he heard she was in last night.

Hallinen wrote down the information and followed the other cops outside. The parking lot was full of El Monte PD guys keeping up with the action. A second bunch of guys were staked out at Bryant and Maple—waiting for the victim’s ex-husband and kid to show up.

It was 6:30 p.m. and cooling off a little. It was a long early summer day and nowhere near dark.

A string of car radios crackled all at once.

The kid and the ex were back. Separate units were transporting them to the El Monte Station.

The victim’s ex-husband was a week shy of 60 years old. He was tall and athletically built. He seemed to be in control of his emotions.

The victim’s son was pudgy, and tall for 10 years old. He was nervous—but did not appear in any way distraught.