“That isn’t positive.”
“A gun matching the weapon used to kill the Danzer driver was found. Two uncut rocks were also found. Insurance company confirmed the rocks were part of the Danzer shipment. Positive enough?”
Scott slowly nodded.
“I guess it’s supposed to be.”
“Regardless, if I had to bet, I would bet they did it.”
“Were the diamonds recovered?”
“Not so far as I know.”
Scott found this an odd comment.
“Who killed them?”
“They were in a crappy cabin on the side of a mountain with no other cabins near by. The theory is, they hid out up there after the robbery, shopped for a buyer, and got ripped off.”
“Two months after the robbery?”
“Two months after the robbery.”
“You buy it?”
“Not sure. I’m trying to decide.”
Scott searched Melon’s eyes, and wondered if the man was giving him permission to ask more.
“Thirty-two days. You blew off Beloit before they were found.”
“This is true, but closing Danzer was a nice capper. It put the knife in any lingering doubts.”
“Who closed it?”
“San Bernardino Sheriffs.”
“Danzer was our case. Who closed it for us?”
“Ian.”
Melon pushed slowly to his feet, groaning like an old man.
“Sitting makes me stiff. C’mon, let’s get you on your way. It’s a longer drive than you think.”
Scott once more debated showing the diamonds to Melon as they walked to his car. Melon had obviously been thinking about these things, but only offered cryptic answers requiring Scott to read between the lines. This meant Melon was still on the fence, afraid, or playing Scott to learn what he knew. Scott decided the diamonds would stay in his pocket. He could not reveal the diamonds or Amelia to anyone he didn’t trust.
Scott let Maggie hop into the car, and turned back to Melon when a last question occurred to him.
“Did you watch the videos yourself?”
“Ha. Maybe Ian does everything himself, but I’m not the I-Man. A case this size, you delegate.”
“Meaning someone else checked them.”
“You trust what your people tell you.”
“Who checked them?”
“Different people. You might find something in the file or the evidence log.”
Scott expected this answer, but Melon also appeared to be giving him a direction. Then Melon added more.
“The I-Man makes out he’s a one-man show, but don’t you believe it. He has help. And you can bet they are people he trusts.”
Scott searched the clear, thoughtful eyes, and realized he would find only what Melon allowed him to find.
“Thanks for letting me come out. The apology was overdue.”
Scott slid in behind the wheel, started the engine, and rolled down the window. Melon looked past him to Maggie, who was already perched on the console.
“She doesn’t get in your way, riding like that?”
“I’m used to it.”
Melon shifted his gaze to Scott.
“I may be retired, but I’d still like to see this case closed. Take your time driving home. Stay safe.”
Scott backed out the long drive, and turned toward the freeway, wondering if Melon meant this as a warning or a threat.
Scott adjusted the mirror until he saw Melon, still on his driveway, watching.
34.
Scott climbed onto the Ronald Reagan Freeway, his stomach knotted and sour. He didn’t believe Melon would give him up, but Melon had walked him in circles, giving only enough to get. Melon was good, better than Scott had ever imagined, but Melon had given him Danzer.
The Danzer Armored Car robbery had been just another news story to Scott when it happened, of no more importance than any other, and quickly forgotten. During his weeks in the hospital, Scott had no knowledge of the Danzer case, and had not known an overlapping investigation into an armored-car robbery was having a major impact on his own. He had now read a five-inch stack of reports and interviews about Eric Pahlasian, but Pahlasian had no connection with diamonds, so Danzer had not been mentioned. Danzer Armored Car felt like a secret that had been hiding in the file. When Scott realized the total case file was four or five feet thick, he wondered how many more secrets were hiding.
The Santa Susana Pass was directly ahead, with the San Fernando Valley beyond it. After a while, Maggie left the console, stretched out across the back seat, and closed her eyes. After all the effort to make her sit in back, he missed having her next to him.
Scott rolled up his window, and checked his cell. His K-9 Platoon Lieutenant, the Metro Commander, and a woman who identified herself as an Internal Affairs Group detective named Nigella Rivers had left messages. Scott deleted them without listening. Budress had not called, and neither had Richard Levin. Joyce Cowly hadn’t called, either.
Scott wanted to call her. He wanted to hear her voice, and he wanted her to be on his side, but he didn’t know if he could trust her. He wanted to tell her everything, and show her the diamonds, but he could not put Amelia and her baby at risk. He had done this to Daryl. He had painted a target on Daryl’s back, and someone had pulled the trigger.
Scott drove on in silence, holding the phone in his lap. He glanced in the mirror. Maggie still slept. He touched the pouch through his pants to make sure it was real. He didn’t know what to do next or where to go, so he drove the lonely miles across the top of the Valley, thinking. He could start with the Internet. Search old news stories about Danzer and the dead men found on the mountain. See if the I-Man was mentioned. Search the stories for someone named Snell.
Sooner or later, he would go back to Cowly, and he needed something to back up Amelia’s story. He needed something that would convince her to help him without risking Amelia’s life.
Scott’s phone rang as he approached the I-5 interchange. He didn’t recognize the number, so he let the call go to voice mail. When the phone told him a message was waiting, he played back the message, and heard a bright male voice he didn’t recognize.
“Oh, hey, Detective James, this is Rich Levin, returning your call. Sure, whatever you want. I’m happy to answer your questions or help however I can. You have the number, but here it is again.”
Scott didn’t wait for the number. He hit the call back button. Rich Levin answered on the first ring.
“Hi, this is Rich.”
“Scott James. Sorry, I was on another call.”
“Oh, hey, no problem. We didn’t meet before, did we? I don’t remember your name.”
“No, sir, we didn’t. I’ve only been with the investigation for a couple of weeks.”
“Uh-huh, okay, I see.”
“You recall being interviewed by Detectives Melon and Stengler?”
“Oh, for sure. You bet.”
“Regarding customers named Pahlasian and Beloit?”
