Into the Dark

30

San Marino, California

Arriving at work the next morning, Claire saw two San Marino police cars in her parking lot.

Their revolving emergency lights were splashing red and blue throughout the neighborhood. Claire spotted a third police vehicle in the lot, an SUV with a caged rear interior. A ribbon of yellow tape stretched around the building. Uniformed officers were talking on the front sidewalk with staff from the offices of the dermatologist, optometrist and dentist that were also in her building.

Claire parked, grabbed her bags and got out.

Alice, her assistant, materialized and went to her at the same time as barking echoed from the rear of the building. An officer in tactical clothing hurried behind the taut clinking leash of a dog with its snout to the ground, tracking a scent leading away from the building and deep into the neighborhood.

Alice’s face was creased with worry. “Someone broke into the office last night!”

“Oh, no!”

“I got here first thing this morning and saw broken glass on the floor at the back. The door frame was all splintered. They went through all the offices, trying to pry open filing cabinets and going through desks.”

Police radio transmissions crackled. The women turned and Claire recognized Deena Freeman, one of the officers who’d responded when Amber’s husband assaulted her in the parking lot.

Freeman said, “Ten-four,” into her shoulder microphone, then walked over to Claire, while paging through her notebook.

“Officer Freeman, what more can you tell us?” Claire asked.

“It looks like they were going after Dr. Ramsallie’s office.”

“A dentist’s office?”

“They went through every office, but it appears they were looking for cash, drugs and maybe gold used in fillings.”

Dr. Ramsallie approached them, patting his tanned brow and thick moustache with a handkerchief.

“Please put in your report that for insurance purposes, we have very little gold on-site, just a few pebble-sized pieces for a few crowns, worth only a few hundred dollars. We order gold when we need it.”

“Yes, sir,” Freeman said. “We’ve noted that information.”

“I took a closer look from the window. I think a few canisters of nitrous oxide are missing, but I need to go inside to inspect my supplies.”

“Yes, sir, we have that. Please don’t lift the tape and walk through the scene again. I ask you to bear with us. Our forensic people are on the way. Until they’re done processing, we can’t allow anyone inside.”

“You must arrest these criminals. They must be punished.”

“Yes, sir, we’re working on it.” As Freeman waited patiently, Dr. Ramsallie left her alone to continue her business with Claire.

“How long before we can go inside?” Claire asked. “I was expecting to see patients this morning. We’ll have to scramble to reschedule.”

“I know. Our crime scene people should be here at any moment. They’ve indicated that they’ll have things wrapped up later today.”

“Can’t you let us in to get our hard-copy files so we can start calling patients, to tell them what happened?” Claire asked. “Some may be on their way. I need to reach them. Given our recent history in this parking lot, this situation makes me a little anxious.”

“I know and I assure you that we’re not discounting the complaint history of this address.”

“So what are you doing about Amber?”

Freeman nodded. “I’ve requested Alhambra P.D. to check on Amber’s welfare and alert her as a precaution.”

“You’re aware her estranged husband works at installing security systems?”

“We’ve requested Sacramento P.D. confirm Eric Larch’s whereabouts for the last forty-eight hours. We want to ensure he’s complied with his bail conditions and the terms of the restraining order. This is all being done as a priority this morning.”

Claire found some comfort in the actions Freeman had taken.

“We’re working on all aspects of the crime committed here,” Freeman said. “Unfortunately, we can’t let anyone inside right now, but you must have your files backed up?”

“Yes, we have to follow professional standards and procedures for securing our files. They’re password protected and encrypted. We have an off-site hard drive and I have my USB with me. It also holds my files, but I’ll call my husband to bring my laptop here ASAP. We don’t live far. We’ll work from that.”

“Okay good, the detectives will want to talk to you once we get a little more information from the scene.”

Robert arrived with Claire’s computer moments after the crime scene technicians had suited up, entered the office and started processing it. One of them worked outside photographing the building and neighborhood.

Robert watched with interest. From the distance he strained to see them working through the windows. “Do they have any suspects?”

“I don’t know,” Claire said. “They’re thinking they were trying to get the gold from the dentist’s office.”

Robert never took his eyes off the investigators.

“I’d read about that trend, thieves stealing gold from dentists.” He turned to Claire. “Are you okay? Is there anything else I can do? I was on my way to get some stain for your planter boxes, but I can stay here with you.”

For a moment she’d forgotten her feelings of uncertainty about him. The crisis underscored that she could count on him when she needed him. “No, thank you. I’ll call you later. I expect it’ll be a long day. Thanks for rushing over with my computer.”

Claire kissed his cheek.

After Robert left, Claire and Alice searched the files on Claire’s laptop, then used Claire’s cell phone to call all of her patients to alert them to the burglary. They’d managed to reschedule morning sessions. To accommodate patients, Claire offered to provide evening appointments later in the week, as well.

For the next few hours the crime scene experts checked the alarm system and took photographs among their other work. The lead was Detective Cobb, who’d joined the San Marino P.D. after putting in twenty-five years with the LAPD. Cobb and his partner interviewed the tenants one by one. When he got to Claire, she summarized her concerns for him.

“Okay, they’re done processing things,” Cobb said afterward. “I’m taking you inside first to walk you through your office. Be sure to follow my steps.”

The desks, walls, cabinets and keyboards were smeared with fingerprint powder-white chalky stuff on dark surfaces and black graphite dust on light surfaces.

“Whoever came in wore gloves,” Cobb said. “They also smashed the security cameras. They were experienced. Let’s see if they got into your files.”

The cabinets, although damaged, seemed to have held. They were reinforced steel. But when Claire tried to log in to her computer, it took several attempts and several passwords, an indication that previous attempts had been made by the thieves.

“What do you think?” Claire asked Cobb.

“I think it’s possible a former partner would benefit, say for custody or a divorce settlement, from gaining access to a confidential file.”

“Is that what you think happened? I thought they were after Ramsallie’s gold and laughing gas.”

“You’ve recently had an enraged ex show up here.”

Claire recalled Eric glaring at her from the back of the police car after the attack.

“Now we have a burglary,” Cobb continued. “It could’ve been staged to disguise other intentions.”

Claire stared at Cobb.

“It’s just one theory,” he said, shrugging. “But at this point, we can’t rule anything out.”