Middle Of Nowhere

CHAPTER 41

" I wanted you to hear this," Boldt told Daphne, who occupied one of the two chairs on the other side of his desk, "in part because Sanchez is still your investigation," he reminded. He could tell she had gone for a morning run because it flushed her cheeks with color throughout the day. She wore a pink button-down Oxford, a small gray skirt and black leggings. She smelled sweet but not overpowering. Typical of her. He motioned to Bobbie Gaynes. "She gave me a partial report over the phone."

"Let's hear," Daphne said.

Gaynes said, "Burglary raided three fences, including Billy Bell, in order to pull the attention off the Flek case and lessen Samway's exposure. All three were caught with hot merchandise in their possession, and all three shown photo arrays that included Flek. Bell ID'ed Flek as part of an agreement for a 'walk.' Burglary ran descriptions of the electronic gear Flek had stolen from the various houses-the makes, models, and some serial numbers-and Bell was good for most all of it- he not only remembered it coming through his shop, but had computer records of actual serial numbers in a bunch of cases."

"Modern criminals," Boldt mumbled. "They never cease to amaze me."

"Most all of it," Daphne quoted, repeating what Gaynes had said. "Why 'most' and not 'all'?"

"Because none of the Sanchez gear could be accounted for by Bell."

With the fifth floor busy once again, there was never silence in Boldt's office. But no one spoke for several long seconds and it felt like silence to him. He said, "We can invent explanations for that."

"Right as rain," Gaynes agreed.

Boldt suggested, "Flek tossed the gear because it was tainted by the assault."

"Entirely possible," Gaynes agreed.

"This guy?" Daphne asked. "Not this guy, no. You invited me in on this for my professional opinion?" This seemed aimed at Boldt. "He does a job, he wants some reward. He's a hardened criminal," she reminded him. "Is he going to scare off because he threw some woman down the stairs?"

"Or snapped her neck from behind," Boldt amended. "Dixie can't rule out that possibility."

Daphne asked Gaynes, "How much can we trust what Bell says?"

"Not much," she conceded. "But I happen to trust it in this case. He knows about LaMoia and Sanchez, along with the rest of the city. He knows we mean business."

Daphne said, "So when the Sanchez assault is re ported by the papers to be an officer, Flek tells Bell to ditch the gear."

Gaynes replied, "Possibly. But then Billy Bell would remember that gear all the more."

"So…" Daphne complained, confused.

Gaynes said, "I think Bell is right with this. He has a lot to lose. Burglary can put him down for the stash they found. Why toy with us? I just don't see it."

"Because he's afraid of Flek," Daphne answered, "just as everyone else seems to be." She glanced at Boldt, trying to judge his reaction, but he wouldn't give her that.

"Could be," Bobbie allowed.

Boldt interrupted. "The point being that if Bell is right with this, then he fenced most of the gear Flek lifted except the Sanchez electronics. If true, that needs explaining. We have to listen to that. We assume Flek did John, and as such remains at the top of the department's Most Wanted."

"Meaning what?" Gaynes inquired.

"Sanchez failed to pick him out of the photo array," Daphne reminded them both. "And at least once, she did not discount the possible involvement of more than one person."

"So where are we going with this?" Gaynes repeated impatiently.

"We look the Sanchez assault over real carefully," Boldt said. "Start again. Build the case from the ground up and try to fit Flek into it. She worked one of the cases-that ties her to Flek's world. Let's know every thing there is to know. We work Samway again. But we let nothing inhibit the manhunt. That remains our top priority." He added, "Flek is going to have answers for us."

"But if Flek didn't do Sanchez," Gaynes persisted, still annoyed by her own confusion, "then where are we going with this?"

Boldt looked over at Daphne, and meeting eyes, saw her concern for him. For a woman typically capable of containing her emotions, this spoke volumes. She knew exactly where they were going with this. But it was Boldt who voiced it.

"To the devil," he answered.

Daphne nodded in agreement.

"In house," Gaynes gasped. Then she added, "Oh, my God!"