Tahoe Dark (An Owen McKenna Mystery Thriller Book 14) (40 page)

In the dim glow of phone light, I could see Randy Bosworth, the former manager at Reno Armored, staring up at the night sky, his lifeless eyes reflecting the moonlight.

Two hours later, Diamond came into my cabin. As he opened the door, I could see the harsh flood lights they’d set up in the woods. “They’re hauling the body away” he said as he pet Spot. “The medical examiner said that a knee drop to the chest and neck can kill a man in several ways. But based on your report of nearly instant death, he’s guessing the blow ruptured the man’s aorta.”

I nodded.

Diamond continued. “Quite the mess out there. Pieces of hockey stick strewn about. Fresh-broken branches. Forest duff scraped off the dirt like someone was doing some random digging with a hoe.”

I nodded again.

“And that boy is one big piece of beef. Armed with a hockey stick and protected with a hockey mask. Yet you took him down without any help from your hound.” Diamond said it like a question.

“I’d been down at Street’s. She told me that the parole board just released her father. That news had me already upset. So when Bosworth attacked, I got pretty mad.”

Diamond said, “Do you think that Bosworth is the fourth robber? Is he the guy who killed the other three?”

“I doubt it. If he were, I would have thought he’d come after me with a woomera or tennis racket and a ski pole spear. I think this was him blaming me for losing his job.”

“So we’ve still got a killer out there?”

“I think so,” I said. “Maybe two. The fourth robber killing his comrades and Jonas Montrop’s kidnapper killing David Montrop.”

After a bit, I said, “Beer or coffee?”

“I’m working. Coffee.”

I filled the drip pot and turned it on. When it finished, I poured two mugs.

“You want me to call Street and tell her what happened?” Diamond said.

“No. I’ll do it after I’m calm.”

As we drank coffee, Diamond asked questions about both cases, his focus on any possible link between the two.

He said, “The main connection between Montrop’s murder and the truck robbers is the girl, right? Evan Rosen?”

“Yeah. She worked for Montrop and went to school with the robbers.”

“And she had animosity for all of them,” Diamond said.

“Maybe a little for Montrop, but definitely a lot for the robbers. They assaulted her.”

“So she is the most logical suspect,” he said.

“Most logical person to frame, too.”

“Why do you think she didn’t do it?”

“Lots of little reasons,” I said. “But mostly, my gut instinct.”

Diamond nodded. “You got a suspect for framing her?”

“Yeah,” I said. “The one other person connected to both cases. Flynn. Mystery man from Australia. He knew Montrop’s son Jonas from way back. There may have been many reasons why Flynn didn’t like Montrop. Maybe he didn’t like that Montrop referred to where he lived as ‘the projects’ in Incline Village. Flynn was also unhappy that Jonas sold him a leaky boat. And Flynn hung out with Evan and the robbers at Wilson High School. The third robber’s body, Gavin Pellman, was found dead in Flynn’s bed. At least, I believe it was Flynn’s bed.”

“But you have no clues to Flynn’s whereabouts.”

“No. So I’m examining all the extraneous stuff I haven’t been able to track down. Montrop’s gardener, Mr. Kang, who pretends he doesn’t speak English but is actually fluent. I’m looking for any possible reason that Jonas Montrop was tied up in a boat instead of being killed outright like everyone else. How the truck robbers got inside details about Reno Armored’s operation. Why there was a black Audi parked in Montrop’s driveway the morning he was killed. How come…”

“Wait,” Diamond interrupted, “what about a black Audi?”

“When Washoe County Sergeant Lanzen had two of her deputies canvas David Montrop’s neighborhood after he was killed, the neighbor across the road said that on the morning of Montrop’s murder, she saw a very dark car drive partway into his drive and then stop. She noticed because the tail end of the car was just visible when it stopped, and she thought it wasn’t up the drive enough that it could even be seen from Montrop’s house.”

“And it was a black Audi?”

“Maybe. The car was parked in the shade, so she thought it could have been black or midnight blue or midnight green. She didn’t say it was an Audi, but she said the logo reminded her of the Olympics.”

“Interlocking rings,” Diamond said. “Not that there’s any connection, but we got a call this morning from a man who lives on the East Shore, across from Hidden Woods.”

“South of Cave Rock,” I said.

“Right. He said his neighbor is out of town in winter and won’t be back until July. But he thought he saw his neighbor’s car going down the drive at twilight. The reason it made an impression was that its lights were off and its brake lights never flashed. The guy said the car driver must have used the parking brake to stop. He called the phone number he had for the owner but didn’t get an answer.”

“And the neighbor’s car is a black Audi?”

“Sì. So the neighbor gave me the address and gate code, and I sent out two deputies, and they found a dark house. No answer at the door. At the top of the over-sized garage doors are horizontal rows of little square windows. So they backed up their patrol unit and used the bumper to boost themselves up. Inside was a black Audi and a red Lexus. There was also an alarm sign, so I called the company, and they had no intrusion code on their computer.”

“Did their computer show if anyone had entered the property in the proper way using the key code?”

“I asked that, and the guy launched into a sales pitch about new alarm systems and how he’d tried to convince the owner to upgrade. But the owner wouldn’t. So they don’t have data on when anyone enters the house as long as that person has the code.”

“Who’s the homeowner?”

“He said he couldn’t reveal that without a warrant. Of course, property ownership is a matter of public record, but I haven’t pursued that. I asked if he could forward a request to the owner to have him call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. He said he would. But we haven’t heard anything yet.”

“Maybe I should go out and have a look. Talk to the neighbor.”

“You think you can find something my deputies can’t?”

“I doubt it.”

My phone rang. I held up my index finger to Diamond. “Hello” I answered.

“This is Evan.” She sounded panicked. “I had to clear my head, so I went to the store. I just got back, and Mia’s gone! Something is very wrong!”

FIFTY-SIX

“Take a deep breath,” I said. “We’ll figure this out. What’s the norm when you go to the store?”

“Sometimes I take her with me. But Mia was tired. She just wanted to sit and watch the Peter Pan DVD in my computer. When I got home, the DVD was still playing, but she’s gone!”

“Was the door locked?”

“I locked it when I left. But it was unlocked when I got home.” I heard Evan’s breath catch.

I spoke slowly and softly, trying to sound calm. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. There could be an innocent answer. If she went out for a walk or something, where would she normally go?”

“She wouldn’t. She never goes out alone at night. She’s even more afraid of the dark than I am.”

“Did you check with Mattie?”

“Yes. She hasn’t seen or heard anything.”

“Has she given you a fright like this before?”

“No! You’ve got to help me!” Evan said.

Diamond had stopped petting Spot as he listened to my side of the conversation. His frown was intense.

I asked, “Has she ever gone out during the day?”

“I don’t remember. During the day. Let me think. Once, she saw a cat outside the window. She went out to try and find it. She said she thought it might have been a cat from Neverland.”

“Did she get lost, or did she come back?”

“She got lost, way down by the shore. It was terrifying.”

“But she was okay,” I said, trying to reassure her.

“Can you come here now and help me look? Please?!” Evan was pleading. “It’s so dark out!”

“Okay,” I said. “It will take me most of an hour to get there.”

“Hurry! I’m scared. I know something terrible has happened!”

“Don’t go far, Evan. And remember that Mia has always been okay before. She’s probably okay now, too. See you soon,” I said, and hung up the phone.

I stood up. Spot jumped to his feet. I gave Diamond the basics as I grabbed my jacket.

“Do you suspect a crime?” Diamond asked.

“There is no evidence for it,” I said. “Evan said that Mia’s gone missing before during the day and turned up okay.”

“But…” Diamond said, prompting me as I opened the door of my cabin.

“But Jonas Montrop was kidnapped, tied up, and left to die. And Mia isn’t that many steps removed from Jonas.”

I pushed out the door. Spot ran ahead to the Jeep.

“Let’s take the patrol unit,” Diamond said. “The light bar will get us there faster.”

I ran to his patrol. I jerked open the rear door and let Spot inside, then climbed in the front passenger seat.

Diamond started the engine, turned on the light bar. The forest flashed blue and red as he raced down the mountain.

I got Street on my cell.

“Sorry it’s so late,” I said. “But you said I should call you if something critical happens with Evan. It just happened. I’m in Diamond’s patrol unit, coming down the mountain.”

“I’ll be ready,” Street said.

“We’re stopping at Street’s?” Diamond said.

“Yeah. She can help with Evan.”

Diamond drove faster, hard on his acceleration, steering, brakes. Street opened her door and ran out as Diamond pulled up. She got in back with Spot.

Diamond raced out onto the highway. I kept my hand on the door handle as he pulled G-forces on the curves.

I explained to Street what had happened. She asked very few questions, no doubt thinking about Evan.

Diamond maybe sensed me looking as we shot past the sign that said we were entering Carson City County rural area, the narrow strip of territory that extended from Carson City up to the lake.

“Tahoe Vista is Placer County, out of your jurisdiction,” I said in answer to what I thought was his unspoken thought.

“The Fresh Pursuit doctrine allows us to operate in other jurisdictions,” he said. “Law enforcement officers like to cooperate with each other.”

“Even if there’s no pursuit?”

“Maybe the bad guy got away from me.” I saw Diamond in the lights of the dashboard. His dark skin glistened. His intensity would frighten anyone who didn’t know the circumstances.

We raced through Incline Village, around Crystal Bay, through Kings Beach, and over to Tahoe Vista. A few times, Diamond got on the radio, talking in low tones, probably explaining to other LEOs what he was doing in their territory.

I pointed where to go, and Diamond braked to a fast stop in the narrow lot in front of the converted motel. The door opened in the end unit, and Evan peeked out. When she saw Spot jump out, she knew it was me.

“Did you find Mia?” I asked.

“No! I ran around the block calling her name! I ran down to the beach! She’s gone!”

The woman shook with fear. “We’ll find her,” I said.

I saw Evan looking at Diamond. “This is Sergeant Diamond Martinez of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.”

Street had gotten out of the patrol vehicle. “And this is my girlfriend Street Casey. She came along to help. Can we go inside and talk?”

Evan made a rushed, half-nod and ran in through her open door.

We followed. Spot raised his head, nostrils flexing, maybe smelling hints of his friend Mia.

“How does Mia contact you if she wants?” I asked.

“She knows to call me. She has a phone just for that purpose, and I buy her those pants with the special phone pocket to keep it in. She’s good at taking it out of the drawer whenever she leaves and putting it in that pocket.” Evan pointed at a kitchen drawer. She walked over and pulled out the drawer as if to show us.

Then she melted, sagging forward, leaning one of her arms on the counter to catch her weight.

“She didn’t take it! Her phone is here!” Evan pulled a phone out of the drawer. “Something terrible has happened. I know it!”

There was a chime. It took a moment for Evan to reach into her pocket and pull out her own phone. She glanced at it, tapped at the screen, dragged her finger. “It’s just an email. Mia doesn’t do email. She always calls.” Evan was about to put her phone back into her pocket, when she looked at it again. She dragged her finger on the screen, then frowned.

“This is weird,” she said. “This is scary. I don’t know this email address. But the subject line says, ‘Tell Owen McKenna.’ Let me open it.”