“Save it for the detectives. They’re on the way.”
Two more radio cars arrived, one with a sergeant-supervisor who ordered the street blocked off, and then the detectives arrived. One of the detectives was Crimmens.
Giardi met them on the drive, then pointed my way. Crimmens never took his eyes off me as Giardi gave his report. When Giardi finished, he took Crimmens’s partner back to the guesthouse, but Crimmens came to me. He grinned when he saw my face.
“What happened, Cole, you mouth off to the wrong guy?”
“I thought you were downtown.”
“No more task force. They sent me back to North Hollywood. Is that really Tomaso back there?”
“See for yourself.”
“You kill him?”
“He was dead when I got here.”
“When did you get here?”
“Five minutes before Giardi and Silbermann.”
“We’ll see.”
“Too bad I didn’t get here last week when you and Bastilla couldn’t find him. He might still be alive.”
“Sit tight, shitbird. You’re going to be here a while.”
Crimmens left to see the body as Silbermann returned and slid in beside me.
Silbermann said, “Did you kill that guy?”
“Of course not.”
“I think you killed him.”
“Let me ask you a question. When was the body reported?”
“Forget it, murderer. I’m not telling you anything.”
Silbermann didn’t speak to me again for twenty minutes. During that time, Crimmens and his partner returned to their car. Crimmens spent most of that time on his phone until the coroner investigator arrived, then the three of them went back to the body. Crimmens almost immediately reappeared as a command-level black-and-white arrived and parked at the mouth of the drive. When the command car opened, Bastilla and Marx got out.
Silbermann’s eyes widened and he craned around for a better look.
“Wow, that’s a deputy chief.”
“He puts on his pants just like you.”
“You’re retarded.”
Marx glanced at me only once, then turned away as another unmarked D-ride pulled up. A tall, thin detective in his mid-fifties got out of the new car and joined Marx in the drive. They traded a few words, both of them glancing at me, then hooked up with Bastilla and Crimmens. The new guy was probably Munson. I wanted to wave and smile, but common sense got the best of me.
Marx and Munson eventually disappeared down the drive, but Bastilla and Crimmens came over to me.
I said, “For a task force that no longer exists, you people spend a lot of time together.”
Bastilla stopped on the sidewalk and crossed her arms.
“How did you find him?”
“Aren’t you going to smart off about my face? Everyone else does.”
“Everyone else probably cares. How did you find him?”
“His former roommate gave me a number for Tomaso’s family in Texas. The family told me he moved back here to resume acting. His talent agent gave me the address.”
I left Pat Kyle out of it and would not involve her without her permission.
“Did you speak with him?”
“He was dead when I got here.”
“Before he was dead, Cole. Did you have a conversation with him before he was murdered?”
“I only learned he was here a couple of hours ago. I called, but all I got was his message, so I came over. I didn’t know he was dead. I had no reason to believe he was in danger.”
“You remove anything from his apartment?”
“C’mon, Bastilla. You think I was looking for souvenirs?”
Silbermann jumped in.
“The door was open when we arrived. He was right there by the door and all by himself. It’s a solid burglary collar.”
Bastilla said, “You’re Silbermann?”
“Yes, ma’am. Giardi and I arrived on the scene at-”
Bastilla held up her hand.
“You can leave now, Officer. Thanks for your assistance.”
Silbermann looked crestfallen, but slid out of the car.
I said, “Why are you and Marx here? I thought the case was cleared.”
“What makes you think this poor kid has anything to do with the case?”
I stared at her, but her face had been composed to show nothing. “Because you and Crimmens were looking for him and now he’s dead. Because he was a principal in the Bennett case, and now we can’t talk to him.”
“Did you see what was written on his wall?”
“Are you kidding me?”
“The evidence indicates a lovers’ quarrel. Did you enter his apartment?”
“So a man we were all looking for last week turns up dead, and you’re good with a lovers’ quarrel?”
“Did you go in or not?”
“No. I could see he was dead from the door.”
If I admitted entering the apartment, she would have a green light to book me.
“Did you disturb the evidence in any way?”
“How could I disturb the evidence if I didn’t go in?”
“Do you know or suspect who did this?”
“Probably the same person who killed those seven women. What happened with Ivy Casik? Did you follow up on the man she saw visiting Byrd?”
Bastilla pursed her lips, then shook her head as if she felt sorry for me.
“You’re a screwup all the way around, Cole.”
“What does that mean?”
Bastilla stepped away and nodded at Crimmens. Crimmens made a little finger wave, telling me to get out of the car.
“C’mon, let’s go.”
Crimmens turned me around and pushed me against the car.
“Assume the position.”
“What in hell are you doing?”
Bastilla said, “Making sure you didn’t remove anything from the crime scene. If you refuse to cooperate, you’ll be placed under arrest for unlawful entry, burglary, and suspicion of murder.”
Crimmens said, “Don’t be slow, Mr. Thirty. Just go along.”
Crimmens went through my pockets, placing my wallet, cell phone, thirty cents, and a handkerchief on the trunk of the patrol car. He also took my notepad and a black uni-ball pen. While Crimmens searched me, Bastilla slid into the backseat where I had been sitting. She ran her hand along the seam in the seat, then searched the floorboards and under the front seat. She inspected anyplace I could have hidden something if I had something I wanted to hide, then backed out of the car. I wondered what she was looking for.
“Check his socks and shoes. Make sure he didn’t put anything in his shorts.”
“Why don’t you check me yourself, Bastilla? Crimmens might miss my crotch pocket.”
Bastilla turned red, but didn’t respond.
Marx and Munson returned and stood with Bastilla on the sidewalk while Crimmens searched me. The three of them spoke quietly, then Munson went to his car, making a call on his cell. Marx and Bastilla turned back to us as Crimmens finished.
“He’s clean, boss.”
“Have you questioned him yet?”
“No, sir.”
“Leave us for now, but don’t go far. You can have him when I’m finished.”
Crimmens immediately joined his partner and the CI on the driveway. Silbermann and Giardi stood with them, too.
I said, “So much for your case being closed, Marx.”
Marx studied me with his mouth folded into a hard crease, then put his hands on his hips.
“You’re a pathetic excuse, Cole. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“For doing your job?”
His jaw clenched, but he kept going.
“For destroying what little peace of mind the Repkos have. Mrs. Repko told me you assaulted her sons. What in hell is wrong with you?”
“Speak to Mr. Repko. He might tell a different story.”
“What’s your endgame here? You trying to drum up a fee by getting the families to hire you?”
“I’m trying to drum up votes so I can run for office. I need the money to hire Leverage Associates. Would you recommend their work?”
Bastilla said, “Take it easy, Cole.”
“C’mon, Marx, I’m asking if they’re any good. I know you work with them. Did they tell you to close the case on Byrd so you could make a big splash on the news?”