Last Girls Alive (Detective Katie Scott #4) - Jennifer Chase Page 0,87
really take the chance of being identified? Or perhaps it’s a hoax?”
“I saw the camera footage of this guy as he signed into the prison and he definitely knew how to avoid the cameras.”
“Of course.”
“And this,” he said as he pulled a piece of paper from the printer, “is the best we can see of him.”
Katie eagerly took the printout and studied the grainy photograph. It was a man, average height, average build, standing at the entrance, readjusting the clipboard to an awkward angle and signing in. He kept his face at an angle that made it almost impossible to see it clearly. He wore a heavy jacket and baseball cap.
“Damn,” she said. “I can’t tell if the man is twenty or fifty from this angle.”
“I know, he knew what he was doing. Which means he’s been to the prison before.”
“So, if this is the killer, that means that he knew Shelly McDonald and had a connection to her… and possibly Elm Hill.”
“I watched the video several times.” He clicked the video file on his computer. “Here.”
Katie watched it four times. She exhaled loudly and leaned back in her chair. “Well, by the build of the man, it definitely isn’t Hugh Keller. This guy is leaner. We can now tell it’s a man, but who? And of course, why was he visiting McDonald?”
“And then shortly afterward, McDonald commits suicide.”
Katie stood up and made a couple of notes on the murder board.
“Sorry it wasn’t better news,” he said.
“Okay,” she said, sitting down. “Did you get a chance to read my copy of the interview with Candace Harlan?”
“Yep, and I did you one further.”
“Oh?”
“I updated the information on the murder board.”
“Great,” she said, reading his notes about Candace’s relationship with Ray Conner and where she had been the last five years. “I didn’t have time last night.”
“And… one of my requests has actually paid off.”
Katie’s eyes lit up. “Oh please, let’s have some good news.”
“I had set up a search with some of the more prominent charities for various fundraising arenas. Everything from building a new wing on a hospital to feeding the children. And…”
“And?”
“I found Jonathan and Sara McKinzie.”
“Fantastic. When can we set up an appointment with them?”
“Well, that’s not the way it works.”
“What do you mean?” she said.
“These are very private, very wealthy people who only really come out into the public for a rare charity event. I couldn’t find their residences, probably because the real estate is under trusts or corporations. With more time, I can probably come up with something more.”
“So we can’t talk to them?”
“We can, but…” he said hesitating, “it’s going to require some creativity.”
Katie thought about what McGaven had said. “Are they in California?”
“That’s the good news.”
“More good news?” She smiled.
“There’s an event on Saturday in Sacramento at the Four Seasons.”
“This Saturday?”
“Yep, and the McKinzies are the benefactors of the Children’s Cancer Research & Medical Care Gala.” He read from his notes. “It’s an annual event and dinner that takes place in different cities in California, Texas, and New York. The cost is, are you ready for this, $2,500 a plate.”
“Wow, not in my budget.”
“I think we should go.”
“How?”
“We can go in undercover with the caterers and then change and make our way into the event. This would be a police undercover assignment to gather more information for not one, but two of our active homicide investigations.”
“I don’t know…” she said. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, but I don’t think Dottie is going to go for it. They let us slide on the park surveillance, but… And it’s in two days.”
“C’mon, Katie, it’s worth a try. Just ask. I don’t know how we’re going to be able to speak with them otherwise. I haven’t been able to get a response from their spokesperson, attorney or whoever.”
Katie stood up, rereading the murder board, painfully aware of this gaping hole in it. “Okay,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Don’t get all happy yet, the sheriff still has to approve it. Don’t forget, this is out of our jurisdiction, so the sheriff will have to smooth it over with Sacramento PD. I’ll put the request together.”
“You used to be a cop there. That should help. And the fact that the McKinzies could be jetting off to who knows where afterwards. This is the only time that we’ll probably get a chance to talk to them.”
“Maybe.”
McGaven turned back to his computer and seemed to be excited about the prospect of working undercover.