A Killing in China Basin - By Kirk Russell Page 0,11
and work with CSI or out at Hunter’s Point in that Quonset hut, though neither of those would be a fit for you. Better that you make your mark at Homicide before moving up. Would you say that your new partner respects the advances in science?’
‘Yes, but it can take a long time to get DNA results.’
‘That sounds like an excuse, Elizabeth.’
It was more like reality but la Rosa took another sip instead of pointing that out. The vodka was hammering her but she could easily drink another one. She needed a good sleep tonight and hoped the public came through with a tip on their Jane Doe.
‘He feels he has to rely on people skills. When we didn’t get a hit off AFIS or the western states system this morning, he said ‘We’re taking the case to the people.’
‘Cute.’
‘It’s worked for him for a long time.’
‘And he was the top inspector for a long time, but the city has changed. It changes every day. It changes underneath us.’
‘He talks about the change.’
‘What’s he said?’
‘That there are twenty-eight ethnicities now but the act of murder hasn’t changed.’
Grainer shook her head. ‘I don’t know what that means.’
‘I don’t either.’
‘I’m relieved to hear that.’
If you weren’t loyal to your partner what were you worth? She held Grainer’s gaze as she thought that.
‘What is this China Basin killing?’
‘A homeless individual stopped a patrol car and reported the body of a woman in a room in an unoccupied building for sale. One of the problems I have is he brought this homeless individual back inside to view the body with us.’
‘I hope you’re joking.’
She wasn’t and vodka fueled her indignation.
‘This means if any DNA of his is found in the area around her body or on her body, other than from a sexual assault, then a good defense attorney will argue it happened when we brought him back in.’
‘Not just a good defense attorney, Elizabeth, any defense attorney. How did he justify doing that?’
‘The same homeless individual had led the responding officers in earlier.’
‘Had he?’
‘Yes, but they didn’t let him re-enter the room with the body.’
‘But your new partner did?’
‘Yes.’
‘That’s a fairly significant procedural error.’
‘I don’t know if it’s an error or not, or whether he sees things I don’t, but it’s an example of where I would treat the trace evidence differently.’
‘Would you call him willfully ignorant of the advances in science?’
The waiter brought the salads and she pictured Raveneau’s face, his eyes as he looked at her.
‘He never seems unaware.’
‘Then how about careless about procedures and cynical about the investigation’s ultimate results?’
‘No, that’s not him at all. He cares quite a lot.’
‘Elizabeth, I can’t keep up with you. You’re jumping all over the map. Now you sound like you’re defending him.’
‘He loves the work.’ She thought of him going back upstairs tonight and added, ‘It’s his life.’
‘Yes, and in his world he’s something of a legend, but he’s also emblematic of a problem that’s grown in recent years.’ She lowered her voice. ‘No one is targeting Inspector Raveneau, and it’s certainly not limited to him, but good questions are being asked about why we’re failing. I, for one, believe we aren’t keeping pace with the shift in sensitivities within the micro-environments in the city. What do you think about that?’
She thought it was a bunch of fucking gobbledegook, but said, ‘There may be a real truth there, but I’m too new to say.’
‘I don’t mean to put you in the position of attacking your partner. If I do that, you stop me. That’s an order. But the homicide detail is seeing a lot of scrutiny and may need a kind of catharsis.’
La Rosa bit into a piece of garlic bread and nodded. The chief smiled brightly and waved her hand at the room.
‘This is what I call authentic,’ she said. ‘I just love Italian food.’
La Rosa looked around the room. She didn’t think it was authentic. She didn’t agree at all, but smiled and said, ‘Yes, it’s wonderful.’
NINE
Raveneau knew the muffled voice might be no more than someone with a grudge against police who was hovering at the edge of a homicide investigation, hoping to screw with them. It happens. But the call had unsettled him and he felt tired and on edge as he drove home. He should have stopped at a grocery store, but didn’t. He rode the service elevator to the second floor and climbed the narrow flight of wooden stairs up to the rooftop apartment.