A Killing in China Basin - By Kirk Russell Page 0,55

and a liar, including her sister.’

‘She was complex.’

‘And I think you’re pretty thorough and careful. I’m betting you looked into the history of the identity you were about to buy. You didn’t buy another woman’s identity blind.’

‘I checked only to make sure she didn’t have a criminal history. She did have one but she was smarter than me. She hid that history before putting her identity on the market. She’d already come some distance in trying to erase herself.’

‘And why was she doing that?’

‘She was afraid a man was going to get out of prison and then come after her.’

‘And this was all here in San Francisco?’

‘Yes.’

Sometimes things click together. Sometimes people contact you again and say they want to meet and talk more because they’re one step ahead of you and are afraid you’re going to catch up to them.

‘Can I guess the woman’s name?’

‘That would be very impressive, Inspector. I’d be quite impressed. But first I want you to understand that I’ve never used that identity in the United States. I only used it in a few countries and I don’t do that any more either.’

‘OK, if you don’t use it any more, where is it?’

‘I don’t keep it in the US. After 9/11 they started checking more and I don’t want to be caught with my regular passport and that one as well. That would get ugly. I keep it in a safe deposit box in Mexico City. It’s sitting there right now. If I need it somewhere else they send it to me by courier.’

‘Where did you use it before putting it away in the safe deposit box?’

‘African countries, Latin America, and places in Asia where I knew they wouldn’t be cross-checking my face with other photos.’

‘And how about the woman whose identity you bought, do you know where she lives now?’

‘No.’

‘Do you know what name she lives under?’

‘I have no idea.’

‘Do you know if she’s still alive?’

‘Alex might have known. Maybe you’ll find it in her computer.’

‘What else are we going to find?’

‘Hopefully what you need to solve the murder.’

The waiter returned now with the check. She waited until he left before saying, ‘Now it’s time for your guess.’

Raveneau put down his water glass. He made sure he had eye contact and he saw the tiny flinch at the corner of her eyes as he said, ‘Her name is Erin Quinn. She returned to her maiden name after the murder of her husband. The man she’s afraid of is Cody Stoltz and you’re seeing his name in the news so much it’s making you nervous.’

Now she looked like she’d been slapped, but she covered it well, smiling, her eyes lighting up, grabbing the check, laughing as she said, ‘Wow, I insist on buying. How did you do that?’

‘I’ve got a feeling you have more to tell me. Now would be a good time. Why don’t you come to our office?’

‘Not today, Inspector, and I think I’ve told you everything now.’ She smiled at him. ‘I am impressed.’

From the car Raveneau called la Rosa.

‘How was lunch with Ms Goodworks?’

‘She wanted to tell me about the name and identity she sometimes uses in other countries where it’s not safe to use her own name. She must have felt like she had to get a jump on us.’

‘Let me guess, Florence Nightingale.’

‘No, the former Mrs Reinert, Stoltz’s lover, Erin Quinn. See you in a few minutes.’

FORTY

The private investigator was an ex-Riverside cop named Blake Fame that Stoltz’s mother had hired ahead of the trip to Los Angeles. She told him cost was always an issue, but keeping track of Cody came first. So obviously, mom was worried. No one at the table said anything to Fame about not coming to them before now, although Fame took a moment to try to cover his ass.

‘She had her lawyer fax me a stack of papers to sign before she hired me and she’ll sue me into the grave if she finds out I’ve come to you. I got sued once before. I don’t want to go through that again. I’m violating client confidentiality by talking to you, and I’m going to ask one favor.’

‘What’s that?’ Raveneau asked.

‘That you get my GPS unit back for me. He stuck it on the bottom of a CHP car.’

Everyone laughed. No one at table would ever try to recover his GPS for him, except maybe Raveneau, but only so he could get him alone and tell him what he thought about him not coming