“We already had a chat,” Keegan said. “I’m just another perp now, remember? Any chatting we do now is going to be through my lawyer.”

The lieutenant made a face, a little put out by Keegan’s lack of graciousness. “Now what would you need with a lawyer, Jimmy?” he said. “Innocent guy like you?”

Keegan tugged the front of his shirt away from his sweat-slick body. “Arrest me or leave me alone, Lieutenant,” he said. “I’ve got things to do.”

The lieutenant’s smile faded, but he nodded again. He held the hat by his side with one hand and dug the other hand into the pocket of his slacks. He jingled the coins there absentmindedly. “I’m just wondering,” the lieutenant said, “if you know where your girlfriend went last night.”

“What Eve does is her business,” Keegan said. “Maybe she’s the one you should be asking.” He grinned. “Say, I’ll bet she can afford some pretty good lawyers.”

Moore jingled the coins in his pocket again. It was playacting, Keegan sensed—a gesture designed to look casual, unconcerned—but it grated on his nerves nonetheless.

“She left her place before ten last night,” the lieutenant said. “We’ve had a man watching the house—but I’m sure you already guessed that.”

Keegan just stared at him.

“Your girlfriend called a yellow cab, and our man tailed her in an unmarked car,” Moore said. “She didn’t have any luggage, so she wasn’t skipping town.” Moore paused a few seconds, as if waiting for Keegan’s reaction.

“I’m on the edge of my seat,” Keegan said.

The lieutenant smiled at Keegan’s tone. “Larry Darnell—I don’t think you know him—he just got bumped up to homicide. He drew the short straw for the overnight shift. He followed her to a gas station phone booth and then to the Biltmore Hotel,” he said. “She went in the back way, by the Grand Street parking garage.”

“If you know where she went, why are you bothering me?”

“Well, this is where Darnell really pissed in the pudding,” the lieutenant said. “Your girl didn’t check in at the Biltmore. But our guy should have guessed that, since she hadn’t packed any bags.” Moore looked back down the hill again. “Our best guess is that she walked straight through, came out on Olive and caught another taxi to a destination unknown.”

Keegan allowed himself a sly smile. It has been that easy. LA’s finest. “That Darnell’s a bright one,” he said.