“Beyond the call,” I said. “Meanwhile, you probe for what she hasn’t told you.”

“You,” he said, “are immovably skeptical, that’s why we’re pals. Want to come? It could conceivably get psychological.”

CHAPTER

31

Ricki Flatt was waiting outside her room, jacket zipped, luggage on the ground.

Milo jumped out, beat her to the rear car door.

“You really didn’t need to do this, Lieutenant.”

“We’ll take streets, freeway’s a bad idea at this hour.”

Moments later: “How’d it go with the coroner, Ricki?”

“It took a while, but we’re finally settled. I’ll be able to ship … to have Desi sent back in two days, spoke to the cemetery in Seattle, where my parents are buried and they’ve got a plot available. They referred me to a mortician here who’s handling the logistics as well as the cosmetics. He said there wouldn’t be that much to do, Desi still looked handsome. Any progress, Lieutenant?”

“We’re chipping away, Ricki. Oh, by the way, those suitcases are out of your storage bin.”

“Great,” she said. “I spoke to Scott this morning and he didn’t mention anything, so we’re fine.”

“Yes, you are, Ricki.” A beat. “Unfortunately, we’re not.”

“What do you mean?”

“Port Angeles police didn’t remove the suitcases. This guy beat them to it.”

Hooking his arm, he dangled the copy of the surveillance photo sent by Chris Kammen. As Kammen had predicted, too blurry to be useful.

“Who is this?”

“We were hoping you might know.”

“Me? Why would I?”

“Could be someone local.”

“Well I don’t know,” she said. “I have absolutely no idea.” Squinting. “He took everything?”

“Sure did.”

“How’d he get in?”

“With a key,” said Milo. “Who besides you and Desi had one?”

“No one—does Scott know about this?”

“No reason for him to know. How about Scott? Does he have a key?”

“No, we rented it to store my parents’ stuff, Scott was always bothering me to get rid of everything. Someone stole all that money? The same person who murdered Desi?”

“We don’t know yet.”

Ricki Flatt returned the photo. “That’s why you offered to drive me. You think I’ve held back on you and want to ask more questions.”

“I’m just informing you of the situation as it stands, Ricki. Only you and Desi had keys and the guy in the photo obtained one. Do you happen to have yours right now?”

“I’m a—of course I do.” Opening her purse, she fumbled, produced a ring, shuffled. “This one. This is mine. Meaning that person used Desi’s. Meaning he did murder Desi. For the money, it’s always about the damn money!”

Burying her face in her hands, she rocked.

Milo drove another half a mile. “Ricki, what did Desi tell you about his boss, Helga Gemein?”

“Her? This is related to Desi’s job?”