“It ain’t plastic,” said Milo.

“Jesus...oh, man...how long’s it been there?”

“One question of many rearing their nasty little heads, Sarge. Have you called your lab guys?”

“Um...not yet...” Another look down. “Our downtown guys are obviously going to need to deal with this.”

“Then you should call them, too.”

Pedersohn yanked his radio off his belt. Stopped. Squinted. “Where are the suspects?”

“Pretending to be taking a road trip.”

“What?” said Pedersohn.

Milo walked away from him again.

Pedersohn looked at me.

I said, “Multiple murder makes him cranky.”

* * *

A deputy coroner named Al Morden who lived in the Palisades was called to the scene. He descended the stairs, looked at the head, refused to go farther until the shelter was declared safe.

Lots of who-me? looks from the deputies. Sergeant Mitchell Pedersohn said, “Our downtown guys should be here soon.”

Milo said, “My offer vis-à-vis the lunch box stands, Alex.”

Pedersohn said, “What?”

Milo climbed down in the hole.

* * *

He was back moments later. “Look, Ma, no booby traps.”

“What’s down there?” Pedersohn demanded.

“Three separate shelters linked by tunnels. Think of it as your basic paranoid triplex. One of them’s got women’s clothes and toiletries and a comfy bed, pictures of our suspects on the walls, kinda homey. The others aren’t homey at all.”

“I meant in terms of evidence.”

“That’s kinda complicated,” Milo said, addressing Dr. Morden.

Morden’s smile was grim. “My type of complicated?”

“Oh, yeah.”

CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 44

Homicide Investigation Progress Report

DR#S 04-592 346-56

VICTIMS:

BRAND, MICHAELA ALLY

GAIDELAS, ANDREW WILLIAM

GAIDELAS, CATHERINE ANTONIA

GIACOMO, VICTORIA MARY

MESERVE, DYLAN ROGER

PEATY, REYNOLD MILLARD

WHITE FEMALE JANE DOE #1

WHITE FEMALE JANE DOE #2

WHITE FEMALE JANE DOE #3

WHITE FEMALE JANE DOE #4

LAS VEGAS, NV VICTIM

DUTCHEY, JULIET LEE

SECTION VIII: EVIDENCE

I. FROM STORAGE BUILDING OWNED BY BNB PROPERTIES, 9421⁄2 WEST WOODBURY ROAD, ALTADENA, CA, 91001:

1. 3 CARDBOARD CARTONS CONTAINING CLOTHING, SOME IDENTIFIED AS BELONGING TO VICTIMS BRAND, M, GAIDELAS, A, GAIDELAS, C, MESERVE, D, GIACOMO, V. VARIOUS FEMALE ATTIRE, IDENTIFICATION UNKNOWN.

2. 2 “MADE IN MEXICO” ONYX BOXES CONTAINING VARIOUS GOLD, SILVER, AND COSTUME JEWELRY, 3 PRS. EYEGLASSES, 1 BELONGING TO VICTIM GIACOMO, V, 2 UNATTRIBUTED, 1 SET SOFT CONTACT LENSES BELONGING TO VICTIM BRAND, M, 1 PARTIAL DENTAL BRIDGE BELONGING TO VICTIM GAIDELAS, A.

3. 3 POLYETHYLENE GARBAGE BAGS CONTAINING 53 BLEACHED HUMAN BONES, IDENTIFICATION IN PROGRESS PER THE CORONER’S OFFICE. (REF: PROFESSOR JESSICA SAMPLE, FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGIST.)

4. 1 CARDBOARD CARTON MARKED SEARS-KENMORE CONTAINING 10 JUMBO ZIPLOC SANDWICH BAGS EACH CONTAINING A CLUMP OF HUMAN HAIR BOUND BY TWO RUBBER BANDS. (REF: PROF. J. SAMPLE.)

II. FROM TRUNK OF 1989 LINCOLN TOWN CAR VIN 33893566, REGISTERED TO BRADLEY MILLARD DOWD, GARAGED BE HIND STORAGE BUILDING AT 9421⁄2 WEST WOODBURY ROAD:

1. 1 SONY DIGITAL CAMERA MODEL DSC 588.

2. 1 EXCISED SECTION OF BLACK CARPETING FROM LTC.

3. FRONT AND REAR BLACK LEATHER SEATS FROM LTC.

III. FROM TRIPLEX SUBTERRANEAN BOMB SHELTERS, 43885 LATIGO CANYON ROAD, MALIBU, CA, 90265:

FROM UNIT “A” (NORTHERNMOST, SEE DIAGRAM):

1. CLOTHING, COSMETICS, PERSONAL EFFECTS BELONGING TO SUSPECT DOWD, N.