“Gosh, it was a long time ago.” She paused. “It wasn’t one of the biggies, that much I remember. I think it was Northern or Northeastern. It was Northeastern. As I recall, it was the only one that flew nonstop from L.A.”

“Thanks,” Decker said.

“Why?” Rina asked again.

Decker didn’t answer. Rina didn’t pursue it.

26

At nine the next morning, Decker called the Darcy residence. The phone rang twelve times before it was picked up. Decker identified himself and asked to speak to Pappy Darcy. The male voice on the other end was low and slow.

“He ain’t home,” the voice said.

“Know when he’ll be back?”

“I ain’t suppose to say nothin’ to the po-lice,” said the voice.

“Are you B.B. Litton?” Decker asked.

“I told you, I don’t say nothin’ without my niggerlawyer.”

Decker swallowed back anger. “Is Sue Beth there?”

“Nope.”

“Is she at the courthouse?” Decker asked.

Silence over the other end. Decker felt his frustration grow. “Tell Sue Beth I called, all right?”

“Maybe,” the voice said. “Maybe I won’t.”

The line went dead.

Decker swore, then told himself to let it pass. He’d talk to Nixon later today and arrange the interview through him.

He picked up the receiver, dialed the Hollywood substation, and asked for George Andrick. A breathy female voice on the other end paused a moment, then said solemnly that Andrick had died on Tuesday—just two days ago. Massive coronary.

“You want info on the funeral?” she asked.

It took Decker a moment to collect his thoughts. The woman on the other end said, “You still there?”

“Yeah,” Decker said.

“You a friend of his or something?”

“No,” Decker said. “No, I’m from Foothill substation. I’m sorry to hear about Andrick.”

“Too bad, huh?”

“Yeah,” Decker said. “Listen, I was working on one of his cases. Know who took them over?”

The woman said she didn’t but transferred him to Medino—Andrick’s supervising detective. Decker gave Medino a recap of the case. Medino paused, then started repeating the name Steele over and over, as if it were a religious chant. Finally, he admitted he had no idea who had the case.

Decker asked, “What about Torres and Hoersch? Are they out on patrol?”

Medino said he didn’t know, then transferred Decker to the day-watch commander.

Ten minutes later, a Valley address in hand, Decker was on his way to see Officer William Hoersch.