"I need to talk about something with you and Pardy. I have a digital picture of Reinnike and his car. You can see his license plate, but it's blurry -"

She interrupted me.

"What does that mean, blurry? Can you read the digits?"

"You can't read it, but we might be able to have it enhanced. It's a pretty good picture, but it doesn't come free -"

She interrupted me again.

"Wait a minute. Is anyone else in the picture?"

"One of Golden's outcall girls."

"Where was it taken? Can you recognize the location?"

She was looking for other witnesses.

"It's not like that, Diaz. It was taken outside the Home Away Suites three nights before his murder."

She fell silent, so I plowed ahead.

"Listen, that's what we have to talk about. Golden's operation isn't just outcall. He's running a blackmail scam, and you have to clear the field for the people who took the picture. They were involved in the blackmail."

"Bring it around and let's see what you have."

"They need the pass. Is Pardy going to go for it?"

"Pardy will go with whatever I say."

I picked up Golden's computer from the hall closet, then let myself out through the kitchen. When I opened the kitchen door, an unsealed manila envelope was propped against the door. I looked inside, then tipped out a thin stack of faxed pages. The cover page was addressed to Sgt. D. Gittamon regarding David Reinnike. The letterhead showed the pages had been faxed from the San Diego County Sheriffs Department, North County Station, Juvenile Intervention Bureau. No other note was enclosed.

I knew Starkey must have dropped it off earlier that morning, and probably hadn't left a note or knocked because she was pissed off about dinner. Realizing that Starkey was pissed off left me feeling badly. I went back inside, and got her voice mail when I called her cell.

"Starkey, it's me. Listen, I want to apologize about last night. I didn't know Lucy was in town and I guess I was abrupt with you. It was rude. I got the stuff you left. I'll read it now, and talk to you later."

I hung up, but I didn't feel any better.