Page 53 of The Missing Witness

“Because he was going to plea,” Michael suggested.

“Craig told me the case against Chen was solid,” Will said, “and he was going to use that to leverage him into turning state’s evidence against multiple people. I don’t specifically know who—Craig was keeping that information close to the vest until the grand jury.”

“So someone kills Chen to prevent him from talking, then someone kills Craig so he doesn’t pursue an investigation.” She didn’t see it. “Killing Chen—yes. No honor among thieves. But a prosecutor? These kinds of public corruption cases are held up for years because of motions and postponements and paperwork and bullshit. Murder is a whole other animal. Something else is going on.”

Will shrugged. “I don’t know what to say. This is what I’ve been working on with him. I planned to testify as an expert to the grand jury. We’ve been talking about it for months. I have research, documentation, facts to back up my statements, and more than a decade working with the homeless and navigating the city bureaucracy. I’ve seen the waste firsthand.”

“Then it’s this Halliday girl who has information,” Michael said. “And no one knows where she is.”

“I’m worried about her,” Will admitted. “She called me yesterday in a panic, said that she needed to meet me, that she would be at the Fifth Street Park.”

“Where’s that?” Michael asked.

“A small downtown park about a mile from city hall north of I-10. It’s a homeless encampment now, but she volunteers for me on the weekends.”

“And she would go there?” Michael asked, surprised.

“Sure,” Will said. “Everyone knows her. If she needed help or to hide in the open, that’s where she would go. But when I got there, she was gone, and there were these thugs I’d never seen before going through the camp, harassing people, asking about her.”

“Could they have worked for Chen?”

“They weren’t Chinese—they were Hispanic. Three men, under thirty, looked to be gangbangers. Swaggered in, tossed a couple tents, all attitude. One had a neck tat, but I couldn’t make out the details. They left when they saw me, but threatened me by ‘shooting’ their fingers.”

“You need to watch yourself,” Kara said. “Some of those gangs don’t need a reason to kill you.”

Will dismissed her concern. “When they were gone, I talked to the people at the park. Violet had been hiding in a tent, but when she saw the men looking for her she slipped away, leaving her phone behind.”

“Where’s her phone now?” Michael asked.

“In my office.”

“Your office workers told me they didn’t know where you were and yet came right here,” Kara said.

“Don’t blame them. I told Gina and Fletch not to tell anyone where I am.”

“Even the police?” Michael said.

Will was growing irritated. “I don’t know you, and I know Kara isn’t with LAPD anymore.”

“I am,” she said, “just temporarily assigned to the feds until this Chen thing is resolved. A detective who didn’t identify himself was looking for you, too,” she added.

“Fletch told me he was an asshole. Thought Violet was there. Demanded to search. He walked around, looked in the offices—which are open, the doors don’t even lock—and even searched the cabinets where I keep supplies. Fletch and Gina aren’t confrontational, they only watched him.”

“You’re not telling us everything,” Michael said. He was just as irritated with Will as Will was with them.

“Look, I’m done,” Will said. “When I talk to Violet, find out what spooked her, maybe I’ll call you.”

“You need to call me,” Kara said.

“First, I have to find Violet.” He looked around, closed his eyes, shook his head. “Dammit, you both look like cops, and no one is going to talk to cops around here. Let me handle this.”

Kara stepped forward and said in a low voice, “No matter what, you call me tonight and give me a report, even if it’s that you found nothing. Do not avoid my calls. This fraud investigation Craig was running? There has to be more to it. We’re talking about murder. Killing a DDA in the fucking courthouse. Violet is in danger, and you know it. If she really did find something, the smoking gun that she was bringing to Craig yesterday afternoon, then my team can protect her a whole lot better than you.”

Will watched Kara and her partner walk away, then he swore and kicked the trash can next to him, hurting his foot.

He sensed before he saw someone approach him from the trees. Will whirled around, stared at his old friend who blended in so well with the homeless. Khakis, layered shirts, jacket, thick beard, hat, sunglasses. The sunglasses because some things—like being a drug addict—you can’t fake if someone looks in your eyes.

“Goddammit, Colton, why didn’t you tell me that Kara doesn’t know you’re alive?”

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