Page 109 of Last Girls Alive
“I think we should go.”
“How?”
“We can go in undercover with the caterers and then change and make our way into the event. This would be a police undercover assignment to gather more information for not one, but two of our active homicide investigations.”
“I don’t know…” she said. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, but I don’t think Dottie is going to go for it. They let us slide on the park surveillance, but… And it’s in two days.”
“C’mon, Katie, it’s worth a try. Just ask. I don’t know how we’re going to be able to speak with them otherwise. I haven’t been able to get a response from their spokesperson, attorney or whoever.”
Katie stood up, rereading the murder board, painfully aware of this gaping hole in it. “Okay,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Don’t get all happy yet, the sheriff still has to approve it. Don’t forget, this is out of our jurisdiction, so the sheriff will have to smooth it over with Sacramento PD. I’ll put the request together.”
“You used to be a cop there. That should help. And the fact that the McKinzies could be jetting off to who knows where afterwards. This is the only time that we’ll probably get a chance to talk to them.”
“Maybe.”
McGaven turned back to his computer and seemed to be excited about the prospect of working undercover.
Katie wasn’t as convinced, but she would get the paperwork together and speak with her uncle. “Okay, first we have to try to fill in some of these blanks.”
“I’m game.”
“We need to talk to Tanis again. I’m worried she’s not responding. And I need any information about the McKinzies we can get ahead of time, especially around when they owned Elm Hill Mansion. And, we should try and check out Candace Harlan’s story and find her ex-boyfriend Ray Conner.”
“I’m on it.”
“You up for a quick trip to Tanis’s place first?” she asked.
“You have to ask?”
Forty-Six
Thursday 1115 hours
Before leaving, Katie emailed Sheriff Scott about their proposed undercover assignment to go to the Four Seasons as guests to talk to Mr. and Mrs. McKinzie. She would wait to hear if they received a preliminary approval and then she would write a more in-depth request.
The rain had stopped and the sun shone brightly as they drove back to the small tourist town where Tanis Jones lived. Katie was quiet, lost in thought.
“You know,” said McGaven breaking the silence and Katie’s train of thought. “You didn’t need me to come with you to question Tanis Jones.”
“I know. I just thought… that we both needed to be there.”
“You’re keeping an eye on me, aren’t you?”
“No.”
“Yes, you are. I know the entire metal container thing scared the crap out of you. It did me, too.”
“No.”
“Yes, it did.”
“Maybe a little.”
“I’m fine. The bruises are much better and it doesn’t hurt when I laugh. Okay?”
