“Criminal analysis, I’ll give you a phone number and if you’d like you can verify—”
“No, that’s fine. What’s this about?”
“We’re looking into a ten-year-old murder that took place—”
“Rainer,” said Will Steckel, his voice dropping. “I was hoping you’d say that. But why the devil would Los Angeles be interested?”
“It’s possible that whoever shot Rainer committed a crime here.”
“Huh. Crazy.”
“He was your brother.”
“Older brother,” said Will Steckel. “Well, at least you’re trying to do something. The yokels over in Shelter Lake. Do you know the details?”
“Your brother was shot while hunting deer.”
“That was the claim but it was bullshit. I told the idiots, they ignored me.”
“What did you tell them?”
“That it had to be one of those spoiled brats from the college—Oberlin, that’s where Rain worked.”
“Which brat in particular?”
“That’s the problem,” said Will Steckel. “I had no name, no description, nothing. Just what my brother told me like a month before it happened. So who’s the bastard you’re looking at over there?”
“Sorry, can’t say at this point.”
“You’re claiming there’ll be a point where youcansay?”
I said, “The more we know, the better the odds of that. What did Rain tell you?”
“That he had a giant kerfuffle with one of the college brats. Sick kerfuffle, Rain was working at night cleaning the gym, went into a bathroom, put the lights on and caught some weirdo whipping his wienie. In full view, sitting in one of the stalls with the door wide open. Pervert shouldn’ta been there for any reason, the building was supposed to be closed up for the evening, but Rain said he was always finding doors unlocked when they weren’t supposed to be. Windows, too. Coupla times he found raccoons wandering around eating garbage and once in a while there’d be a couple doing their thing. Butnever that. I mean, why? Use a dorm bathroom. Or just wait until dark and fool around in your bunk bed. So we’re obviously talking sick puppy.”
He laughed. “I’m not saying what happened was funny but picturing it is kinda funny, no? Rain walks in ready to mop and seesthat? He said he told the kid, ‘What the hell are you doing, boy? Stick it back in your pants and scram.’ So what would you expect someone caught in the act to do?”
“Be embarrassed and leave.”
“Exactly. You tuck your tail between your legs and get the hell out of there. Not this brat, he gets an attitude, starts yelling at Rain. Tells him he’s intruding. That’s the word he used.Intruding.Rain can’t believe what he’s hearing, says, ‘Are you nuts, boy?’ Then Rain cracks up and says, ‘Speaking of nuts, yours are shrinkin’,’ and thatreallypisses the brat off. He pulls up his pants and comes at Rain like he’s itchin’ for a fight. Rain holds out his mop and says, ‘Don’t even think about it, boy.’ The brat stops, tries to stare Rain down, then finally he leaves. But on the way out, he bumps into Rain’s shoulder. Hard, on purpose. Rain shoulda reported it but that wasn’t him, he was softhearted, give you the shirt off his back. So he let it ride and then a couple weeks later, he sees the same brat on campus giving him the stink-eye. That’s when he told me about it, said the kid gave him the creeps. A couple weeks after that, Rain’s dead. That sound like a hunting accident to you? Yokel fools.”
“Did Rain give you any details about the creep?”
“No,” said Will Steckel. “Just what I told you and that was supposedly the problem for the yokels. Insufficient details. But I think it was more than that. They’d never do anything to embarrass the college, place does a lot of hiring. So is your guy some sort of sex deviate?”
“Again, sorry, can’t—”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” said Will Steckel, chuckling. “Didn’t know beating your meat in public was even a problem in L.A.”
—
Milo said, “Filling out subpoena forms and enjoying it. What’s up?”
“Two things,” I said. “Flick’s no longer enrolled at the U. Dismissed due to lack of performance a little under two and a half years ago. That’s not long before the shootings began. So it’s likely career frustration played a role.”
“Cammy-poo all upset? Don’t tell Flick’s defense attorney that, Alex. No, I get what you’re saying. It could fill out the motive. Thanks. What’s the second thing?”
“I may have found out why Rainer Steckel was shot.”
