As we walked to him, he said, “See? Hop, skip. Maybe that’s part of it, too. What you just said about craving attention. Shoot someone this close to the station, it’s an F-U to the cops.”
I said, “Could be.”
“Or…”
“He was hired to get rid of another victim who just happens to live here.”
—
Emmanuel Rosales’s house was one of the older ones, not dissimilar from Walt Swanson’s residence in Simi Valley but painted walrus gray with white trim. Ornate New Orleans–style ironwork graced atwo-post outdoor frame that announced a front door set several feet back. The door was shut and sealed, the property taped off. A brown Honda Civic sat in the driveway.
Four black-and-whites and one crime lab van but no one from the Coroner’s. Come and gone or hadn’t arrived. A few neighbors stared from behind the tape.
Four uniforms stood around. Milo beckoned one over.A. J. Beam.“Where’s your sergeant?”
“In back.”
“Have you canvassed?”
“Waiting for you, sir.”
“I’m here, so let’s do it.” Milo eyed the neighbors. “Start with the gawkers. Curious people are a treasured resource.”
Beam said, “I’m doing it by myself, sir?”
Milo took in the scene. Four black-and-whites had transported eight officers, meaning four in front, four in back.
“Three of you,” he said, “leave one officer to guard the tape.”
“Yes, sir.” Beam jogged off and began conferencing.
Milo turned to Sean. “Anything out here look interesting?”
“Not to me.”
“That makes two of us. Alex?”
I held up three fingers.
Milo loped up the gray house’s driveway and we followed, heading for sadness.
—
The late Emmanuel Rosales’s backyard was tidy but modest, not much more than precisely clipped grass running to redwood fencing that had grayed and some outdoor furniture with floral plastic cushions and redwood frames. The chair that had absorbed the bullet was I.D.’d by a yellow plastic evidence marker. Not necessary; it stood ten or so feet behind the humped-up tarp lying on the grass. The house’s rear door was open but taped.
The three of us booted and gloved and walked past four uniforms. A sergeant joined us.S. Lincoln.
She said, “Hi, Milo, what do you need?”
Milo said, “Glad it’s you, Shirl. Be great if you mobilized to the max for the canvass. I got three in front to start, could use three more. Leave one officer to keep watch over this. Could be you, or you can door-knock, your choice.”
“Sure,” she said. “We were waiting for you in order to mobilize. We after the basics? See, hear, smell anything?”
“Exactly.”
“What are the canvass parameters?”
“See what you can cover in a couple of hours and let me know.” He pointed to the open rear door. “You gained entry?”
