"We've got criminal negligence for leaving Pete Braga alone and defenseless," said Assistant District Attorney Gerald Dale. "Grand theft and illegal possession of controlled substances- pending the lab work on the pills. Right now I think we can get her for six, maybe eight years. But murder is the hard one. If we go with conspiracy we need her coconspirator. Otherwise we've got exculpatory prints on the gloves. Attempted murder with the drug in the wine? Dicey. We're still missing some large pieces if we want a good homicide case. But if we can do it right, prove conspiracy, come up with the partner and prove it was done in commission of a felony- guess what? That's capital. We can ask for death."
It was Monday morning, just after ten. The meeting was in Rawlings's office- Team Three, the prosecutor and Assistant Chief Jerry Bland.
"But she's killed before," said Hector. "Practically the same way."
"I might not even be able to get that into evidence," said Dale. "A sealed juvenile case? Self-defense? No, Hector- you guys want murder, you've got some work to do. You have to put that Fish Whack'r in someone's hands."
"What about the old boyfriend?" asked Rawlings.
"Dylan Feder," said McMichael. "He skipped on his parole officer last month and hasn't been seen since. But the prints on the weapon aren't his and we've got no evidence that he's here, or contacted her. Her phone records are due here this morning and we've got her address book. We'll be talking to people out at the university. That's one area we haven't looked into."
"A university student trying to become a doctor," said Rawlings. "This will make some news."
"Yes, sir," said McMichael. He stood and went to the window. Another clear cool day, one huge white cloud in front of the sun.
"What?" asked Rawlings.
"I don't like this case as much as I should," said McMichael. "The hummingbird. The cash. Those things are nothing compared to getting a piece of Pete Braga's estate. Pete was trying to write her into his will. He told her he was thinking about doing it. Why kill him if he was trying to cut her in? What's her motive?"
"A bird in the hand," said Bland. "A little jeweled bird. And you don't know what Pete was doing with his will. All you've got is lost letters and an old man's faulty memory. For all you know, he told the nurse to bugger off and find another sugar daddy. That's motive."
"I still don't like it as much as I should."
Over the weekend, he'd learned, Bland had talked to Rawlings and the chief about the PSU photographs and McMichael's relationship with Sally Rainwater. Ditto the rest of Team Three and, undoubtedly, Gerald Dale. McMichael had gotten over his initial shame. Now it was all out in the open and he felt like a man with a big scarlet "A" for asshole sewn on his shirt. By nine that morning he'd already gotten three messages from Union-Tribune reporters, two from the San Diego Times. Had they gotten onto him and Sally, or were they just calling because they still thought he was lead detective on the case?
"The search turned up some pretty convincing evidence," said Rawlings. "Do you think it was planted?"
"I believe it's possible."
Hector looked at him.
"By whom?" asked Rawlings.
"I have no idea," said McMichael.
"Oh, Christ," said Bland. "Your relationship with the suspect is affecting your judgment."
"It is," said McMichael.
"That doesn't make him wrong," Barbara said sharply. She glanced at McMichael, all cheer gone from her clear blue eyes. Then she turned back to Bland. "We've got to look at all the possibilities here. We're talking about a murder and a woman's life."
"Maybe you two should hire out to the defense," said Bland. He appeared to chew on something.
Rawlings raised his hands in a gesture of placation. "I put Hector in charge of the team," he said.
"That won't be enough if it gets to the media," said Bland. "Gerald, do you think she'll use this hanky-panky with McMichael?"
"Gene Goldman took the case on contingency from what I've heard," said Dale. "Wrongful arrest is what he's looking for, how he's going to get paid. So he'll damn well use it, if the charges are dropped or she's acquitted. But that's still ahead of us. We haven't charged her with anything but the stolen property. Yet."
"When you going to write them up, Gerald?" asked Hector.
"It's written and ready. I just wanted you guys clear on it- I can't file a murder or conspiracy charge with what I've got."
"We can add those later," said Rawlings. "Hector, it's your call now."
Hector glanced at McMichael, then his captain. "File what we've got. We'll come in with murder when we're ready."
"Done," said the prosecutor.