"Are you serious?"
"You bet I am. Send your report directly to Chief Baca."
"You mean that?"
"Consider it an order. Captain." Kerney took a step away from Garduno and stopped.
"It looks like Gabe has made some progress in the case, doesn't it?" he added.
Garduno opened his mouth to speak, thought better of it, and damped his lips together.
Gabe, Russell Thorpe, and the patrol officer-a man Kerney didn't know-nodded when he drew near. The officer wore corporal chevrons and hash marks on his uniform shirt denoting a senior patrolman with ten years of service. His name tag read Art Garda.
"Is everything squared away?" Gabe asked.
"I think so."
Gabe introduced Kerney to Art Garda. After shaking Garda's hand, Kerney asked for a status report.
"We've recovered a handgun, a chain saw, and a pair of wire cutters from the truck," Gabe replied.
"The gun is the same caliber used in the Boaz shooting. There's blood splatter on the driver's door, and the tires match the tread impressions we took at Boaz's cabin."
"Do you have any idea why Rudy killed Boaz?"
"According to Boaz's journal, he was squeezing Rudy for more money. I figure he knew that Rudy was pulling jobs in the San Geronimo area, and fencing hot merchandise out of Texas. My guess is Rudy wanted to make sure Boaz didn't talk."
"That's a damn good motive for murder. Have you tied Rudy into any of the San Geronimo burglaries?"
Gabe shook his head.
"Not yet. But I think Lenny Alarid and Joaquin Santistevan were in on them with Rudy. I doubt Rudy was the brains behind the operation."
"Run it down for me."
"Rudy was part of an interstate burglary and fencing scheme operating between here and West Texas. We've recovered a number of items from the Boaz cabin and Angle Romero's house that were taken in major West Texas heists. I believe Rudy kept some of the stolen merchandise for himself and gave some to Boaz as partial payment for access to the woodcutting site."
"What else have you got?"
Gabe nodded at the girl on the deck.
"Joaquin is supporting a wife at home, as well as Bema over there with her new baby. He bought Bema a house, a car, and furniture, which I don't think he paid for out of the salary his daddy gives him.
"Bema is Lenny's step-daughter. He makes frequent runs to West Texas, hauling firewood and wood chips for Santistevan. I don't think that's all he's been freighting"
"Do you have any hard evidence?" Kerney asked.
"No, but Bema said Lenny keeps a semitrailer on the property mat he uses for special runs. She doesn't know what kind. He moved it off the property yesterday."
"You think he transferred the stolen goods?"
"That's what I would have done," Gabe replied.
"I'd like to send Thorpe and Officer Garda down to Santa Rosa to poke around. If Aland did move the stolen merchandise, Santa Rosa would be a good spot to store it."
"Don't."
Gabe turned to Thorpe and Garda.
"Take off. guys. I want every warehouse, storage unit, or possible hiding place in Santa Rosa covered by morning. Call me at home if you find anything."
Thorpe grinned and Garda nodded.
Kerney waited to speak until the two men were on the way to their units.
"What can you tell me about Bernardo Barela mat isn't in the background information Captain Garduno prepared for me?"
"Not much. He had some juvenile arrests when he was in his early teens. Mostly for getting into fights and underage drinking. Nothing serious enough to get him locked up. He was released to the custody of his parents."
"No juvenile probation?"
"Not that I know of. I think maybe he got some informal counseling."
"What kind of fights did he have?"
"Pushing and shoving matches. The usual teenage stuff."
"And the drinking?"
"Open six-packs found in a friend's car. Stopped and questioned at rowdy parties. Nothing more than that."
"Anything since then?"
"No. He seems to have straightened himself out."
"So, he's a good kid?"
"Maybe."
"You don't sound convinced."
Gabe considered his answer.
"There's an edge to Bernardo. He's respectful with me, but I get the feeling it's just surface bullshit. You know how some kids cover up their insolence by acting super polite?"
"Yeah, I do."