Santistevan did as he was told.
"Use the outside latch to open the door."
The door opened.
"Step out slowly with your hands in view."
Ben moved to the front of the truck, his shotgun leveled on Joaquin's back.
"What's this all about?" Joaquin asked as he dismounted the truck.
"On the ground, facedown, hands locked at the back of your head," Gabe said.
Santistevan assumed the position just as Debbie came rushing out of the house and down the porch steps.
"What are you doing?" she screamed.
"Let him go."
"Stop her," Gabe said to Ben as he moved in on Santistevan.
He ground his knee hard on Joaquin's check, bolstered his weapon, cuffed him, and pulled him to his feet.
"Why are you doing this?" Debbie yelled.
Ben had Debbie firmly in hand.
Gabe used a thumb lock to hold Santistevan still while he did a weapons pat down.
"Why are you doing this?" Debbie asked again, her voice filled with rage.
Gabe couldn't resist the impulse.
"Ask his girlfriend."
"I want a twenty-four-hour tail on Bernardo Barela, starting now,"
Kerney said.
Captain Garduno winced. Even with Russell Thorpe's recent assignment to the district, he was still four officers shy of a full complement.
"What have you got going, Chief?"
Kerney handed Garduno a microcassette tape.
"I have no proof that Barela is our murderer, but everything I've learned about him points in that direction. I think he may have targeted another victim, a woman named Kerri Crombie. She's a waitress at a bar he frequents.
Crombie's five-year-old daughter made a positive ID. She saw Barela near the family's residence. As far as I can tell, he had no legitimate reason to be in the neighborhood."
"I'll have the tape transcribed and give hard copies to the team."
Garduno said.
"Is Crombie at risk?"
"Barela may not think she's a good target. She's married and her husband is always home when she gets off work.. Bernardo may be just sniffing around, but you never know. I've warned her to be careful.
Now that Bernardo no longer thinks he's under suspicion, I want to see what he does."
Garduno ran down the district duty roster assignments in his head. He had three officers scheduled for court appearances, two attending advanced training courses in Santa Fe, and one on maternity leave.
"I'm strapped for manpower. Chief," he said.
"Can I get some help out of headquarters?"
"Not for a couple of days," Kerney replied.
"Have Ben Morfin take the lead. Aside from Gabe Gonzales, he's your most experienced investigator. Put two uniforms in plain domes to work with him."
"I'll have to assign Thorpe to the detail. I've got nobody else."
Kerney nodded his approval.
"Make sure he's brought up to speed on surveillance tactics by Morfin.
Have him ride along with Ben on the first shift."
"That means they both work double shifts."
"They can handle it. Tell Ben I don't want Barela spooked. Keep it low key all the way. Have the team use their personal vehicles, handheld radios, and cell phones.
All radio transmissions on secure undercover channels only. Restrict operational need to know to your senior commanders. I will personally fire any supervisor who leaks the operation to line staff."
Garduno nodded, wrote himself a note, and waited for more.
"If he goes near Crombie, I want to know about it immediately."
"If we get anything on Barela, do you want the collar?"
Garduno asked.
"I want him watched, not busted. Barela is to be picked up only if he poses a dear and present danger."
"Understood."
"Is Gabe Gonzales on his way back to the district?"