When Kate walked into the Taco Bell, Billie Brewster was working on a burrito in a back booth. Kate bought a cup of black coffee and slid in across from her. “What, no password? I thought this was a top-secret meeting.” Kate smiled. “I’m here to talk about Kaidanov’s murder.” “And I thought you wanted some fashion tips.” Billie took a bite of her burrito. “I assume there’s going to be a little quid pro quo here.” Kate nodded. “A neighbor who lives near that ravine heard the shots and looked out her window. She saw someone run out of the woods a little before you and Daniel came out, but it was too dark for her to give any kind of ID. She also saw a car drive off without lights, but can’t tell us the make or color. That’s all we’ve got.” “I think you should take a hard look at Aaron Flynn and Burt Randall, Flynn’s investigator.” “This on the up-and-up?” Kate nodded. “Aaron Flynn has lots of important friends,” Billie said. Kate leaned across the table. Her voice and her stare were intense. “Kaidanov phoned Daniel’s apartment to set up the meeting at the graveyard. Daniel didn’t tell anyone except me that he was meeting Kaidanov there at ten, but the killer knew. The day before the call, Daniel saw Burt Randall leaving his building. I had Dan’s apartment swept for bugs and my technician found these.” Kate placed the evidence bags containing the bugs on the table. Billie whistled softly. “Randall must have planted them and whoever listened to Daniel’s calls knew that Kaidanov would be at Rest of Angels at ten o’clock.” The detective picked up evidence bags and studied the listening devices. “Okay, you’ve got me thinking about Randall,” she said. “Why Flynn?” Kate told Billie everything she had learned in Arizona about the Alvarez and Arnold kidnappings. “I’m certain that Gene Arnold was killed because Flynn was afraid that he would expose his connection to the Arizona kidnappings.” “Was Flynn ever a suspect in the Alvarez or Arnold murders?” “Not that I know. But I called your friend at the Benson Hotel. He went over Arnold’s phone records. Gene Arnold called Aaron Flynn’s office from his room.” “Why would a hotshot lawyer like Aaron Flynn be killing people and setting monkeys on fire?” Brewster asked.
Kate told the homicide detective how much money Flynn would make if he won the Insufort litigation and how much it would cost him if he lost it. “You think Flynn or Randall killed Arthur Briggs?” Billie asked.
“I’m certain of it. Kaidanov was going to tell Briggs that the study was a hoax. The study was all Flynn had going for him. He had to kill Kaidanov and anyone he talked to.” Billie took a bite of her burrito and mulled over all she’d just learned. “I think I’ll pay a visit to Mr. Flynn,” she said.