Kathryn Dance, TJ beside her, was in Charles Overby's corner office, early-morning rain pelting the windows. Tourists thought the climate in Monterey Bay tended toward frequent overcasts threatening showers. In fact, the area was usually desperate for rain; the gray overhead was nothing more than standard-issue West Coast fog. Today, however, the precipitation was the real thing.
"I need something, Charles."
"What's that?"
"An okay for some expenses."
"For what?"
&nbs
p; "We're not making any headway. There're no leads from Capitola, the forensics aren't giving us any answers, no sightings of him . . . and most important I don't know why he's staying in the area."
"What do you mean, expenses?" Charles Overby was a man of focus.
"I want the three women who were in the Family."
"Arrest them? I thought they were in the clear."
"No, I want to interview them. They lived with him; they've got to know him pretty well."
Oh, if you get your act together, Daniel, there's no reason in the world you couldn't have a family of your own. . . .
It was this line from the police interview tape that had inspired the idea.
A to B to X . . .
"We want to hold a Family reunion," said cheerful TJ. She knew he'd been partying late but his round face, under the curly red hair, was as fresh as if he'd walked out of a spa.
Overby ignored him. "But why would they want to help us? They'd be sympathetic to him, wouldn't they?"
"No. I've talked to two of them, and they have no sympathy for Pell. The third changed her identity, to put that whole life behind her."
"Why bring them here? Why not interview them where they live?"
"I want them together. It's a gestalt interviewing approach. Their memories would trigger each other's. I was up till two reading about them. Rebecca wasn't with the Family very long--just a few months--but Linda lived with Pell for over a year, and Samantha for two."
"Have you already talked to them?" The question was coy, as if he suspected her of pulling an end run.
"No," Dance said. "I wanted to ask you first."
He seemed satisfied that he wasn't being outmaneuvered. Still, he shook his head. "Airfare, guards, transportation . . . red tape. I really doubt I could get it through Sacramento. It's too out of the box." He noticed a frayed thread on his cuff and plucked it out. "I'm afraid I have to say no. Utah. I'm sure that's where he's headed now. After the scare at Moss Landing. It'd be crazy for him to stay around. Is the USP surveillance team up and running?"
"Yep," TJ told him.
"Utah'd be good. Real good."
Meaning, Dance understood: They nail him and CBI gets the credit, with no more loss of life in California. USP misses him, it's their flub.
"Charles, I'm sure Utah's a false lead. He's not going to point us there and--"
"Unless," her boss said triumphantly, "it's a double twist. Think about it."
"I did, and it's not Pell's profile. I really want to go forward with my idea."
"I'm not sure. . . ."
A voice from behind her. "Can I ask what that idea is?"