Chapter 20
Chapter
I used my title and got quick cooperation from the Vanguard Developmental Center in Culver City. But no resident named Matthias, Lynne or otherwise, was listed and the place turned out to specialize in patients with senile dementia.
My second call went to Safe Place: A Residential Treatment Facility in West L.A. A little under a mile south of Martha Matthias’s home.
When I told the receptionist who I was looking for, he went silent.
Then: “Hold on, I’ll transfer you to my boss.”
Three clicks later a woman said, “This is Pam Buttons. I’m at home but they told me a doctor was calling. We’ve been looking for Lynne. Is she hospitalized?”
“Her whereabouts are unknown.”
Silence.
“Who did you say you were?”
I began to explain.
“Police psychologist?” she said. “Well that beats all. I reported Lynne missing to the police the day after she didn’t come home.
And that was a week ago. She told us she was going to her mom but when she did, she always came back the following morning.
I phoned her mom and no one answered. So I tried to file a missing persons with the cops and they told me adults are free to come and go but apply online and they’d look into it.
I heard nothing for two days so I called again, got voicemail, and no one has gotten back to me.
I tried to explain this adult has the cognitive functioning of a twelve-year-old but basically I got brushed off. What’s going on now?”
“Who’d you speak to at the police?”
“Hold on, I wrote it down, someone named…Pocan.” She spelled it. “He was not helpful. Now why’s a psychologist calling me out of the blue?”
“It’s best I don’t get into it. A detective will contact you promptly. Lieutenant Milo Sturgis.”
“Sure. For what that’s worth.”
—
Milo said, “Harvey Pocan, total waste of space. So she’s been gone since a coupla days after Martha’s murder. Doesn’t mean she couldn’t have left before, also. Like sneaking out late, when the dog barked. Thanks for the sleuthing. I will now call Ms. Buttons.”
Five minutes later, he was back on the line.
“Man, my ears are burning. Not that I blame her. I asked if we could come down to Safe Place, talk to other residents, but she said no way, too disruptive and besides it’s her day off.
I looked it up, found an image. A house just like that Kadar place you told me about, I can see why Martha would go for it.
Anyway, Ms. Buttons surprised me by volunteering to come to the station to talk about Lynne. ”
I said, “Nothing to hide.”
“Or she wants us to think so.”
“When’s the love-fest scheduled?”
“Two hours. I asked if you could be there and she said, ‘Sure. For what that’s worth.’ ”
“Same thing she said about you.”
“Ah. So we’ll share the joy.”