Chapter 38
Chapter
Three days later, he called at ten a.m. Perfect timing; I’d just finished with a patient.
“Villalobos did a great job finding that footage but it doesn’t amount to much.
He called it visual compost. He couldn’t find anyone around there who noticed the SUV and no other cameras have picked it up anywhere else.
A motorhead in Auto Theft named Meyers says it could be a Toyota Land Cruiser or a Land Rover but he’d never put it in writing.
Next, Heck’s phone. Porn, more porn, take-out grub, and calls to the six other women.
I did phone interviews with the five besides Bel Geddes and got consistency: Mike’s not too bright but he’s available when you need him.
No violence, no problems at all, but none of them see him as long-term relationship material.
As one of them put it, ‘He’s eager to please and try finding that. ’ ”
I said, “Middle-aged boy-toy.”
“Oxymoron but you’re permitted an occasional lapse.
In terms of his finances, there’s an Amex, a MasterCard, a checking account with a debit card, and a 401(k) co-contributed by his current employer.
That one has eleven grand in various stock funds and he’s never withdrawn a cent.
He takes home six grand a month, pays three and a half in rent directly to the landlord, puts a grand into the 401(k) and the rest into the checking account.
Pays bills with the debit card, except for his auto loan which he Amexes.
He stays within his means, rarely pays penalties. Are you snoozing yet?”
I yawned.
He laughed. “Now the wake-up call. Given all that zero, I had nowhere to go but the unlikely Ms. Tiana. Most of her social media presence is old pictures of when she was a hottie hanging out at Hef’s lagoon.
Then I accessed her Instagram account and learned that she makes cute little birdhouses that she sells on Etsy and eBay.
When she’s not donating them to sick kids. She also says she donates her time.”
“Woodworking. Tools.”
“So much for my instincts. Problem is, can’t find any current address for her. I had San Marino PD go over to check the mansion she and Alberts shared, just to make sure she’s not squatting there. Family from Taiwan bought it years ago at auction and is living there happily.”
I said, “Who does she donate her time to?”
“The birdhouses are for sick kids, so probably them. Or maybe it’s b.s. showboating. But in case there’s something to it, could you call Western Peds and ask if they know her?”
“No problem.”
“You never are.”
—
I trained clinically at Western Pediatric Hospital, got hired there as a new Ph.D.
, and was appointed to dual faculty positions: the psych department at the old university in West Adams and its med school.
I still do some occasional supervision and teaching on campus but I hadn’t been to the hospital for a while and hoped some of my contacts were still around.
My first bet was lucky.
Stacee Vasquez at the volunteer office said, “Hi, Dr. Delaware! Long time! We still remember you playing guitar for the kids.”
We chitchatted a while then I told her what I wanted.
“Sure, let me look. What’s that name again?”
“Tiana Crown. Or possibly Tiana Alberts.”
“An alias, huh? Sounds juicy—that police work you do, huh…nope, nothing under either. She never volunteered here.”
“One more thing, could you please check under Rhonda Cronin?”
“Is that a different person?”
“Same person, maybe another alias.”
“Wow. Sure…nope, again. Which is good, we wouldn’t want anyone the cops are after.”
“Absolutely. Thanks, Stacee.”
“Anytime, Dr. Delaware. We miss you. Come by and bring your guitar.”
—
I spent the next hour trying people at a few child-welfare groups I’d worked with. No one had heard of Tiana Crown under any name. I was about to put it to rest when I thought of something.
After considering it for a moment, I phoned Milo.
He said, “How’d you get from sick kids to that—forget it, no need to explain. Sure, why not, can’t hurt to try. I’m downtown with Hector going through some more video from a few blocks away. You mind making the call?”
“Sure, but if they don’t want to talk to me—”
“Everyone wants to talk to you.”
—
I phoned Safe Place, hoping to bypass Pam Buttons—too new, too defensive—and connected with David Le Gallee.
“Oh, hi, Doctor. There’s progress on Lynne?”
“Wish there was. I’m calling because you mentioned people volunteering. Was a woman named Tiana Crown among them?”
“She sure was…oh no, you’re not saying—no, that’s crazy.”
“Did she spend time with Lynne?”
“I’m sure she did. As well as with other residents. But it was always positive contact, Doctor, no way I can see that as relevant to…what happened.”
I kept my voice smooth-lie-even. “I’m sure you’re right but when cases bog down, and this one sure has, the detectives go back and dig through every possible detail. The last place Lynne was seen was Safe House, so they want to know who she associated with.”
“The detectives do the digging, but you’re the one calling.”
I laughed. “To be honest, it’s kind of low priority.”
“Well, that’s good, because the idea of someone here having anything to do with Lynne’s disappearance is ridiculous.”
“No doubt,” I said. “Do you have the names of the other volunteers, Dave?”
“You have Tiana’s name but not theirs?”
“That was a fluke. She turned out to be somewhat well known.”
“How?”
“Her husband was a corrupt lawyer who ran a big scam. There’s no evidence she was part of it but she did cite volunteering at various nonprofits in her personal statement so we wondered.”
“That’s it?” said Le Gallee. “Yes, it does sound low priority. Tiana was really helpful, Doctor. Different from the other volunteers but that was a plus.”
“How so?”
“Our ladies are mostly in their sixties and up. Affluent, kind of old-school. You know, the typical volunteer.”
“Tiana was younger and the residents could relate to her.”
“Exactly,” he said. “Music, clothes, she was more up to date. She was also able to help me with exercise classes. Fit and super strong. And always supportive.”
“Of Lynne?”
“Of anyone who needed bucking up.”
“Got it,” I said. “You’ve been using the past tense. Tiana no longer volunteers there?”
“No, not for a while. Hold on and I’ll tell you exactly…
okay, here it is. For half a year, she came once a week, then she stopped a little less than two months ago.
Says here she was stepping away to find full-time employment and now I remember her telling me she needed the money.
Which isn’t true of our other volunteers, they’re pretty well heeled. ”
“Got it. Could I have their names, please?”
“Don’t see how it could be of any use. These are older, genteel women.”
“Like I said, just to be thorough, Dave. If it’s a problem giving it to me, I can check with Detective Sturgis and if he thinks it’s worth it, he’ll get back to you.”
Dave Le Gallee said, “No, that’s okay, I’ll email it to you. Feels a little less…official.”
—
The file came through moments later. Single-page document, names, addresses, phone numbers.
For the most part, Safe Place volunteers listed private homes in Hancock Park, Pacific Palisades, and Beverly Hills. A scatter came from Pasadena and its rich cousin, San Marino, where Darren and Tiana Alberts had once lived like monarchs.
The address Tiana had given Safe Place was a steep drop from that.
Multi-unit on South Holt Avenue. A map search put it just west of La Cienega and far enough south to be within earshot of the 10 freeway.
An image search brought up a pale-pink, fifties stucco box with a deeper-pink bow tie decorating the facade.
Someone’s notion of whimsical, now just sad.
I forwarded everything to Milo, expecting a quick callback. It took him until five p.m. to connect.
“So she definitely worked with Lynne. Unbelievable.”
“Worked well with Lynne, according to Le Gallee. Especially helpful during exercise classes. Quote unquote ‘super strong.’ ”
“Muscles, tools, didn’t like Martha…it still feels crazy but in a creepy not an impossible way.
Unbelievable. Thanks. Reason you didn’t hear from me sooner was Villalobos and I were getting eye-strain all day looking at crappy video.
Just as we were about to call it a day, we caught a break.
Of sorts. Actually, he picked it up. Front view of what we think is the same SUV driving away from the direction of that alley then heading west. The image is still too blurry to get tags but the car’s definitely a Toyota Highlander, dark blue.
And once Bryce Meyers got a good look at the front, he narrowed it to six to ten years old. ”
“If Tiana had another set of wheels in addition to the Aston, it could’ve been hers all that time.”
“Doubtful, Alex, she’s never registered it. Given her financial circumstances, my bet is she picked it up cheap from a private party. Let me call Heck and see if he ever saw her in one.”
Six minutes later:
“Nope, all he ever saw was the Aston and a limo service back in the good old days and after everyone collapsed, she Ubered. The limo thing got the idiot going. Fun times in the back, heh heh. Guy’s obsessed. Anyway, I’m planning a drive-by at the place on Holt, later. Let you know what comes up.”
“What time?”
“No need, Alex, it’ll probably be a dud.”
“Same question.”
“Late. Ten-ish.”
“Pick me up or should I meet you there?”
“What’s with all the gung-ho?”
“The Zeigarnik effect.”
“Oh, that.”
A bit of psychology I’d described to him years ago: Tension due to unfinished business leads to increased mental focus. A feeling I like.
“You’re all Zeigarnicked, huh?”
“Primed to go.”