Chapter 107
RICH CONKLIN AND I had to act fast on the information Kyle Anderson had given us. That’s why this morning we were at a busy café on Brannan Street in Bayside Village.
I’d picked the east side of the city in the hopes it would lure Gina Scrittori from San Julio more easily.
It would save the youth worker twenty minutes of drive time.
As soon as Kyle had called her, Gina agreed to meet with him.
He told her he had a three-thousand-dollar bonus for her.
That was enough for her to call in sick to the youth center.
Now I sat in one corner of the café with Conklin in the other.
Four other detectives were in strategic spots around the building and outside.
Sitting in a booth by himself was Kyle Anderson.
He’d been told not to leave his seat under any circumstances.
He had two different recording devices on him, plus one hidden on the table.
Kyle was aware that his only chance at a deal was to get Gina on tape corroborating everything he’d told them.
I had faith in the detectives I’d gathered, but it was still a risky endeavor.
Kyle could try to escape. Gina could be caught in cross fire.
Only God knew what could go wrong. And he wasn’t giving me any hints.
Gina strutted into the café at 10:05 a.m. Pretty close to on time. She slipped into the long booth and greeted Kyle casually. It validated everything Kyle had said about the relationship. She was friendly, not cautious.
I held a menu up in front of my face while I listened to their conversation on a small Bluetooth earpiece.
Kyle got right down to business. “We might slow down operations for a little while.” He made it sound like they were in the military.
Gina was surprised. “Why’s that? I was hoping to put a down payment on a Porsche I saw in Walnut Creek. I could use some more cash.”
“We just want to make sure that cop has moved on to something else. You did me a solid by telling me she’d be on Geary Street the other day. I shot a round just over her head. That must’ve made her think.”
Gina said, “I’m just glad you didn’t hurt her. She’s a nice woman.”
“You going soft on me, Gina?”
“Nope.” Gina laughed. “By the way, we just got a new girl in the facility. She’s an absolute knockout. She’s seventeen, almost six feet tall, and looks like a farm girl. A gorgeous farm girl.”
Kyle grinned and said, “Well, maybe we can take on one more girl before we go on break.”
I had heard enough. Gina had incriminated herself. She had corroborated basically everything Kyle had said. I caught Conklin’s eye from across the crowded café. I nodded. He stood up.
We eased over to the booth. It took a second for Gina to look up and realize we were standing there.
She smiled and said, “Hey, Lindsay. What are…” Then it hit her. She knew exactly why the police were standing in front of her.
I leaned down and said, “Stand up and walk out of here with us quietly. I’d prefer not to make a scene.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Picture yourself on the floor with me sitting on top of you while I handcuff you. That’s the best-case scenario.”
Gina nodded. She shot a murderous glance at Kyle. Then she quietly stood up. When she reached for her purse, Conklin plucked it out of her hand.
I said, “Sorry. We don’t know what you have in the purse.”
As soon as we stepped out of the front door of the café, I said, “You have the right to remain silent.”