Chapter 29
Lainie was still inside the yard while Sara collected the evidence in the alley.
A homicide team had also arrived; they handled officer-involved shootings.
Technically, Lainie was not on duty, and as far as they knew, her bullets had not injured anyone, so she was interviewed but her gun was not confiscated.
After they spoke to her, they left to see how Ben was doing at the hospital.
She stood on a stepladder to see over the fence and could see pockmarks in the brick wall of the building abutting the alley from where Ben’s and her bullets had hit. There were also scattered bits of hard plastic from the helmet.
“Good shooting, Lainie,” Sara said. “It always amazes me how good you are under pressure.”
“I skimmed the top of the helmet. I hope camera footage has a clear image of this guy. He must have had his visor up to shoot.”
Sara pointed up at the camera. “There’s no good angle on this specific spot.
He figured that out. And that is likely why he wore the helmet.
” She nodded to everything she had collected.
“He left the rifle, the brass. Obviously he’s not concerned about leaving prints.
” Sara looked up. “Did Stan own a rifle?”
“Not that I know of. I don’t even recall him knowing anything about guns. But at this point, I think there is a lot I don’t know about Stan.” Lainie climbed down from the ladder and walked to the office. She waited there until Sara and the others finished gathering evidence.
She wondered how Ben was doing and planned to drive to the hospital if he was still there.
“You sure brought a lot of excitement to the yard, there, Detective,” Mel commented.
“You guys always need a wake-up call,” Lainie told him.
“Not this kind.” He shook his head.
Her phone rang and she answered. “Are you calling with good news, Bobby?”
“I think so. Got a call from a hospital in San Bernardino. They have Crystal Benton.”
“What?”
“They’ve had her for three days. She’s in a coma—car accident, tire blew out, rollover on Route 330.”
“Three days?”
“Yeah, they have her ID, purse, and stuff. They’ve had no luck finding next of kin. When the BOLO I put out on her came across the desk at the sheriff’s office, they put two and two together.”
Lainie was speechless.
“You still there?”
“Three days ago, Crystal Benton should have been in Hawaii.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, Lainie. They have her ID, credit cards. And some other weird details.”
“This whole case is weird. What else?”
“Two men in the car were both killed in the crash. Neither of them wore seat belts, so they were ejected. Benton was strapped in. Her hands and feet were also bound with duct tape. Being so immobilized saved her life.”
“What?” Her pulse pounded; her face grew hot.
“Yep. The driver was a known MS-13 gang member, wanted in several counties for a lot of violent crimes. The other guy was not wanted, but he was one of Stan’s car wash employees. What do you make of that?”
“I don’t know what to make of it. Give me a minute.
” She set the phone down at her side, trying to process everything she’d just been told.
After a minute, she found her voice. “It removes Benton as the suspect in the murder of Taylor Abbott, doesn’t it?
No way she could have done that if she’s been in the hospital for three days. ”
“I realize that.”
“Are you going to San Bernardino?”
“Yes,” Shea said. “I suppose you want to come?”
“I do.”
“Well, before you hop in a car, the docs aren’t certain when she’ll wake up.
Head trauma. The coma was induced because of swelling on her brain.
They’ve been trying to find the next of kin for three days.
She’s breathing on her own, and they are guardedly optimistic.
They wanted family apprised in the event she crashes. ”
“I still need to go, Bobby. This woman was involved with my brother-in-law. I need to see her.”
“St. Bernardine. We’re heading out in about an hour. It’ll be a late night.”
Lainie ended the call and tapped her palm with the phone. Sara walked into the office.
“Who was that?” Sara asked, and Lainie told her.
“Maybe Isaacs was wrong. Maybe Benton wasn’t in Hawaii,” Sara said when Lainie finished.
Lainie shrugged. “If he was wrong, does that mean there was a shark attack?” She shook her head and answered her own question.
“I feel with every fiber of my soul that there was no shark attack. Crystal Benton had to have been in Hawaii. What Ben postulated is the only thing that makes sense. Especially with what we found in the car wash. Do you think he is finished in the ER yet?”
“Depends on how many were ahead of him.”
“I think I’ll go check on him, at least call and make sure he’s okay.”
“And I’ve got a long report to file.” Sara patted Lainie on the shoulder. “You’ll have to file something about your weapon discharge.”
“I’ll get to it.”
“All right, be careful.”
They left the office together. Sara headed for her black-and-white and Lainie to her car. She called Ben as she started her car, but he probably wouldn’t answer. She was prepared to leave a message.
He answered, sounding tired and worn out.
“How many stitches?”
“Eight and a painful tetanus shot.”
“You okay?”
“Other than a headache, I’m okay. Just got home; Mark brought me. I’m getting ready to lie down. I hope they’ll let my car stay at the impound lot all night.”
“Not a problem. Mel knows that it’s your car.” She explained about the call from Shea regarding Benton.
His voice took on new energy. “That’s not possible. I know she was in Hawaii.”
“That’s what I told Sara. Up for a drive out to San Bernardino?”
“I just took some pain pills. I can’t drive. Besides the fact I don’t have my car.”
“If you want to go, I’ll pick you up. I need your address.”
He gave it to her. “I might fall asleep on the way there.”
The way he said it made her smile. After a minute, she realized it was the first time she’d smiled in what seemed like a very long time.