Solitude Creek (Kathryn Dance 4)

"Need what? I'm saying. It's because of her we're in this situation."

Allerton: "She asked and I said yes. She knows she made a mistake and she wants to make it right. Look, she was good, though, at the house in Seaside, Steve. She was. You should've seen her."

"I did. With Serrano. I wasn't impressed. Who was?"

Stemple scratched a scar on his thigh, not new, but a .40 round leaves a thick streak and the humidity could really kick off the itch.

"You can't bat a thousand every time," Gomez said. Normally soft-spoken, he sounded brittle.

Thanks, Jimmy, Stemple thought.

Steve Lu, the chief of detectives from Salinas, said, "Okay. She went. I don't see the harm. I've always been impressed with her. What happened?"

Allerton continued, "The subject, our painter, used to work with Serrano? He was cooperating and telling us all kinds of things but swore he hadn't heard from Serrano for six months. He'd lost all contact. He was going legitimate. I mean, I believed him. Everything he was saying, completely credible. And Kathryn was all, sure, sure, I understand, interesting, thanks for your help. Then, bang, she pulled the rug out from underneath him. Just like that. Caught him in a dozen lies, went to work and in the end he talked."

"What about the nonpanning lead?" Foster grumbled.

"He didn't have Serrano's present location. Not surprising, considering Serrano's warranted and on the run. But the painter said the word is that he's still in the area. He didn't head out of state." Allerton continued, "But more important he gave up another name."

"Who?"

"A woman was recently a girlfriend of Serrano's. Tia Alonzo. No warrants on her but she's keeping low. TJ Scanlon's on it, getting her whereabouts."

"You really think Picasso's telling the truth?"

"Who?" Lu asked.

"The painter." Foster sighed.

"Kathryn does. I do."

"When'll we have a location to go with Senorita Alonzo?"

Allerton said, "Soon, TJ said. He's convinced within a day or two."

"Convinced."

Allerton said, "Now. With Kathryn. It was off the books."

"Which means?" From Foster.

Sub-rosa...

"She didn't tell Overby."

Foster: "She snuck in, to interview this dingo in Seaside?"

"Pretty much."

"Jesus."

Allerton said, "I understand Charles is doing what he has to but she's too valuable to sit this out. What I want--"

Foster said, impatient, "Yeah, yeah, she wants to go around Overby's back and stay on the team. On the sly."

Sub-rosa...

Allerton snapped, "Yes, Steve, that's exactly what she wants to do. And I say yes. She knows the area, knows these people. After all, she wasn't the only one who got taken in by Serrano. We watched the whole thing ourselves. Did anybody here suspect anything? I didn't."