Murder in the River City(6)
“No,” she said at the same time Dooley said, “Yes.”
Black gave Shauna his card, then slid another one over to Dooley. “Any real problems, call me. I’m in homicide, but I’ll get you to the right officer.”
Shauna pocketed the card without looking at it. “It’s fine. We have more important problems here than an ex-boyfriend—do you have any idea who could have done this?”
Black didn’t answer her question. “Dooley, how long did Mack work for you?”
“Coming up on ten years.”
“Do you know if he had any trouble with customers? Maybe someone who didn’t like him?”
“Mack didn’t make enemies,” Dooley said. “He didn’t care much for Dodgers fans, but he didn’t make enemies.” Dooley stared at his empty pint. He slowly rose from the table. “I need to call his daughter.”
Shauna’s head shot up. “Daughter?”
Dooley sighed heavily. “They don’t talk much. Mack wasn’t around when Missy was growing up, not understanding when he was so young what was important. He tried to get to know her, but, well, she didn’t much want to get to know him. Still, she sent pictures of his grandson recently. They started talking, a little here and again. Missy oughta know he’s gone.” Dooley shuffled through the storeroom to his small office.
Mack had never spoken of a daughter or grandson. He had never talked much, kept to himself, did his job, and Dooley depended on him, especially as he got older.
Detective Black said, “What about you? Were you close to Mack? Know of any trouble he was having?”
She shook her head, her mind racing through the last few weeks. “I don’t come around here as much as I would like. That’s going to change now.” Dooley needed her. It was as simple as that. She could bring the books here at night rather than staying late at the office.
Her phone rang. She put it on silent, but not before glancing at the number. “Damn,” she muttered. Austin. Why couldn’t she just make a clean break?
Because she didn’t want to hurt him.
It was worse what she was doing now.
“Trouble?” Black asked.
“No,” she snapped.
A cop approached and whispered in Black’s ear, again. Shauna tried, but couldn’t make out what he was saying. But Black immediately said, “Tell them I’m on my way. Make sure Simone is taking lead on forensics and send at least two extra cars. In this heat, we’re going to need crowd control with all the people going to the river.”
He turned to Shauna. “We’re done here. You have my card. Call me if you need anything.”
She jumped up. “But—”
“Ms. Murphy,” Black said while responding to a text message on his phone, “most crimes like this are just what they appear to be—this one, a robbery.” He pocketed his phone. “I assure you this is a priority for our department, and I want to catch these guys as much as you. I have to go now—I’ll be in touch.”
He strode off without looking back.
The cop had another case. Mack hadn’t been dead half a day, and already there was another homicide, another problem to be solved. She didn’t want to be frustrated with Detective Black—she knew the dire straits of the police department and the severe budget cutbacks—but whoever killed Mack had to be put in jail.
Shauna didn’t like that the detective hadn’t taken her observation about the Babe Ruth baseball seriously. Maybe he hadn’t taken her seriously.
Her phone rang. She grabbed it again. Austin. “I’m coming,” she said without a hello. He’d texted that he was worried about her, and while she appreciated the thought, she wasn’t his girlfriend to worry about. All Shauna wanted to do was figure out how to make the police focus on Mack Duncan’s murder.
If they didn’t catch these guys, she’d constantly worry about her grandfather and everyone else who worked at Dooley’s. Because in the back of her mind, she still couldn’t help but remember the first image that had flashed in her mind: that of her grandfather, dead.
Chapter Three
His first official day back on the job Detective Sam Garcia caught a homicide.
Sam flashed his badge and was let into the parking lot, half of which was cordoned off by yellow caution tape. The American and Sacramento rivers met in the 160-acre Discovery Park. He and the Murphys had swam in the river and hiked in these woods years ago. Sam had been an only child and had adopted the raucous Murphy family as his own. Back then, this part of the river had been almost pristine; now, Discovery Park was over-crowded and unkempt from illegal camping and careless visitors.