Page 31 of One Final Target

If Dennis Marshall Collins was her man, then Jodie planned on getting justice sooner than later.

CHAPTER18

SAM HAD BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLYsince he’d gotten the name Dennis Collins, digging up as much information as he could about the man. He’d discovered something new in real estate records.

“I found out information not in the background packet,” he told Smiley. “Collins sold the family home and moved from Lakewood to Long Beach a year ago, about a month after his rejection.”

“Really?”

“According to public records. However, he never changed his mailing address on anything I can find, and he didn’t update his address with the DMV.”

“Oversight?”

“Maybe.”

Smiley and Sam were preparing for the ninety-minute drive to Long Beach to interview Collins. Smiley had called Tara Corson to give her a heads-up. From what Sam heard of Smiley’s side of the conversation, Corson was trying to talk him out of pouncing on Collins so soon. Smiley argued he wasn’t pouncing. He wanted to feel Collins out. He was convinced that if the kid was involved—and in Smiley’s mind, it was a big if—he could lead them to bigger fish.

“I just want to talk to the guy, face-to-face, in a low-key manner. At his home so he feels comfortable, not threatened,” Smiley told Corson on the phone while Sam listened. He’d already contacted Collins’s place of business. The boss said Collins was working from home.

Sam didn’t completely agree with Smiley’s approach. He wanted as much intel as possible on Collins first. But he wasn’t in charge, and Smiley had been working the case a lot longer than he had. It was also Smiley’s style. He read people well and had a reputation for getting information out of the toughest suspects. It made sense for Smiley to want to hear what Collins would say when asked specific questions.

Corson also wanted to be with them when they talked to Collins, but Smiley nixed her suggestion.

“Too many cooks,” he said. “Both the IED and the shooting occurred in our jurisdiction. I don’t want to pull rank. I’m just giving you a courtesy call really. I’ll text you when we’re at the house.”

They left the station, Sam running a finger around his collar, not really used to the shirt and tie.

“I’m spitballing here,” Smiley said as they reached the parking lot. “Nothing about this case makes sense. But in a world where kids can be killed for sneakers, what if Collins was mad he didn’tget hired and is acting out?” His phone rang and he stopped to answer it.

Acting out?Sam thought about the phrase. It said a lot and nothing at the same time. The IED blast had killed four good, solid cops—nothing “acting” about it. Did this guy have the wherewithal to do such a thing?

Smiley finished his conversation, telling his wife he wasn’t sure when he’d be home.

“How do you want to do this?” Sam asked as Smiley directed the car to the freeway.

“Start off gentle. Just get a feel for the kid. Pin him down about how his prints could have ended up on those bullets.”

“I’d like to hear an excuse for the fingerprints.”

“Me too.”

This tactic was Police Work 101. A cop always wanted to get a suspect to commit, make a statement that contradicted the facts. Once that happened, a good interviewer could usually force errors and incriminating remarks. If the suspect lied and, later in the investigation, tried to change his story, they had leverage; pressure could be applied. If Collins wasn’t involved in the shooting, he should have a plausible reason for handling the bullets.

“If Collins is our guy, what are the chances he’s working alone?” Sam asked.

“Good question. The Feds considered the operation a one-man show. I’m on the fence. What says the bomb guy?”

“I lean toward more than one. Which opens up a whole can of worms. The Feds couldn’t see past Hayes.”

“They were frustrated. And anyone can get tunnel vision.”

Sam waited a moment; he could sense Smiley had more to say. “Anything else on your mind?”

“A little off topic. Are you sure your head is in the game? Doc Roe is concerned. He called me earlier.”

Sam took a deep breath, irritated Doc Roe would say anything at all to Smiley.

“I’m fine, Bruce. Roe was never a cop. He can’t truly relate to me or what I’ve been through.”

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