She Cradled the Smoking Gun: Ch 22
The killer has to fit the profile and crime
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Morgan had left and Stone was at his desk, scouring over paperwork when his phone vibrated.
“Stone here.”
“Detective Stone? Chief Reynolds from the Santa Barbara police. We had someone stop by the address to check on Lisa Kaye.”
“What happened.”
“The officer was killed. Shot in the chest and face.”
Shockwaves hit Stone. “Oh my, God.” He was stunned into silence.
“Stone, you there?”
“Yeah. I can’t believe it.” No way it was Lisa.
“We now have an active murder investigation. Can you give me any more information about Selena Thompson and Lisa Kaye.”
Stone was reeling. “Mrs. Kaye wouldn’t have done it.”
“How do you know?”
“I’m convinced she didn’t murder her husband. I’ve spent hours interviewing her and scouring the property. They had hurts like couples can have. Disappointments. Paul Kaye played around. Lisa Kaye had her own outlet with her roses. She never gave me any reason to think she’d shoot him. I can’t imagine she’d kill a cop.” Stone was pulling from his memory bank. “This happened at Selena Thompson’s place?”
“Yeah, it did.”
“Lisa stayed there the night her husband was killed. Let me send you the files on our investigation and I’ll be on my way.”
The street to Selena Thompson’s house was cordoned off. News vans plus squad cars, forensics, and the all-too-familiar personnel needed on a crime scene overran the ranch-style house and disturbed the otherwise tranquil neighborhood. Wealth didn’t guarantee a life without pain and suffering.
Personnel were moving in pairs, scouring the area for details and information. Stone flashed his badge, got through security, made his way past reporters, and got to the house where he put the requisite coverings over his shoes before stepping inside.
Chief Reynolds’ jaw was set. “Going to brief the press in a few minutes.”
A sheet covered the officer.
“Five years on the force.” Reynolds sighed.
Food was scattered on the table. A cooler sat open.
“Looks like a lot of chaos,” mumbled Stone.
“I’ve not had a chance to look at the files you sent. Tell me, what do you know about Selena Thompson?” asked the chief. “Nothing’s come up in the registry.”
“She’s Lisa’s best friend from what I can tell.” Stone had his hunches.
“How’d they know each other?”
“Husbands both knew each other from entertainment.”
Chief Reynolds walked to the guest room and motioned for Stone to follow. “Take a look at this.”
On a nightstand was a photo of Selena and Lisa.
“This is them together?” asked Reynolds.
“Yeah.” Stone studied the photo and was curious about what seemed like a crease on the side. “Let me see that.”
Chief Reynolds handed him a pair of rubber gloves.
Stone slid on the gloves and handled the photo around the edges.
Stone slid the photo out, smoothed it, and saw Paul Kaye standing with them. “Strange.”
“Like someone didn’t want the guy around.”
“Lisa Kaye said she spent the night up here and had a few strong drinks the night of Paul’s murder. She was too tipsy to drive safely. Selena confirmed it.” Stone was fitting the puzzle together. “Any other photos like this?”
“I’ve not seen any. Yet.”
Stone opened the nightstand drawer. Nothing. He decided to check the main bedroom where there was a chest of drawers against the wall and storage boxes inside the closet. He found a laptop, thumb drive, and another phone.
“My boys have catalogued those and we’ll be sending them into forensics to get into them and see what we can find.”
More voices came from the front and a uniformed officer came in to see Chief Reynolds. “A neighbor says Mrs. Thompson has a cabin up in the hills. Somewhere off Route 49 but he wasn’t sure where.”
“Something useful,” said Reynolds. “Call it in and find the address.”