Crush - Alan Jacobson [129]
“The board list you got from Crystal Dahlia. We should divide up the names, start running backgrounders on them.”
Vail rubbed at a kink in her neck. “Actually, if now’s a good time, we’ve got some stuff to go over with the group.”
Brix glanced around. No one was on a call, so he stood and said, “I need everyone’s attention.” He nodded to Vail.
“We just paid a visit to César Guevara, the principal at Superior Mobile Bottling. We didn’t come away with anything concrete other than some strange vibes.”
“How so?” Agbayani asked.
Dixon leaned back in her seat. “Evasive answers, nervous and defiant body language.”
“Is he alibied for any of the murders?”
“That’s where the evasive answers started. Whatever alibi he comes up with we’re going to have to hit pretty hard.”
“I got the sense there was something else going on,” Vail said. She could not bring up the interplay with Lugo, but figured she would put it out there and see what came of it. “I think we need to look hard at Guevara, and separately at Superior Mobile Bottling.”
Lugo spread his hands. “We already looked at Superior.”
“Look harder.”
“Before we get all hung up on hunches,” Austin Mann said, “what do you think about this guy from a behavioral analysis perspective?”
Vail curled some hair behind her right ear. “César Guevara is in the right age range. He runs a successful company, and he was guarded in his answers. This tells me he’s a smart guy—higher IQ—which fits with our offender. We need to run him through DMV, see what kind of car he drives. I’m betting it’s something expensive and flashy.”
Brix nodded at Lugo, who swiveled his chair over to the laptop on the conference table.
“He might have unresolved issues with his mother, which is common with narcissists. He’s defiant, even when challenged by law enforcement. He’s got a very healthy ego. If we can find out the history behind his company, we may know more. Did he start it or buy it? Does he have a partner or partners? We have to keep sight of the fact it’s called ‘Superior Mobile Bottling.’ That’d be a name a narcissist might choose for his company.”
“It could also be a name a normal businessperson might choose,” Agbayani said. “All this stuff could be explained differently. He might just be a confident and cocky asshole. It doesn’t mean he’s a serial killer.”
“He drives a Beemer,” Lugo said, staring at the onscreen data. “A five series.”
“Pricey,” Dixon said. She leaned over and made a note on her pad.
“But,” Vail said, “as Eddie pointed out, in and of itself, it doesn’t mean anything. Successful guy, making good money, buys a nice toy. Status symbol. Fun to drive.”
Dixon put down her pen. “Let’s get some background on him. Married, kids, siblings, place of birth, known acquaintances. Ray, shoot us over a copy of his CDL photo.”
Lugo went back to working the keyboard. “Emailing it to everyone.”
Vail leaned over to Dixon. “There’s something we’re missing. I’ve had this feeling all along. I don’t know what it is, but it’s eating away at me.”
“Any idea what it is?”
Vail thought a moment, then shook her head. “It’s like something on the tip of your tongue. Your brain reaches out but it just can’t grab the thought.” Vail’s BlackBerry vibrated. She checked the display: Gifford. Shit. I know what this is about. “I gotta take this,” she said, then rose and left the room. Outside, she answered the call. “Hey, boss.”
“Lenka’s booked you on Virgin, the nine thirty-five red-eye out of SFO to Dulles.”
Vail had to chuckle at the irony. That was the flight the Crush Killer supposedly took to Virginia. “I’m unfortunately familiar with that flight. But that’s not why you’re calling.”
“Actually,” Gifford said, “that is why I’m calling. Because I know that if I had Lenka call you, you’d blow her off or not answer it. Either way, it’d end up back on my desk and I’d be calling you anyway.