The banner headline on the police flier screamed:
WANTED: GRAFFITI ARTIST KNOWN AS ROBBER XMAS
REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO HIS ARREST
Three photos of his spray-painted graffiti appeared on the flier, which had been posted and e-mailed throughout the state. The fliers were impossible to miss. They were everywhere.
Johnny Kennerly burst into my office. “Listen to this,” he said excitedly. “Once the fliers hit L.A., I got this call from the LAPD liaison in charge of the graffiti task force there. Guy called Chuck Voight.”
“I know Chuck Voight. We were rookies together.”
“That’s what he said. He also said he had some great Buddy Steel stories.”
I knew Chuck Voight to be an inveterate kibbitzer who’d stop at nothing to get a laugh.
“Pay no attention to his stories, okay? He makes stuff up.”
“That’s what he told me you’d say.”
“He pioneered the ‘alternative facts’ phenomenon.”
“He mentioned you’d say that too. In any event, this Voight guy knows about Robber Xmas. L.A. cops have been trying to locate him since the Mayor got serious about putting an end to the graffiti scourge.”
“And?”
“No luck. But they’re still searching. And he claims LAPD will do whatever it can to help find him. Says he wants to talk with you about how we can interface. Particularly since Mr. Xmas is operating in both of our territories.”
“I’ll call him.”
“My talk with him gave me an idea,” Johnny said.
“Okay.”
“This Robber Xmas guy. He showed up in Freedom out of the blue. Just after Labor Day. And he’s been tagging here ever since.”
“So what’s the idea?”
“He’s got to live somewhere. I want to canvas the town in search of new arrivals. Rentals. Resident hotels. New home sales. Boardinghouses. It’s probably a shot in the dark, but you never know.”
“Go for it.”
“You think?”
“Why not? It’s as good as anything we’re doing now.”
“I’ll let Detective Voight know.”
“Good idea.”
“And maybe he’ll even tell me a story or two.”
“Lies. All lies. Don’t waste your time.”
“It’ll be the best time I ever wasted. I can hardly wait.”
“He’s an idiot,” I said and shooed Johnny out of my office.