By the time Matt and Kara arrived upstairs, Elena Gomez had Juan Perez and Steve Colangelo in separate rooms, each with their own rep.
“What’s your take?” Matt asked Elena.
“Steve is angry, belligerent, wants to leave. Juan is confused.”
“Is it fake?”
“Genuine.” She handed Matt their files. “Juan graduated from the academy five years ago, has several commendations in his file for going above and beyond, was on graveyard until eight months ago when he requested and was moved to days after his wife had their first child. His wife is an elementary teacher in Santa Clarita, where they live. The shift moved him from one precinct in the division to another. They don’t ride with partners on day shift—we don’t have the numbers to double up—but if they’re responding to certain calls, they wait for backup.
“Steve,” she continued, “is a ten-year veteran of the force. He and Juan have worked the same precinct and shift since Juan’s transfer. Steve is divorced, and his ex-wife and daughter moved out of state. He has a couple of commendations in his file early in his career, but several dings in the last two years.”
“Since the divorce,” Matt guessed.
Elena nodded. “The divorce rate is high—it’s a stressful job, as you know. None of the dings are serious. They were all off-duty related—but he drinks, then he fights. Last time he was suspended for two weeks without pay. That was six months ago, and he’s been clean ever since.”
“Can I see?” Kara asked.
Matt handed her the file. She skimmed through it, frowned, tapped on the report. “This bar, where he was suspended for fighting? It’s a known gambling spot. Colton and I—” She hesitated a second, then said, “We worked an undercover gig nearby, learned about it, sent it up to Vice. Don’t know what they did with the intel.”
“Could he have a gambling problem?” Matt asked Elena.
“Something to ask.”
“Maybe something to ask Juan,” Kara said.
“Kara, do you mind watching from observation?” Matt asked.
She shook her head. “If Steve used my gun, I don’t want to jeopardize the case by being in the room.”
Kara watched through the glass as Matt and Elena took Juan’s room first.
Juan’s rep was seasoned, tough but reasonable. They set some ground rules for the interview, and Matt and Elena gave in on most everything.
“Lieutenant, I want to cooperate,” Juan said. “I don’t know what you think I did, but I will answer any and all questions to the best of my ability.”
“I appreciate that, Officer. You have an outstanding record with the department, and I hope we can resolve this quickly,” Elena said. “You gave a statement on Monday after the shooting in the park that you saw a woman running from the scene that you identified as Violet Halliday, who is known to you.”
“Yes.”
“You stated that you did not see her with a gun, and you did not see her shoot anyone, correct?”
“Yes, correct.”
“Where was she when you noticed her?”
“Can I bring up a map on my phone?”
Elena nodded.
Juan pulled out his phone and brought up a satellite image of the park and sidewalk. “I was here, across the street on the sidewalk. I was leaving early because of a dentist appointment—I asked for the time off last month.”
Kara couldn’t see the phone but she had already read Juan’s report and pictured his description.
“That’s not under review, Officer. We’re all entitled to use our sick leave or personal time as we wish.”
“I was walking from the department to the dentist, which is a couple blocks away, when I heard two gunshots in rapid succession. I was already out of uniform, didn’t have my service weapon, but I knew it had come from the park and I thought someone would need help. I didn’t see anyone down at first, but I was looking farther south, toward the edge of the park.” He pointed to the map, and Kara knew he was referencing a spot near the parking structure. “Then I heard three more shots and that’s when I saw Violet running. I noticed her here—” he indicated a path that went diagonal through the park toward the street “—and she was running through the park, toward the southeast corner.”
“You recognized her, though she was fifty yards away?”
“Yes. I’ve seen her often at the Fifth Street Park where there is a homeless encampment. She volunteers there, and—” He hesitated.
“And?”
“Her mother used to live there. I kept an eye on her, when she was around.”
“Where is her mother now?” Matt asked.
“She died. Drug overdose. Will Lattimer told me last time I saw him.”
Kara felt for Violet. She’d really been through the wringer this year. But she was tough, and she hadn’t backed down, even when she saw Colangelo kill. That took guts.
“You volunteer for First Contact?” Elena asked Juan.
“Not a lot, not like Violet, who’s out every weekend, but a few times. Will has a good group, his approach makes sense. He’s a veteran, I’m a veteran.”
“Did you see anyone else fleeing the scene?”
“No. I’m kicking myself. I was watching Violet. She was running fast, I thought she was terrified—most people are when they hear gunfire. A lot of people were running, some dropped to the grass. Then I turned to see what she’d been running from, and that’s when I saw two men down on the sidewalk.”
“Did you see the shooter?”
“No, ma’am, no one was standing near them. I went over to the two fallen men while I pulled out my phone to call in the shooting, but ultimately I didn’t call because several cops in uniform were running my way.” He paused. “I stated all this, twice. I know what I saw and what I didn’t see.”
“We’re not doubting your statement, Officer,” Elena said. “How long have you worked with Officer Steven Colangelo?”
“For the last eight months, since I transferred to days.”
“And you often respond to calls together?”
“Yes.”
“How often?”
“At least once per shift most days.”
“Do you socialize outside of work with Officer Colangelo?”
He looked at his rep, who asked, “Is this relevant?”
“Yes,” Elena said.
Juan replied, “No, we don’t.”
“Do you socialize with anyone in the department outside of work?”
“Yeah, all the time. Most of my friends are cops. My dad was a cop, my mom was a dispatcher, my sister is a deputy sheriff. We rag her about that,” he added with a nervous smile.
Elena smiled. “I would, too. But not Officer Colangelo?”
“I don’t see why that’s important.”
Kara did. They weren’t close, they weren’t friends. It was very important.
“Were you aware of his suspension six months ago?” Elena asked.
“Yes.”
“Did he discuss it with you?”
“Not really,” he said with a shrug.
“But?”
“He wasn’t happy about it.”
“Most cops wouldn’t be. Did he feel it was undeserved?”
“He said he should have been docked three days, not two weeks.”
“If it was his first offense, it would have been three days.”
“Oh.” Juan looked contrite. “I didn’t know.”
“No reason you should have,” Elena said. “Do you know why he was suspended?”
“He got in a bar fight. That’s what he told me. Defended himself.”
“It was at a bar that has an illegal betting room.”
Juan didn’t say anything. Did he know? He did, Kara thought. He knew about Colangelo’s gambling, or at least he suspected.
“Do you know if Officer Colangelo has a gambling problem?”
“Is that why you really called me in here? To rat on him? For gambling?”
“No. I wouldn’t do that to you, or to him. I will lay it out for you if you can answer my question.”
“I do not have personal knowledge of Officer Colangelo’s gambling.”
“But?” Matt said when Juan didn’t continue.
Kara could see that Juan was wrestling with his conscience. She would, too, without knowing why her boss was asking the questions. No one wanted to talk shit about other officers, not to the brass.
After a brief conference with his rep, Juan said, “I am aware that he travels on his days off to Indian gaming casinos. He’s single, he seems to spend most of his disposable income there. He complains a lot, so I don’t think he wins much.”
“Have you ever gone with him?”
“I have a ten-month-old baby, Agent Costa. I don’t have money to throw away.” He turned to Elena. “You said you would lay it out for me. What’s going on?”
Elena turned off the recording.
“This stays between us, Juan.”
He nodded.
“Violet Halliday has come forward and identified Steven Colangelo as the shooter on Monday. She was less than twenty feet from him. She ran because he turned the gun toward her. She went into hiding, but one of our people found her and is keeping her in a safe house.”
He stared, shook his head.
“We’re taking her statement seriously.”
“There’s a rumor that Violet shot Chen,” Juan said.
“I’m aware of the rumor,” Elena said. “We do not believe there is any validity to it, but I can’t go into any more details. You may go home, and I’m giving you the rest of the day off. Report back to the jail tomorrow to finish that rotation, then you’ll be back on your regular squad next week. And, Juan? Do not discuss this conversation with anyone.”
Steven Colangelo wasn’t as pleasant or forthcoming with Elena and Matt, Kara noted through the one-way glass. His rep tried to keep him calm, but Steve was belligerent.
“I’ve been sitting here for two hours twiddling my thumbs,” Steve said. “There’s no reason! You need to tell me if I’m being written up for anything, but you’re treating me like a suspect, not a cop. I have rights.”
“Yes, you do, which is why your rep is here,” Elena said. “I need to know where you were Monday between noon and twelve thirty.” She glanced at his wrist. “Nice watch.” It had a yellow face.
He scowled. “Check my logs. I don’t remember specifically, but it’ll be in my logs.”
Elena pulled a paper from her file. “You clocked in at 0600, took your seven at 11:48, and went back in service at 12:35. Where did you eat?”
He shrugged. “I don’t remember.”
“I have the security footage from the precinct that day. You took your seven in-house, went down to the gym.”
“I often work out during lunch.”
He flexed, and Kara knew the type. Thought he was tough when he was simply a bully.
“You left the building in civilian clothes at 11:55. Returned at 12:25.”
“If you know where I was, then you know where I was. This is tedious, Lieutenant.” But he had lost some of his rage. He glanced at Matt, assessed him.
“I have a witness who claims they saw you shoot David Chen and his bodyguard on the sidewalk late Monday morning. So if you tell me you were somewhere else, I can verify your alibi, and you can go on your way.”
He didn’t say anything. He stared down at his hands. At his watch. He was thinking. Kara could see him working through everything in his head, trying to figure out what to do. When the truth became evident, that there was no way for him to lie his way out of this mess, his entire body shifted, his face fell and he looked at his rep. “I’m not going to jail. No way. I need an attorney. Someone who is a damn good negotiator. Until then? I’m not saying another word.”