That was odd, Catherine thought. “He’s not a public defender?”
“No. Reid had the number memorized, so I assumed they know each other.” Then she paused, as if recalling the exact situation. “Actually, he left a message. I don’t think he even talked to him. And he hasn’t shown up yet, which is irritating.We may not even have time to interview him again before his arraignment.”
“Can you get the number he called?”
“I’ll ask the sergeant to download the log. Why?”
“Research. How did Reid know this guy, and why him and not a public defender? Does Reid have money we don’t know about?”
“He lives frugally,” Bianca said. “We’re still analyzing financials, but he doesn’t have a huge chunk of change in his bank account. We have the contact information for his family, but your office wasn’t able to get much out of them in person. Something like this is better in person, but we can’t force them to talk.”
“I spoke with the agent in Los Angeles,” Catherine said, “and his impression was the parents were in shock and embarrassed. They claimed—and we have no evidence this is untrue—that they hadn’t spoken to their son for seven years. I’ll call and follow up, see what else I can learn. And I’ve left messages for his two brothers, but haven’t had a callback yet.”
Bianca nodded. “There are no calls to Reid’s parents or brothers in the last year, which is as far back as we have, at least from his phone.”
“What else have you learned?” Catherine asked.
“Your agent, the cop I mean, Quinn? She figured out how he may have been leaving his apartment undetected, through a hidden door in the patio fencing. But if this guy is the killer—”
“He is.”
“Why wouldn’t he rent a place that offers him more privacy?”
“Maybe to give him an alibi. His neighbors liked him, didn’t think twice about him. He blends in. That’s what he wants. Everything else about my profile holds,” Catherine insisted. “Hemayhave a partner, but Reid has above average intelligence and therefore he could have thought ahead, planned this all out. Icontacted the FBI offices in the jurisdictions where he previously worked to reach out to his previous employers. They may have information on him, friends, colleagues. Someone he was close to that he might call for help.”
“Help him by kidnapping two LEOs, so he appears innocent?”
It sounded extreme, and Catherine feared that not only was she wrong about the partner, but that she was wrong about Reid’s psychology and motivation.
He had thisallplanned, Catherine thought. Extreme foresight. The timing, the lawyer, grabbing Matt and Kara. It was planned in case he was caught.
She would not underestimate him again, but she feared Matt and Kara would end up paying for her miscalculation.
“Finally,” Bianca said as she looked down at her phone. “Reid’s father is on the line. I’ve been trying to reach his family since I had the report from your agent. You with me, Catherine?”
“Yes, thank you.” She turned to Sloane and said, “Will you determine what we’re still missing on the financials and let Tony’s assistant know? She’ll light a fire under our people to get us everything today.”
Sloane nodded, and pulled out her phone as Bianca and Catherine headed to a conference room.
Bianca picked up the phone and asked the desk sergeant to route the call then put it on speaker.
“Mr. Reid? This is Detective Fuentes. I’m with FBI Agent Catherine Jones. Thank you for getting back to me.”
“I was surprised that I had a call from Florida law enforcement,” Mr. Reid said. He had a soft, older voice. “Though I suppose after the FBI came by Friday I should expect anything.”
Bianca slid Catherine a note.
Harold Reid, 66, married 40 yrs to Willa Reid, 62
Pasadena, California. Three kids, GR youngest.
Bianca said, “I’m calling about your son, Garrett Reid.”
“I spoke to an FBI agent Friday evening. He said that Garrett has been arrested, but didn’t give me any information. What did he do?”
Interesting, Catherine thought. No immediate denial, noyou must have the wrong person, no anger. Justwhat did he do?As if his father was expecting something like this.
“The DA hasn’t yet filed specific charges, but is looking at multiple counts of kidnapping and homicide,” Bianca said.
