When Kahle arrived, he found Lyle Holt sitting outside room 104. Rebekah Dekolowitz was being discharged in the morning. She seemed fine. But she was still angry, not about the accident, or her car. No, she was angry that Jake hadn't welcomed her with open arms. Holt hadn't thought it appropriate to tell her about the incidents that had occurred after her departure. She shouldn't find out like this, from him. It wasn't his place.
He rose from the plastic chair. He was anxious. He wanted to know what Kahle had on Janie Samuels. It had to be big. Why else would he need to meet him at the hospital?
"Sheriff"
Kahle smiled. He never called Holt by his official title. They had known each other too long for that.
"Sorry, Lyle. Just feel you've earned your place around here lately."
"Ha. Yeah, thanks Donny. But cut to the chase. What do you have on the girl?"
"Not here. There's gotta be a room where we can talk."
"This way."
Holt directed Kahle to a small office behind him. It was the kind of room used for doctors to consult with families. It was generic, plain, empty. They grey walls met the white tile floor. The room contained only a table and three chairs. Two were black plastic. The other was an office chair. Kahle stepped to the other side of the table and sat in the nicer chair. Holt took a seat in the chair nearest the door. He closed the door and waited.
"So how much has Jake told you about this sister?"
"Basically nothing. I met her today. She came home drunk while I was there talking about the case with Jake."
"Well, there's a lot to tell. Not even sure where to start. You want the story chronologically or by severity of offenses?"
"Let's keep it simple. Timeline it for me."
"Sure thing. From what I gathered, which was difficult mind you-this girl only carried cash and never set up a permanent address in four years, she left home at sixteen. Stole her daddy's truck. She went west to Seattle. Then South, as least as far as Tijuana. From the start she was into trouble. I mean started before she even left home, but it began for sure when she set off on this journey."
"What kind of trouble?"
"Drugs. Alcohol. Men."
"Details, Kahle. Give me details."
"She was able to fly under the radar. Never really got busted for anything. She was always let go. Only charges are for misdemeanors. The substance is in who she spent the past four years with."
"And..."
"One loser after another. It started smaller. A druggy in Seattle. In San Francisco, they cited her for solicitation. Never officially charged her though. By the time she made it to L.A. she was working for a pimp. Had a regular corner. A pretty good one from what I understand. She up and took off for Mexico one day. That's when the liquor really took hold. She filed three rape reports in Mexican cities. None were ever substantiated and she later withdrew the charges each time. She shows up on the grid in Costa Rica and Panama too but I can't find any solid information about those."
"It's a sad story. I don't argue that. But I don't see how this is pertinent to my case, Kahle."
"That's because I didn't mention the worst part."
"Then spit it out Donny, dammit!"
"She left a wake of dead bodies behind her."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Everywhere she went. Every guy that screwed her over. Well, she got the last word."
"She killed them. All of them?"
"Not exactly. But she left her mark."
"Details, Donny, give me the details."
"First stop was the upper NW right?"
"Yeah"
"Alright so she was young, this was an adventure still. Only she was already jaded, angry; there was something wrong. It's clear it was the first time, but she was with this dealer. A trafficker too, uh, Max Poutekki. He roughed her up. Put her in the hospital. When she got out, she found him. Some sort of struggle ensued and they both ended up in the hospital. She was pretty badly beaten. But he - they pulled buckshot out of his torso. Damn girl shot him!"
"And yet she was let go?"
"She took off before they could arrest her. That's when she started going South."
"How were you able to find all of this out? She was still a minor. She's only 20 now. Any records that do exist, which apparently is not many, would be sealed."
"Lyle. Consider who you are talking to. C'mon. If it's on a digital document, I can access it. I know you and technology don't exactly gel, but God, watch an episode of CSI every now and again."
"Shut up Donny. Just tell me what happened next."
"Next thing I could find had her in San Fran. Like I said, she got picked up for working a corner. A guy took her back to his place. Things apparently got out of hand and she nearly cut off his ear. There's no name on that reco--"
"C'mon Kahle. Seriously. You expect me to believe this garbage?"
"Lyle, I'm telling you, Janie Samuels is violent. She's one scary bitch. Anyway, there's a pretty wide gap in time and then she shows up in the City of Angels. She did get busted on a couple of minor drug operations and once for underage drinking. Petty stuff. I think there was even a larceny arrest. This was still before her eighteenth."
"Get to the big stuff. Who'd she screw over?"
"Damon Artemis or "Snuff". He was her pimp. She was his whore. I don't know the details of what went down. But whatever happened, it left him dead. Shotgun. Close range. That's when she ran. She really ran. She made it to Mexico and decided she wanted to live a strung out life from bottle to bottle, man to man, high to high."
"I'm still finding all this a little hard to believe."
"Sheriff. Look at me."
Holt knew Kahle was serious. He wasn't playing games. There was no exaggeration.
"Sheriff, I am telling you. This is what happened. What I could find anyways. I'd bet there's more out there. I don't think that I've found it all."
"I trust you Donny. I do. If you say she did it, then she did. But even if she did kill some pimp, "Smurf" or whatever, I don't see her killing her own brother. And what about Murphy? Why would she kill him?"
"Lyle and I can't tell you how all the pieces fit together right now. The only thing I can tell you is that once you finish this puzzle, you are going to have picture of Janie Samuels. Bank on it. She did or she caused it. She is the crux."
"Maybe so Donny. But what do I do with her, arrest her?"
"It's not our case. We have no evidence and in all honesty we have no right to know what we know. Yeah, I found out, but I didn't exactly follow protocol. You can't just call up the Homicide desk in L.A. and say you have their girl. She was a minor. Your hands are tied. All you can do is keep both eyes open and don't turn your back."
"That's easier said than done. You've put me in a tough spot, Donny. I know why you did and I'm glad that you did. But if I were you, I'd keep digging. I want details of what went on in Mexico. What made her turn around and come back? From what Jake told me, she didn't know the parents and Jason were dead when she got home. She was clueless. Something drove her back to Dakota. Find it."
"Yessir. I'm on it."
Holt rose to his feet. He glared down at Kahle.
"And if you say she showed up on the grid in Panama and Costa Rica, I want to know why. I want to know why she was there, what she did, where she stayed."
"Done. I'll search harder."
"And Donny don't make a mistake. Don't get caught. I'll claim no prior knowledge of this virtual sleuthing."
"Don't worry Lyle. I don't leave a trail. No footprints in cyberspace. I'll get you what you want."
"Good. And Fast."
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