The Late Show (Renée Ballard #1)(18)

Ballard looked over the top of the phone at Speights as his motives for coming into the station became clear.

“A reward?” she asked.

“Yeah, you know, like for helping solve the case,” Speights said.

“I don’t know anything about a reward.”

“Well, there should be. I was in danger.”

“We’ll have to see about that later. Tell me what happened when the shooting started. What did you do?”

“Me and Metro got under the table and hid out,” Speights said. “Then the shooter ran by our table and shot some more people. We waited until he was gone and then got the fuck out of there.”

Ballard texted the photo showing the muzzle flash to her own phone.

“Mr. Speights, do you know where Metro lives?” she asked.

“Nah, I don’t know,” Speights said. “This was the first time we hung out and we both had our own wheels.”

“Okay, we’ll find him through Slick Kicks if we need to.”

“He’ll be there.”

“And I’m sorry but we’re going to have to keep your phone for a while.”

“Ah, fuck, man, you just texted the photo to yourself, right? You got the photo.”

He pointed to his phone.

“I understand,” Ballard said. “But your phone has the Live Photos feature and the lab may be able to pull stills from each moment of the shot you took. It looks like the gun is clearer before the recoil from the shot. It could be very useful, and I think they’ll want the camera it was taken on, not just a copy of the photo. They need to look at your phone.”

“Fuck me. How long?”

“I’m not sure but hopefully just a few days.”

She knew that was a lie. He would probably never get the phone back, as it would be held as evidence. But she decided to leave that for someone in RHD to explain.

“What do I use for a phone in the meantime?” Speights demanded.

“Maybe you can borrow one or get a burner,” Ballard offered.

“Fuck me.”

“I want you to stay here while I print a property-received receipt.”

“Goddamn. There better be a reward or something.” Ballard stood up.

“I’ll look into that. And I’ll be back as soon as I print the receipt.”

Ballard left the room with the phone and walked over to Jenkins, who was still typing.

She held the phone up in front of him and tapped the photo, setting the one-second video into motion.

“Holy shit,” Jenkins said.

“Yeah,” Ballard said. “Million-to-one shot.”

“Can you see anybody?”

“Not the shooter—his back’s to the camera. But I think the lab might be able to identify the gun off it.”

“Nice. You tell Olivas?”

“About to.”

Back at her borrowed workstation she realized she had left her rover in the car and did not have a phone contact for Lieutenant Olivas. His number had been blocked when he called her earlier. She could send him an e-mail but that wasn’t expedient. Opening her phone, she scrolled through the contacts until she came to the name Ken Chastain. She had kept his number, even after he betrayed their partnership and she had been transferred out of RHD. She sent him a text.

Tell Olivas: walk-in witness at 6 was in nearby booth. Has cell photo of shooting. Lab may be able to enhance.

After sending it, she printed a property receipt for Speights. She went to grab it out of the printer and then drop by the break room to get a coffee. She allowed herself one cup a night, and it was time. It would give her enough of a boost to finish the shift and then an hour’s paddle on the bay. After that, she would crash and recuperate. On her way she called across the room to Jenkins but he passed on the caffeine.

In the break room she was putting a coffee pod into the brewer when her phone dinged with a return text from Chastain.

Who’s this?

He had not even kept her number in his phone. She answered with her old radio designation from RHD— King65—and also forwarded the muzzle-flash photo. If Chastain had a newer iPhone, he would be able to see the split-second video image and realize its value.

By the time she got back to her workstation her phone was buzzing with a blocked call. She expected it to be Chastain but it was Olivas.

“Detective, do you still have the witness there?”

“Yes, he’s in an interview room. Probably wondering where I’ve been for twenty minutes.”

“Hold him. Chastain is en route and will be there in five minutes. Does he have any other photos?”

“Not like the one I sent Chastain.”

“And you have the phone?”

“On my desk and about to get the guy to sign a receipt.”

“Good. Chastain will be taking the phone too.”

“Got it.”

“Have you filed your reports, Detective?”

“About to. I booked the victim’s property here and just have a couple interview summaries to finish.”

“Finish and file, Detective.”

Again, Olivas disconnected before she could respond. She looked up and saw that Jenkins had sauntered over.

“What’s happening?”

“Chastain is coming for the phone and the witness. We’re still out of it.”