Tahoe Dark (An Owen McKenna Mystery Thriller Book 14) by Todd Borg Page A

went down like you’d expect if the stickup were performed by Navy Seals. The timing was perfect, the method perfect, the result perfect. They left no evidence. We have no clues and thus, as of this moment, nothing to pursue.”
    “Great. I should be able to bust this case wide open in no time.”
    “Let me know what you find out.”
    We said goodbye and hung up.
     
     
     
     
    TEN
     
     
    I was thinking that a major robbery the day after a kidnapping was very unusual in a relatively unpopulated place like Tahoe. I wondered if there could be a link. Maybe I should find people and ask questions.
    I drove up to Tahoe Vista and got to Evan Rosen’s motel apartment at five in the afternoon. Evan was out. I took Spot for a walk down to the beach.
    After a half hour, we about-faced and headed back.
    Evan Rosen was still out. So we waited in the Jeep. Spot hadn’t napped for over an hour, so he seized the opportunity to address his enormous sleep needs.
    At 6 p.m., an old beige Subaru turned into the lot and parked just down from Evan’s apartment. Evan got out of the passenger seat, opened the rear door, and helped Mia get out of the rear seat. A white-haired woman got out of the driver’s seat. Evan pulled out what looked like a thick wad of bills. Unless they were ones, it seemed like more money than a house cleaner would carry around. She peeled off some bills and handed them to the woman, then opened the rear hatch of the woman’s car and lifted out two five-gallon paint buckets in which were various cleaning supplies. She set them on the ground. Mia picked one of them up with her good hand. They carried the gear to the apartment and went inside. The white-haired woman went to hers, which was four doors down in the same building.
    I got out of the Jeep and walked over.
    Evan’s front door was still open. She saw me.  “Mr… Sorry.” She paused and set down her bucket.
    “Owen McKenna.”
    “Right, Owen McKenna,” she repeated.
    “You were able to get a ride today.”
    “Yes. My neighbor Mattie bailed me out. She’s doing it again tomorrow. But she has a doctor’s appointment the next day, so I’m stuck. I can’t believe the cops still have my car. I checked with a mechanic in Incline and told the sergeant they could have the car towed there. But they haven’t done that yet. Do you know when that will happen?”
    “I don’t know. I could give you a ride the day after tomorrow if you don’t have it back.”
    Evan immediately frowned. She obviously suspected that a favor came with a cost.
    “Why would you do that?” she asked.
    “You answered our questions yesterday. I might have more questions I’d like to ask you. My schedule is free. It only makes sense that I return the favor.”
    “You’re saying that answering questions to a law enforcement officer is a favor? Questions that I could be required to answer?”
    “It’s a favor when any person cooperates with law enforcement.”
    “Just what are you anyway? The sergeant lady didn’t say your rank.”
    “I’m a private investigator. I’ve been hired by an armored truck company to investigate a robbery.”
    Evan raised her eyebrows. “The Reno Armored truck robbery? No offense, but what does that have to do with David Montrop’s murder?”
    “We’re not sure, but my cop sense tells me they are connected. In addition, Montrop’s son was kidnapped. I think that’s connected too.”
    “Mr. Montrop’s stepson was kidnapped?”
    “Yeah. Do you know him?”
    “No. Mr. Montrop mentioned a stepson a couple of times, but I never met him. I got the sense that there was bad blood between them.” Evan looked at me with skepticism. “You said you’re a private investigator. I thought PIs weren’t actual cops. You don’t have the powers of a peace officer, right?”
    I was surprised. “You make an astute observation. I often work in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies. I spent twenty years at the San Francisco PD, retiring as