Page 31 of Fatal Strike
Jon turned to her, Leah’s cue to jump back in. “Before February, what did you and Dylan do?”
“Grabbed a few beers. Hung out. We’d been friends since middle school.”
“You’re a member of St. Peter’s?”
“Used to be. Don’t go anymore. Not my thing.”
Interesting link. “Do your parents and sister?”
“Yes. Like clockwork.”
“Did Dylan change much after his conviction?”
“Dylan wanted to go straight. Get back into college and be successful, like start his own business.”
“What interested him?”
“Owning a Mexican restaurant. His mom’s a great cook, and she’d often told him that she’d like to own her own restaurant.”
A point for Dylan’s side. “Commendable.”
Leah turned to Jon. “Had Dylan mentioned any new friends?” he said.
“No, sir. He and I were always the nerds—me with grades and him because he was shy and not interested in sports. We stuck together for years, and I’m still there for him.”
“What happened for him to attempt a robbery?”
“Dylan was going through a rough time then.” Aaron pressed his lips together. “I don’t know what he was thinking. But he swore he’d never break the law again. I believed him. Still do. He’s always been there for me. Even if I had a problem now, he’d find a way to help me. I’m giving him space so he can figure out this thing with Elena.”
Leah filed Aaron’s last response. “Thanks. You’ve given us much to think about,” she said. “We all need good friends. Ihope Dylan is aware of your loyalty.”
Aaron scrubbed a hand down his face. “Look, I’ve told you all I know about him. I have no clue how his name got mixed up with the Venenos or Judge Mendez’s murder. He’s a great guy.”
“If he does reach out, would you let me know?” Leah handed him her business card. “We need to ask him a few questions.”
Aaron nodded. “I promise you, Dylan wouldn’t do anything to mess up his life. He’s on the right road.”
21
LEAH AND JON WALKEDthe covered corridor from GPD to the county court building, where Judge Mendez maintained his office. They had a 1:45 appointment. Leah’s thoughts focused on their discussion with Aaron Michaels.
“What Aaron implied bothers me,” she said. “Wondering if he left the police department and immediately contacted Dylan.”
“The ones who believe in Dylan will take the most risks.”
Leah debated Dylan’s personality ... Was he a leader or aweak man whom others tried to protect?
Jon turned to her. “But if Aaron is as smart as his grades indicate, he wouldn’t lead us to Dylan.”
Leah’s thoughts turned to their earlier interview with Everson. “Is Everson capable of working the case?”
Jon stopped until a young woman passed. “Everson is grieving and angry, a volatile meld.”
“I can’t imagine his loss of a fiancée and friends. In his line of work, personal stakes often create blind spots.”
“His relationship with the victims combined with law enforcement skills is a plus—if he keeps his head. Hard for me to believe the three victims didn’t document their findings. We’re talking about professional people whose jobs required detailed notes.”
“And they wouldn’t have continued to meet if they hadn’t found evidence. Neither, in my opinion, would they have been killed.”
