Page 106 of The Happy Month

“Highland Park Division.”

“That’s LAPD?”

“Yes. The girl’s body was found at Elyria Canyon.”

“Where is that?”

“Mount Washington.”

“Nineteen-sixty-eight is twenty-eight years ago. You think he’s still a cop?”

“Absolutely,” Junior said.

“We need to find him.”

He said, “On it,” then switched orange chairs to the one that was next to the phone. Ronnie and I had a ridiculous number of phones. Not counting our cellular, there was a phone in the living room, another in the kitchen, one in his office and one in our bedroom. Actually, there were two lines in his office, one was dedicated to the fax machine. It would have been kind of crazy if Ronnie hadn’t been able to take them off his taxes.

Junior dialed 411 and asked for the LAPD general line, then he agreed to be connected (for an extra charge). When he got through, he said, “Yes, can you connect me to Highland Park Division? Oh, oh, I see… Can you connect me? No? All right, hold a moment.”

He grabbed a pen off the coffee table. I’d collected a ridiculous number of things there while recuperating.

“Go ahead… uh-huh… uh-huh… thank you.”

Hanging up, he said, “Highland Park Division is now Northeast Division.” He immediately began to dial. “Yes, hello. Could you connect me with Gunner Olavson? Oh. Oh my. You couldn’t… I see. I understand.”

Apparently, whoever he was speaking with hung up because he looked at me and said, “Retired.”

Then he dialed 411 again. “Yes. Gunner Olavson.” A moment later he said, “I’m not sure, could be an F or a V.Uh-huh. Okay. Yes, that sounds like it. Can you connect me?” He waited. “Gunner Olavson? Fabulous. Hold please.”

Junior brought the phone to me, holding it well in front of him. I took it, saying, “Hello, Gunnar Olavson?”

“Yeah, it’s still me.”

I explained a bit about who I was and what I wanted to know, then said, “I’m surprised you’re not still on the job.”

“I’ve been retired less than a year. This is about Shirley Kessler?”

“Well, that’s not completely right. I’m trying to get information. I’ve been looking into the death of Vera Korenko. I think there might be a connection.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard of that case before.”

“Do you remember if there was a woman named Gigi mentioned anywhere in your case?”

He was silent for a long time. “Yeah. We could never find her. Did you find her?”

“Not yet. She was married but sometimes went with women. It’s that what you know?”

“Shirley was crazy about her. That’s all I know, except that her husband beat the crap out of her now and then. At least, according to Shirley’s friends.”

“Yeah, I heard that too. Can I run some other names by you?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

“Harper and Georgia Dawson?”

“Not sure.”

“Rocky Havoc.”