"And then you would need to testify in court."
"What would happen to them?"
"They would both go to jail. Could be for as little as five years. It would depend on the DA and the judge." Fuentes said.
Julia Donovan was leaning towards me. She added, "It would also depend on how much they can spend on a lawyer."
I took the DVD's from my pocket. The label on each was for a different date. The day when they brought me the proposal on one DVD and the Friday when Crystal stripped in the garage and sucked my cock. On that DVD I included a half hour of us having sex and her telling me what a jerk John was.
Fuentes had me write my contact information and thanked me for coming forward. Donovan wanted to know why I recorded everything. I told them how I had recognized John as Walter and what he had done to me in high school. I wanted the house but couldn't trust him as far as I could throw California.
"If we had those pictures I'm sure the DA would find a use for them."
"According to Crystal they are in an album in the top of John's closet. That doesn't mean it's true."
We shook hands and Donovan walked me out. "It would probably be safest if John and Crystal couldn't find you for a few days."
"I've already moved out. You can reach me by cell or email."
I called my sister and told her I would only be reachable by cell for the rest of the week. I told her that in a week I wanted to have dinner with her and I'd explain everything. Naturally, she wanted all the details right then but I didn't give her any.
The rest of the day was spent house hunting. Late in the afternoon I saw a woman opening the door to a real estate office in Malibu. I stopped and looked at the displayed pictures in the front window. She came out and introduced herself. Monica. She was wearing wedding rings. She was in her forties. We talked and before dark she took me to see one house.
It was on the beach in Malibu. Three bedrooms, three and a half baths, No yard really, just a storage area for toys between the house and a fence leading to the sand. Sixty yards of sand before reaching water at high tide most days. There was an upper deck that was private. None of the houses around had any view of the deck. The house was empty. Monica said a painting crew was due in three days and if I made an offer she would let me pick the colors.
By the time we finished paperwork it was seven. I had her call her husband and he met us at Duke's, a favorite restaurant in Malibu. We had a great dinner and parted in the parking lot.
I stayed in a hotel in Pasadena for three days. Watched TV, took a few walks, and fielded calls on my cell. Early on the second day in Pasadena I went to the museum and the cell rang. I sat on a bench near Rodan's Thinker and answered. It was Crystal.
"What have you done?"
"No, Hello? No, I miss you?"
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm sitting in a sculpture garden talking on the phone to you."
"When John arrived at his office this morning officers from the state of California handed him a subpoena and a search warrant. They are crawling up his ass this very moment."
"And, you think I sent them?"
"It had to be you!"
"I swear to you I have not spoken to or written anyone employed by the state, about John, his business or about you. Calm down. It's John's problem. Do you need for me to send a cab to pick you up or will John be able to bring you to the house at seven?"
"Oh my God! They're searching my husband's life and you're worried about how I'm going to get to your house to fuck?"
"His life isn't our problem from seven on Friday night until five on Sunday. You asked me to pay you five thousand a weekend. I have. I expect you to be there tonight. If this is some ploy for more money, cut the crap! Five thousand is already a hell of a lot of money."
Her voice became butter. "I'm sorry. I'm just in shock about John. I'll probably need a cab. John has the van and I have no idea if he'll be back in time. The cab will cost about thirty dollars. Is that Ok?"
"Not a problem. I might not be there exactly at seven so have the cab get you there at quarter after, Ok?"
"Problems?"
"No. I just can't gauge traffic too well yet."
"Ok. I won't be wearing panties and I bought a new dress to wear for you."
"I won't be wearing panties either." We both laughed as we hung up. I called detective Donovan.
"In case it might help, Crystal just told me she will take a cab to the house at quarter after seven tonight. She intends to spend the weekend with me and will arrive wearing no panties."
"Did she tell you that in a phone call?"
"Yes."
"Then we have it on tape. We will wait until she arrives to arrest her. When this is over, I'd like to have a conversation with you."
"How over?"
"When the LAPD file has a "closed" stamp on the cover."
"I'll still have this cell. Call me."