The Narrows

kidnapped in Utah who was found and returned after nearly a year. He correctly wrote "alive" under one of the newspaper photos of the young girl.
    McCaleb also made an unofficial study of the Robert Blake case. The former film and television star was accused of murdering his wife in another headlining case. The notes in the file were intuitive and on point, ultimately borne out as correct as the case entered the courts.
    I had to ask myself if it was possible that McCaleb had entered the notes in his files and predated them, using information from media accounts and making it appear that he was predicting case aspects or suspect traits from his own work when he wasn't. While anything was possible, it seemed entirely unrealistic to me to think McCaleb had done this. I could see no reason for him to commit such a quiet and self-defeating crime. I believed the work was real and was his.
    One file that I found contained newspaper stories on the LAPD's new cold case squad. Noted on the flap were the names and cell numbers of four detectives assigned to the unit. Terry had obviously been able to cross the gulf between the LAPD and the FBI if he had their cell numbers. I knew detectives' cell numbers were not handed out to just anyone.
    One of the four detectives I knew. Tim Marcia had spent time in Hollywood Division, including the homicide table. I knew it was late but cops expect to get late calls. I knew Marcia wouldn't mind. I took out my cell and called the number McCaleb had written next to his name on the file. Marcia answered immediately. I identified myself, got through the long-time-no-see pleasantries and explained that I was calling about Terry McCaleb. I didn't lie but I didn't say I was working a murder investigation. I said I was sorting through his files for his wife and came across Marcia's name and number. I was simply curious about what their relationship had been.
    "Harry, you worked some cold cases in your time, right? That thing up at your house last year came out of a cold case, didn't it?"
    "Right."
    "Then you know how it goes. Sometimes you grasp at straws, you take any help you can get. Terry called me up one day and offered his services. Not on a specific case. I think he had seen a story in the Times about the unit and he basically said if I ever needed him to work a profile he was there for me. He was one of the good ones. I was really sorry to hear what happened. I wanted to get over to Catalina for the service but things sort of came up."
    "Like they always do. Did you ever take him up on the offer to do a profile?" "Yeah, sort of. I know I did and a couple other of the guys here did, too. You know how it is. The department has no profiling to speak of and sometimes waiting on the bureau and Quantico can take months. Here was this guy who knew what he was doing and he didn't want anything back. He just wanted to work. So we used him. We bounced a few things off him."
    "And how did he do?"
    "He did good. We're working this one case now that's interesting. When the new chief put the squad together we started going back through the open-unsolveds. We linked six cases-body dumps up in the Valley. They had some similar aspects but were never connected before. We copied the files to Terry and he confirmed. He connected them through what he called 'psychological commonalities.' We're still working it but at least we know what we have now. We're on the track is what I mean. I'm not sure we would be where we are if Terry hadn't helped us out."
    "Good, I'm glad to hear he helped with it. I'll tell his wife and I'm sure it will help her to know that."
    "Good. So, Harry, you coming back in?"
    I was expecting him to ask what I was really doing with McCaleb's files, not whether I was coming back to the department.
    "What are you talking about?"
    "You heard about the three-year ticket the chief instituted?"
    "No, what's that?"
    "He knows we lost a lot of talent in recent years. All the scandals and whatnot, good people saying, what the hell, I'm out of here. So he's opening the door for people to come back. If you reapply within three years of retirement and are accepted you can get back in without having to go to the academy. That's perfect for old guys like you."
    I heard the smile in his voice.
    'Three years, huh?"
    "Yeah. What's it been for you, two and a half?"
    "Just about."
    "Well, there you go. Think about it. We could use you here in cold cases. We've got seven thousand open-unsolveds. Take your