Page 101 of Rekindle My Heart

The pieces fell into place. He didn’t have enough for a warrant, but he’d get it.

Twenty minutes later, he parked in front of the Metal Mart. The sign stated they opened at ten today. He knocked anyway. LeRoy glanced at him from his office, then came to open the door.

“Detective Daniels, come on in. What can I do for you?” He stepped back.

“I have a couple more questions. Your videos really helped.”

“They did? That’s good.” He held up a disposable coffee cup.

“Sure.”

LeRoy filled the cup from the freshly brewed pot and handed it to Ryan. He poured himself one, then sat at his desk chair. “Okay, I have my caffeine. What can I do for you?”

Ryan set his untouched coffee on the desk, pulled out his recorder, and with a raise of his brow, inquired if LeRoy minded. The man shrugged and Ryan turned it on and set the details. “Interview with LeRoy Harmon…” He added the date and time before asking his first question.

“When was the last time you saw Salvador Ruiz?”

LeRoy’s face scrunched like he bit into a bad apple. “That piece of trash. It’s been a couple weeks.”

“Do you remember the last day you saw him?”

“Oh. It was the Saturday of Labor Day. I chased him off the block. Damn drug dealer.” LeRoy crossed his arms and tipped back in his chair.

“And what was your connection with Officer Bryan Kealy?”

“Who? I don’t know a Kealy.”

Ryan could see the events of the night playing out in his head. Time to change tactics. “Does your wife drive a blue 2018 Tahoe?”

“Yeah.” He leaned forward. Now Ryan had his full attention.

“And do you sell magnesium here?”

Harmon squirmed a little before he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “I think I should call a lawyer.”

“Maybe you should. But let me see if I have this right.” Ryan leaned in, his hands loose at his sides. “You’re an honest business owner who wants to clean up the neighborhood.”

At LeRoy’s slight nod, Ryan continued, “On the third, you saw Salvador Ruiz, a known drug dealer, heading into the abandoned building on the corner of Industrial and First. You grab a short piece of stock, two-inch tubing and go to have a talk.”

Ryan observed him for any aggression before he went on.

“You slip in the back door, as you have the key to the lock since you put it on to keep the riffraff out, and tried to persuade him to take his business elsewhere. But he refuses. Maybe he pulls a knife, you swing… in self-defense. Either way, he goes down. You hear the front door open, and you panic. You hide, thinking it’s one of his business partners. The adrenaline is pumping and you swing for the fences.”

LeRoy’s color dropped lower with each word out of Ryan’s mouth. The light in his eyes dimmed.

“You should call the cops but would they believe you? So, you drove back to the shop.” Ryan gestured to the Metal Mart. “Then you grabbed something that could wipe out the evidence. Fast burning. Hot. Magnesium?”

LeRoy slumped in his chair. Ryan knew he had him.

“The eyesore of a building being gone was a bonus. You hadn’t even planned it.”

LeRoy dropped his head to his desk. He moaned before looking up. Dampness misted his eyes. “I didn’t… It just happened… and the other guy. He pulled a gun. I panicked.”

“That’s why I didn’t put it together sooner. You’re a nice guy. Just running your business. Helpful even.” Ryan would bet Kealy was in street clothes, not displaying his badge. Either way, Harmon killed him and covered it up.

Ryan stood. Pulled out his cuffs and motioned for LeRoy to stand.

Harmon didn’t fight. He hung his head and presented his hands. As Ryan clicked the cuffs closed, he said, “Find a good lawyer.”

He took the man’s keys and locked the door before taking him to the station.

This sucked. No excited energy at catching the bad guy, no rush of adrenaline. Instead, he felt a mix of sadness for this hardworking man and relief he could close the case.