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Whitaker said the Swarthy Man told him his name。 He couldn't remember it。
He said my 43…year…old mother looked 〃about 22。〃 He said he got 〃pretty high〃 and fell off his chair once。
He said he saw the Swarthy Man and my mother leave together at about 10 P。M。
The Swarthy Man told Whitaker his name。 This supported my long…held instinct that the murder was not premeditated。
A waitress confirmed Whitaker's account。 Yes； Michael fell off his chair。 Yes； the redhead left with the Swarthy Man。
Hallinen and Lawton retained a sketch artist。 Desert Inn patrons and employees described the Swarthy Man。 The artist drew up a likeness。
The drawing was circulated to newspapers and every police agency in Los Angeles County。 The Desert Inn crew examined thousands of mug shots and failed to identify the Swarthy Man。
Officers canvassed the area around Arroyo High School。 No one had noticed suspicious activity late Saturday night or Sunday morning。 Hallinen and Lawton interrogated a score of local cranks； perverts； and career misogynists。
No leads accumulated。 No hard suspects emerged。
On Wednesday； June 25； a witness came fortha Stan's DriveIn carhop named Lavonne Chambers。 Hallinen and Lawton interviewed her。 Her testimonyrecorded verbatimwas precise； articulate； and perceptive。 Everything she said was new to me。 Her statement radically altered my take on the crime。
She served the Swarthy Man and my mother〃on two different occasions〃late Saturday night and early Sunday morning。 She described my mother's dress and mock…pearl ring。 She described the Swarthy Man's car： a '55 or '56 dark…green Olds。 She said the sketch was accurate and ID'd the man as white； not Latin。
They arrived at 10：20； shortly after their Desert Inn departure。 They 〃talked vivaciously〃 and 〃seemed to have been drinking。〃 The man had coffee。 My mother had a grilled cheese sandwich。 They ate in the car and left a half hour later。
Miss Chambers worked late that night。 My mother and the Swarthy Man returned at 2
He ordered coffee。 He seemed 〃quiet and sullen。〃 My Inother was 〃quite high and chatting gaily。〃 The man 〃acted bored with her。〃
Miss Chambers said my mother looked 〃slightly disheveled。〃 The top of her dress was unbuttoned； and one breast was spilling out。
Sergeant Hallinen： 〃Do you think they might have had a petting party？〃
Miss Chambers： 〃Maybe。〃
They left at 2：45。 Jean Ellroy's body was discovered eight hours later。
I turned to the autopsy report。 The coroner noted signs of recent intercourse。 My mother's lungs were severely congested； presumably from years of heavy smoking。
She died of ligature asphyxiation。 She sustained several blows to the head。 Her fingernails were caked with blood； skin； and beard fragments。
She fought back。
I opened the photo envelope。 The first stack of pictures： detained and exonerated suspects。
Cruel…looking men。 Rough trade。 White trash with a vengeance。 Hard eyes； tattoos； psychopathic rectitude。
I recognized Harvey Glatman； a sex killer executed in 1959。 A note said he passed a polygraph test。
The second stack： miscellaneous photos and wide…angles of the crime scene。
My father； circa 1946。 A notation on the back： 〃Vict's exhusband。〃 A faded snapshot： my mother in her teens。 The man beside her？ Probably my German…immigrant grandfather。
Arroyo High School； 6/22/58。 Santa Anita Road and King's Roada football field with jerry…built goalposts。 Those righthand…corner X marks： the curbside bushes where they found her。 The topography lacked perspective。 Every detail hit my eyes as too small； and unequal to the central myth of my life。
I looked at the pictures of my dead mother。 I saw the stocking around her neck and the insect bites on her breasts。
Lividity had thickened her features。 She did not look like anyone I had ever known。
I knew it wasn't over。 I knew my hours with the file constituted an ambiguous new start。
I left the squad room and drove to El Monte。 The years then to now had been cruel。
I clenched up。 It felt like something had to hit me at any second。 I kept expecting a migraine or a bad case of the shakes。
New prefab houses had aged and split at the joints。 Smog obscured the San Gabriel peaks。
The Desert Inn was gone。 A taco hut replaced it。 The El Monte PD building had been razed and rebuilt。
Anne Le Gore School remained intact。 Gang graffiti on the walls provided an update。
Stan's Drive…In was gone。 My old house had been face…lifted past recognition。
Arroyo High School needed a paint job。 The playing field needed a trim。 Weeds grew thick all around the X…marked spot。
The town had pressed。 Its old secrets had subsided into the memories of strangers。
Stoner told me Sergeant Lawton was dead。 Sergeant Ward Hallinen： 82 years old and living outside San Diego。
I called him and explained who I was。 He apologized for his failing memory and said he couldn't recall the case。 I thanked him for his efforts thirty…six years ago。 I remembered a cop who gave me a candy bar； and wondered if it was him。
It wasn't over。 The resolution felt inplete。
I canceled a dinner date and willed myself to sleep。 I woke up at 3 A。M。unclenched and sick with it。
Conscious thoughts wouldn't process。 I went down to the hotel gym and slammed weights until it hurt。
Steam and a shower helped。 I went back to my room and let it hammer me。
New facts contradicted old assumptions。 I had always thought my mother was killed because she wouldn't have sex with a man。 It was a child's coda to horror： A woman dies fending off violation。
My mother made love with her killer。 A witness viewed postcoital moments。
They left the drive…in。 He wanted to ditch this desperate woman he fucked and get on with his life。 The bustion occurred because she wanted more。
More liquor。 More distance from the Dutch Reformed Church。 More self…abasing honky…tonk thrills。
More love i6；ooo times removed in desiccation。
I inherited those urges from my mother。 Gender bias favored me： Men can indiscriminately fuck women with far greater sanction than women can indiscriminately fuck men。 I drank； used drugs； and whored with the bravado of the winked…at and condoned。 Luck and a coward's circumspection kept me short of the abyss。
Her pain was greater than mine。 It defines the gulf between us。 Her death taught me to look inward and hold myself separate。 That gift of knowledge saved my life。
It wasn't over。 My investigation will continue。
I took a new gift away from El Monte。 I feel proud that I carry her features。
Geneva Hilliker Ellroy： 19151958。
My debt grows。 Your final terror is the flame I touch my hand to。
I will not diminish your power by saying I love you。
August 1994
GLAMOUR JUNGLE
I
The Crime
SHERIFF'S HOMICIDE FILE #Z…961…651。 DATE： 11/30/63。
LOCATION： 12271/2 NORTH SWEETZER AVENUE； WEST
HOLLYWOOD。 VICTIM： KUPCINET； KARYN （NMI）；
W/F/22/DOB 3/6/41。
The place：
A courtyard plex off the Sunset Strip。
The victim：
A drug…addicted and eating…disordered actress…dilettante。
The crux