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。 The P。I。 infiltrated a bike gang Scales allegedly rode with。 Bud paid him 500。 The guy took his money and never turned up shit。
〃Scales was no outlaw biker He was an amateur motorcycle racer〃。
The monologue winded Bedford。 His voice broke a few times。 I didn't know if he was fighting emotion or exhaustion。 I didn't know if he was reliving the loss of his daughter or the weight of his hardscrabble years。
I didn't bring up my murder story。 I tried to get some empathy going with Betty Jean's daughter and got nowhere。 That interview went nowhere。 I didn't want a repeat here。
Bud Bedford hated Bill Scales。 It felt like a property beef。 He ceded his daughter to the man who he thought killed her or let her die。 Ownership infractions。 Bud set Betty up in her own pad and cut off the rent when he caught her in bed with some guy。 Bill Scales assumed ownership then。
Bill got out his mouth swabs and explained the procedure。 Bud Bedford put his cigar down and rinsed his mouth with water。 He took a swab and ran it…all over his gums。
I thanked the Bedfords and walked to the door。 The dog growled at me。
Betty's mother was named Lavada Emogene Nella。 She lived in a board…and…care home in middle…class Fresno。
Bill called ahead。 Mrs。 Nella and her panion met us。 We sat down in the dayroom。 Old people on walkers pushed by。
Mrs。 Nella was attractive and perfectly groomed。 She was young and fit by rest…home standards。
Her eyes darted and latched onto fixed targets and went blank while she retained eye contact。
I said； 〃Tell me about Betty Jean。〃
Mrs。 Nella called her daughter a 〃chatterbox〃 and a 〃homebody〃 and a 〃sweet…natured girl〃 who 〃only wanted to be a good wife and mother。〃 Things tended to confuse Betty Jean。 She was outgoing and shy at the same time。 She relied on other folks to make her decisions。
Bill mentioned Betty's marriage。 Mrs。 Nella said it was difficult。 Bill Scales was cold and dictatorial。
Bill mentioned physical abuse。 Betty Jean's daughter described her dad as hard and domineering。 That accusation dominated her interview。
Mrs。 Nella said no。 Bill Scales didn't need to hit。 He had Betty under his thumb without resorting to violent behavior。 He controlled Betty with his knowledge of how much she loved him。
I said； 〃He didn't kill her。〃
Mrs。 Nella said； 〃Oh； I knew that。 The police cleared him back when it happened。〃
Bill said we had a hot suspect now。 We might be able to close the case officially。
Mrs。 Nella lit up。 Her eyes slipped into focus。
Her panion showed me some press clippings。 I read an L。A。 〃Times〃 piece from March '73。 It described the escalating murder rate in El Monte。 The ironic postscript： The Scales case was the first unsolved murder since 〃Jean Elroy in 1956。〃
They misspelled my mother's name。 They got the year of her death wrong。 It pissed me off more than it should have。
Mrs。 Nella gave us a cell scraping。 She said she never got to say good…bye to Betty。 The police said she was too far deposed。
We drove back to El Monte。 Tom Armstrong got the file from the Bakersfield PD and let us read through it。
The kid's name was Robert Leroy Polete Jr。 His last name was pronounced 〃Po〃…lay。 He married Vonnie in April '76。 He entered the United States Navy in September '76。 He pleted basic training。 He was assigned to the Naval Air Station in Lemoore； California。 Lemoore is near Bakersfield and Fresno。
Polete was arrested on 2/8/7 7。 The charges：
FELONY； IN FOUR COUNTS； TO WIT： RAPE； 261
PC/KIDNAPPING； 209 PC/ROBBERY； 211 PC/ORAL
COPULATION； 288A PC。
2/4/77：
Polete leaves Lemoore air station。 His intention： to visit his wife in Hacienda Heights。 Hacienda Heights is in the San Gabriel Valley。
Polete has 5。 It won't get him out of Kern County。 He buys a 4 bus ticket。 He lands in Bakersfield at 8：25 P。M。
He doesn't know what to do。 He wants to see his wife。 She's about to be evicted from her apartment。 He's nursing a grudge。 The navy should have stationed him down in L。A。
Polete walks around the bus depot。 He contemplates a purse snatch and rejects the notion。 If he grabs a purse in the depot and buys a ticket south； the cops will bust him right here。
He leaves the depot。 He walks by the Pacific Telephone Building。 He spots a woman。 He follows her to a '74 Honda Civic。
The woman gets in the car and pulls out。 The driver's…side door is unlatched。 Polete opens it。 He places a knife against the woman's neck and says； 〃Move over or you're dead。〃
The victim says； 〃You can have my car if you let me out。〃 Polete says； 〃Don't give me any lip。〃 The victim slides into the passenger seat。
Polete drives a short distance northwest。 He pulls into a parking lot and stops the car。 He tells the victim to crawl into the backseat and undress。
The victim plies。 Polete tells her to lie on her stomach。 The victim plies。 Polete ties her hands behind her back。 He uses her bra； her panties； and a swimsuit top。
Polete orders the victim to turn over and sit up。 She plies。 Polete gets into the backseat。 He kisses her and fondles her genitalia。 He sticks two fingers in her vagina and sticks the same two fingers in her mouth。
He orally copulates the victim。 He rapes her。 He wipes his penis with the victim's clothing。
He goes through her purse。 He finds 7 in change。 He says； 〃You sure are rich。〃 The victim says she's got another 6 in bills。
Polete steals the money。 He drives to a dark field off the Rosedale Highway。 He marches the victim sixty…five yards in and orders her to sit down。 The victim plies。 Polete scatters her clothes out of sight。
He tells the victim not to leave for ten minutes。 He says； 〃I know where to find you。〃 He tells the victim not to call the cops because he's got her ID and he's got friends who'll get her if anything happens to him。 He says he'll drop the car off in Fresno。 If anything happens to him or the car； his insurance will take care of it。 He says； 〃I'm sorry； but I had to do this。 I've been treated badly。〃
Polete drives off。 The victim finds her clothes and walks to a gas station。 She calls her father。 Her father calls the Bakersfield PD and reports the incident。
Polete drives to Hacienda Heights。 He spends the weekend with his wife。 He returns to Lemoore air station early Sunday night。
Tuesday； 2/8/77：
Polete calls the victim's mothercollect。 He uses the phone in his office。
The victim's mother does not accept the call。 Polete gives her a call…back number and ID's himself as 〃Security Officer Johnson。〃 He says he has information on her daughter's car。
Polete hangs up。 The victim's mother calls the victim。 The victim calls the Bakersfield PD。 She talks to DetectiveJ。 D。Jackson。 She says a 〃Security Officer Johnson〃 called her mother。 The man implied her car was somewhere at Lemoore air station。 He left a number： （209） 998…9827。 …
Detective Jackson calls the number。 Polete answers。 Jackson asks him about the car。 Polete says Johnson is handling it。 Jackson says he'd like to talk to him。 Polete says Johnson is out。 Jackson tells him to secure the car。 Polete says he will。
Jackson talks to his