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He had enough information to arrest Damon Avila. While the bomb materials in his house needed to be confirmed to be the same C-4 as was used in the two bombings, the fact was that hehadC-4, coupled with the fact that documents in Neil’s handwriting were discovered in a box that also contained newspaper clippings concerning Avila and his five alleged victims. It was solid circumstantial evidence.
But still circumstantial. They could get him on several auxiliary charges, but Matt wanted to nail him for murder. He might not be able to prove he killed those five people on Neil’s list—but Mattcouldprove that Avila had killed the nine people on theWater Lilyand the security guard at West End Charter.
That would have to be good enough. They could work on the other murders.
“You good, Matt?” Catherine asked.
“Of course. I know what the plan is.”
“I meant, this is the first bombing case since the Tucson Bomber.”
“I’m okay.”
“And Kara was nearly killed today.”
“She wasn’t.”
“What if Michael wasn’t there? Do you know if she even should have picked up the box in the first place?”
“I would have,” he said.
“You don’t know that.”
“Catherine, we’re not having this conversation now. Avila is on his way in, we need to focus on getting the confession. Barring that, we get him on record with statements we can prove or disprove.”
Two minutes later, two deputies escorted Avila into the interview room. Matt asked them to remove Avila’s handcuffs.Then he thanked them and they left the room. It was just Matt, Catherine, and their suspect.
Damon Avila was a broad-shouldered, muscular but slender, athletic-looking young man. Brown skin, hazel green eyes, six-one—almost exactly Matt’s height. He should have seemed imposing, but he looked terrified, with a deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression.
“Hello, Mr. Avila,” Matt said. “We met before. I’m Special Agent in Charge Mathias Costa. This is my colleague, Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Catherine Jones. You’ve been read your rights. Do you have any questions about those rights?”
He shook his head.
“For your protection, this interview is being both audio and video recorded, so I need you to answer verbally. Do you understand your rights as they have been read to you?”
“Yes,” he said. “But I don’t understand what’s going on.”
“The Coast Guard picked you up because you are wanted for questioning in the bombing of theWater Lilyand the West End boathouse.”
Avila was shaking his head. “No. That’s just... What? That makes no sense. I don’t know anything about those bombings. My God, you don’t think I had anything to do with that?”
Avila looked genuinely scared. Good. Denials always came first, and fear was better than belligerence.
Matt slid over a copy of the search warrant. “We executed this search warrant this morning starting at ten twenty-five a.m. You can read it. I’ll wait.”
Avila picked it up. His mouth dropped open as he read what they were searching for. “C-4? Bomb-making material? You actually think I set those bombs? I didn’t. I didnotdo it. I swear to Almighty God I did not have anything to do with those bombs.”
“In the closet of your den, we found a box with material that included notes in Neil Devereaux’s handwriting. How did that box come to be in your possession?”
“Box? Why would I have anything of Neil’s at my place? What kind of notes?”
Matt showed him a photo he’d taken on his phone. “We sent the handwriting to the FBI to confirm, but it appears to match other handwriting that we know to be Neil’s. These are journals and notes regarding cold cases that he was investigating.”
“About the kids who drowned? Why would Neil give me anything about that? He didn’t.”
“Actually, these notes were about three other cold cases he was investigating, including the disappearance of your ex-girlfriend, Missy Douglas.”
Avila didn’t say anything.
