Hollywood Outlaw: A Hollywood Alphabet SeriesThriller (A Hollywood Alphabet Series Thriller Book 15) (5 page)

“Interviewing Lady Prince again is a waste of time,” Darby said. “She’s going to stonewall and do anything she can to take the heat off her family and the TV show.”

“That might be the case,” I said. “But she’s a key figure in the case. We can’t just ignore her.”

Leo saw my distress. “Buck and I can take a run at her if you guys want to talk to…” he checked his notes, “…Bailey Nolan, the ex-wife.”

“There’s also the director and the producer of the TV show,” Buck said. “We didn’t get much out of Sylvester yesterday, so I think it’s worth taking another shot at him. According to the paperwork Selfie gave us, Waggoner works out of an office in the Wilshire District.”

“Sylvester’s nothing but a skirt chasing asshole,” Darby said. “Another waste of time.”

Leo regarded him. “Tell us something. Who do you suggest we talk to?”

“There’s two trails in this case: money and sex. That’s where the emphasis needs to be.”

“You just said Sylvester is a womanizer,” I said. “He also has a financial interest in the TV show. Why not interview him again?”

My new partner shrugged then cranked his head toward Leo and Buck. “These guys wanna waste their time, we let them go ahead. We need to concentrate on the business side of things, maybe get someone to look at the spreadsheets in the vic’s computer, and then look at who Bert Prince was screwing.”

My chest rose and fell in frustration. I looked at Leo and Buck. “If you two want to take a go at Nolan, Sylvester, and Waggoner, we’ll meet up with you later. We’re going to get together with Financial Crimes and take a look at the spreadsheets, but first we’re going to do some basic police work and talk to Lady Prince.”

“We need to clear the air,” Darby said as I drove us to Beverly Hills to talk to Lady Prince. “If we’re going to work together, we need to reach a consensus on processes. That’s how CTA is supposed to work.”

I glanced at him. “You sound like you’re an expert.”

“I was forced to take a class on it, and your turn is probably coming. Finding consensus on issues is part of the cross training theory.”

“It sounds like the part that should be listed under the heading
bullshit
.”

He shrugged. “According to the program, partners are supposed to work out differences
after
considering the other person’s point of view.”

I brushed a hand through my hair, tamping down both my wayward locks and my irritation. “Interviewing the victim’s wife is the logical first step in any investigation.”

“You’ve already talked to her. You’re plowing old ground.”

I glanced at him again. My new partner’s face was blotchy and he looked like he was carrying an extra twenty pounds around his midsection. Maybe he had a drinking problem. “Let’s just agree to compromise on this. Let me re-plow the garden, then you get to decide what’s next.”

He exhaled. “Whatever.”

We found Lady Prince in a sunroom overlooking the expansive grounds of Nirvana. She was with a covey of attendants, who scurried off as we took seats on a wicker sofa across from her.

“We’re planning Bert’s funeral,” she explained. I saw there was a stack of brochures from memorial parks on the table in front of her. “We’re also looking at monuments, something grand that befits my husband’s life.” She took a moment, brushing her tears away.

I looked up as her elderly attendant, Griselda Lugosi, waddled through the door. She bent down to Lady. “Are you going to be need-ink some-think?”

They exchanged words before Griselda scurried off, not bothering to acknowledge us.

I turned my attention back to the grieving widow. “Let’s talk about your husband for a moment. We know from talking to several people, including your children, that you led separate lives.”

“What are you insinuating?”

“She’s not insinuating anything,” Darby said. “You two had an open marriage. Who was Bert seeing?”

I saw a slight tremor in Prince’s hands as she brought a tissue up and dabbed eyes that were an icy blue. They were beautiful, making me realize that she and her daughter, Paris, had a lot of physical traits in common.

She drew in a breath and said, “I’ll admit it. Bert was a sex addict. Almost anyone who crossed paths with him ended up in his bed.”

I glanced at Darby, then looked back at her. “We’ll need a list of names.”

Darby pulled out a notepad and we spent the next ten minutes taking names. When she was finished we had a couple of dozen women that Lady said were involved with her husband, but she told us there were probably even more that she didn’t know about. It was noteworthy that Marisha Dole, the agent for her and her daughters, was on the list.

“We understand there were some issues between your husband and Ms. Dole,” I said. “Tell us about their relationship.”

Before she could answer, Griselda toddled back into the room, carrying a small envelope. Lady shook out whatever was inside and swallowed it with some tea. I glanced at Darby, rolling my eyes, and hoping she wouldn’t fall asleep on me again.

Lady set her teacup down. “Marisha and Bert were adversaries. He wanted complete control of our show and the related endorsements, including our fashion and makeup lines. The girls had a falling out with him a couple of years ago, and we hired Marisha to represent our interests. Bert wasn’t happy about it, but he eventually came to accept the situation.”

“So, Bert and Marisha were at odds over money and they end up in a relationship,” Darby said. “You ask me, that’s a recipe for lots of trouble, maybe the kind that leads to violence.”

Lady fixed her beautiful eyes on him and laughed. “Clearly, you don’t understand the way my husband operated.”

“Then clue me in.”

She took a breath. “Let me be frank. Bert considered sex and relationships two different things. That became apparent to me early in our marriage, and I accepted that fact. You can talk to Marisha if you want, but I don’t think there was any real animosity between them. They had opposing business interests, and they accepted that fact. The sex was…” Her gaze moved off. “…it was nothing more than what a workout at the gym might be for some people.”

I took a moment to process what she’d said. While this was Hollywood, and casual sex hookups were common, this seemed to take that concept to another level. I decided the money and business angle that Darby had suggested as a motive might make some sense. I then suppressed a ridiculous thought that CTA might also make some sense, after all.

“What about your husband’s ex,” Darby said, as my thoughts surfaced. “We understand she was always after him for money and causing problems.”

“Bailey is a bitch with two b’s,” Lady said. “Some of that played into the TV show dynamics, but she sometimes carried things too far. If you’re asking me if she killed Bert…” She took a moment, maybe gathering her thoughts. “…I think Bailey’s all about the money, but not to the extent that she would shoot someone.”

“Let’s talk about your husband’s business ventures for a moment,” I said. “What can you tell us about his other businesses and anyone he might have been in conflict with over money?”

The icy-blue eyes fixed on me. “I can tell you there were dozens of business ventures, some that I probably don’t even know about. You might want to talk to Mark for the details.”

“Mark?”

“Bert’s lawyer. He worked with Bert on all aspects of his businesses.”

After we got an address for Mark Swenson, we spent another half hour going over other names and details about the day to day operations of the TV show, before a beautiful dark haired woman arrived.

“This is my sister, Christina Conrad,” Lady said as the woman came over, hugged her, and took a seat next to her.

We gave them a moment as they cried and exchanged a few words of encouragement. Lady’s sister was tall, with high cheekbones. She looked younger than her sibling, and I had a thought that she could have been a model at one time.

After they surfaced from their emotional bonding, I asked Christina for her thoughts on what happened.

She brushed back her thick dark hair that made me jealous of my own unruly locks and said, “I can’t really tell you much. As you probably know, Bert had lots of issues, so maybe it had something to do with that.”

Darby played dumb, something that came natural to him. “Issues, as in…?”

Christina glanced at her sister. “Issues with women, and…” She took a breath. “…Bert was a difficult person. All I know is that he must have made someone very unhappy.”

“Someone, as in a lover or business partner?” Darby asked.

“I couldn’t say.” She looked at Lady. “I’m just sorry about everything…” She broke down. “…it’s just a shame.”

Despite the emotional bond the two women shared, I sensed there was something unspoken about their relationship. I knew that sisters could often be estranged, something that brought my upcoming family reunion to mind. It was just a few days away, and I was dreading the event, since I shared little in common with my own sister.

I decided to do a little probing, asking Christina, “What was your relationship with Bert like?”

The two women shared a momentary glance before she said, “We weren’t close. We saw each other at family gatherings. That was about the extent of it.”

Despite what she’d said, I still sensed there was something she was holding back. Lady’s sister was a beautiful woman, and I decided to give voice to what I suspected. “Bert hit on you, didn’t he?”

“Oh, God,” Christina said. Her gaze moved off and she didn’t answer.

Lady confirmed my suspicions. “It’s ancient history, something that we’re both past.” She reached over and took her sister’s hand.

I gave them a moment, waiting until Christina was ready to talk. “I was vulnerable and going through a divorce last year.” Tears flooded from her eyes. “It’s something I regret every day.”

Darby wasn’t impacted by the emotional storm and demonstrated his lack of finesse. “Regret it enough to kill him?”

Lady answered with a laugh that seemed a little too loud and contrived. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” She stood and pulled Christina up with her. “If there’s nothing further, we have to plan a funeral.”

“What’s your take on what Lady and her sister said?” I asked Darby as we left Nirvana and got to the car.

“My take is that Bert Prince was a first class Hannibal Lecher, he’d have sex with anyone, anytime, anywhere.”

I glanced at him as I started the car. “And you think Christina was just an innocent victim?”

He shrugged. “Maybe it was rebound sex, as she said, but who knows? Nobody understands women.”

I ignored his misogynistic comment and put the car in gear. “However Lady tries to explain it away, the fact is her husband had sex with her sister. That’s a major girl code violation and it makes Lady a suspect.”

“Could have gone the other way. The sister was taken advantage of and she paid Bert back.”

“Maybe. All I know is that the interview was worthwhile. We’ve now got a potential motive and two suspects.”

He scoffed. “You’ve got nothing but speculation. I wanna go talk to Financial Crimes about the spreadsheets and then meet with our victim’s attorney. You ask me, this case is still all about the money trail.”

I sighed, knowing it was useless to argue with him. As we headed for the freeway, I said, “Tell me something.” His murky eyes found me. “You married?”

“Divorced. Four years now. My ex is remarried and I’m still paying alimony. What about you?” He laughed. “Never mind. I almost forgot, your husband was caught on tape screwing his secretary.”

I didn’t respond, knowing that he hadn’t forgotten, since he’d brought my ex’s indiscretions up to me before. The video had made the rounds of the department and most of my coworkers had seen Doug, who was an assistant DA, having sex with his secretary in an office interview room.

As we drove in silence, Darby said, “Sorry, I must have touched a nerve.”

Since he insisted on needling me, I decided it was payback time. “It must be satisfying,” I said.

“What are you talking about?”

“Your ex-wife. It must be very satisfying, knowing that she’s still screwing you even though she’s remarried and screwing someone else.”

After some expletives, we drove in stony silence before Leo called, asking if we wanted to meet at Mel’s Drive-in for lunch. Darby jumped at the offer, knowing their burgers and fries were to die for.

We met Leo and Buck at the restaurant a few minutes later. After our food arrived, I remembered reading somewhere there was a text that kids use for guys like Darby who like fast food. I’m not saying that my partner was the poster boy for FBF—Fat Boy Food—but when I looked at him scarfing down his french fries, the reference seemed to fit.

As we ate, we told Leo and Buck about our interview. I then added, “Not sure if Christina hooking up with Bert was rebound sex or something else, but Lady and her sister acted like it’s ancient history.”

“Whatever the outward appearance, there has to be some hard feelings,” Leo said.

Buck agreed, then said, “Our victim seems like he was a first class user of anyone who crossed his path.”

Leo then told us about their morning. “We tried getting ahold of Sly Sylvester, but he’s in some kind of production meeting for the TV show with Carlyle Waggoner. They’re probably trying to find a way to capitalize on our victim’s murder to increase ratings and revenue.”

“Bert’s ex-wife agreed to meet with us at one this afternoon,” Buck said. “She lives over on Gardner Street, if you two want to tag along.”

“We’ve got financials to look into,” Darby said.

“Why don’t we take the time to go with them?” I said. “It’s just around the corner.”

“Go ahead if you want, but I’m not wasting my time.”

I reached my asshole quotient for the day and tossed him the car keys. “Fine. I’ll catch up with you later.”

He grabbed the keys off the table, stuffed the last of the FBF in his mouth, and stood up. “I’ll make sure that Edna knows you violated CTA.”

After he was gone, I looked at Leo and Buck. “I just realized that CTA stands for Certified Training with Assholes.”

***

Bailey Nolan lived in a house that was converted into a couple of separate living units near Gardner and Hawthorne in West Hollywood. When Bert Prince’s ex answered the door, she was much older and less attractive than I’d expected. Nolan waved us inside and lit a cigarette, blowing smoke above her curly red hair. She was about forty, with too much makeup that did nothing for her pasty, wrinkled complexion.

“I’ve only got a few minutes,” Nolan said, after leading us into a family room.

Leo made the introductions as we took seats across from her, then explained why we were there. “We’re following up with family and friends of your ex-husband, anyone who might give us some insight as to who would want to kill him.”

“Just for the record, you can add me to the list, but I didn’t do it.”

“Tell us about that,” Leo said.

She chuckled. “Bert was the world’s biggest cheater, liar, and all-around scumbag. I haven’t had the best of luck making ends meet in recent years and he wouldn’t give me a fucking dime. If you want to know the truth, I’m glad he’s dead. But, like I said, I didn’t kill him.”

“Who do you think did?”

“I have no idea.”

“But you do know that he had enemies, lots of enemies.”

“Dozens, maybe hundreds. As I said, he was a cheating liar. He probably crossed the wrong person and it cost him his life.”

“What about his wife,” I asked. “Do you think it’s possible that Lady got tired of his cheating?”

She laughed as smoke billowed again. “Lady’s smart. She used Bert as her meal ticket while she established the family’s empire. If you want my opinion, she’s too smart to shoot the golden goose that helped get her show started.”

“When you say she used Bert, what exactly do you mean?”

“Once the TV show’s ratings took off, Lady made sure that she and her daughters’ financial futures were secure. She hired an agent to make sure of that.”

“She hired Marisha Dole against Bert’s wishes,” I said.

“Of course. Bert wanted to control everything. He also wanted every cent he could milk out of Lady’s daughters. She was too smart to let that happen.”

“You seem to know a lot about the inner workings of the show.”

“Sly called me about being on the show last year, telling me it would be good for the ratings. I needed the money, so I agreed. In between shots, I got a lot of gossip about what was going on behind the scenes. Even Lady confirmed that Bert was an abusive asshole when we were off camera.”

What she’d said caused some red flags to start waving for me. Lady Prince was smart and manipulative. She’d also shown little in the way of real remorse after her husband was murdered. There was also the matter of her sister having an affair with her husband. All those facts told me that we needed to keep her on our short list of potential suspects.

“We know that your ex was a womanizer, ma’am,” Buck said to Nolan. “Can you tell us who he was involved with recently?”

She smiled at him. “Are you from the south?”

“Texas, but it’s been a few years.”

Nolan tugged at her dress. Maybe it was my imagination, but she seemed to hike it up a bit.

“I can give you a list as big as a phone book,” she said.

Buck pulled out a notepad and smiled. “Ready when you are.”

Nolan’s smile grew wider. Buck was a handsome man and his charms obviously weren’t lost on her.

“Let’s see,” she began. “I know for a fact that he was involved with Lady’s sister, Christina. There was also a singer…Miska somebody…” She took a moment. “…sorry, the last name escapes me. There’s also been a half dozen groupies.” She went on for a few minutes, giving us names and some sketchy information about her ex-husband’s numerous hookups. She then added, “I can probably ask around and get some additional names, including the boys.”

“Boys?” Buck said.

“Young men in their early twenties who wanted to break into the business. Bert used that.”

“I didn’t know Bert was bisexual,” I said.

Nolan laughed and extinguished the half-smoked cigarette. “If it was possible, Bert would have been tri-sexual. He preferred women, but if the opportunity presented itself, he took advantage of it, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.”

She went on for several minutes, giving us some more names that she remembered and details about our victim’s sexual preferences. When she finished, there were so many names and potential sex partners that I thought it would be almost impossible to clear everyone. I decided that I needed to try to narrow down the possibilities.

“You’ve given us lots of names and information, Ms. Nolan,” I said. “Other than Lady, is there anyone who Bert was close to who might be able to help us with our investigation?”

Her gaze drifted off. “There’s his assistant, Danika, but I think their relationship is strictly business.” She took another moment, then finally said, “I guess you could try his lawyer. From what I know, Bert didn’t make a move without him.”

“Mark Swenson?”

“Yeah, Mark. When I was on the set, Bert’s daughter Florence told me they were like brothers.”