Ethan chuckles, “Duly noted, counselor. You are free to go.” He throws the keys to Joseph, but Mercy intercepts the pitch.
Mercy perks up and grabs Ethan’s keys from midair. “Oooh, goody! I get to drive the Rolls! See everyone at breakfast!”
Rena, Francesca, Joseph and Mercy get into the Rolls, and Mercy peels out of the driveway, just to tease Ethan a bit more.
James looks at Ethan. “Smart move letting them off so easily. I assume you want me to tail them?”
Ethan replies, “Oh, yeah. I know my daughter-in-law. She warmed up immediately when Joseph wrapped his arms around her. They had another reason that they were anxious to leave besides the cold, and I want to be sure they aren’t getting into trouble.”
James jumps into his candy red metallic Koenigsegg Agera R and heads out to follow the Rolls, obviously not worrying if they spot him following in a car that stands out in a crowd.
Rena, Francesca, Joseph and Mercy travel down Sunset. Mercy keeps a close eye on the rearview mirror, being careful not to lose James, who she knows is tailing her. At least, she does not plan to lose him yet.
They make small talk so Rena will volunteer that the conversation seemed normal, should her husband inquire, once he gets home.
“So, Aunt Rena. You really think you can talk Lisa into switching from theatre to forensics?” asks Joseph.
“Not a chance,” says Rena. “That child is lucky if she can remember the chemical formula for table salt. Sara’s our future scientist. Lisa takes more after her Aunt Francesca.”
Francesca pats Rena on the arm. “I’ve seen Lisa act in her school plays, and she has a real talent, Rena. Don’t discourage her based on rumors about Blaine.”
Rena says, “There are a lot of rumors.”
“That’s because Blaine is an incorrigible flirt. But, to be honest, I don’t think Blaine has ever cheated on Dana. And deep down, I’m pretty sure Dana believes he’s been faithful. Sometimes, she just lets her insecurities catch up with her,” says Francesca.
“How can a woman that talented and gorgeous be insecure? Sometimes, it’s really hard to tell what’s inside the package just by looking at the gift wrap, I guess,” says Rena.
“I guess we all pick up baggage as we travel through life. It’s not always easy to dump the baggage, no matter how successful we become or how much we change and grow,” says Francesca.
“All people can do is be there for each other, I suppose. I know that I’m so grateful that you and your family are part of our extended family,” says Rena.
Francesca beams at her friend. “Blood may be thicker than water, but love conquers all.”
Mercy wheels into James and Rena’s driveway. “Nice mixing of metaphors, Mom,” she says with a laugh. “Are you coming over for breakfast, too, Aunt Rena? I’m going to stop by the market on the way home. We’ll have plenty of food.”
“I thought you were in a hurry to get home,” says Rena.
“We’re running low on cat treats. It’s a bad idea to go home without an acceptable amount of cat treats,” says Mercy.
“Have there ever been any more spoiled cats in this universe?” laughs Rena.
“They hope not,” says Mercy.
Rena bids everyone goodnight. They watch to ensure that she enters her house safely, all still aware that James is not far away.
Mercy pulls out of the driveway and heads toward Francesca’s house.
Joseph says, “I assume that Uncle James is still tailing us?”
“I thought you might have noticed that,” laughs Mercy.
Francesca chimes in, “I’m in the back seat, and even I figured it out. The headlights in your rearview mirror at every turn weren’t terribly subtle.”
Joseph turns around, surprised. “Why, Mother-In-Law! When did you get into the detective business?”
“Son-In-Law,” Francesca chides. “Have you not seen all of my movies? I’ve played a private investigator at least three times,” she laughs.
“Yes ma’am. Looks like you picked up a few tricks along the way,” says Joseph.
Mercy worries, “Well, one thing’s for sure. We won’t be able to lose him too easily. Just because he wants us to know that we’re being followed doesn’t mean that’s his end game.”
“I don’t think Uncle James bought your ‘party dress’ act, Mercy. Dad knew why we wanted to get out of there. I bet he pointed James in our direction so we wouldn’t get ourselves into legal trouble,” says Joseph.
Mercy says, “Can I help it if Uncle James has known me all my life? I was trying to get out of there before he started asking questions about the fiasco at the party. If we’re going to find Dana before the police do, we’re going to have to be faster than they are at figuring out where to look.”
Francesca looks out the back at James’s car trailing them. “It looks like there’s only one car following us. You two are going to need help finding Dana. I have a plan.”
Joseph worries, “Francesca, I’m not too sure you want to be involved in this. Depending on what the autopsy shows about Sal’s death, Dana could be a suspect.”
“I’m already involved. Dana is my best friend. After tonight, her career can’t take another hit of bad publicity. If she loses her career, I’m not sure what she will do. It’s always been the one constant for her,” says Francesca.
“Bad publicity for her could end up falling on you, too, Mom. You’re the actress. I’m the detective, Joseph’s the attorney and Lucienne’s the cop, remember? That makes the three of us the better choice to figure this out while you stay out of it,” reasons Mercy.
“Even if you find Dana, do you think that she’ll open up to any of you?” asks Francesca. “You need me. Dana needs me. She can be extreme, but she’s not the kind of person who would kill anyone. I overheard some of what was said at the bar tonight, but none of it would be a reason for Dana to harm him. She scoops up spiders in the house and puts them outside, for Heaven’s sake. Does that seem like a woman who would hurt someone? Especially one of Mark’s friends?”
“But Mom…” objects Mercy. “If you get involved…”
Francesca stops her, haughtily throws her head back and continues, intentionally overacting. “Child, I was playing a detective before you were born. That puts me in charge of this operation.”
Joseph, recognizing Francesca’s resolve, decides not to argue.
Francesca says, “You head for the market and pick up cat treats. That might confuse James enough to give us an extra few minutes while he calls Rena to see if she knows what’s going on.”
Joseph agrees. “Okay, then. Watch James’s car when you get out at your house, but don’t let him see you watching. If he follows us, head for our house before he can get a patrol car over to watch your place.”
“James probably will follow us when he sees you get out. If you see a patrol car in front of your house, don’t leave. We’ll handle it,” Mercy says.
Francesca reassures her daughter, saying, “I’ll be in and out in a flash. My hybrid is parked in my back garage, and it won’t make any noise. I’ll pick you up in the alley behind your house in fifteen minutes. I’ll be behind the Fisher’s house, two doors down. Constanzia has that huge bougainvillea bush back there that hides half her yard. I won’t be noticed.”
“If James thinks you’re in for the night, he’ll concentrate on watching us, so try to make it look like you’re upstairs, watching TV. I’ll leave the Rolls out front, so he thinks we’re home for the rest of the night.” Mercy laughs. “I’ll turn the battery candles on in the bedroom so he’s too embarrassed to watch very closely.”
Francesca makes a face. “TMI daughter. TMI.”
Mercy asks Joseph for his legal opinion. “Joseph, is any of this going to get my mom implicated in a murder investigation?”
Joseph thinks carefully. “No. There has been no autopsy. The paramedics said Sal said a word that ‘sounded like’ ‘poison,’ but they couldn’t swear to that in court. The last
paramedic we spoke with told us that the death looked like an overdose. Legally, we can operate on the info we have at this time without being accused of evidence tampering, especially if the death is ‘suspicious,’ but not ‘murder’ according to the last thing we heard. Most deaths are ‘suspicious’ until an autopsy if there is no illness or advanced age.”
“Mercy, all I’m doing is looking for my friend. She had an argument with her husband, and I want to make sure she’s okay. I don’t know anything else for sure, so I can’t see how I’m breaking any laws,” says Francesca.
Joseph laughs, “How many lawyers have you played on-screen, Francesca? Obviously enough to have picked up a few pointers.”
“Several. Is my legal argument correct, counselor?”
“It is, ‘counselor.’”
“Then, let’s get this show on the road.” Francesca appeals to her daughter as she gathers her things. “Mercy, this is important to me. The press has portrayed Dana and I as rivals for years. But she’s my friend and I want to help.”
Joseph warns, “The tabloids aren’t a court of law, Francesca. They don’t always take a lot of care with the facts. Some of those scandal sheets could accuse you of murder and say that you framed Dana — your rival.”
Francesca sets her jaw. “Joseph, we have plan in place. Let’s get cranking, okay?”
Mercy looks at her mother in the rearview mirror. “There’s no point in arguing with Mom, honey. I’ve seen that look of determination on her face before. She’s going after Dana, with or without us.”
Francesca laughs, “Can I help it if you know me so well?” She exits the car, takes a quick peek around and sticks her head back inside the car window to give Mercy a kiss on the cheek. “James didn’t kill his lights, so I don’t think he’s staying here. No patrol car in sight.”
“Okay, ‘Project Dana’ is in motion. See you in fifteen, Mom,” Mercy says.
Chapter 50
Francesca enters her house, goes upstairs and closes the blinds. She flips on the television and props pillows up on her bed, arranging them to make it look like she is sitting in bed, watching TV. Having determined her best key light years ago, Francesca angles a lamp to cast the appropriate silhouette, should a patrol car show up in front of her house.
She ducks into the closet and switches her party clothes for sweatpants, a hoodie, sneakers and a black leather jacket. Even dressed down, Francesca Wilde looks elegant as she sneaks downstairs and out to the back garage.
Mercy drives away and heads to the corner market for cat treats, with James following at a respectable distance. Joseph jumps out of the car, hits the cat food section and returns quickly.
“I see Uncle James is over in the corner space,” says Joseph.
“Yep,” says Mercy. “I wonder why he’s not hiding it better?”
“Maybe he’s tired. Or maybe he just wants us to go home so he can get onto the matter at hand,” says Joseph.
“My guess is that it’s the latter. If we’re home, asleep, that’s less resources that he has to expend keeping an eye on Mom or us,” says Mercy.
Mercy leaves the market parking lot, making sure that she does not lose her tail. She parks in the driveway in front of their home.
Joseph and Mercy go in the front door, leaving the Rolls outside as a decoy. The cats, Mack and Mabel, storm into the living room to ensure that their parents have brought home the appropriate cat treats.
Joseph and Mercy make a bigger-than-usual fuss over the kitties, making sure that James can see them playing with the cats through the front window.
James flips off the lights on his car and settles in for a little surveillance.
Francesca peeks out of several of her windows, shrouded in darkness. Seeing no patrol car, she sneaks quietly out the back door into her back garage. She grabs the phone out of her purse and removes the battery. She also turns off the GPS on the hybrid and worries to herself, “I hope that’s enough to make me incognito.”
Using the street lighting to glide her car out of the garage and down the alley, Francesca does not turn on the hybrid’s lights until she reaches Lexington.
Barely able to breathe, Francesca makes her way toward her daughter’s house, hoping that the plan is going as established.
Francesca checks the street and sees James’s car parked at the corner. She goes another block and enters the Luces’s alley, kills the car lights and parks behind Constanzia Fisher’s house.
Joseph, clothes changed, peeks out of the front window at James’s car, which is still parked at the corner. The phone rings. He does not recognize the number but answers anyway.
“Hello? Okay.” He turns to Mercy. Your mom’s out back waiting for us. I’m glad she drove the hybrid. They’re so quiet, it’s great for surveillance. James didn’t seem to notice anything odd. He’s still in the same spot with the lights off.”
“I turned on the candles upstairs and shut off the lights. I turned on the TV and turned it sideways so the shadows would look like we’re moving around up there,” says Mercy.
They exit through the back door, get into Francesca’s car and speed away, leaving James unaware of their departure.
“What was that phone number, Francesca? I thought it might be Dana,” says Joseph.
“I keep charged burner phones in both cars, just in case of an emergency,” says Francesca. “I turned my cell off in case James had people tracking my GPS.”
Mercy explodes into laughter, breaking the tension that has been mounting around her for the past hour. “Mom, you’re wonderful! If you ever want to give up acting, promise you’ll come to work for me.”
Chapter 51
It begins to rain as Francesca pulls into Dana’s driveway, with Mercy and Joseph as her passengers. They exit the car and knock on the front door.
“Great,” Mercy groans. “Rainy and cold. I hate rainy and cold.”
“Spoken like a true Angeleno,” laughs Joseph. “I think we’re all ‘part cat.’”
Mercy scans the grounds. There is no sign of any party guests or cleanup personnel. It is so clean that an onlooker would be surprised to know that there had been a party there earlier.
Even better, there is no sign of the paparazzi. “At least the rain and cold drove the vultures away,” says Mercy.
Francesca rings the bell again impatiently, and Wesley opens the door in a Lakers tank top and sweatpants. He is trying to pull on a robe but is still half-asleep. She says, “Good evening again, Wesley. I apologize for the late visit. Has Dana returned?”
Surprised at their late arrival, Wesley stands blocking the doorway, saying nothing. Mercy, intent on entering, takes Wesley by the arm and gently shoves him backward, forcing her way inside. “Come on, Wesley. It’s cold and raining out here. I hate being cold and wet.”
Wesley shoots an indignant look at Mercy, but then seeing Francesca’s face, he realizes that the situation must be important.
Guiding the uninvited guests to the library, Wesley puts on his best “butler persona.” “Madam has not returned as of yet,” says Wesley.
“We’d like to wait for her, if it’s okay, Wesley. Are Blaine and Mark home?” Francesca asks.
Wesley shakes his head. “Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Lathem are also out.”
“Wesley, you know that Dana and I are best friends,” says Francesca. “Our only intent here is to help her. Do you know if Dana, Mark or Blaine are together?”
Wesley says dryly, “I’m sure you noticed that they left the party separately.”
Mercy, frustrated with the amount of time that is passing, confronts Wesley. “Do you know why they left or where they went?”
Wesley responds coldly. “No, Miss. It is not their habit to ask my permission to leave.”
Wesley is offended by Mercy’s directness about his sister. Mercy, being her usual forceful self, stands toe-to-toe with Wesley. She says determinedly, “Is it your habit to notice who leaves and in which order?”
“No, Ms. Wilde. It is
my habit to mind my own business and do my job properly.”
Mercy continues her interrogation, “Does proper execution of your job include knowing who was driving which car when they left? Come on, Wesley. We don’t have long.”
Indignantly, Wesley answers. “Ms. Montgomery was driving her Maybach. I believe Mr. Jeffries drove off in the Valkyrie, and Mr. Lathem took his Ferrari.”
Francesca becomes agitated. “Mercy Wilde! Remember your manners! Wesley is a friend, not a criminal that you’re free to interrogate!”
Mercy exhales, and realizing how she has been conducting herself, apologizes to Wesley. “I’m sorry Wesley. This has been a horrible night for you, as well. We just really, really need to find Dana. Right now.”
The conversation is interrupted by the sound of a Ferrari roaring into the garage. It screeches to a halt and footsteps run in through the foyer. Mark calls out, agitated. “Mom? Blaine? Wesley? Anyone home?”
Wesley walks to the library door and responds to Mark. “We’re in the library, Mark.”
“Is Mom here?” Mark asks, hopefully.
“No. But Francesca Wilde is here, as are Mercy Wilde and Joseph Luce.”
“Here? I thought everyone left the party when I did. I’ll speak with them, Wesley.” Mark looks around. “Where’s Blaine?”
Wesley shrugs his answer as Mark enters the library.
“Francesca, Mercy, Joseph,” Mark asks with trepidation. “Is there some reason that you’re still here?”
Looking at their casual clothes, Mark assumes they left and have returned. “Or have you come back?”
Francesca takes Mark by the arm and guides him to the divan. “Mark, I need to see Dana. There’s been an incident, and we want to speak to Dana before the police arrive.”
Mark panics. “The police? Is my mother hurt?”
“We just stopped by to make sure she was okay. She left in quite a hurry,” Joseph says, trying not to give away any information prematurely.
“I’m sure she’s okay. You know Mom, Francesca. She has that whole ‘temper tantrum thing’ that she pulls out when she wants to be alone to think. I’m sure she’ll be home as soon as she’s sure that everyone is gone,” says Mark.
The Case of the Stained Stilettos Page 19
