The Tinseltown Murderer

by Maureen Driscoll

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Ten minutes later, Josie and David entered a sitting room which had floor-to-ceiling windows which looked out at the storm. Rain was pelting against the windows, punctuated by flashes of lightning. Large Turkish rugs covered parts of the herringbone-patterned floors.

  A servant with a tray of champagne gave them each a glass as they entered the room, the last of the guests to arrive. Detective Carson was about ten feet away from Finn O’Donnell, who was speaking to Herr Zimmer. Ralph Harris was on a sofa next to Frau Zimmer, and whatever he was saying to her was making her laugh, which drew the irritated attention of Herr Zimmer.

  Dora, Blake and Lawrence were at the windows, looking out at the storm.

  Greta approached Josie and David. She was wearing a navy blue silk evening gown, hugging every inch of her curves. Her platinum blonde hair hung in graceful waves on the right. In another world, she might’ve been a Hollywood star. “I don’t suppose you could do me a favor?” she asked.

  “That would definitely depend on the favor,” said Josie.

  “Could one of you please go join Mr. Harris and Frau Zimmer? I fear Herr Zimmer is a jealous man. If his wife and the studio man keep laughing together, our meal may be ruined.”

  “He’d cancel dinner?” asked David.

  “He might throw something at Mr. Harris’s head.”

  “If that’s the worst thing which could happen, perhaps we should let him,” said Josie. “I spent enough time alone with Harris to want to throw something at him myself.”

  “I’ll go,” said David. “I wouldn’t want Harris with my wife, either.” He turned to Josie. “Will you be okay here?”

  Josie looked at Greta, who was studying her, then nodded. “Go save dinner.”

  As David did just that, Greta turned to Josie. “How ever did you two meet?”

  “At a party. How did you and Kurt meet?”

  “At a party, as well. So, we have that in common.”

  “Yes, that would be one thing,” said Josie, as she walked toward the bookcase along the wall and studied the black and white photos of mountains on one of the shelves. “These are beautiful. Where were they taken?”

  Greta studied the pictures. “I believe Untersberg, near Salzburg. It’s part of the alps.”

  “Have you been there?”

  Greta nodded. “I have. It’s very beautiful. Being outdoors is second-nature to us in Germany.”

  “But that’s Austria.”

  Greta shrugged. “It’s all the same.”

  “Not really,” said Josie.

  “There is nothing better than pitting yourself against nature in its most brutal form. My father used to send us out alone overnight from the time we were ten years old. It was to toughen us up, as you Americans say, though, of course, things were difficult enough after the war. But I became an excellent climber and learned to survive in the wilderness. I once spent three nights on my own and hiked a total of seventy-five kilometers. That was my father’s gift to me for my sixteenth birthday.”

  “I would’ve preferred a cake and a car.”

  “But would a cake and a car teach you how to catch your own food and survive by your wits for three days?”

  “No, but my party sounds like a lot more fun than yours.”

  “I believe, Josie, that you have just captured the essence of the difference between the United States and Germany. Fun versus survival.”

  They were interrupted by a terse exchange across the room. Herr Zimmer was holding his wife by the arm, jerking her to him. They were speaking low and in German, but the intent was clear.

  David stepped between them. “What’s going on?”

  “It’s none of your concern,” said Herr Zimmer, who still hadn’t let go of his wife’s arm. For her part, Frau Zimmer looked no more pleased by David’s interruption than her husband did.

  “Kamilla and I were just talking,” said Ralph Harris, who put his empty glass on a waiter’s tray and took a full one. “I don’t see what the fuss is all about.”

  “You rarely do,” said Dora as she and Blake crossed to them.

  “I think you should let go of your wife’s arm,” David said to Herr Zimmer.

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Perhaps it’s better not to find out what would happen if you don’t.”

  Zimmer glared at David with what seemed like genuine hatred. The moment was broken by Blake. “I don’t suppose anyone here knows how to make a decent martini? Perhaps you could accommodate me, Herr Zimmer?”

  The German glared at Blake, but finally let go of his wife’s arm. “I’ll see what I can come up with.”

  “Excellent,” said Blake. “I’m also looking forward to dinner and hoping for a good German schnitzel.”

  Dora moved past her boyfriend to Frau Zimmer. “Are you all right? Do you need to go anywhere? We can drive you back to the city.”

  Frau Zimmer turned to Dora, her eyes filled with hatred. “I don’t need assistance from a Jew. Now I must return to my duties.” She turned and walked toward the kitchen.

  Josie put her arm around Dora’s waist. “That was very kind of you. Abuse does things to a person, though she clearly has problems beyond an abusive husband.”

  Dora nodded. “At least we tried. I still think we should keep an eye on her to make sure he doesn’t get violent again.”

  “I’m sorry for that ugliness,” said Blake as he took Dora’s hand.

  Dora shrugged. “It’s not the first time I’ve been exposed to it. But thank you, just the same.”

  “I think,” said Greta from behind them, “that it is time for dinner. Shall we go in?” She led the way into the dining room, where a long, heavy oak table had been set with china emblazoned with swastikas.

  “I can’t eat off that,” said Josie.

  “Forgive us for the oversight,” said Greta. “I’ll make sure it’s changed for tomorrow. But in the meantime, let us put politics aside for one night as we settle into what I’m sure will be a wonderful weekend.”

  They were interrupted by a crash near the end of the table.

  “I’m so sorry,” said Lawrence, sounding anything but. “I accidentally broke all my plates.” Each piece of his service was in pieces on the floor.

  “Perhaps we should switch out the place settings now,” said Greta as she snapped her elegant fingers at the servants who quickly switched out the china to plain white, just as the first course was brought to the table.

  “What say we find the rest of the Nazi plates after midnight and throw them all into a ravine?” Dora whispered to Blake.

  “It’s a date.”

  “I see you don’t have a lot of female staff,” said Ralph Harris, as they all took their seats and he looked disapprovingly at the many burly men serving dinner.

  “The compound is still being constructed,” said Herr Zimmer, who’d made up with his wife enough that they were seated near each other, though not within arm’s reach. “These men build during the day and serve meals by night.”

  “What a pity you couldn’t have a few females here,” said Finn O’Donnell, drunk and high, as usual.

  “If you’d like some female companionship, it can be arranged,” said Greta.

  “This is not a house of ill repute,” said Herr Zimmer.

  “More’s the pity,” said Lawrence, only to be met with Detective Carson’s disapproving glare from across the table. “Relax, Detective, it was only a joke.”

  “You people certainly make odd jokes,” said Carson, before turning his attention back to his soup.

  “How are you enjoying the party, Remington?” asked Finn O’Donnell.

  “It has barely started,” said David coolly.

  “Maybe we’ll have to return to the Chateau Marmont for another meeting.”

  “When did you two meet at the Marmont?” asked Carson.

  “A couple days ago,” said O’Donnell, as he motioned to have his glass refilled. “And don’t look at me
like a grammar school principal, Carson. You’re utterly lacking in imagination to think I couldn’t evade you. Just what did you do before you became a cop?”

  “I’m a detective. And before that I was a soldier. I learned a fair amount of German overseas.”

  O’Donnell grimaced, then took a shot of whiskey. “You’ve led a grim life, Carson. That’s exactly why I couldn’t have you following me to the Marmont. It’s much too pleasant of a place for the likes of you.”

  From Detective Carson’s expression, it was clear that he might be bound to protect O’Donnell, but he didn’t like it.

  “So, what were you and Remington doing at the Chateau Marmont?” asked Harris.

  O’Donnell looked at David, then smiled. “Talking about a business proposition. A very interesting, lucrative one.”

  “Are you two looking for investment possibilities for films? Because I can get you meetings with any studio in town.”

  O’Donnell reached for a wine glass and almost toppled it. “We’re not investing in a film, but I have a feeling your studio bosses would love what we have to sell.”

  “I don’t think this is the place to discuss it,” said David.

  “Don’t keep me in suspense,” said Harris. “Howard Hughes has done very well for himself in Hollywood. There’s no reason why Joe Kennedy and David Remington can’t follow suit.”

  Perhaps sensing David’s tension, Blake stepped in. “I thought I was getting a vacation from Hollywood. Please don’t turn this into a dreary discussion about business. Now, tell us what you have planned for us this weekend.”

  “I’ll be going for a hike tomorrow, assuming the rain lets up,” said Greta. “There is nothing quite like the brisk feel of nature first thing in the morning.”

  “I’ll have to take your word for that,” said Dora. “I don’t do nature.”

  “And I don’t do first thing in the morning,” said Lawrence, “unless it’s the last part of my night.”

  “The rain is supposed to start again in the afternoon,” said Greta. “If we don’t go in the morning, we might not get outside at all tomorrow.”

  “And that would be bad, because…?” asked Blake.

  “What if we delay our hike until eight in the morning?” asked Greta.

  Dora grimaced. “That may be later in the day for you, but a good four hours before I’m fit to do anything.”

  “That’s not true, darling,” said Lawrence. “I’ve known you to drink earlier than that.”

  “You have a point,” said Dora nodding.

  Blake kissed Dora’s cheek. “What if we compromise and meet for Bloody Marys at ten, then set out afterwards?”

  “I wouldn’t drink too much if I were you,” said Herr Zimmer. “The paths can be rather steep in places, and after the rain today they’ll be slippery.”

  “Fear not,” said Lawrence. “We’ll only drink the exact right amount and stay away from anything dangerous.”

  “What’s the fun in that?” asked O’Donnell.

  “I think everyone should be concerned about their safety,” said Detective Carson.

  “Then how fortunate you’ll be joining us,” said Lawrence. “Shall we save a Bloody Mary for you?”

  The detective shook his head. “I never drink on duty.”

  “Being a writer basically requires it,” said Dora.

  Josie laughed at her friend’s joke but couldn’t help noticing that Herr Zimmer spent most of the meal staring not at the man he suspected of having an affair with his wife, but Detective Carson. For his part, Carson kept to himself, spoke little and approved of nothing at all.

  * * *

  It was just after two-thirty in the morning when David slipped out of the dressing room of his suite wearing all black. His wife was a light sleeper, so he carefully walked across the floor and was almost to the door when he was interrupted by the lighting of a lantern.

  “Going somewhere?” Josie asked him. She, too, was wearing all black.

  “Did you have those clothes under the bed?”

  “As a matter of fact, I did. I had a feeling you’d try to sneak out to go exploring and I have no intention of staying here while you do.”

  “And I have no intention of allowing you to come with me.”

  “Perhaps you didn’t notice that our wedding vows omitted the part about obeying.”

  “Believe me, I noticed. Then let this just be a fervent request. Stay here while I go check things out.”

  “Not on your life. Besides, someone could break in here while you’re gone.”

  “I suppose that’s possible, but it’s more probable that we’ll run into well-armed goons elsewhere in the building.”

  “All the more reason to take me with you so we’re together. Here’s a lantern,” said Josie, as she handed him one. “I swiped it out of a supply closet I accidentally ran into while I was looking for a bathroom. You should thank me for my resourcefulness.”

  “But you just admitted you found this by accident.”

  “And that still counts,” she said, as she kissed him. “Now let’s explore this place.”

  There was no one about as they walked down their wing to the stairs at the back of the house. There were a few dim electric sconces on the walls so they could see where they were walking but visibility was limited to about six feet ahead.

  They walked down the stairs to the main level, then followed a hall to the back of the house which led to the kitchen, where Josie picked up a knife.

  “What are you doing?” whispered David.

  “Taking a knife. What does it look like I’m doing?”

  “Are you any good with a knife?”

  “Not when it comes to cooking.”

  David’s brows rose. “Are you any good with it in a fight?”

  “Probably not, but I figure it’s better than nothing.”

  They made their way further back in the house until they came to a locked door at the end of the hall. “I’d like to know what’s behind this,” said David.

  “Give me a minute,” said Josie, as she knelt and pulled two hairpins out of her pocket.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I once wrote a screenplay about a thief and learned how to pick locks as part of the research.” A very satisfying click sounded, then she stood up.

  David put her behind him, as he prepared to open the door.

  Josie grunted in protest. “I get to go in first. I did the work!”

  “Humor me,” said David, as he carefully opened the door into a dark concrete stairwell. There was no sign of the Bavarian-style lodge as they continued down two flights before entering a hallway.

  “This reminds me of the bomb shelters of the 1950s and 60s,” said Josie, as she touched the cold concrete walls. Off David’s confused look, she explained. “The U.S. and the Soviet Union were in a stalemate. There was the fear that one or both of them would launch nuclear weapons at the other, so they built bomb shelters to withstand the radiation.”

  “Did they ever go to war?”

  “Not directly in my timeline. I can only hope it doesn’t happen in this new one.” They walked into a room at the end of the hall and turned on the light. It was the size of a warehouse and was stacked high with barrels labeled Wasser.

  “Water,” said David, as they also passed shelves filled with canned goods, first aid kits, blankets and whatever else might be needed to survive a siege.

  “The only things missing are weapons,” said Josie.

  “I suspect they’re elsewhere. I don’t think we need to see them to know this place is intended for more than a vacation home.” They were interrupted by the sound of voices from the end of the hall. David shut off the lights and put Josie behind him.

  The smell of cigarette smoke reached them before the two men walked by. They were speaking in German and laughing at something. A few moments later, Josie and David heard a metal door close.

  “Let’s get out of here,” said David.

  “For once,
I won’t argue.”

  They quickly retraced their steps, swiftly climbing the two flights until they reached the door to the upper levels of the house. David opened it just a fraction, then quickly ushered Josie through to the kitchen. Neither of them spoke until they’d made it back to the door which separated the kitchen from the hall.

  They were about to go through it when they heard a man and woman on the other side speaking German. They were talking quietly, but with some urgency. Frau Zimmer’s voice was obvious, but they didn’t recognize the man’s.

  The door to the lower level started to open, so David and Josie walked through the kitchen door into the main hall, almost colliding with Frau Zimmer and Detective Carson. Neither looked happy to see them.

  “What are you doing here?” Frau Zimmer asked, as Carson glowered.

  “We were hungry,” said Josie. “We thought we’d get something to eat.”

  “Why are you dressed like that to go to the kitchen?” asked Kamilla.

  Good question. David raised a brow, nonetheless. “I didn’t think there was a dress code for hunting down a midnight snack. May I ask what the two of you are doing here in the middle of the night?”

  While Frau Zimmer’s only response was a glare, Detective Carson said, “Maybe I wanted a midnight snack, too.”

  They were interrupted by Herr Zimmer, who was still dressed in his tuxedo from earlier. “Was ist los?”

  His wife looked him up and down with sheer contempt. “Where have you been?”

  “Out. What is going on?”

  “It seems our guests have been hungry.”

  Zimmer looked like he didn’t believe it, which was a pretty accurate assessment of the situation.

  “We’ll return to our room and wait for breakfast,” said David.

  “We will?” asked Josie quietly.

  “Yes, we will. Perhaps Detective Carson will help us find our way back.”

  “I think you’d better do it yourself,” said Carson. “I’m going out for a walk.” He stormed past them on his way out.

  Josie and David left the Zimmers and found their way back to their room, not speaking until they got there.