“Sure. I liked the article in the paper the other day. Very convincing.” I said.
“Yeah, those are things we can do.”
“Yeah, I bet.”
We didn’t say anything to each other for a brief moment. I didn’t have to wait long. People don’t usually like silence. Makes them uncomfortable. I find it a useful tool.
“Anything else interesting happen in your day?” he asked.
“Every day is interesting if you pay attention Jeff. But for this purpose there is something else I wanted to tell you about. I met with Vanessa’s lesbian lover at Here bar up on North Robertson. Jane is her name. Very attractive woman. Very unfortunate for straight men.”
“I know Here. How did you like it?”
“I liked it well enough. Flattering to be lusted after even if it is by the other team. But that’s not why this whole thing is interesting. Though I can see now why straight women complain that most of the attractive men are gay. Nevertheless, Jane and I had a good chat. She’s in love with Vanessa and has a great motive in trying to come by a committed relationship with her one way or another. But I don’t think she did it either. I think this situation has just presented itself very fortunately for her. Jane thinks she and Vanessa are soul mates or something and now they’ll be able to live happily ever after in a nice pink palace. Funny thing though, is that she knew Vanessa was two timing her when they got together. I don’t get that.”
“Right.”
“Well Vanessa as you know was banging the groundskeeper Lorenzo and Jane and probably more, who knows. I don’t think that Vanessa is the monogamous type. Especially with a woman. But that’s just me. Jane is a blind dreamer but harmless in my opinion. She’s just looking for security and love. Like most of us I guess. But she wouldn’t do it. She’s not built that way. Not like some killers I’ve known.”
“I don’t understand that Anthony. Surely anyone is capable of killing for the right reason or the right motive.”
“No I wouldn’t say that. Perhaps everyone is capable of killing someone, but not everyone can do it in cold blood or even in hot passion. Some people, and I’d put Jane in this category could kill only in self-defense, and that’s iffy in her case. It takes a special vileness, or twistedness to be able to kill someone for money or in a surge of hot temper. Not everyone is born that vile or twisted, or created that way. So I think the person we’re looking for here is someone with that capability. And that could be a woman, I’m not ruling that out. As a matter of fact I’m thinking it might indeed be a woman with all the suspects I’ve got. Now Lorenzo could be a different matter. But you’re not all that interested in his murder are you?”
“No, not really,” he said without hesitation. This was just strictly business. Nothing to do about the sad and wanton loss of human life or the social questions that come into play. He’s just a business man.
“Well,” I said. “I think the two might be intertwined.”
My teeth were starting to float. And my belly was one big aching balloon of pain. I needed to wrap this up pretty quick.
“Okay, so who is it that you suspect so far? If you were a betting man who’d you say did it?”
“Well, I’m not a betting man Jeff. Haven’t been lucky on horses, tables or women for that matter. So I don’t place bets. The house is always against me and they have a tendency to win. If pushed I’d say it wasn’t Vanessa or Jane or Stephen or his girlfriend Jezebel. I’m heading out here today to see a few people. They could all be suspects. So far I’ve got my eye on Maria, she’s passionate and fiery. Then there’s this actress Jade I’m going to see who seems unstable at best. She’s apparently left threatening messages at the residence before. Used to sleep with Max. Probably thought he could be a sugar daddy or get her in with the Hollywood crowd. Who knows, most of this stuff is speculation. Nobody thought to save these alleged messages of hers. I’ll find out though. But she’s a good candidate on paper. There’s also this hooker he used to date. Well, I should say there are these two hookers he dated. The one could be a candidate too. Leaf is her name. apparently he liked it rough with her. Maybe he pissed her off. I don’t know. I’m speculating. I like to think the best of people until told otherwise. We’ll see. I’m hoping to get some information about her from my guy in homicide. If it comes back she’s good for violence I’ve got a real live one then. Maybe it’s the other hooker Ruby, but I’m not as optimistic on that one. She just came into the picture lately. There’s also a brother of Max’s named Walter. Don’t know much about him other than he got a chunk of the estate. Apparently he’s an alcoholic. But they’re estranged so I’m not betting the bank on that one.”
“Yes I had heard he had a brother. Never met him, and Max never really talked about him either. Not that he and I were intimate about each other’s families.”
“Yeah well I’ve got to pursue all the leads even the dead ends. You don’t have a number for him or anything?”
“No sorry I don’t. You might try Vanessa though.”
“Yes I will. So there’s him and then there’s this assistant of his Sulan. I’ll be meeting with her later to see if she’s any good. Maybe she is. Don’t know much about her either. So if you’ve been counting I’m up to six. Four of them I don’t know enough about to draw any conclusions. But I’ll keep you posted. I’m happy with the progress I’m making. I’m ahead of the cops so far on this and I’d like it to stay that way.”
“So would we Anthony. That’s why we hired you. You know that.”
“I know that you couldn’t do much better. That I know. I’ll keep you in the loop.”
“Good. I want to hear from you tonight. Your days seem quite full.”
“Yes I’m very outgoing and gregarious. I like to meet people. Keep your ear to the ground Jeff.”
“Good bye Anthony.” And he clicked off the line. He left me hanging but I wasn’t sad about it. I walked carefully to the bathroom and after a while I felt like a new man. The pain in my groin left with the flush of the toilet. I splashed some cologne on and I smelt better and that made me feel better. The headache was all but a memory. My bedside clock read eight eleven. I had time to kill. I wanted to be customarily late for my nine o’clock with Jade. I figure that’s what producers did. Kept actors waiting. I put on my painting apron. A nod and a wink to Joseph’s Dreamcoat. I went into the living room and put some paint on my latest work. It was called The Agony of Ecstasy. My genuflection to the effort of just living. It was going to be in the show. Twenty five hundred if you’re interested.
EIGHTEEN
I Was Frank, She Was Earnest
NINE oh nine. That was roughly what the time on the clock said at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Now there were choices for you. I didn’t know which I’d have. I went up to the counter where there was an attractive woman in front of me in tight workout gear. Her bum was a work of art. The server was an attractive blond woman in her early twenties with tanned skin and fine breasts that must’ve cost more than a month’s wages. Great call Anthony. I was in nirvana. My day was getting better by the minute. I looked around and down by the window was a young hawkish looking woman with dark black hair against pale skin. Dyed if I was a betting man. She smiled weakly at me like thin tea. I knew then I’d be drinking coffee. I smiled back and waved her towards me. She left her jacket on the chair. Two cozy soft armchairs. Brown velvet.
“Hi,” she said offering thin fingers on a bony hand. “I’m Jade, Jade Sky.”
She was in her twenties and around five eight. Tall and thin with clear pale skin. Her bosom was natural but small. I didn’t mind, I’d had an eyeful already. She was mousy or hawkish but attractive in a vulnerable way. You wanted to wrap her up in your arms and put her away carefully in your jacket pocket. Her eyes were blue watery wells of sadness. But she put on a brave face. It was a permanent look. It took me a moment to remember my name.
“Hi Jade. Frank McIver. What’ll you have?”
She turned and looked at the board.
She put her forefinger on her pouted lips and I wanted to gobble her up.
“Small Vanilla Latte with soy please.”
“Absolutely.” It was my turn and I put in our order. Just a small coffee for me. The barista, her name was Giselle looked at the cash register and punched some numbers. I looked at her bosom and felt a soft punch in the solar plexus. I looked away and decided that wanting was harder than having. And having wasn’t going to happen. I paid with some dead presidents. A whole funeral procession of them. I only had small bills left from the night before. The silver I left for Giselle. Help pay for lifting my mood with her physical talents. I smiled at Jade, picked up my coffee and stood with her by the counter waiting for her drink. It smelled good when it came. Like vanilla candles. I briefly saw her in a bathtub with vanilla candles burning. She was sweet and innocent and vulnerable and damnit if the bath wasn’t full of bubbles.
We took a seat across from each other with a small coffee table not much bigger than a serving plate wedged between us. If we were lovers we could lean in and hold hands. But that’d be awkward. Not only because we weren’t.
“Great spot you got us Jade, thanks.”
“Yes I thought it would offer us a little bit of privacy.”
Having met her I now felt like a little bit of a shit. For having lied to get her here. Looking at her I could tell she wouldn’t or couldn’t have done it. Nevertheless, I’d been fooled once or twice. She bit her bottom lip. A lot of women have been doing that lately and it was starting to lose its effect. I looked outside and rubbed my eyes. Better that than plucking them out.
“Listen Jade, I have a confession to make,” I said looking back at her and into those wells of sadness. I swallowed hard. All of a sudden I had lost my muster. Silly, for being a tough guy and all. I could see how Max would have fallen for her. Her vulnerability toyed with you like a narcotic.
“What’s that Frank?”
“Well my name’s not really Frank and I’m not a producer.”
I left it at that to see how she’d take it. I was waiting for her to leap out of the chair, curse me like a sailor and storm out. Maybe taking her latte with her. She didn’t do any of those things. She looked at me deeply for a while and I felt her searching for my soul but he kept hiding around little dark corners. Then she looked outside. Maybe at a tree, maybe at people. Maybe at nothing. Maybe just wondering if her latte was hot enough to throw at me.
“Well that’s just like my luck,” she said finally at the window. “I thought it might be too good to be true.” She turned back to me. “So why are you here Mr.?”
“It’s Anthony, Jade, Anthony Carrick. Please call me Anthony. I’m a private investigator and I’ve been hired to look into the murder of Max Ernst. Do you know him?”
She nodded. “He’s dead?” It was a sincere question. I nodded then.
“How did he die?” she asked.
“I can’t tell you that right now Jade. Because unfortunately you’re a suspect and that’s why I wanted to meet with you. If you don’t mind I’d like to talk to you about Max and how you knew him and where you were on Saturday. Especially Saturday night.”
She looked at me and smiled.
“I didn’t kill him Anthony. And you don’t have to be so coy with me. I’ve got nothing to hide and you aren’t the police.”
I liked the way she was frank with me. I had been Frank with her, but that’s different.
“I could put in a good word with the homicide unit,” I said. “If there was anything you wanted to get off your chest. I used to work LAPD Homicide.”
“I don’t need to get anything off my chest but that was nice of you to offer. Seeing as how you got me here under false pretenses. It’s not like my career is brimming Anthony. I was really hoping this was going to turn out to be something big.”
It felt good to get the truth out there on the table. But I was still melancholic having lied to her. I didn’t like that. Not to her.
“Yeah I’m sorry about that Jade. I really am. I wouldn’t have done it but I didn’t think you’d want to see me if I didn’t pretend to be someone who you’d consider important.”
I sipped my coffee and she took some of her latte. It left a small milk mustache. A soy one. She licked it away with a soft pink tongue. I liked that. It wasn’t meant to be sexy but she just had something about her. Vulnerability, I’ve said before. Maybe it was charisma too, but she wasn’t that confident.
“Okay Anthony. At least you bought me my latte,” she smiled at that. It really lit up her face and I beamed it back at her.
“Thanks but that latte is really courtesy of NBC Universal. They’ve hired me and I’ll expense this. So I guess in a way Hollywood’s in the picture somehow.”
She smiled again and we enjoyed our drinks for a while. Jade licking away milk mustaches and me getting weak at the knees and thinking about having, but having not going to happen.
“How old are you hun?” I asked.
“Twenty three. How old are you?”
“Forty three.”
“You look good for your age,” she said.
“Is that a compliment or are you just flirting with me?”
She raised her eyebrows in a shrug and I grinned.
“Where you from Jade?”
“Midwest. A little town called Kearney, Nebraska. But I left a while back. When I was seventeen just out of high school. Where are you from Anthony?”
“Well I’ve been here so long I’ve forgotten where I came from.”
I was leaning in towards her, my elbows on my knees and my hands cradling my paper coffee cup. If I was a true environmentalist I would’ve asked for a ceramic mug. But hey I’m not perfect. But at least I’m thinking about it.
“Can I call you Tony?” she asked over the brim of her cup. All I could see were her eyes. Nice eyes with arched eyebrows, feminine and slim and accented. I wanted to dive into those eyes and do laps until I was so tired she spilled me out in her tears. But what I did instead was look into my coffee and shake my head.
“No, I don’t like Tony. Sounds too Italian and I’m not Italian. I’m Irish historically. I’m sorry, just grates me when I hear my name like that. And I’ve got nothing against Italians. I’m just not one.”
She nodded behind her cup. Either playing shy or coy or flirty. I couldn’t quite tell. And I wasn’t certain I wanted to find out.
“So how did Max die?” she asked. I laughed. Nice try, I said.
“Not so fast there Jade. You can’t fool me that quick.”
She smiled back and cradled her cup in her hands. I was still leaning in and she was sitting back in her chair. I didn’t like those dynamics. Looked like I was too eager. Could be mistaken for weakness. So I leaned back in my chair and felt better. I still had my coffee in my right hand. I didn’t want to lean in again and grab it off the table.
“Can we get down to brass tacks Jade?” I didn’t say it like a question. I was more setting the mood. The lights were dimming and it was getting somber. In my mind anyway. She nodded again.
“I’ve been told Jade that you and Max were lovers is that right?” This was me trying to be a human polygraphist. You ask questions you know the answer to in order to see how they tell the truth. If they answer other questions differently then they might be lying. Not one hundred percent accurate but it gave you a good benchmark from which to work.
“Yes we were.” That’s all she said. So far she wasn’t going to be giving this away.
“How long were you intimate for?”
She looked out the window and I saw her forehead furrow. She was tilling the soil of memory. Or maybe she was upset.
“I’d say around six months or so. It ended a couple of months ago.” She looked back at me and she wasn’t being flirty anymore. Her legs were crossed over one another and she was wearing tight’ish blue jeans. They were the funky kind the kids are wearing nowadays with the faded areas and a few carefully placed tears. One of which was over her left knee whi
ch was on top of her right. She had a slim bony pale pink knee. I liked that. Something about knees like that are sexy. But I digress.
“Why did things end between you two? Did you call it off or him?”
She looked into her coffee cup for something. Maybe answers. Maybe she was trying to read the coffee grounds. She spoke looking at her latte but I was pretty certain she was talking to me.
“He called it off. I think he was just toying with me the whole time, that bastard.” She said that without much animosity. More sadness really. “He said that we didn’t have a future together, that he no longer loved me. I think that was a lie looking back now. I don’t think he ever really loved me. I just think he uses women and when he gets bored he moves onto the next. I asked him if there was someone else. And I’m not naïve to believe we had a monogamous relationship, but what I was really trying to see was if I had been replaced in his heart. Because Anthony, I really thought that we shared something special. I really loved him, and I guess that blinded me to all his faults. Love will do that to you. I don’t know if you can understand that?”
She looked at me then and I nodded at her, smiling. I thought maybe it was time for some sharing. Some give and take. Some oil to keep this conversation moving.
“I do. I was married once and I know all about the ways cupid can gouge out your eyes.”
She laughed at that. Almost snorted. I think it caught her off guard. I liked that.
“Yes then you do know.”
“I do. Trust me I do. I’m still paying for it now. I have a daughter who’s twelve years old. The joy of my life.”
Don’t get carried away now Anthony. She doesn’t need to know all the sordid details.
“What’s her name?” she asked.
“Aibhilin.”
“That’s unusual,” she said rolling the word around on her tongue. Trying it out. She pronounced it correctly.
“Yes. It’s Irish and means ‘longed for’ which sums it up quite nicely.”
She looked at me steadily and searched again for my soul. This time she found it.
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