“Room number?”
“Don’t have it. Tell her it’s Anthony Carrick calling. I think she’ll want to speak with me.”
“Just a moment sir. Let me see if we have anyone with that name here.”
I was left in an elevator with the music playing. I pulled the phone from my ear. The music sticky like taffy. I looked north up Evergreen watching the crowds ebb and flow into and out of Priscilla’s. Nice place that. I should go back again. Good looking crowd. Young but straight I figured. Something I’d be more successful at.
“Mr. Carrick I’ll put you through. One moment please.”
The elevator noise left me. Some clicks and then ringing.
“Anthony,” said Vanessa. She almost sounded genuinely happy to hear from me.
“Yeah Vanessa. Listen I’ve made some good progress on this case. I think I’m onto the murderer.”
“Oh, is that right?” The voice wasn’t quite as happy, but it put on a brave effort.
“Yeah. Remember how Maria found you standing over the body.”
“How could I forget.” Still strained. I was feeling her out. Now I needed to relax her.
“Well I think she’s good for it. But I was hoping you could join me over at the house while I interview her. I’m not sure she’ll crack without some help. I think with you there it’ll be more effective. And you’ll be able to pin her down on a couple of things.”
“Well I have an evening engagement Anthony. I’m not sure if I have time.”
“Honestly it won’t take a moment. I bet I could be done in under a half hour. It would sure be helpful. I’d like to wrap this up before the end of the day. I’ve got a feeling that the LAPD will be all over it by tomorrow. It would mean a lot to me Vanessa. I’ve worked hard to figure out who killed your husband. Aren’t you interested in seeing justice served first hand?” I thought that was the ace up my sleeve. How could she deny herself that pleasure. It wouldn’t look good on her.
“Okay Anthony. Of course I want to see justice served. But I can only give you half an hour. I hope that’ll be enough.”
“Plenty,” I said. My mouth stuffed full of optimism like a whole orange.
“Have you heard from the LAPD recently?” I asked betting on it.
“Actually I have Anthony. Captain Roberts called just this afternoon and left a message asking if I could come in tomorrow to wrap up a few loose ends. How do you know?”
“Well I was speaking to him and he told me that he was hoping you might be able to review your statement and shed a little further light on the killer. Now you’ll be able to hand them the killer on a platter.”
“Okay. You want to meet me at the house?”
“Yes. I should be there in about a half hour, all going well with traffic. Let’s say four forty five. Maria should still be there?”
“She should be. She should be there until five unless she’s leaving early.”
I didn’t have much time. “Okay thanks a bunch Vanessa. You’re gonna love the way this gets wrapped up.” I’m such a kidder sometimes.
“I sure hope so Anthony. As I said, I don’t have much time. I hope you’ve got some hard evidence on her and not just hoping that I’m going to bail you out.”
“I’ve got more evidence than you can shake a stick at. See you soon.”
“Good bye Mr. Carrick.” And she closed the door softly on the k of my name. She’d be pronouncing it differently in about an hour from now.
TWENTY-SIX
All This Mayhem
I took Coldwater Canyon off of Ventura. It was a scenic drive that took me along a sliver of Mulholland. But I wasn’t driving around for the scenery. I’d seen the forest for the trees and now I was looking to chop down one tree in particular. I got onto Lexington coming from the other side from the last time I was here. The neighborhood was still squeaky clean. Nobody the wiser for the murdering ways of their neighbors.
I pulled up to number eight. The gates were open so I pulled into the drive. There were no cops here anymore. There were a lot of other murders going on in this fair city. And crime scenes was done with it too. The digital clock on my dash was four four four. All the fours. Bingo. I had a bingo. I looked in my glove compartment for Mr. G. He wasn’t there. I had left him behind. Shit. I should be taking more care to bring along my companion to these murder investigations. I thought about who’d be here. Vanessa and Maria. Two women with tempers. Maybe Vanessa carried a little snub nosed number in her purse. Maybe she didn’t. If she did, I liked the chances that she would have used it on Max instead of tired old Oscar. Then I remembered the Springfield forty five in the desk drawer and I hoped crime scenes had since removed it. That, or I was going to. Maria would likely seize a weapon of opportunity. We’d have our chat in the lounge. Not by the butcher block and knives. I took a deep breath and decided to take my chances. I had the upper hand and his name was surprise. I did find my digital recorder in the glove compartment. Something I hadn’t had the pleasure of using yet. I’ve got a memory like Swiss cheese sometimes. I slipped that into my pant pocket. If nothing else, maybe there’d be a recording of my last words. Or maybe there’d be a confession from Vanessa on this when I was done.
I walked up to the door and pushed the bell. I heard the chimes like last time. I was beginning to feel like I was welcome here. A real regular at the Ernst Murder Emporium.
The door opened and I saw Maria standing there in her nice gray maid’s uniform. She was just as attractive as I remembered.
“Mr. Carrick,” she said smiling at me like a Cheshire cat.
“Hi Maria.”
“What brings you here again so soon?”
I stepped in and she moved aside. Good girl.
“I’m waiting for Vanessa. I have a couple of questions for her. She should be here soon.”
“Okay. I’m getting off soon though and I can’t leave you in here by yourself Mr. Carrick.”
“I understand,” I said. “I’d like for you to be present for this conversation if you don’t mind?” She nodded, but she didn’t look too happy about it. “Listen do you mind fixing us a drink like the last time. Something to break the ice?”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll do that.”
She went off into the lounge and I snuck into the office and checked the desk drawer. No gun. I was hoping that was a good thing. I was hoping it wasn’t Maria who had taken it. The office had been remade. The books back on the shelves. Everything back in it’s place. The photo of Brad Pitt now without glass and the stain of blood all cleaned up. I walked back into the lounge and sat down on the armchair. I could see out to my right towards the garden and the shed. The shed now looking just like a shed. No legs peeking out. And to my left was the sofa and just off from that the hallway. I was holding court. And I felt safe.
Maria came by and handed me a tumbler full of whisky. Actually that’s a lie. It was full of ice and whisky had dribbled all over it. But I knew where it was. I could get more if I was in a pinch. I had a sniff and I bet it was Ladyburn. I had a taste and she didn’t burn. It was Ladyburn. But it’s not thanks to my senses. It’s memory. It tasted good but I didn’t think I could tell the difference unless I practiced side by side with different kinds. But I digress. Focus on the task at hand.
“Thanks Maria. Listen, could you get Vanessa a glass of wine. The kind she likes. I think she drinks red right?”
Maria nodded. “Can I get an ashtray too please? I’m feeling right at home.”
No smile that time. So I offered her one of mine. She didn’t take it. I pulled out a cigarette and put flame to it. I thought about how fire has a way of distilling things. Teasing out the truth maybe. Maybe I was just hopeful I was going to wrap up my case. Maybe I’m just giddy to be confronting my killer. I get like that sometimes. I blew rapid fire smoke rings at Maria as she came back and handed me the ashtray. Still not bubbly. I needed to get a drink in her.
“Please join me for a drink Maria. I hate drinking alone. Besides it’s not polite.�
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“I don’t know Mr. Carrick. I’m still on shift for another ten minutes.”
“Please. You have my permission, Vanessa won’t mind. I promise.”
I winked at her and amped up the wattage in my smile. She took to it this time. She went and poured herself a whisky. I noticed she was more generous this time than she was with me. I didn’t begrudge her for it. A small perk perhaps for working for these people. She came and sat down on the couch. I offered her a Marlboro. She declined politely.
“So Maria, I see you’ve been busy cleaning. The office looks almost like new?”
She smiled. “Yeah it took me most of yesterday to get it all together. But I couldn’t find any glass for the frame.”
“I don’t think Max will mind.”
“You shouldn’t joke about the dead Mr. Carrick it’s not polite.”
“It’s Anthony, and again, I’m sure Max won’t mind.”
She huffed and puffed at me. Blew air up at her bangs that she didn’t have.
“What happened to the gun in Max’s desk drawer?” I asked.
“The police took it when they took down their tape and stuff.”
Lucky me. The stars were in alignment and my horoscope said: ‘Today is a great day to catch a killer.’ We went to sipping on our whisky. Maria was more seasoned than I gave her credit for. She must’ve been parched. She was draining it quickly. I got up and took it the Ladyburn from the liquor cabinet. I poured her a couple of fingers and sloshed in three for me. I replaced the bottle and as I walked past the hallway to take my seat I saw the main door open and Vanessa come in. I waved at her.
“Mr. Carrick,” she said. Maria got up and put her tumbler of whisky on the side table. She wiped at her mouth.
“We’ve got you a drink ready. I figured we could all use some oil for the conversation.”
“How nice. Wine I hope?”
“Indeed.” Maria handed her the glass and we all clinked cheers.
“To catch a killer,” I said looking at Vanessa. She gave me a raised eyebrow. She was dressed in black slacks and a black blouse. Perfect attire for a killer of the night. I walked over to the large bay window that looked out to the backyard. I thought about Lorenzo lying there just yesterday. I reached into my pocket and turned on my recorder. I turned around and went to the armchair I had claimed as my own. Vanessa sat across from me and Maria looked awkward on the couch. I turned to look at Maria.
“I’ve bought us all here Maria. Because I think we all know who the killer is and I want to confront her.”
Maria looked away from me. She picked up her drink and took a long sip. I looked at Vanessa and gave her a couple of raised eyebrows. She smiled thinly.
“You saw Vanessa in the office standing over Max isn’t that right.”
Maria looked up and nodded. “Yes, she did it. It wasn’t me. Vanessa did it.” But she didn’t look at Vanessa.
“Hang on now,” I said before Vanessa could protest. “Did you actually see Vanessa kill Max?”
She shook her head. “No, but who else could have done it. She was holding the weapon. Max was on the floor and it looked like she was breathing hard.”
“Did she say anything to you when she saw you there?”
“She told me to call nine one one.”
“And why would she do that if she had just killed Max?”
“I dunno. Probably so it looked like she had just found him.”
I took a drag on my cigarette and exhaled smoke at Maria.
“If you don’t mind Anthony, I’d like to ask a question.” I nodded at her.
“Why were you even here on your day off Maria?” Vanessa asked. Maria didn’t say anything. She took another long sip of her whisky. Vanessa was enjoying her wine but she didn’t look like she was enjoying the help drinking her liquor.
I tossed my right leg over my left and leaned back in my chair. The lump of my recorder nicely obscured by my right leg.
“That’s a legitimate question Maria.” She glared at me. The room was getting toasty. Just how I liked it.
“I came to see Max okay. I loved him and I came to see him.”
Vanessa raised her eyebrows again. I looked at the ceiling. See if anyone was up there pulling strings.
“From what I heard Maria, Max wasn’t seeing you anymore.”
“So what. I was going to make him see what he was missing. I came to show him what a mistake he made.”
And I can’t seem to get a decent date and this guy has women clambering all over him. I decided it was time to turn the tables.
“Did you know Max was seeing the help?” I asked Vanessa. She fished into her purse for a cigarette. I got up and lit it for her. Then I figured that seeing I was up I’d stand for a while. Put a bit of pressure in the room.
“The operative word Anthony, is did. He did have an affair with her. God knows why. It didn’t last long.”
“Longer than you think. He loved me okay. You’re just an old hag and he wanted me because I’m young.”
“Please Maria. You’re just a slut. Max didn’t love anybody. Except me, but that was a while ago.”
“Ladies please,” I said trying to keep the pressure on my schedule.
“Maria did you know that Max had left you some money?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“As a matter of fact he left you one million dollars.”
She put her hand to her mouth. “Really?”
“Really,” I said. Then she started to cry.
“See I knew he loved me. I told you.” But she wasn’t really speaking to any of us.
“And he also left a million for Lorenzo. And now that Lorenzo is dead that million goes to you. Did you know that?”
She shook her head. “No. I never killed nobody. I didn’t kill Max. I loved him. I didn’t kill Lorenzo. He was my friend.”
“I don’t know Anthony. That sounds to me like motive right there. Sounds to me like you’ve got your killer. I think I’ll be on my way.”
“Not so quick Vanessa.” I put my hand on her shoulder. Then I took it off.
“How come your prints are all over the murder weapon?” I asked her.
“Because when I came in and saw Max lying there I was in shock. I picked up the Oscar and looked at it. It had all his blood on the base and I was just in shock.”
“That’s a nice story Vanessa except I didn’t tell you what the murder weapon was. Maria didn’t mention it either.”
“So what. What else is in his office that could’ve been used? Doesn’t prove anything. Doesn’t mean I killed him.”
She took a quick couple of puffs on her cigarette. And she took a long sip on her wine. Her hand shook ever so slightly.
“You’re shaking Vanessa, like a belly dancer on espresso.”
She took another sip. “Jesus Anthony. You’ve just flustered me, telling me that I killed my husband. What do you expect?”
“Well I didn’t say that you killed your husband yet. And you know about the murder weapon. The killer could’ve used anything in the house.”
She didn’t say anything. She looked outside. Maybe she was looking at the memory of Lorenzo. Maybe she was thinking about how she killed him. I had a feeling she was good for that one too.
“You can go home now Maria,” Vanessa said in her best authoritarian voice that was cracking like old paint. Maria didn’t need encouragement, she got up and walked out of the living room as I gave her a nod.
“So you told me that you’d still be taken care of if Max left you. If he divorced you for your indiscretions.”
“Yes, I told you we had an open relationship. It was his idea anyway. It’s not something I particularly wanted.”
I went and sat on the edge of the couch closest to her. Just in case she wanted to make a dash for it I could intervene. My fifty yard wasn’t too bad in high school. I heard the front door close. Maria wasn’t losing any time.
“You didn’t particularly want the money if he left you
?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I didn’t particularly want the openness of our relationship.”
“I know. I’m just joshing with you.”
She frowned and drank wine. Her hand was still a little shaky. I got up and added fuel to the fire. I poured her some more wine. She didn’t thank me. But I didn’t mind. It wasn’t for her benefit anyway.
“So I understand that Max was leaving you.”
“No he wasn’t. I told you that before. I said if he was going to leave me he would’ve taken care of me.”
I was back sitting now on the edge of the couch. On the edge of my seat in a manner of speaking.
“I know what you’re telling me Vanessa. I’m telling you how it actually was. You know why he was leaving you? Because he wanted to make a new start. He wanted to start afresh. With a new family. Maybe this time do it right. maybe he recognized the error of his ways. Maybe he really did have a heart of gold. Maybe he wanted to be close to his newest child. You know that Sulan was pregnant right?”
She didn’t say anything at first, so I raised her a couple of eyebrows like she’d done. She understood that. She shrugged her shoulders.
“So what. He wouldn’t leave me for that bitch. He was going to get her to have an abortion. Come on Anthony, look how well he fathered Stephen for God’s sake. He was useless. He couldn’t care less about another child.”
“Okay, so how come you went to Sulan and told her to get lost for half a million dollars? How come Max was seeking different legal advice from this lawyer Jack Stein?”
“That’s preposterous.” She smoked her cigarette and she drank her wine. She was thirsty. Funny how lies tend to dry up the mouth.
“Jack tells me that he was drawing up another will that would split Max’s assets pretty much fifty fifty between Sulan and Stephen. He tells me that the prenup is not how you’ve told me it is. The prenup allows for a quick and easy divorce with nobody owing anybody anything in the case of infidelity. Now that isn’t something you let me in on. You sly dog.”
I grinned at her. She wasn’t smiling. Her brow was furrowed. I was tilling the seeds of doubt and despair.
Anthony Carrick Hardboiled Murder Mysteries: Box Set (Books 1 - 3) Page 29
