by CC Dragon
“With you around Sonia maybe Danny was a better target? We’ll look for any disgruntled local fans. Have you found any?” he asked.
“Nothing yet. Everyone who sent threatening fan mail was out of state and accounted for in their homes by locals according to the info. Except a couple that aren’t as threatening as obsessed. The web is harder to track.”
“Abusing FBI connections and LAPD?” Ricky just laughed at me.
“The ex comes in very handy now. I’ll have to go over the list again. A deeper Internet search maybe. All the info out there about Danny and Sonia is too easy.”
“That’s Hollywood—fake becomes real. They are public property and you get anything you want when you’re rich and famous.”
“I’m neither but I’ve got an alibi.”
Suddenly I felt damn lucky that I took that part time gig on the show. The money was great and if I wasn’t on set working, who knows where the hell I’d have been. On the flipside, maybe I could’ve saved Danny.
“Hello.” Ricky snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Girl, you’re daydreaming.”
“Just trying to save the world. It’s overwhelming and complicated.”
He chuckled. “Save your sister first. She should lawyer up if she doesn’t have three witnesses who aren’t friends or related to her that can put her elsewhere at the time of the murder. Just my unofficial advice.”
“I know she won’t want to look guilty—image. Can you give me a ride back to the scene? I need my car.”
“Sure, it’s not evidence. We’ll go out the back where the press can’t access. The team checked your car over—nothing.”
“Of course not, I didn’t kill anyone.” I smacked his arm playfully.
As much as I liked Ricky he was like a college friend. Now he was a guy who I could count on.
It seemed like forever before my sister got sprung but the door finally opened. Her eyes were red and still tearing. Her face was blotchy and scrunched.
“I’m sorry.” I tried to hug her.
She held up her hands. “If you knew someone was after Danny why didn’t you tell me?”
This was so not the place to have this fight! “I didn’t know—we’ll talk about this at the house. Looks like the stalker is after you both and I didn’t know he was in any danger. Ricky is going to take us back so we can get the car.”
Her face stayed hard as tears fell and I looked to Ricky for help. Our sister stuff occasionally got tense and we needed a buffer. Blaming me was the easy way out of guilt and pain for Sonia.
“Don’t worry, Sonia. We’ll catch him, I promise. Just take some deep breaths and we’ll get you home.” Ricky put a big muscled arm around Sonia’s slender shoulders and led her to the exit.
Sonia nodded and leaned on Ricky.
I brought up the rear and took my own deep breaths. Now I had a stalker and a killer to track down, potentially the same person but maybe not. I had to assume they were one escalating person who had gone from dog-napping to vicious murder. I braced myself for the worst. My sister might be the next target. If they’d stabbed Danny, what had happened to poor Fluffy? I blocked it out and kept myself together for Sonia’s sake.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Swear you didn’t know,” she said from the passenger’s seat.
I looked over. “Sonia, I swear I had no idea Danny was in any danger. He’s a strong guy and I trusted him to keep you safe for all those years. When I talked to him he said nothing about any hate mail or threats, nothing. He was concerned about you.”
“You accused him of stalking me. Of course he wouldn’t trust you even if he was threatened.” She brushed away tears. “He wasn’t my stalker, I told you!”
“Okay, odds are now that he wasn’t. But you’ve got to admit the dog was a big hint in that direction. He loved that yapping poodle too—you both wanted it.”
She shrugged.
“He called me today. Something was wrong and I headed right over. I never threatened him.”
Technically I’d probably threatened him, but she didn’t need all the gory details. I’d always protected my little sister. We didn’t have an older brother or dad, so I got the job.
Stopping at a red light, I patted her shoulder. “I’m sorry about Danny. I wish I’d have gotten there earlier and caught whoever did it. I had no idea anyone wanted him dead. Maybe whoever is behind this tried to make it look like Danny was out to target you, and that’s why the stalker took Fluffy. It’d throw us and the police off.”
“They want me dead too.” She looked up at the light. “Green.”
I drove and after a few turns pulled into the driveway, ignoring the photographers and drove right into the garage. We exited the car with stress in the air. “Do you have people that can place you in your dressing room? You need a solid alibi.”
She turned on her Jimmy Choos. “You think I did it?”
“No, the police think you have more motives than anyone else. I’ve got an alibi, I was on set with dozens of witnesses. You were in your dressing room getting drunk.”
“I’m not drunk. I’m fine,” she insisted.
“You still have a motive since you don’t have to pay him anything in the divorce now. The only reason for me to kill him is you and my alibi means I’m off the hook as a suspect in a few hours. You’re the one in the hot seat, so you better start using your head and stop throwing attitude around. Who saw you in the dressing room from any time after nine-thirty through eleven?”
We entered the house and I knew something was different. The vase wasn’t perfectly centered on the dining room table. Some of the pictures were askew. Little things the housekeeper wouldn’t let happen. Sonia headed for the bar, seemingly oblivious.
“I can’t think now.” She poured a shot and downed it. “Danny, my Danny...gone.”
“It’s a shock and I’m going to read through every fan letter, website, and blog to see what I can find. Check out all the potential threats against him.” I couldn’t save my brother-in-law from a murderer. Guilt I could do later; right now I had to save my sister.
She nodded absently. “They’ll come after me.”
“You have an alarm on the house. If anyone sets it off you hit the panic button in your bedroom.” I had to calm her down and refocus her to get at her alibi. “Keep the doors locked. You’ve got mace in there and I showed you how to use it.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “They killed Danny in broad daylight and they took Fluffy from my backyard. Now I’m a suspect and a target?”
“It looks like they searched the house. I’m sure they went over Danny’s place too and the studio. If they found no evidence you were involved you might be off the hook.” I hoped they found another lead.
“They searched my house?” She looked around in disbelief at the slightly messed up condition of her home.
“It’s good, shows you’ve got nothing to hide.”
“Strangers going through my things. Through Danny’s?” She shuddered.
“You still loved him?” I asked.
Sonia poured another shot and downed it. “Danny cheated. That doesn’t mean I stopped caring.”
“I don’t blame you. Cheating isn’t the answer but that doesn’t mean you stopped having feelings. I still remember getting that call. Todd’s on a case and you tracked me down to get married in Vegas on a whim.” A little distraction might help.
She poured a big glass of rum and added a little Coke then came to sit next to me on the couch. “You were living in Vegas then so it was easier to come to you. We could get the quickie wedding. No fuss, no reporters. Mom drove up from Phoenix and we did it.”
“You two were so goofy in love it was sickening.” Maybe I’d been a little jealous. She trusted him so much, loved so freely.
“You picked the Elvis wedding chapel.” She kicked me in the shin but grinned as she remembered.
“Actually that was Danny. He said you were upset because Dad wasn’t around to give you away.
I came up with using the Elvis impersonator to be the stand-in dad and then the justice of the peace guy did the marriage. It worked—you were so distracted by the white leather clad Elvis singing you down the aisle that you didn’t mention the dad stuff. Danny was good like that. He took care of things without making it a big issue.”
I had to admit, overall Danny was good for her. Not the greatest actor, no, but cute, funny and generally loyal like a Labrador puppy.
“He thought you guys were wrong, keeping Dad from me,” she said.
“He tried to get it out of me a few times. I promised Mom, Sonia, before you were born. It’s better, you just have to believe us,” I nodded.
“Why? Why is it okay for you to know and not me?” She teared up again.
“I didn’t have a choice, I lived it. If I could forget it all I would. If Danny knew he’d have gone off and done something dumb. Mom wanted to protect you,” I said.
Getting her upset about something else might let her forget about Danny momentarily. It might get her mad enough to protect herself and her freedom instead of giving in to the pain.
Sonia licked her lips and sipped. “Do we have the same father?”
“You pulled this when you were twelve. Yes, you saw the birth certificates.” It was an insult to Mom. Dad had her so scared she’d never do something like that.
“There are a lot of John O’Malleys.”
Oh good, she was Googling again. “Don’t. It’ll only lead to bad things.”
“I never even saw a picture and we don’t look that much alike. Why did you get the plump lips? I’ll need collagen injections in a few years.” She ran her hands over her thinner lips.
Ever since she moved to Hollywood she’d been obsessed with looking young, looking thin, and keeping it up. I saw big plastic surgery bills in her future. “You want to know the secret?” I didn’t want to do this but she was an adult. It was my stuff, not Mom’s. And it might, just might, get me her alibi and shut her up for a while.
“Yes, but they were always like that. It’s just genes.” She rolled her eyes.
“No.” Well, maybe. I couldn’t tell for sure.
She frowned. “What?”
“Tell me your alibi and I’ll tell you how my lips got that slightly plumper look.” I wanted my info first.
She finished her big drink and swallowed hard. “Jordan and I talked from nine to almost nine thirty. I was in the dressing room after that alone until lunch then I ate on the set with Sam and Rob.”
“Okay.” That was not airtight, over two hours unaccounted for. The cops weren’t going to let that go. If that’s all she had then my job just got a lot bigger.
“Your turn.” She folded her arms.
She was a little tipsy by now with all the shots and the big glass of rum. I rethought the offer. “You don’t want to know.”
“You said you’d tell me.” She grabbed the edge of my shirt.
“I’ll tell you my theory. I’m not a doctor so I could be completely wrong. Either way you won’t like it.”
She gave me an expectant glare.
“Fine.” I uncurled her fingers from my shirt and leaned back. “Split lips.”
“What?”
“I was about two and half, maybe three. I was too loud or too whatever and Dad backhanded me and split my lip. I remember tasting blood, which is actually my first clear memory. That happened about twice a month or more until he left when I was ten. I talked a lot, too loud, too smart ass. Any talking back and I earned a smack. I got teased in kindergarten through second grade because everyone thought I was so clumsy. I always had fat lips and I told them I fell down a lot. The teachers bought it.” I looked her in the eye. “I don’t recommend that method.”
Sonia sat there, stunned and silent. I couldn’t take anymore of her tears or theatrics right now. I headed to the kitchen to find Lupe. I’d never gotten lunch and despite the crime scene playing in my head, I needed something on my stomach to calm the nausea.
Switching over to the memories of Elvis crooning my sister down the aisle and Danny smiling there in his rented tux, it helped me even out so I could eat. I had coping skills, and I’d need all of them it seemed. Danny deserved better than to die on a kitchen floor and I had to fix it before they came after my sister.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Mom could be shielded from many things but Danny’s death was not one of them. I’d made the call and she’d sobbed for an hour. For some reason Mom had taken to Danny. Maybe she always wanted a son, maybe she just agreed with me that while not brilliant, he’d never hit Sonia. Dad kept our expectations low, but she’d never admired Todd the same way.
I went to the airport to pick up Mom and her live-in gentleman friend, Lou. Sonia was a little freaked about their visit but I suspected that was just because it’d make Danny’s death sink in further. Lou adored Sonia and our mom so it’d be good support for her. Lou had a clean record, a calm temper, and in general proved very dependable in keeping Mom happy.
I waited by the car until I spotted them and went to help with the bags. Lou would only hand over the garment bag.
“Hi Mom, Lou,” I said.
At sixty-two Mom still looked young. I blamed the freckles for that added dash of cuteness. Neither Sonia nor I had gotten many freckles but Mom looked Irish through and through with curly strawberry blonde hair, deep blue eyes and creamy skin. Hopefully I’d age that well.
“Hi dear.” She kissed me on the cheek and then pinched it hard. “You left your work all this time?”
Damn, Sonia couldn’t keep a secret! “Mom, this is about Sonia...”
“I know, but you’re a divorced woman. You need to work. Do you need money?” She released my cheek but pointed a finger.
It was hard to believe that my strongly opinionated mother ever allowed herself to be abused but Dad’s hot temper was easily triggered. They were fire and gasoline. Lou was the calm type my mother needed to be happy. At least she’d found him eventually.
“No, I don’t need money. I’m fine.” I put the bag in the backseat.
My mother climbed in the back as well.
“Sit in the front, Margaret, and leave her alone. She’s here helping her sister. You raised two good girls.” Lou put the other bags in the trunk.
“No, you’re taller, you need the leg room. Sit.” She set her purse next to her in the back, claiming her space. “You still drive this?”
“I didn’t expect to be transporting people. I’m single, remember?” I got in the driver’s seat and started the car.
Mom had also said she always wanted me to be happy but, like most parent/child relationships what made her happy and what made me happy weren’t necessarily the same thing.
“Why didn’t Sonia call me?” Mom waved it off. “So many secrets.”
“She didn’t want to worry you. Before it was just notes and texts, nothing violent.”
“And now Danny is dead.” Mom rubbed her forehead. “Stabbed. Slaughtered.”
“You talked to Sonia.” I hadn’t given her any of the details, just that it was a murder. My sister got her dramatic side from Mom.
“Of course I did, she’s a widow now. Funeral arrangements must be made. She’s heartbroken and needs her family.”
Lou shrugged. “I thought they were divorced.”
“It wasn’t final, she’s a widow.” Mom poked him in the shoulder. “It’s her place. Helena is the divorced one.”
I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the wheels in Mom’s mind moving. I’d bet good money she was the one who pushed Danny and Sonia into counseling. “Well, the police searched his rental house for evidence. They released his body so you and Sonia can plan whatever you think is appropriate.”
“What about Sonia? Is she safe?” Lou asked.
I took a deep breath. “We can’t be sure. If the same person who was stalking her killed Danny then she’s in danger. A cop friend is staying with her now at the house until we get there. A patrol stays outside
the house in the evenings. I don’t know who is behind this.”
“Why isn’t Todd here? We need FBI help, not Kung Fu.” Mother hugged her arms around herself like she had a chill.
I rolled my eyes and counted to ten. “I’m not married to him anymore. He did offer to help but it’s a police matter, not federal. Sonia needs you now.”
That pass off always worked and the added plus was Sonia loved attention. I preferred to go unnoticed most of the time, a leftover habit from childhood.
The rest of the ride I focused on them, their little ranch bungalow house, the horses Lou liked to ride and had gotten my mother to try. Generally I hated small talk but sometimes it was safer.
Half an hour later their things were settled into a guest room and I let Mom and Sonia catch up. After telling Lupe we’d be two more for meals I walked out back. Ricky was checking the house again on top of the uniformed officer he’d stuck out front.
“You okay?” he asked.
I nodded. “I just feel like they’re going to come after Sonia too.”
“So do I. But now? I think they might lay low for a bit until the news calms down. It’s all over L.A. and the cops are everywhere.” He patted my arm.
I shrugged. “Still. When everyone is worried and tense it might be a good time to strike. Mom is here and the funeral...”
“You’ll make it.” He gave me a quick hug.
I nodded. “I seriously need a vacation after this.”
“You’re not going to stay and be the Hollywood PI?” he joked.
I felt nauseated. “That’s the last thing I’d want to be. Whoever came up with that nickname is on my list.”
“It’s cute and catchy. People are interested in you.”
“The online pictures I don’t really care about. Not all are flattering but at least it’s the truth. So far nothing has been Photoshopped or cropped to lie.”
