REASON TO DOUBT

by Nancy Cole Silverman

“It was his blood. We struggled, and he cut himself. But he got the phone away from me and went through all my appointments. When he saw I had you down for dinner tonight he got really excited. And then he started talking about Jewels again. He wanted to know if I knew where she might be. I told him I didn’t know, and he started waving the knife below my face and threatened to stab me. I’m sorry, Carol, I lost it. I told him I thought she might be at UCLA. At the Tri-Delt House. She told me she sometimes worked there.”

  “That’s okay. I would have done the same thing. Where is he now?”

  “He made me call her, and when she didn’t answer, he made me leave a message. He told me to tell her it was an emergency. That I had to talk to her. That you had given me a message for her, and I was to meet her at the Tri-Delt House. Then he tied me up and told me all the stuff he had done to those girls and stuffed me in this closet. He said if I moved, I’d choke myself to death on the rope.” Sheri rubbed her neck where the rope had been.

  I took out my cell phone and looked at the time. It was twelve thirty. “What time did you tell Sam you’d meet her?”

  “One o’clock. Carol, you need to stop him. He said he’s going there to kill her, and then he’s coming back here to finish the job with you and me.”

  I stood up. The Tri-Delt House was the one place I hadn’t thought to look again. Not since I knew Sam didn’t live there. But if I called and left her a message, at least she’d know not to go there, and if I was lucky, I might be able to lead Soto to Max before he got away.

  “Be careful. Carol, he’s crazy.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Misty’s downstairs. I’ll send her upstairs to stay with you.”

  I got as far as the door to the closet and ran into Soto. His big frame filling the doorway. “And just where do you think you’re going?” Soto asked.

  “The Tri-Delt house. UCLA. Max is there.” I said.

  “How do you know?” Soto asked.

  “Because he told Sheri everything. He confessed. He said he’s going there to find Xstacy’s friend, and he’s going to kill her. If we leave now, we might catch him. Are you coming?”

  CHAPTER 33

  “We’re too late.” I could see the emergency lights up ahead as we sped behind Soto with a police escort up Hilgard. Outside the Tri-Delt house, an ambulance and a University police cruiser blocked traffic.

  Chase pulled up behind Soto’s unmarked car, across the street from sorority row. Up and down the boulevard, college students, girls from inside the houses and students returning from mid-morning summer classes, stood transfixed by the scene of a body lying in the street. A car, the front fender badly dented and the windshield cracked had pulled over half a block down the road in front of the Alpha Phi House.

  Soto walked back to Chase’s car and tapped on the window. “We’ll take it from here, Ms. Childs. You need to wait in the car.”

  I sat long enough for Soto to cross the street, then opened the passenger door and stood up on the running board to get a better view. Officers were surveying the scene. A man’s body lay prostrate in the street, his head smashed against the pavement. Sheri’s pink sequined cell phone had been knocked from his hand and had skidded to the gutter and was marked with a yellow flag. Death must have been instantaneous. Blood trickled from the head and pooled around his dark hair, his eyes wide and motionless.

  Down the street, a second scene played out. A patrol officer was talking to a young woman who stood in front of her parked vehicle. The officer had asked for her license. She fumbled nervously as she handed it to him. Then the officer nodded back in the direction of the body, and she looked up. For a brief second, I caught her eye as she looked at me, then back at the scene.

  Sam?

  I sat back down in the front seat of the car and exhaled, my heart beating like I had just run a marathon. Chase looked over at me. “You okay?”

  “I think so. It all depends on what Detective Soto tells me.”

  Chase glanced in the review mirror. “Did you tell Cate you were here?”

  “No. Why?” I turned and looked over my shoulder. Cate was running up the walk toward us. I got out of the car. “Cate, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  Cate put her arms around me. “Sheri called. She told me everything, Mom. I was at work, and when I heard the sirens, I was so scared it was you. Did they catch him?”

  “I don’t know yet.” I brushed a strand of hair from Cate’s face and pulled her to me. It felt good to hold her in my arms again. “I’m waiting to talk to Detective Soto now.”

  “That man who wanted to send you to jail?” Cate pulled away and looked up at me.

  “The detective in charge of the case, yes. As far as his wanting to send me to jail, we’ll see.” I opened the car door and asked Cate to sit inside. “We need to talk.”

  “I know,” Cate said. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have–”

  “No.” I put my finger on her lips. “You did what you needed to do, Catie, and it’s okay. We can talk about that later, but right now, I need to know what Pete knew about Lenny Marx.”

  “Lenny Marx?” Cate held my hand. “Not much. He told me he did some freelance work for him when he first came to California. Why?”

  “You saw the newspaper Saturday?”

  “Yeah, it’s why I went back to Dad’s house. I’m sorry, Mom, I didn’t want to hear you say you thought Pete was innocent and that you couldn’t do anything.”

  “Detective Soto’s convinced Ely Wade was one of the model slayers and that Wade and Pete were partners.”

  “Soto’s wrong. Pete wouldn’t be friends with a freak like that.”

  “I believe you, but what about Lenny Marx?”

  “I know they weren’t friends. Pete said he worked for him for a short while when he first moved here. He told me he didn’t like him. That he harassed a lot of his models. Made the girls uncomfortable. He said Lenny got a lot of good shots, but Pete didn’t like what he saw and quit. Later, some of Lenny’s models started using him instead. Pete thinks Lenny always had it out for him after that.”

  My eyes met Chase’s. He didn’t need to tell me we were thinking the same thing. “I think it’s more than that, Cate.”

  “You think he set Pete up?” Cate asked.

  “I think when Pete was arrested, he became a convenient scapegoat. And when Lenny found Xstacy, he either placed her car in back of Pete’s house or somehow got her to go there. Either way, he made it look like she was going to meet Pete.”

  I glanced back out at the scene in front of us. The crowd had thinned. The coroner’s van had removed the body, and we had an unobstructed view of the police as they wrapped their investigation. Soto ferried back and forth between investigators and the young woman whose car had hit Max. When Soto finished, he approached Chase’s car with a notepad in hand.

  “Ms. Childs? You mind getting out of the car?”

  I told Chase and Cate to wait in the car and got out. Whatever Soto was about to tell me I preferred it to be just between us. I walked away from the car where we could talk privately.

  “Looks like you were right, Ms. Childs. Body in the street was Lenny Marx. Even better, an eyewitness from the sorority house said Mr. Marx had knocked on the door and wanted to talk to a girl named Jewels. She said she told him they didn’t have anyone named Jewels living there, and he insisted he come inside and take a look for himself. When she explained men weren’t allowed in the house, he tried to push his way in and started to get aggressive. Told her he was looking for a dancer who had killed his friend. She got scared and slammed the door and called campus security. Then she ran upstairs and peeked out the window. She said she watched as Marx took out his cell phone, appeared to try to call someone, then stepped into the street and was hit by a car.”

  “It’s really him then?” I asked.

  “The Model Slayer?” Soto sa
id. “We won’t know that until we finish our investigation. But right now, we IDed him from the driver’s license in his wallet. Victim’s name was Leonard Marx. If what your friend told you about him confessing to being the Model Slayer checks out, I’d say we got our guy.” Soto looked back down the street where Sam’s car was being towed away.

  “What about the driver?” I asked.

  “Her name’s Samantha Miller. She’s a student. Pretty shaken up. She said she was leaving campus, driving south on Hilgard when a man stepped in front of her car. He was talking on his cell. Didn’t appear to be looking where he was going and stepped right in front of her. She tried to stop, but it was too late. Far as I’m concerned, if this man is who we think, the girl did us all a favor.”

  I bit back a smile. “Then you’re convinced Pete Pompidou’s not involved?”

  “Let’s put it this way. I talked to the DA, he says you can go home. We’re not interested in talking to you right now. If he needs anything else, we’ll be in touch.”

  “Thanks.” I turned around and headed back to Chase’s SUV.

  “Oh, and Carol.” I stopped and looked back at the detective. “I assume you’re planning on reporting what happened here today?”

  “Any reason I shouldn’t?”

  “Not that I can think of. But you better hurry. Your competitors are going to want to know what happened here today. I put a temporary hold on the story, but I can’t hold it for long. I wouldn’t want to look like I was playing favorites.”

  CHAPTER 34

  BREAKING NEWS. Police believe a second suspect in the recent rash of murders the press has dubbed the Model Slayings was killed this afternoon while crossing Hilgard Avenue in West Los Angeles. Witnesses say Leonard Marx, the famed portrait photographer, was struck by a passing motorist when he stepped in front of a car while talking on his cell phone. In what appears to be a bizarre twist of fate, Marx is believed to have had ties to Ely Wade, who police suspect to be responsible for the deaths of four of the five women recently murdered, and who also was hit and killed by a car three weeks ago after leaving a popular gentleman’s club near LAX. While investigations continue into the connection, police report Marx’s death appears to have been accidental, citing it as another indication of L.A.’s growing need for more and better crosswalks.

  I filed my report live from the scene of the accident then asked Chase to drop me back at the station. I knew Tyler would be waiting for me, and I needed to debrief him on the morning activities. I explained how everything had gone down, from the courthouse to Sheri’s, to the scene in front of the sorority house. When I finished, Tyler told me King had called with an update on my situation. Which at the moment was on hold. King doubted, based on what he heard back from Soto and the District Attorney, they would bother to pursue the subpoena.

  In addition, King felt certain based on what had happened with Lenny Marx the DA would also drop the charges against Pete.

  “That should make your daughter happy,” Tyler said.

  “I wish it did me,” I said.

  “You’re not?” Tyler asked. “Pete’s about to go free, you proved the cops had been pursuing the wrong man the entire time and led them to the Model Slayer and his partner. I don’t understand why you’re not celebrating. What more do you want?”

  “That’s just it, Tyler. I keep thinking how close I came to losing my best friend and what went down in front of the sorority house.”

  “What, are you blaming yourself?” Tyler took a tissue box from a drawer within his desk and threw it across the table at me. “You want to cry about it?”

  “No. I don’t feel like crying, Tyler.”

  “Because there’s nothing you can do, Carol. Sam never told you what she planned to do. My bet is, once Sam got your message, Marx was on his way over to the sorority house, she left the house and waited for him. She knew she’d never be able to stop him. That he’d continue to hunt her down until he killed her exactly like he did Xstacy. She probably went and got her car and parked it across the street from the house. And when she saw him come up the walk and leave, she ran him over. Not your problem. You made a promise to Xstacy you wouldn’t reveal Sam’s identity or what happened the night she killed Ely. Far as the law goes, as long as neither girl told you she was planning to kill someone, you’re in the clear.”

  “But what if the cops find out about Samantha? That she worked as a stripper for the Sky High Club?”

  “The girl went by two names, Carol. You plan on telling them the Sky High’s Crown Jewels and Samantha Miller are one and the same? Because if you do you’d be breaking your promise to Xstacy.”

  “I suppose you’re right.”

  “Look, the cops ruled Marx’s death an accident. My guess is they’ll never know Samantha Miller is anything more than a college student. There’s no reason for the cops to go looking into Sam’s background, any more than they did Xstacy’s when she hit Ely. The city has a skyrocketing number of pedestrian accidents every week. Both women were good citizens. They reported the accident. Stayed with the victim and cooperated with investigators. Far as the cops know, Samantha Miller is just some poor college student who accidentally hit someone on her way home from class and called the police to report the accident.”

  My cell phone buzzed. I looked at the screen. “It’s Sheri, Tyler, I’ve got to take this.”

  I excused myself and hurried down the hall to my office with the phone pressed against my ear. “How you feeling?”

  “You forgot?”

  “What?” I asked.

  “The boys!”

  “Augh! That’s right. It’s Monday, I totally–”

  “Don’t worry. Misty and I picked them up. Charlie’s in the shower, and Clint’s parked himself in front of the big screen and he’s playing video games. You coming for dinner?”

  “You’re not still planning on dinner? Not with everything that happened.” I sat down at my desk. “You need to take some time.”

  “Maybe so, but not tonight, Carol. The boys are home after two weeks away, and I want to celebrate. Besides, the London Broil’s been marinating, and the table’s been set since Sunday morning. If I’ve any worries about what happened, I’ll take it up with my therapist later. But for now, I’ve asked Misty to take the extra seat at the table, and I want my best friend here with me. I’m expecting you at seven. No excuses. And bring Chase.”

  Chase? I had been in a such a rush to get back to the station I hadn’t a chance to debrief Chase on what I could or what I wanted to share with him. To thank him for not pushing me to divulge what Xstacy and Sam had told me, and for sticking with me when I needed someone. When Chase pulled up in front of the station, I was so anxious to talk with Tyler that I leaned across the seat and without thinking about it, kissed him on the side of the face. Like it was the most natural thing in the world to do. I hadn’t even said goodbye.

  I picked up the phone and called Chase. When he didn’t answer, I left a message and told him we needed to talk. Later, I called again and left a second message. Then about four o’clock, when I still hadn’t heard back from him, I began to get concerned and buzzed him back and left another message. This time, more personal.

  “Hey, it’s me. I’m sorry I didn’t have time to tell you earlier today how much I appreciated all you did. And...well,” I paused and looked back at the picture Pete had taken of the kids and me on the beach. “Look, Sheri’s doing a dinner tonight. I wanted to ask if you’d like to come. I know I’ve been difficult–okay, inconsistent even–about keeping my personal life and my professional life separate, but I was thinking maybe I could be a little less strict about that. At least where you’re concerned. Anyway, if you’d like to come, I’d love to see you there. Seven o’clock. Call me.”

  By the time I arrived at Sheri’s, the boys were home and the place was immaculate. Sheri met me at the front door and told me once the po
lice had left, both she and Misty had swept through the downstairs, picked up the broken pieces of china and removed any sign that anything unusual had happened. Then went and picked up the boys.

  “I’d prefer if we didn’t discuss anything about Max or my pole dancing in front of them. The less they know about this little incident, the better.”

  “What about the pole?” I asked.

  “Gone,” Sheri said. “Misty and I removed it this afternoon.”

  I hugged Sheri and told her not to worry. The boys didn’t need to know what had gone down as long as Sheri was fine.

  “Mom! You’re back.” Charlie spotted me at the door and came racing toward me. Like an overgrown puppy, he nearly knocked me down. I threw my arms around him.

  “You’ve grown,” I said. Charlie felt like he was two inches taller and ten pounds heavier. “Couple of weeks away and look at you.”

  “Not as much as Clint. He’s playing quarterback next fall, Mom. Our team’s gonna be awesome.”

  “I’ll bet.” I put my arm around Charlie, and along with Sheri, we walked down the long entry hall to the kitchen.

  “Hi, Mom.” Cate stood up from behind the kitchen console where she and Misty had been seated. “I hope you don’t mind. Sheri asked me to come.”

  “Mind?” I felt relieved. “I’m just glad you came.”

  Sheri checked the oven. Roasted potatoes with garlic and rosemary. The smell was rich, warm and heavenly. On the counter, in a large wooden bowl, Misty had prepared a green salad and next to it, ready for the grill, was Sheri’s London Broil. With a nod toward the den, Sheri asked Charlie to go tell Clint to wash up for dinner.

  Charlie grabbed a roll off the counter and disappeared back to the den.

  I was about to see if there was something I could do when the outside buzzer to Sheri’s big security gate rang.

  “You expecting someone?” I asked.

  Sheri glanced out the window and buzzed the gate open.