by M. Z. Kelly
I looked over at Ted. The idiot twins had stolen our case by going behind our backs and had cleared nothing with us. It took every bit of self-control I possessed to keep my mouth shut.
The next half hour was spent on the case Harry Braden and Woody Horton were working. It involved an accountant killing his partner to cover up his embezzlement of funds from their company. The case wasn’t as high-profile as ours, but did involve millions of dollars and the homicide of a prominent entrepreneur. The two detectives had made an arrest yesterday, something that pleased our lieutenant.
When the meeting ended, I stayed in my seat waiting for the executioner to lower his axe. Ted brushed a big hand over my shoulder on the way out of the room and then closed the door behind him, leaving me alone with Conrad. Bernie was still standing at my side, sensing the tension in the room.
“What happened today was unacceptable,” the lieutenant began. “You were insubordinate, offensive, and may have violated a defendant’s constitutional rights.”
I stared darts at him. “I guess we just have a different way of interpreting the facts.”
“There’s also the matter of your harassment of Detective Barlow. She’s meeting with personnel as we speak.”
I did my best to keep my voice even. “There was no harassment, just an idiot with an axe to grind.”
“We’ll see how the brass wants to handle that as well as what happened today. Maybe you should reconsider your status in Section One.”
What he’d said was a code phrase, telling me to put in for a transfer out of the unit. If the brass wanted my reassignment that was one thing, but there was no way I was going to let the big idiot in the room push me out.
I gave Conrad my best go to hell grin and said, “I’m happy with my status and current assignment.”
He drew in a sharp breath and released it slowly. “I think we’re done here, then.”
I stood up and tugged on Bernie’s leash. I was about to head for the door when I thought better of it.
I turned back to the lieutenant. “Is it personal?”
“What?”
“Is it just a matter of you not liking me? Is that what’s behind everything.”
Conrad’s black eyes held on me for a long moment. The vein on his forehead throbbed with each word he spoke. “I’m an ass-kicker, Detective. Section One lives or dies by what I do here. I won’t have you destroying it.”
I shook my head, my eyes still fixed on his. “You’ve got it all wrong, Lieutenant and I’m going to prove it.”
FORTY ONE
Jilly’s chest rhythmically rose and fell. Each raspy breath tore at Pearce Landon’s heart, making him think it might be his sister’s last.
“What did the doctor say?” he asked Monica who was adjusting the tubes leading from Jilly’s oxygen tank.
The elderly aide shrugged. “Just that we need to see that she’s comfortable and wait.” She met Landon’s watery eyes. “There’s nothing more we can do.”
He nodded, reached over and kissed Jilly’s forehead. He turned back to Monica. “I have to go out for a little while.”
“There’s a car down the street?”
As usual Monica didn’t miss anything. She had also realized there were officers watching the house. “I’ll be careful.”
Landon’s first act upon arriving home had been to call Madison and arrange for her to stay with an aunt in Northern California. He didn’t know if whoever killed Scarlett posed a danger to Madison but he wasn’t taking any chances. His daughter had reluctantly agreed to the arrangements but told him to be sure to stay in touch.
After grabbing his jacket, a flashlight, and a lock pick, Landon made his way into the backyard of the small home. He hopped a couple of fences and went through a neighbor’s side yard before arriving at the street a block over where he’d parked his car after being released from jail.
As he drove, Landon thought about the detective who had given him a ride home from the jail. She was both beautiful and smart, but there was something else about the woman that intrigued him. Detective Kate Sexton wasn’t someone who settled. He’d instantly known that she wasn’t like most cops who just wanted to make an arrest and move on. Sexton wanted to do the right thing. He knew he could use that to his advantage, providing he could give the detective a solid lead on who killed Scarlett Endicott.
Landon pulled to the curb a block up from the psychiatrist’s office. It was after ten and the small building with medical offices looked deserted. Even so, he knew there would be an alarm and probably hidden cameras.
He took his time doing surveillance before finding a way to disable the alarm system. When he was satisfied that he hadn’t alerted the security company, he picked the lock at a side entrance and found his way inside the building.
He found the small office belonging to Richard Hawkins at the end of a corridor where it provided some privacy to the visitors. He used his lock pick and then slipped inside.
If there was evidence Hawkins was involved with Scarlett, or maybe even behind her murder, Landon thought it would be on the shrink’s computer that he found in a back office. The computer was an older model and Landon was pleasantly surprised when he realized Hawkins hadn’t bothered to password protect the device.
He skimmed through some word documents, finding one that had a list of the psychiatrist’s current and past patients, including a couple of A-list stars. He then went into Hawkins’ email account where everything he’d expected about the shrink was confirmed. Richard Hawkins, the shrink to the stars, was having affairs with several of his patients, including some of his celebrity clients.
Landon then found a folder labeled S.E. and clicked on it. There were over a dozen emails to and from Scarlett Endicott, most of them suggesting hotels where Hawkins said they could meet and spend the night together. In a couple of the emails, the shrink had expressed his love for the actress, something that he’d probably done with the other patients he was seeing.
Landon then clicked on the final email in the folder, one that had been sent to the shrink by Scarlett two days before her death. He skimmed the content, reading it aloud as he went.
I’m sorry but this is my final correspondence. I can’t continue to see you. As we’ve discussed there’s someone else. She’s helped me understand my sexuality. We’re in love. I’m sorry that things didn’t work out with us. I wish you all the best.
Landon shut down the computer and sat back in the psychiatrist’s chair. He thought about the letter he’d found in Scarlett’s suitcase, the one written to MSL. It was probably the same woman that Scarlett had referenced in her email to Hawkins. If the shrink really was in love with Scarlett, maybe her decision to end their relationship had caused him to snap and end her life.
When Pearce Landon was in his car headed back home, he knew there was only one course of action left to him now. He had to locate Richard Hawkins and find out what he knew about Scarlett’s murder. One way or another, Landon was determined to get the truth out of him.
FORTY TWO
After work I dropped Bernie at home and went to Club Blue in Hollywood with Natalie and Mo. The club was a new, trendy establishment with a dance floor, bar, and a separate lounge where the atmosphere was subdued, allowing for conversation over a host of exotic drinks that the club offered.
I’d spent a frustrating day with Ted trying to locate Richard Hawkins without success. We’d called the Tauist Temple and were told that the psychiatrist had left their premises yesterday and they didn’t have an address on file for him. We’d also tried to contact Zig Steinberg. His assistant, Alysha Roberts, told us the director was out of state for the day scouting a location for an upcoming movie. In the meantime, Hardy and Belmont had been watching Pearce Landon’s house and reported that he’d stayed home all day. Needless to say, Lieutenant Conrad wasn’t happy with the lack of progress.
“How are things with your mum?” Natalie asked me while stirring a straw into her drink, something the club called
a Rum Dumb Blast.
I took a sip of my Mai Tai that had a name I couldn’t pronounce and then said, “Still hanging with the biker. I told her I was moving out. She was thrilled and basically told Buzz they’d be able to have sex without worrying about me being around.”
Mo shook her big head and blew air out of her lips like she’d just tasted a cockroach. “That’s a visual I don’t need. You’re gonna be way better off with me and baby sis at the Barkley. I talked to the Munchkin today. He said we could all move in this weekend.”
I’d mentioned to my friends that Bub Barkley reminded me of one of the little men from the classic movie and they’d taken to using the moniker.
“I wonder what it’s like to make love to a Munchkin,” Natalie said. “Maybe they got magical powers. Sometimes big things come in small packages.”
Mo sipped her drink, something called a Pig-Whistler, and looked at Natalie. “You do the nasty with Bub and I’m taking you to see Kate’s shrink.”
I said to Natalie, “I thought you and Sonny were…”
“We’re basically just friends,” she said. “I don’t think Sonny’s got enough stamina for me.” She smiled and rolled her eyes in a flirty way. “And speaking of shrinks, have you given any more thought to what she said about your relationship with Buck?”
I shook my head. “I’m trying to just let go of everything for now. I haven’t even thought about Buck lately.”
“You got a serious case of the man blues,” Mo said. “Maybe the fantasy baby sis and me are working on with Sonny will be a distraction.”
“I’m afraid to ask what it is.”
Natalie’s voice pitched higher and her eyes grew wider. “You know that charity that you wanted to raise money for by joining the Hotel Ooh La La mile high club?”
“Kids ‘n Cribs.”
The charity was for homeless children in Hollywood. The stunt at the club involved me trying to have sex in the notoriously slow glass elevator of the hotel before its doors opened on the ground floor. Jack and I had failed the attempt, thanks to someone trying to kill us.
“Sonny’s arranged for us to raise money for the charity, providing you’re willing to help us decorate the Christmas tree they’re putting up on the sidewalk in front of the Chinese Theater.”
I shrugged and said, “I’m sure I can help out with that.” My friends looked at one another, nodded, and smiled. “Okay, what’s the catch?”
“They want human ornaments on the tree,” Mo said, still grinning. “They think it’ll bring the press out, raise a lot of money for the charity.”
“Let me see if I understand this. You want to hang me from a tree to raise money for homeless kids.”
Mo continued smiling. She glanced at Natalie then back at me. “That’s pretty much what’s involved.”
Natalie clapped her hands like a child who’d just found a pony under her Christmas tree. “Mo and me will be hanging right beside you for the cause. Can we count you in?”
I shrugged and my lungs deflated. “Why not. If my lieutenant has his way I might be hanging from a tree in front of Hollywood Station before too long anyway.”
“We heard your new boss has a serious case of the uglies,” Mo said.
“Among other problems.”
“Maybe he just needs to get laid,” Natalie said. She grinned at Mo. “Maybe you could arrange somethin’.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Mo said. She looked at me. “What’s happening with your case?”
Despite my vow not to discuss my cases, the Mai Tai was working in my system. “Pearce Landon was released. The case is pretty much stalled out, not going anywhere.”
Mo sipped her Pig-Whistler, set the glass down. “I heard that Scarlett was dating that shrink all the celebs in Hollywood go to.”
I nodded. “Richard Hawkins.”
“He’s supposed to be on that Jerry Gruden show tonight.”
“The comedian?”
Mo nodded. “If I was you I’d go down to the show and sit on his sorry ass until he tells you what he knows.”
I’d ordered another drink and accepted it from the server. “Not a bad idea. Thanks for the heads up.”
We chatted about a couple of cases Natalie and Mo were working when I thought about Russell Van Drake. “Have you two given up on solving his case?”
Mo’s heavy brows came together. “What? Me and baby sis don’t give up on nuthin. We’re still working our sources.”
“I think Van Drake was murdered somewhere besides his estate,” Natalie said. “I gotta a feeling it’s just a matter of time until we find out where.”
“Just be sure you don’t interfere in…” I saw Mo giving me one of her hard stares and decided it was useless to warn them about staying out of police business. “Never mind.”
Mo looked at Natalie and said, “Maybe we should hang Kate by the Christmas tree before she worries herself to death.”
“Hey, maybe we should get her a pair of wings,” Natalie said. “Put her on the top of the tree like an angel.”
Mo laughed. “Yeah nuthin like a nu…” She put her hand over her mouth. “Forget what I just said.”
My eyes narrowed on her. “What are you talking about?”
“Mo’s just takin’ the Mickey with ya,” Natalie said, giggling. “I got a feeling you’re gonna make the best tree topper in Hollywood.”
FORTY THREE
Pearce Landon spent more than an hour watching Zig Steinberg’s house. He was acting on a tip from Jason Smith that Steinberg would be returning home late in the day after working on a set near Seattle. Landon knew that Steinberg and Hawkins were friends going back several years and he hoped the director could lead him to the shrink.
When the gates to Steinberg’s estate swung open, Landon slumped down in his BMW. He only caught a fleeting glimpse of the man in the Mercedes with the famous director. Landon’s heart thumped against his ribcage when he recognized Joaquin Rush. He then put his car into gear and called Smith, asking him to meet him at The Calypso, a coffee shop in Studio City, a few miles from Hollywood that they sometimes frequented.
When Jason Smith arrived, Landon wasted no time telling him what happened. “Steinberg was with Joaquin Rush.”
Smith’s brows shot up. He brushed a hand through his scraggly beard, and kept his voice low. “Are you sure?”
Landon nodded. “It changes everything. You know about Rush?”
“A fixer…”
“More than a fixer,” Landon said, interrupting. “He’s a mechanic.” His gaze darted around the coffee shop, came back to Smith. “It has to mean that Steinberg’s involved in what happened to Scarlett and he wants Rush to cover his tracks.”
“Maybe by taking care of Hawkins?” Landon nodded and sipped his coffee as Smith pushed a slip of paper across the table. “I just got this address from a friend. Hawkins has been staying in the guest house. The property’s owned by Harlan Ryland.”
“Keep your eyes and ears open and let me know what you hear,” Landon said, pushing the slip of paper into his pocket. “If Rush is involved it doesn’t bode well for me.” He stood up.
“Where are you going?” Smith asked.
“To see a shrink.”
FORTY FOUR
Lieutenant Conrad was breathing fire when I got to the station the next morning.
Ted and I had gone by the Jerry Gruden show last night but Richard Hawkins had been a no-show for the taping. Despite our late night, I’d made a point of getting to work early but found everyone had already settled into the conference room, including Ted, the four other detectives in Section One, along with Selfie and Molly. Bernie stayed by my side as I took a seat at the table.
“So we’ve got a case that’s dead in the water and a prime suspect that hides out at home all day,” Conrad said, leveling his eyes on Belmont and Hardy. Maybe his two favorite detectives had already fallen out of favor.
“He’s got a sister who’s pretty sick with ALS,” Christine Belmont said
. “I think he’s staying by her side, hiding out.”
Conrad’s steel eyes found Ted and me. “What’d you turn up yesterday?”
I took the bullet for Ted and said, “Steinberg was out of town and Hawkins left the Tauist Temple. We got a tip that Hawkins was supposed to be on the Jerry Gruden Show last night but he FTA’d. We weren’t able to locate either of them.”
“Not acceptable,” the lieutenant bellowed. “The press and the brass are all over this, saying that Section One is already a failure. I won’t stand for it.”
“Give us another day to try and break something loose,” Ted said. “Kate and I will find Hawkins and put him in the box until he gives up what he knows.”
“Why don’t you two watch Landon’s house,” Alex Hardy said. “Christine and I will find the shrink.”
“Give us a shot,” Belmont purred in her deep voice at the same time giving Conrad the flirty eye. “We’re the lead.”
Conrad shook his head. He looked over at Braden and Horton. “You two are on Landon’s house all day.” He found Belmont’s dark, seductive eyes. “You and Alex are going downtown with me to explain things to the captain again.” He looked over at Ted and me. “You’ve got twenty-four hours to find Hawkins or…” His nostrils flared. “There will be more changes in Section One.”
I got the message. One way or another Conrad would find a way to remove Ted and me from the unit. He was probably heading downtown with Belmont and Hardy to meet with the captain about our replacements. If I had my way that would never happen.
The others were heading out of the room when Conrad asked me to stay. When we were alone he leveled his eyes on me. “I have a duty to advise you that you are formally under investigation regarding your actions involving the inappropriate interview of Pearce Landon, as well as for the claim of harassment filed by Detective Barlow. The matter is with the Professional Standards Bureau.”
