Murdered in Hollywood

by Dianne Harman

  She was glad she’d brought Rudy with her. She sensed tension building up in his body that had begun the moment James had walked out his front door. She knew Rudy was ready to charge him at any moment, which, given the circumstances, she found quite comforting.

  “James, I hope you don’t mind if I change the subject, but I looked on an internet page that had the different films you’ve been involved with.”

  He frowned. “Yes…?”

  “Early on in your career, you made a documentary about so-called witch doctors in South America,” she said.

  “Yes,” he said. “I began my career in investigative journalism. I enjoyed doing features like that, and I was fortunate enough to win several awards.”

  “Yes, I saw that. I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to ask you a question regarding my own work. Artist to artist, although I’m afraid I haven’t won nearly as many awards as you have.”

  It worked just as she had hoped it would. He smiled a little, obviously flattered. “Go ahead.”

  “I write murder mysteries, and I wanted to do something unusual with poisons in one book. I find cyanide and that sort of thing a little boring. I was wondering if they taught you anything when you were in South America about poisonous plants and how they’re used.”

  He missed a beat, but then smiled. “Definitely. I learned all about the poisons and the antidotes. There wasn’t much of that in the documentary, but I’d be glad to show you my private footage of it.”

  “Yes, I’d like that very much. Thank you.”

  He looked positively elated. “And then we can talk about getting rid of the Angelica story over dinner?”

  “Definitely,” Kat said.

  CHAPTER 14

  Kat walked out of James Strauhan’s home feeling fired up. He had an extensive, detailed, knowledge of poisons. He’d been told by Molly Singh that there was no chance of a revision, even in the face of a potential legal challenge. He had the motive and the knowledge of how to make the murder happen. Kat thought he was a very valid suspect for the murder of Marie Moorhead.

  Kat decided on the cab ride back to Marie’s house that she’d keep this information from Auberon. She felt he was somewhat unstable, and she didn’t want him to begin accusing anyone before she’d pieced together all the evidence and had an airtight case against someone.

  It had been a long day for Kat, and after she took Rudy out for a last walk, she got into bed. She managed to send two sleepy texts, one to Blaine and one to Lacie, before she fell sound asleep.

  In the morning, she was awakened by someone in the room opening the curtains. She sat up with a start, immediately wide awake. She saw a young woman in an old-fashioned maid’s uniform, smiling at her.

  “Good morning, ma’am,” the young woman said.

  “Good morning…?” Kat said, disoriented.

  Unperturbed, the young woman asked, “Did you have a good sleep? Well, I guess that’s a stupid question. It’s already ten in the morning, so you certainly packed the beauty sleep in!”

  Kat wondered if she was dreaming. Who was this woman? “Yes…” She still wasn’t sufficiently awake to work out how to word her question politely.

  “You’re probably wondering who on earth I am,” she said.

  Kat smiled. “You read my mind.”

  “I’m Julia, Marie’s housekeeper. Mr. Lennon-Schroeder called me, saying the two of you might need some extra help. He asked me to come in today.”

  “Of course,” Kat said. “I should have known. Are you sure you’re okay with this? You must still be in shock.”

  “I am, but, well, Marie was an elderly woman. It’s not the first time I’ve had a client die while I’ve been working for them. When they thought it was murder, I was very scared, but now that the police have said it was just a natural death, I’m not worried.

  “It’s very sad, but these things happen. Old age catches up with everyone eventually. Besides, I know who you are. Marie used to talk to me about you, and I really wanted to meet you. I know she’d be livid if I just left you here without any help at all.”

  Kat decided not to tell her that she suspected Marie had been murdered, certain it would cause Julia to become very concerned. “Well, as long as this is all right with you, but if you need some time off, I’m sure it will be absolutely fine.”

  “No, I’d prefer to be working,” Julia said. “What use would I be if I was just sitting around at my parents’ house? This place is all I’ve known in the last few years. I’ve lived here with Marie for five years. I started with her when I was nineteen.”

  “I imagine it feels like home to you by now.”

  Julia smiled. “That it does. I don’t know what will happen to the house, or even if I can stay long-term, but I’d like to stay as long as I can. I know Auberon inherited the house. Whether he wants to live here with his family is another matter.”

  “Yes,” Kat said. “I love it here, but it’s appeal is for a very specific taste, isn’t it? And I’m not sure everyone would want such a large home. Did it feel quite empty with just you and Marie here?”

  “Sometimes, although she entertained a lot. What I didn’t like was when she was away filming, and I was here by myself. It was a little bit scary. I used to lock my bedroom door at night, just in case.”

  “You should have gotten yourself a dog,” Kat said, nodding at Rudy, who were sleeping in the corner of the bedroom.

  “Oh,” Julia said. “I didn’t even notice him. Aww, he looks so sweet.”

  Kat smiled. “He’s very good company. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like to play with him later,” she said. “I had dogs growing up, though admittedly they were a lot smaller. Little Papillon dogs. Do you know the breed?”

  “Oh, yes,” Kat said. “They’re beautiful little dogs. And I hear they’re very good natured.”

  “Yes, we had Pip and Sprout. They passed away when I was a teen.”

  “Do you think you’ll ever get another one?”

  “Probably,” she said. “When I get married and have a family of my own.” She sized Kat up and down for a moment, like she wasn’t sure whether to say what she was thinking, but in the end, she did. “It’s hard to meet people here, though. Everyone’s either a celebrity or a man with megabucks, and who’s going to want to date a maid?”

  “I see your point,” Kat said. “They all seem to stick in their little circles, don’t they?”

  “Exactly!” Julia said. “And even worse, I’m not the least bit pretty.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Kat said. “You have a lovely face and a wonderful smile.”

  Julia blushed. “I do not. You’re just saying that to be nice.”

  “I most certainly am not,” Kat said briskly as she got out of bed. She grinned. “Now, do you mind getting out of my room for a while? Or do you plan on dressing me, too? And by the way, you don’t need to give me a wake-up call every morning.”

  “Okay,” Julia said. “But Marie always wanted me to.”

  “Ah, but she was of the Hollywood glamor generation, and I’m definitely not,” Kat said. “I’d bet that sort of thing was probably common back then. I’m guessing not so many people do that now, although I can’t say for sure.”

  “Well, don’t look at me,” Julia said, throwing her hands up in the air. “The main things I know are the ones Marie taught me.”

  Kat smiled. “Well, I can see she didn’t like you to stand on ceremony.”

  Julia looked a little embarrassed. “What does that mean?”

  “Be overly formal.”

  “Oh no,” Julia said. “Marie would have hated that. She told me it was embarrassing. She said since we’re the only people here at the house, we should be more like friends, otherwise we’d both get lonely.”

  “Marie was a wise woman,” Kat said. “Now…” She smiled and nodded at the door.

  “Oh, yes, okay. Sorry.” Julia rushed out, then bobbed her hea
d behind the door with a smile before she left.

  Kat laughed to herself and shook her head. Despite Julia being a little unprofessional, Kat really liked her. She showered and dressed for the day, her head feeling a little fuzzy. That sometimes happened when she overslept.

  Julia prepared her a breakfast of pancakes and fruit, then left Kat so she could work on cleaning the house. Kat was glad, not because she didn’t like Julia, but because she wanted to be left alone with her thoughts. Where was she going to take the investigation from here? That was the question that tumbled through her mind.

  She still had Molly Singh in the back of her mind, and considered going over to her office, but there was someone else on her mind, as well, Christos Alexiadis.

  He was a former movie star, and now a studio boss. He’d been accused of asking for, or sometimes demanding sexual favors from up-and-coming actresses trying to land plum movie roles. In all honesty, the evidence in Marie’s book was pretty damning against him.

  Marie had confided in Kat, “You know, I hope this book gives those young women the courage to take him to court over it. This kind of thing needs to be out in the open, because it happens far too often in Hollywood. If the courts make an example of him, perhaps it’ll go towards stopping it from happening. Of course, we can’t change the past, but if we shine a light on it, maybe we can change the future.”

  Marie had been too old to be a target of Christos, but she’d overheard many a conversation about young women being paid off, and sometimes threatened, too. She’d overheard first-hand accounts in smoky nightclubs, and the Hollywood grapevine was full of stories that she recounted word for word in the book.

  Kat knew he had just as much to lose as James Strauhan, and the allegations against Christos Alexiadis were worse. Much worse. Though James was no bastion of morality, he wasn’t a sexual predator.

  She decided she wouldn’t call him, but instead just show up at the studio and try to see him. She didn’t want to give him the opportunity to say no. Besides, from Marie’s accounts, she knew Christos had thick layers of assistants, administrators, and bodyguards around him. She was sure his gatekeepers would be lined up ten deep.

  Kat didn’t take Rudy with her, because he’d probably be used as an excuse not to let her in. She filled up his food dish and left him with Julia. Thankfully, Julia was a natural with dogs, and she rubbed her face up against his with delight, so Kat felt very comfortable leaving Rudy with her.

  She felt nervous during the cab ride to the studio. Christos Alexiadis was renowned for his temper as well as his powerful network of people he surrounded himself with who kept his activities covered up. As she looked out the window at the perfect blue sky, she wondered what she was getting herself into, but it was too late to worry about it.

  CHAPTER 15

  Christos Alexiadis was too important for manners. He yelled at his assistant when she took Kat into the room where he was. “I told you I don’t want any visitors!”

  “Sorry, sir,” the assistant prattled, “but she said it was really urgent.”

  “Oh,” he mocked, heaving his bulk out of the chair behind his desk. “She said it was really, really urgent, did she?” He looked Kat up and down, not approvingly. She just counted her lucky stars he wasn’t leering at her. “Who are you, and what do you want?”

  Kat squared her shoulders. “My name is Kat Denham. I’m the ghostwriter for Marie Moorhead, and I’m here to talk to you about her book.”

  He paused, sneering, then barked at his assistant. “Get out of here.” The assistant scurried away.

  Kat decided the only way to deal with such a man was to be brazenly confident. She sat down without waiting for him to ask her to, and took control of the conversation.

  “I’m sure that you know there are numerous allegations about you in Ms. Moorhead’s book,” Kat said.

  “I don’t bother reading trash like that,” he said. “But my lawyers certainly do.” He sat down behind his desk and put his elbows on it, trying to look as intimidating as possible.

  “Let me explain why I’m here,” she said. “The publishers have sent me to talk this over with you, to see if we can come to some sort of an arrangement.”

  “What kind of an arrangement?”

  “Did you go to the launch party for Marie’s book?”

  “Why on earth would I attend some pathetic launch for a wrinkled-up has-been’s desperate attempt to make money on a ‘tell-all’ book? I’m a very important man. I have better things to do.”

  “Did you send someone to the launch?”

  “No, I did not!” he bellowed. “Are you trying to accuse me of something?”

  Kat frowned. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sure I don’t know what on earth you’re talking about.”

  “I think you do.”

  “Is there something you’re not telling me, Mr. Alexiadis?”

  “Out, out. Get out!” he yelled, his face turning purple. Spittle flew out of his mouth as he yelled at Kat, traveling across his desk, and landing on her face.

  Kat wiped it off, not believing what had just happened. “I’m staying right here, Mr. Alexiadis. I’m sure you want to come to an agreement on the book.”

  “Listen here, you wrinkled old hag,” he said. “What I don’t think you understand is that I don’t do agreements. I don’t get strong-armed into doing anything, much less by a pair of women well past their sell by date. I run things around here. I decide what happens, and then it happens. You can speak to my lawyers.”

  “You’re disgustingly sexist,” Kat said.

  He looked at her like she was a piece of dirt. “What are you, some kind of feminist?”

  “Common decency would be a nice touch.”

  “Common decency. The operative word being common. I am not common, therefore I have no need to be decent. Did you come here to coach me in how to be kind?” he asked, taking on a horrible simpering voice. “Get out of here. You’re wasting my valuable time.”

  “I’m not going yet,” she said. “I would think you’d want to make sure that none of the information that was in the book comes out.”

  “I don’t care,” he said. “Everyone knows I’m untouchable. I’ll pay the judges off if it goes to court. Who are you, anyway? Some kind of cop? If you are, I’m going to refer you to the Chief, my very, very, good friend. He was at my estate over the weekend, drinking some of the finest wines Italy has to offer and being lavished with attention by gorgeous young bunnies I call my friends. I’m sure he’d be very interested in your investigation.” He chuckled to himself.

  “No,” Kat said steadily. “I really am the ghostwriter.”

  “Then know your place and get out. If I have to tell you again, I’m calling security, and they’ll throw you out on your butt.”

  Kat, nearly shaking with anger by this point, got up. “Fine,” she said. “Well, when you see the book released with hundreds of unsavory things said about you, don’t complain to me.”

  “My lawyers will be in touch,” he said. “Even if you have a no-fault clause, I’ll make sure plenty of the blame lies on you. You deserve your glory for all your hard work.” He looked down at the papers on his desk and started working. “Ta-ta, now,” he said with a finger wave towards her

  Kat left, pumped up with fury. She couldn’t remember when she’d felt so angry. It had been a long time since she’d met someone as unpleasant as Christos Alexiadis. In fact, she wasn’t sure she ever had.

  Still shaking, she took a cab back to the house, and wiped away the angry tears she couldn’t hold back. She was furious with herself for crying, but he’d provoked such a strong response in her that unless she was going to scream or punch something, which she didn’t want to do, the only option was to let the tears roll down her cheeks. She sniffed violently.

  By the time she got back to Marie’s house, she’d stopped crying, but she still felt a little blue.

  Julia opened the door for her, and immediately her face crumpled into concern
. “Kat, what’s wrong?”

  That actually made Kat smile. She realized how silly she was being. “A guy was mean to me,” she said, laughing at herself.

  Julia turned her head and looked at Kat sideways, bemused. “Marie always said she was crazy as a box of frogs. Are you the same way?” She giggled. “You turn up on the stoop looking like you’re about to burst into tears, then you start laughing.”

  “Life is crazy, Julia,” Kat said, shaking her head and stepping inside the house. “The sooner we get used to that, the better, I find.” She smiled as Julia bent down to ruffle Rudy on his head and tickle him under his chin. “Seriously, though, I’m absolutely fine.”

  “Good,” Julia said decisively. “And you’ll be even better when you see what I’ve prepared for lunch.”

  Auberon had returned from his lawyer’s office where he had further discussions about his inheritance. They found him eating his lunch with enthusiasm. His mouth was full, but he gave Kat a friendly wave.

  It was obvious Julia had worked hard on preparing their lunch which consisted of a plain green salad, several kinds of cheese, cold meats, cold chicken, and a loaf of warm crusty French bread.

  Julia had even taken the initiative to put together a bowl of dog food for Rudy. “We don’t have any dog food here in the house,” she said. “But not to worry. I researched the best human foods to feed dogs on Google. So, he’s got a feast of chicken, cheese, boiled eggs, green beans, salmon, and yams.”

  “Goodness,” Kat said. “This is going to be one very happy dog. On behalf of him, thank you.” She was right, too. Just as the bowl left Julia’s hands and hit the ground, Rudy had charged toward it and stuck his nose deep in the contents.

  Kat and Julia both laughed affectionately at him.

  “Google also recommended pumpkin, but we don’t have any here at the house,” Julia said. “Oh, and I have some yogurt for him after he’s finished. I didn’t think it really went with the other stuff.”

  “You’re certainly spoiling him, and I’m sure he’s loving it,” Kat said. “Thank you so much, Julia. I really appreciate what you’ve done.”