I said, “Few years later, he’s gone, too.”
“And Momma marries twice again. She just buried number four.”
“Talk about baggage.”
“A planeload, amigo. Let’s hope it doesn’t ground us.”
Back in his office, he found half a dozen new tip messages, began the callbacks, sat up straight when he connected to the fifth.
He said, “That’s great, ma’am, really appreciate your taking the time, now if you’d be so kind as to give me your-”
Dial tone.
He held the phone at arm’s length. “Must be my breath.”
Pressing redial, he got no ring. Tried again, same result.
I said, “Someone worth listening to.”
“Someone refusing to identify herself wanting me to know that one of the Jane Does in the marsh might be someone named Lurlene Chenoweth aka Big Laura.”
He traced the caller’s number, dead-ended at a prepaid cell.
I said, “A female tipster with a prepaid might mean a pro from the area. Word travels fast, the girls know Duchesne visited, they’re making associations.”
Typing in Lurlene Chenoweth’s name brought up a scowling, ebony moon-face crowned by a cumulus of orange hair. Thirty-three years old, five nine, two seventy, no scars or tattoos. Four solicitation arrests, one cocaine possession, two drunk and disorderlies, three misdemeanor batteries, all bar fights pled down.
He said, “Big and scrappy.”
“She managed to avoid Skinhead’s knife because she moved to the door quickly. Maybe something about him tipped her off early in the encounter and she was careful.”
“An obvious weirdo? Too bad he found her later.” Swinging his feet onto the desk, he loosed the laces of his desert boots, flexed his toes. “Two of Duchesne’s girls die. What if that boils down to some stupid turf war between pimps and Skinhead was just hired help?”
“If that was it,” I said, “why’s Duchesne still operating? He’s not exactly an imposing figure. And how would Selena fit in?”
“ Three street girls and a piano teacher. You’re making a point.”
“A piano teacher who played swinger parties.”
“Like you said, rich folk moving from stale to fresh.”
“Rich folk with secrets could explain hiring Travis Huck.”
“He’s also into the scene?”
“Or just a guy with a past.”
“Tormented soul finally finds a legit job-with an ocean view. Yeah, that could inspire loyalty. ‘Estate Manager’ is rich-folk talk for gopher, right? Huck’s basically a procurer, gets sent out to bring back the goodies.”
I said, “Flowers, catering, victim of the evening.”
His laughter was metallic. “Joe Otto has no idea how small-time he is.”
Big Laura’s mother lived in a beautifully kept house in the Crenshaw District. Tall, like her daughter, Beatrix Chenoweth was as skinny as a walking stick.
She wore a mint-green blouse, wide-legged black trousers, and ballet slippers. Her living room was Delft blue trimmed in white, set up with floral couches and no-nonsense chairs and hung with prints of impressionist masterpieces.
Her reaction to our presence was dry-eyed resignation.
“I knew it…”
“Ma’am, we can’t be sure-”
“I’m sure, Lieutenant. How many girls are that size? And have taken that path?”
Milo didn’t answer.
Beatrix Chenoweth said, “I’ve got four daughters. Two are school-teachers like myself and the baby’s a flight attendant for Southwest. Lurlene was the third. She took every bit of fight out of me.”
“Ma’am,” said Milo. “I’m not here to tell you something definitely happened to Lurlene and I really hope it didn’t. But if you don’t mind giving me a cheek scraping we can find out-”
“Oh, something happened, all right, Lieutenant. I’ve been dreading this moment for an entire year. Because that’s how long it’s been since I heard from Lurlene. And no matter what happened, she always called.
Her voice had climbed but her face was impassive. “It started in high school, Lieutenant. Someone gave her amphetamines to lose weight. It didn’t work, she never lost a pound. But that didn’t stop her from getting addicted and that was the beginning of the end.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am.”
“Lurlene was my only heavy one. Took after her father. The rest of us girls never had problems in that area. In fact my second did some fashion modeling.”
I said, “Must’ve been hard for Lurlene.”
Her head dropped, as if suddenly too heavy. “Everything was hard for Lurlene. She was the smartest of the four, but the weight ruined her life. Being ridiculed.”
She began crying silently. Milo found his stash of tissues and gave her one.
“Thank you… I didn’t realize until later what a burden it was for her. All those arguments over too much butter on the bread… she was an eleven-pound baby. None of my others topped eight.”
Milo said, “She started with amphetamines.”
“Started, yes,” said Beatrix Chenoweth. “In terms of what else she got into, I don’t know, you can probably tell me more than I can tell you.”
Milo didn’t answer.
“I want to know, Lieutenant.”
“From what I can tell from her arrests, cocaine and alcohol were issues, ma’am.”
“Alcohol, yes, I knew that. Lurlene got arrested once for being drunk.”
Twice; Milo didn’t correct her. “Did she get in contact with you after she got arrested?”
“You mean to help her with bail? No, she told me afterward.”
“Someone else paid her bail.”
“She said she’d paid it herself, Lieutenant. That was the point of the call. Bragging. I asked her how she got the money and she laughed and we got into a… discussion. I suppose I knew how she was supporting herself. I suppose I chose to pretend I didn’t.”
She cleared her throat.
Milo said, “Can I get you some water, ma’am?”
“No, thank you.” Touching her neck. “It’s not thirst that’s caught in here.”
“Ma’am, what can you tell us about Lurlene’s friends?”
“Not a thing,” said Beatrix Chenoweth. “She didn’t expose me to her personal life and as I said, I didn’t want to know. Does that sound uncaring, Lieutenant?”
“Of course not-”
“It wasn’t. It was… an adaptation. I’ve got three other daughters and five grandchildren who need my attention. I can’t… couldn’t…” Her head bowed again. “Every single counselor we spoke to said Lurlene would have to bear the consequences of her own actions.”
I said, “Were there a lot of counselors?”
“Oh, yes. First from the schools. Then we went to a clinic our HMO recommended. Nice Indian man. Dr. Singh. He said the exact same thing. Lurlene had to want to change. He suggested Horace and I have a few sessions, to
