“Tagging along with Brother Brad,” I said. “When Brad drops in at the PlayHouse, Billy’s right there with him. All those good-looking starlets-in-training.”
“Getting an eyeful of girls like Michaela and Tori Giacomo, could be overstimulating.”
“Billy seemed gentle,” I said. “But crank up the id and who knows?”
“What if the real reason Brad didn’t want to talk to us in front of Billy was because he was afraid Billy would give something away? And here’s something else: Billy lives in an apartment in Beverly Hills. Reeves Drive, just off Olympic.”
“Couple of miles from Michaela’s place.”
“A guy with no wheels could walk it.”
“Same problem as Peaty,” I said. “How to transport a body. And I don’t see Billy getting away with an unregistered ride. Not with Brad that protective.”
That turned him silent until we reached Santa Monica’s gold coast. Beachside mansions, once private enclaves, were now exposed to the clamor and the reality of the public sand that fronted them. The clapboard monster William Hearst had built for Marion Davies was ready to crumble after years of Santa Monica city council dithering. A moment later, the exoskeleton of the pier came into view, lit up like Christmas. The Ferris wheel rotated, slow as bureaucracy.
Milo drove the ramp up to Ocean Front, continued onto Pacific Avenue, crossed into Venice. “So now I’ve got two strange guys with access to the PlayHouse.”
I thought about that. “Billy stopped living with Brad two years ago, right before Tori’s disappearance.”
“Why would Brad get Billy out of his house at this point in their lives? These guys are middle-aged, all of a sudden it’s time for a change?”
“Brad wanted to keep his distance from Billy? But if he suspected something, he’d tighten the leash.”
“So what’s the answer?”
“Don’t know.”
“For all we know,” he said, “Brad
“Less liability,” I said.
“He thinks in those terms- foundations, tax breaks, keeping things organized. That rung of the social ladder, it’s a whole different world.”
He looked at his watch. “Let’s see how Nora reacts when I push her a bit. How long it takes for her to cry to Brother Brad.”
Over the years I’ve accompanied Milo to lots of taverns and beer joints and cocktail lounges. A couple of gay bars as well. It’s an illuminating experience watching him function in that sphere.
This was a new dive, a narrow, dark tunnel of a place called Jody Z’s, at the southern edge of Pacific, just above the Marina. Arena rock on the jukebox, silent football rerun on TV, tired men at the urethane bar, rough paneling and fishnets and glass globes.
Plastic sawdust on the floor. What was the point of that?
A short drive to Robin’s house on Rennie. In another time and place, Milo might have mentioned that. The set of his jaw said the only things on his mind were the murders of two young women.
Once we’d finished a couple of beers and rehashed what we knew, there was little to talk about and he started to blend in with the dispirited clientele.
Phoning Michaela’s landlord in La Jolla, he confirmed the appointment tomorrow morning. Ground his teeth. “Bastard’s doing me a big, freaking favor.”
He looked over at the blackboard. Three specials, including the promise of fresh clam chowder. He chanced it.
“Not too bad,” he said, spooning.
“ ‘Not too bad’ and ‘seafood’ shouldn’t be uttered in the same sentence,” I said.
“If I die, you get the first eulogy. I wonder if Nora really gave in when Brad asked her to cool it with Meserve. Brad did raise one good point: Meserve’s nowhere to be found.”
“He seemed eager to steer you to Meserve as a suspect,” I said. “That’s in his best interest if he’s covering for Billy, but it doesn’t mean he’s wrong. Michaela told me she hated Meserve and Mrs. Winograd heard them fighting more than once.”
“Any theory about Dylan’s motive? For Michaela
“Maybe he’s just a bad guy who picks off girls at acting class. He played death games with Michaela up in Latigo and if Michaela was being at all truthful, he planned a calculated hoax. Toss in Brad’s suspicions about gold digging and it doesn’t add up to a character reference.”
“Michaela tell you why she went from being naked in the hills with him to seeing him as the enemy?”
“At the time, I assumed she was dumping the blame on him as trial strategy.”
“Lawyer games.”
“Guess who her lawyer was. Lauritz Montez.”
“That guy from the Malley case? Thought you two had friction.”
“We did but I’m the biggest, baddest, smartest shrink in the whole wild world. Gee willikers.”
“He schmeared you and you bought it?”
“The case interested me.”
“That’s a good reason.”
“As good as any.”
“Mind talking to Montez again, see if Michaela had more to say about her partner in crime?”
“Don’t mind at all,” I said. I’d been thinking of doing it, anyway.
He pushed aside a half bowl of chowder. Waved for another beer, then altered it to a Coke.
The sixty-five-year-old barmaid laughed. “When did you ever have self-control?”
Milo said, “Don’t be cruel,” and she laughed some more and left.
I realized all the patrons were men. Wondered about that as Milo ticked an index finger. “Meserve, Peaty, Brother Billy. Investigation 101 teaches you to narrow the suspect pool. I seem to be doing just the opposite.”
“The search for truth,” I said.
“Ah, the agony.”
CHAPTER 18
By eight fifty-three p.m., we were parked four blocks west of the PlayHouse. As we headed to the school on foot, Milo’s bulk slanted forward, as if marching into a blizzard.
Scoping out streets and driveways and alleys for Michaela Brand’s little black Honda.
The alert for the car had been expanded statewide. Milo and I had cruised these same streets just a few days ago, no reason to look now.
The ability to put logic aside sometimes makes for a great detective.
We got to the building at five after nine, found people milling.
Dim porch light allowed me to count as we neared the front steps. Eight females, five males. Each one slim, young, gorgeous.
Milo muttered, “Mutants,” as he bounded up the stairs. Thirteen pairs of eyes turned to watch. A few of the women shrank back.
