Hollywood Murder (6 page)

Frank Dyer was a block down the street, watching the cops who had followed Henry Montreal. The PI was tall, with short reddish-brown hair and hawkish dark eyes. He stayed in his car long after Montreal had parked and the police had left the area. The fact that the authorities had followed the wealthy financier told Dyer they were already onto the game, and this was now a game of odds. If he was a betting man, he’d bet that Henry Montreal hadn’t said anything about the trophy he’d left on his desk. He also knew that his mark was smart and would try to play his own game.

The path that had led the PI to this day had been long and tortuous. Dyer’s real name was Wendell Terry. He was the son of a bar owner in Waco, Texas. His mother had left him and his brother when he was eight. After that, it was a day to day struggle, just to survive. His drunken father had kicked him out of the house when he was sixteen, and he’d been homeless for a while before joining the army.

The injury to his vocal cords had happened while he was in the military, but not overseas as he’d told Marsh. He’d been shot during a drunken brawl in a bar while awaiting deployment. A couple of surgeries later, the doctors said it was the best they could do and he’d been discharged.

In the years that followed, Wendell Terry had worked a variety of menial jobs, just to get by. The young man who could barely talk, scarcely survived, making his living as a dish-washer and a janitor, while slowly regaining the voice that had been lost to violence. In the years that followed, he managed to eventually find his voice again, albeit one that was raspy and thin.

Five years ago, Wendell decided to change his name and become a PI. The jobs had been slow, at first. Frank Dyer had spent most of his time following cheating husbands and writing reports for his boss. But he’d saved every cent and eventually started his own business. Then one day, he’d met Vince Marsh in a bar, and the rest, as they say, was history. The lost boy from Waco, Texas was about to score the biggest payday of his life.

Dyer continued to watch Montreal’s office building for a few minutes, before putting his car into gear. He drove through surface streets before taking the 110 Freeway toward Terminal Island. It was early afternoon and the traffic was light. He drove at a leisurely pace, pleased that his plans were playing out just as he had expected.

He remembered his earlier encounters with Vince Marsh in a restaurant near the attorney’s office. The conversation had been casual, at first, him telling Marsh that he was a PI who specialized in domestic matters. When the lawyer had asked him what that meant, he light-heartedly told him that he made problems go away, usually for husbands. As the discussions grew more serious in subsequent meetings, Dyer had convinced Vince Marsh that he could make him a very wealthy man. He’d made the attorney believe it was just a matter of time before a big payday came his way.

In the weeks that followed, Marsh had made his desires known to him. “My father-in-law is an extremely wealthy man,” he’d said. “He’s also a cheap bastard that won’t give me a cent unless he’s convinced it’s in his own interests.”

Dyer had smiled, asking him, “What exactly do you have in mind?”

Vince had drained the last of his beer and locked eyes with him. “Do you know what I see when I look at my wife and children?” He signaled the server for another beer before turning back to Dyer. “Dollar signs. Five million dollar signs to be exact.”

“That’s a lot of money. What makes you think your father-in-law will pay?”

“His wife. Henry could care less about his family, but Georgette would give every cent they have to save her daughter and grandkids.”

The planning began in earnest after that, Dyer convincing Marsh that a message had to be left showing that they meant business. After learning about their housekeeper, he decided on a course of action and told the attorney exactly what he had in mind.

Vince Marsh had taken another sip of liquid courage, swallowed, and nodded his head. “Let’s do it.”

After that, Dyer knew that his mark had totally bought in. But what Vince Marsh didn’t know was that this was a very different game than the one that he believed had been set in place. There were millions at stake, but he was the one who would score the big payday. Vince Marsh was a pawn in a very big game, and Dyer was the one who made the rules.

After turning off the freeway, the PI followed the surface streets before turning into an area full of warehouses near the Port of Los Angeles. The place they had chosen was behind a fence and secluded, assuring that no one would be aware that a family was living in one of the rusted- out shipping containers.

Dyer parked his car and walked over to the small trailer that was adjacent to the container. “How are things?” he asked the woman after she’d left the trailer and walked over to him.

The attractive woman placed her arms around him and said, “All’s quiet on the western front.”

Their lips met before Dyer took a step back and looked into her beautiful eyes. He called her Sasha. It wasn’t her real name, of course, but he liked the way it sounded. It reminded him of a spy and the fact that they were playing a high-stakes, secret game.

“The odds must be astronomical,” Dyer said.

“I’m sorry?

He smiled. “The odds must be a million to one that anyone would ever suspect you would be involved in what’s happening.”

Sasha’s blue eyes twinkled and she giggled. “That’s what I’m counting on.”

After leaving downtown Los Angeles, Leo stopped at the Police Administration Building to drop off some paperwork. While waiting for him, I remembered that Selfie had given me a phone number for Allison Marsh’s friend Deidre Cole. I called her and, since Cole’s condo was on the way back to the station, I made arrangements to stop by and see her late in the day.

“Is there anything new on Allison or the children?” Cole asked us after we made introductions and she showed us into her living room.

Bernie panted at my feet as I said, “We’re actively working the case, but I’m sorry, there’s nothing new.” I gave my dog the settle command as Leo and I took seats on her sofa. “What can you tell us about Allison?”

Deidre Cole was an attractive young woman with brown hair and sapphire eyes. Her olive skin was tanned, making me think that she either spent a lot of time by a pool or in a tanning salon. The condo where we met was a studio, small and cluttered. I got the impression that she lived alone.

“We’ve known each other since college,” Cole told us.” She’s a sweet, kind person. What happened is such a shame.” She took a moment, trying to control her emotions before going on. “Allison’s the kind of person who only wants the best for her family.”

I had the impression there was more she had to say, but I didn’t want to prejudice what was on her mind and asked an open-ended question. “What else can you tell us about her?”

She twisted her hands in her lap. “She wasn’t very happy.”

“Why is that?” Leo asked.

“Vince.”

He nodded. “What about him?”

“Early in their marriage, he cheated on her. I don’t think Allison ever really trusted him after that.”

“Do you know who he was involved with?”

She shook her head. “No. I think maybe it was someone he met from work, but I’m not sure.”

“What about recently?” I asked. “Did Allison think he was still cheating on her?”

Her eyes came up to mine and she gave a slight nod. “She had her suspicions, but couldn’t prove anything.”

“Suspicions about…”

“Allison wasn’t sure, and she wasn’t someone to speak without the facts. I just got the impression that maybe it was someone close to her and Vince, maybe even someone they were both friends with.”

“Did she have any other close friends that you know of, besides you?”

“I’m not sure. Allison’s pretty private, so I don’t think there were a lot of people she confided in.”

She told us again that Allison was a kind and caring person. When she finished I said, “Tell me something, Deidre. Do you think Vince could have been involved in the disappearance of his own family?”

Allison’s best friend held on my eyes for a long moment. She finally said, “I don’t want to believe that, but…” She took a breath. “I wouldn’t rule it out.”

***

“Henry Montreal seemed cooperative,” I told Lieutenant Oz in his office late that afternoon. “He had no problem with us placing a tap on his phone in case a ransom demand is made.”

“SID is setting the tap in place this afternoon,” Selfie said, looking at Molly.

“They’re probably done by now,” her counterpart agreed.

Oz was doting over Bernie as he said, “All this assumes that we’ve actually got a kidnapping case. It could be there’s something else going on and we’re completely off base with this.”

Leo and I took a moment, filling them in on what Deidre Cole had said. I then added, “She describes Vince as a womanizer and said Allison had her suspicions he was continuing to cheat on her.”

“Any names come up during the discussion?”

“She wasn’t sure, but speculated he might have been cheating with someone they were both friends with.”

“Let’s also go back to the husband this afternoon and lean on him again. If he’s involved in what happened, maybe part of the motivation is another woman.” He looked around the room. “Where are Darby and Mel?”

Leo answered. “They’re canvassing the Marshes’ neighborhood this afternoon, hoping to find someone who might have seen the comings and goings at the residence.”

“Let’s move on this as quickly as we can. The sensational nature of the murder, and the fact that the family has gone missing, has really stirred the press up, not to mention the brass.”

“Lots of pressure?” Leo asked, smiling at his old friend. My partner and Oz had worked together during their early years on the force. It had left them with a brotherly bond.

Oz returned his smile. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

We went on about the case for a few minutes before I changed the subject, asking the lieutenant, “Where do we stand on the Potter case?”

“Dembowski said the chief wants us to work it into our schedule, even if it means only working the case as time permits. The meeting with the reporter has been set up for tomorrow morning here at the station. Shelia Woods will also be bringing her camera crew.”

I dreaded the idea of being on camera, especially since my hair, as usual, was in a state of rebellion. I’d caught sight of myself in a window on the way into the station and decided I looked like I’d been caught in a small tornado. I made a mental note to call my brother and see if he could give me an appointment after work.

“What would you think about letting Selfie and Molly work the case with us?” Leo asked the lieutenant, glancing over at our civilian employees and smiling. “They’re an integral part of Section One and could help with the investigation.”

“I don’t have a problem with it,” Oz said, looking at the two women and raising his snowy brows.

“We’re going to be on TV,” Molly deadpanned, obviously not thrilled with the idea. She looked at her counterpart. “Now I’m going to have to spend my evening trying to find something to wear.”

“I might have to get my hair done, add some color,” Selfie said, giggling. Her hair was orange today.

After the women finished discussing their hair and clothing for the show, I said to them, “Why don’t you both work up everything you can on the Potter case. We’ll go over it in the morning with the reporter. If nothing else, it will set the stage and give her some background.”

They both agreed before Oz told them they were free to go. Leo and I stayed behind as it was the first chance I’d had to tell him about my meeting with Collin Russell. I took a few minutes, going over what Russell had told me about his son being a member of the Revelation.

“If what he’s saying is true, it means that Kellen Malone may have been involved in what happened, both to my father and Jean Winslow. Russell also said that thirty years ago the group had a hitman named Ryan Cooper, which gives more credence to that possibility.” I took a couple more minutes to tell him what Russell had said about his partner apparently being killed by his son and that Malone had also threatened to kill him if he ever disclosed he was his father.

“It sounds like your typical Hollywood family,” Oz said, smiling.

“I’ve seen worse,” I said, thinking about my own dysfunctional family.

The lieutenant was quiet for a moment, apparently processing what I’d said. Leo took the opportunity to say, “We’ve both heard the rumors about the secret society for years, Ozzie. I don’t know much about the group, but I did a little research on Malone. He’s worth a small fortune and appears to have his hand in a lot of television and movie productions. He’s also friends with several high profile directors and A-listers.”

“My friends have also done some research on him,” I added. “They think he’s a player who’s been involved with lots of women over the years, some of whom have gone away under suspicious circumstances.”

Oz released a heavy breath after taking everything in. “The talk about the Revelation goes back over three decades. I think the department even looked into the group at one time, but nothing much came of it.” The lieutenant looked at me. “I need to take this up the chain to Dembowski. In the meantime, given what you’ve found out, I need you to stand down.” He smiled. “You also need to be sure that your friends don’t go poking at a hornet’s nest.”

I chuckled. “I’ve already talked to them, but I’ll make a point of doing so again.”

Oz nodded. “I don’t know how much truth there is to what you’ve found out, but we all need to be careful. If this secret society does exist, I have a feeling it’s both powerful and dangerous.”

***

Leo called Vince Marsh’s cell phone and left a couple of messages that weren’t returned before our workday ended. We made plans to try and talk to him late in the morning after our meeting with Shelia Woods. Before leaving the station, I called my brother and he agreed to work me into his schedule.

Leo and I were about to leave for the day when we got a call from the front desk, telling us that Karen Dodd, Allison’s sister, was in the lobby asking to see us. We met with her a few minutes later, made introductions, and took her into an interview room.

After settling in at a table across from us, Dodd explained why she was there. “When I heard what happened, I just felt like I had to come. Even though I’m her stepsister and I haven’t seen her in a couple of years, it just seemed like the right thing to do.”

Karen Dodd was probably in her early thirties. She was attractive, with shoulder length brown hair, and a sweet, innocent face. I had a photograph of her sister that her mother had given us and saw the resemblance. The only feature she appeared to have in common with her father was her powdery-blue eyes.

“We appreciate you talking to us,” I told her. “Is there anything you can tell us about what you think might have happened to Allison and her children?”

She shook her head. “It’s so…awful. I heard about what happened to their housekeeper.” She released a breath and pushed a hand through her hair. “I can’t imagine anyone taking them.” She brushed away a tear. “I also can’t image what they’re going through.”

“How was your sister’s relationship with her husband?” Leo asked. “Were they having any problems that you know about?”

“I can’t really say. I do know there were some problems a few years ago, but I think they worked things out.”

Leo played the clueless card. “Problems, as in…”

Dodd sighed and didn’t look at us. “I think Vince had some problems adjusting to married life.”

“He cheated on Allison?” I asked.

She met my eyes. “Maybe. Allison didn’t come out and say it, but it’s possible. I guess they eventually got past it.”

“What about Allison? You told us that you and your sister haven’t been close in recent years, but what’s your impression of her?”

Dodd took a moment, at the same time pushing a strand of hair behind one ear. “Allison’s…” She took a moment. “I think she does her best…it’s just that…”

When she didn’t go on, I said, “What are you trying to say?”

Her chest rose and fell. “I think she’s a little overwhelmed between Vince and the children. Sometimes she seemed a little lost.” She shrugged. “I really shouldn’t be saying anything, since I haven’t seen her in a while. Maybe things are better now.”

I looked at Leo, then back at her. “When you say she’s overwhelmed, what exactly does that mean?”

Dodd took a breath, “Let me just tell you what I think. Allison is a sweet, kind person, but…I think her marriage is a sham. I don’t think Vince ever really committed to her. If you ask me, they’re probably only together because of their children.”

“When you say that he never committed to her, it sounds like you think he was continuing to cheat on her?”

She nodded. “All I can tell you is that a year or so after he and Allison got married, Vince hit on me.” She shook her head. “And that’s about as low as it gets.”

I thanked her for what she’d told us and asked about her and Allison’s relationship with their father. “Your dad seems pretty intense. How do you and Allison get along with him?”

She chuckled. “Intense. That’s one way of describing him.” She took a moment. “I guess you could say we all try to do our best. My dad is…I guess there’s a reason why he’s worth a fortune. He wants things his way.”

“Do you and your dad…do you still have a relationship?”

She sighed. “If you want to call it that. I call him at Christmas, on his birthday. It’s polite, but I don’t think you’d call it your typical daughter-father relationship.”

“And what about Allison and her dad?” Leo asked. “How do they get along?”

“I think maybe they’re a little closer because of the kids, but…” She paused. “My stepmother’s crazy about her grandchildren. I think she’s the glue that’s holds everything together.”

“Georgette,” Leo said. “Can you tell us what your relationship with her is like?”

“She’s a nice person. We’ve been cordial to one another over the years, but we’re not close. I think she only wants the best for everyone, but she gets lost in the shadow of my father.”

We spent another twenty minutes with Karen Dodd before thanking her for coming by and saying we’d be in touch. As Leo and I walked back to our desks, I said, “Any thoughts?”

He looked at me. “Dad’s a hard-ass, Vince is a cheater, and Georgette’s glue.”

I nodded. “And Karen?”

“Not sure. Maybe time will tell.”