“You bet. We’re usually back in the bedroom sleeping and he never makes a peep. I was out here because I’d been wrestling with a tough chapter and dozed off.”
“Nothing sets Balthazar off when you’re in the bedroom.”
“Such as?”
“An animal.”
“No, no, never,” said Genevieve Winslow. “Balthy istotallyanimal-friendly. Even squirrels. He’d lick one to death, it’s just people he doesn’t like. Wow. Thisisalarming.”
“No reason to be alarmed,” said Alicia.
“Easy for you to say.”
I said, “Sounds like Balthy was a great sentry. Great addition to all your other precautions.”
“Well, yes. I guess. But I’m going to install cameras. Been thinking about it, now I’ve made the decision. If it’s not too expensive. You recommend that, right?”
“Can’t hurt,” said Milo. “So your dealings with Ms. Matthias were casual.”
“Not even that,” she said. “More like random. But I don’t like to see anyone in any sort of peril so I called you people. Apparently at the wrong number.”
Alicia said, “And again, thanks for that.”
“No thanks required,” said Genevieve Winslow without a trace of sincerity. “Virtue is its own reward. A famous Roman said that. Cicero. As in Open Cicero.”
Chapter
5
We left Genevieve Winslow standing in her doorway.
When Alicia looked at her, she shut the door.
“What do you think of her, Doc?”
I said, “Unconventional.”
Milo said, “Not for L.A. Yeah, she’s an odd one but I don’t see an indication she had anything to do with it. And she doesn’t seem to actually know much.”
Alicia said, “It was pretty much dead-ending until you brought up the dog, Doc.”
Milo said, “Little growler hearing something four nights ago.”
“Which fits with the mail piling up. So maybe we’ve got time of death.”
A figure emerged from Martha Matthias’s backyard and hurried towardus.
Tom Blessingame holding up an index finger.
Milo said, “Got something?”
“Just the opposite. After taking a careful look we decided not to touch it. Too much risk without a pathologist on-scene. So we called for one and Dr. Lopatinski’s coming over.”
“Beautiful.”
Blessingame looked confused.
“She’s the best, Tom.”
