“Alicia? New development.”
When he was through, she said, “Crazy, L.T. Wouldn’t that be something.”
“You into anything urgent right now?”
“I wish. Total stall on Martha, the same for Villalobos on Lynne. And he’s been working it well—good guy. Not one of his downtown sources had a thing to say, same for the cameras. Hate to say it, L.T., but the air’s starting to feel frosty.”
“Let’s see if we can warm it up, kid. Dig up whatever you can regarding Bel Geddes being at the hotel. We’ve got no grounds to subpoena her cellphone but if you can pull any video that captures herface, we will. Lacking anything inside the hotel, expand to the parking lot. They resist, push ’em. Also, find out what Bel Geddes drives and see if it shows up in the lot.”
“Can I get Sean or Moe on it, too? You know about video ADD. I want to make sure nothing’s missed.”
“Sure,” said Milo. “If you can get both of them, even better.”
“On it, L.T.”
“Gracias.”
He was speeding the 101 past Newhall when Alicia called back. He handed the phone tome.
She said, “Oh, hi, Doc.”
Milo said, “Doc andmoi.I’m being a law-abiding driver.”
“Good for you, L.T. Okay, all I’ve gotten from the hotel interior so far is one view of Heck and the woman going on the elevator and another coming off. Makes sense because the room key log says they stayed in there the whole time. Unfortunately, both are shot from above and don’t clarify a thing.”
Before showing the images to Milo, I studied them. The camera was positioned high enough to turn the top of Michael Heck’s head into a small dark disk. Same for the platinum cap of a black-clad female form stepping into the elevator ahead of him. Heck’s free hand on the pop-up handle of a wheelie bag. Same sequence upon exit.
Alicia said, “Looks like a wig to me. Which I guess makes sense if she’s stepping out on her husband and is being paranoid. Or she just gets off on the mystery-woman thing. I sent Bel Geddes’s photo to a desk clerk who’d been on duty that day but it meant nothing to her.”
Milo said, “Does the height fit?”
“Hard to say from this angle but she doesn’t look huge, so I guess. The hotel’s still looking for files with parking lot shots, they’ve had some technical issues with the cameras. DMV lists two rides for Bel Geddes. A two-year-old red Porsche 911 and a brand-new white Range Rover. We’ve been good little detectives, maybe one of those will show up.”
“Thanks, kiddo.”
“Hey, I’m motivated, L.T. We nail her for obstruction, wouldn’t that be something? Even better, we somehow tie both of them in to Martha? That happens,I’llbe thankingyou.As in forever.”
“Thank Alex, he thought of it.”
“Did he? The way your mind works, Doc.”
—
No conversation for the remainder of the freeway ride. Same for the trip up the Glen to Mulholland and the descent toward the L.A. portion of the snaky road.
As we neared the unmarked turnoff leading up to my house, Milo looked at his watch. “Nearly an hour since she called in…I know it takes time to find more video…her and Hector…maybesomething’shappening.”
Pulling his phone from his pocket, he gave it the longing look of a reformed drunk contemplating a bottle. Muttered, “Bugging her’s not gonna change anything,” stashed it back in his pocket, and dropped me off uttering a rapid, “Thanks for your time,” before roaring away.
Chapter
30
Things changed just before ten p.m. Robin was reading in the living room and I was playing guitar.
When the phone rang, I took it into my office.
Milo said, “Blessed are those who listen to shrinks. Neither of ol’ Bettina’s vehicles showed up in the lot but guess what: We nailed her at the passenger door to Heck’s BMW waiting for him to open it for her. He’s fumbling for his keys, she’s tapping her foot, like what’s taking you so long, moron. He drops the keys and she uses the time to pull off a blond wig and shake out a whole bunch of red hair. Then she has the good graces to turn and inadvertently face a nearby camera and it’s clearly her. Hold on, I’ll send it to you.”
