Part 26 (2/2)
”I didn't say she did.”
”Ben would confirm her story. I mean, they're each other's alibi. And what about Beth Woods?” My voice sounded defensive and high-pitched. ”She told me she had been rejected by Jenny. Or Zaitlin? She was ruining his movie. Or me? I don't have an alibi for that night. Or all the others who may have been blackmailed by Jenny?”
”I didn't realize how close you and Celia are.”
”We've been friends since we were sixteen.” Was it our friends.h.i.+p I was defending so vehemently? Or maybe I couldn't handle another betrayal? ”Let's change the subject. How did you know where to find Parson's movie theater?”
”I've been following Parson for a while.”
”Working for the same client that led you to the Bel Air house?”
”Yes.”
”Beth Woods?”
”She isn't my client.”
”Then who is it? I know you're working for Zaitlin. Why not tell me?”
”Everybody knows I work for him.” He leaned his shoulder against the doorframe.
”Tell me how you knew where The Rock was.” I asked.
”One night I tailed Parson there. Luis drove down the alley and parked. He and Parson went into the theater.”
”Did you go in after them?”
”I didn't want them to know I had followed them. Also, I'm not suicidal.”
”What were they doing in there, torturing people? Or watching old movies from the decade he was eating candy off the floor?”
”About two hours later they came out dragging a very limp man between them. They threw him into the trunk of the limo and left.”
”Did you recognize the man?”
”Not from where I was.”
”Did you ever hear anything about a missing man, or an unidentified body?”
”Unidentified bodies are not unusual in Los Angeles. But no, I never heard.”
”Not even from your source in the LAPD?”
”Not even from my source.”
”You and Detective Spangler should get different notebook covers.”
He moved to me, tilted my chin up with his fingertips, and kissed me. ”Time to change the subject again.”
”How did you meet Zaitlin?” I asked.
He walked over to the wall opposite the boarded-up sliding gla.s.s doors and took a Swiss Army knife from his pants pocket. ”I was an actor.”
”Oh, G.o.d, you mean I've gone to bed with another actor?” I collapsed on the sofa dramatically.
Laughing, he reminded me, ”We didn't make it to the bed. I starred in a movie called Horror on the Run. Don't tell me you never saw it?”
”I don't know how I could have missed it.”
He began to pry loose the two bullets Rubio had left in the wall. My permanent chill awoke.
”I went to read for a small role in one of Zaitlin's movies and he asked me if I really wanted to be an actor. It was a good question. I should've asked myself that. I thought about it and said 'no.'” He dislodged one of the rounds. ”I started doing a little security for him, and then 9/11 happened. When I got out of the Army he helped me start up my business by recommending me.” He dug the other slug out. ”You have something to cover these holes with? If the police come here to question you for any reason, it's not a good idea have bullets in your wall.” He folded the knife and placed it and the rounds in his pocket.
From the side table I took a large framed photograph of Colin and me that had once hung on his office wall and handed it to Heath. Then I went into the kitchen and got a hammer out of the drawer and dug around to find a nail. When I returned Heath was studying the picture.
”You two look very happy,” he said.
”I thought we were.” I looked at the picture and for the first time noticed the strain around Colin's smiling eyes and mouth.
”I've seen people die. But I've never lost anyone I loved.” He tucked the picture under his arm as I handed him the hammer and nail.
”Because n.o.body close to you has died? Or you've never loved?”
”Never been in love. Never intend to.” He pounded the nail into the wall and secured the photo over the holes.
”Don't worry, Heath, I'm not going to stalk you to the ends of the earth,” I said in a cold firm voice.
Puzzled, he turned from the wall. ”What?” Then realizing, said, ”Sorry. I'm used to setting up parameters even when I don't need to.” He tossed the hammer on the sofa.
”Probably got it from your military experience.”
”Maybe.”
”I found out what Parson had on my husband.”
”You don't have to tell me.”
”I want to. Colin had s.e.x with my mother when I was away on location. My last movie. I was giving up my career for my marriage. It's cruel and uncaring what they did, but if I think about it now, it's hardly a reason to keep paying money to hide it. Except Colin knew I would've left him. Back then I was the high-maintenance insecure beauty you were talking about in the kitchen.”
”Aren't you being a little hard on yourself?”
I shrugged. ”I would've left him. That way I could put the blame on my mother for destroying our marriage. Not on Colin. Not on me. But on her alone. It was the only way I could've gotten back at her. The only way I could keep her from winning, the only way I could keep the battle going with her. I didn't know it then, but I see now that my conflict with her was more important than my marriage.” I moved close to him. ”I'm not that high-maintenance insecure beauty anymore. So your parameters are safe with me.” I put my arms around his neck. Looking up at him, I said, ”I want to thank you for the mindless s.e.x. You helped me forget my ghosts for a while.” I kissed him, slipped the dishtowel from his shoulder, and stepped back.
”That felt like a good-night and good-bye kiss.”
”Just good-night.” I went to the front door and waited for him to get his jacket and Colt. I've never waited for a man to get his gun before, I thought, amused.
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