Hollywood Quest_A Hollywood Alphabet Series Thriller Read online

  SIXTY-NINE

  After leaving Liv’s office, I stopped by Molly Wingate’s workspace. We chatted about her kids and boyfriend for a few minutes before she asked me about Ross Adams.

  “I’ve invited him to a dinner my former landlord and friends rescheduled after Charlie’s death. I’m not sure he’s ready for Nana and the others. I’m actually a little worried he’ll go rushing back to Taft, and I’ll never see him again.”

  She laughed. “I doubt that...although, I have heard stories about Natalie and Mo.”

  I smiled. “I’m afraid most of them are true.” We chatted about my friends for a couple minutes before I moved the conversation in a different direction. “I’m doing some follow-up on Diane Ruskin. She was the reporter that Laura Bratton sent the Agrasom research to. I’m wondering if you can do a little checking for me and find out about her background, maybe where she lives.”

  Molly swiveled in her chair and picked up a folder on the bookcase behind her. “Actually, I have something right here. Leo did the notification to Ruskin’s family, so I pulled together the information for him. Her spouse lives in Pasadena.”

  I took the file from her and spent a couple minutes thumbing through it. I then looked up at Molly. “It says here she was married to a woman named Donna Goldman.”

  She nodded. “From what I remember from her background, she and Diane had been college sweethearts. They were one of the first couples to get married when same-sex unions were legalized.”

  I rose. “Mind if I borrow this file for a day or two?”

  “Of course not. Can I ask what you have in mind?”

  “Doing the right thing.”

  ***

  It took me just over an hour to make the drive to Donna Goldman’s house in Pasadena. Diane Ruskin’s widow lived in an upscale neighborhood near the Rose Bowl. Bernie was at my side as I stood on the porch of her sprawling Tudor home and rang the bell.

  There was no answer, and I was about to leave, when a car pulled into the driveway. I went over and introduced myself, expressing my condolences to Goldman over the loss of her wife.

  “I’m surprised you came all this way,” she said. She was an attractive woman, in her mid-forties, with short blonde hair and hazel eyes.

  “I wanted you to know how much the department appreciates what Diane did.”

  What I’d said impacted her. Her eyes were heavy as she said, “Why don’t you join me for a drink on my patio.”

  I accepted her offer, and a few minutes later we settled under a stone portico overlooking her yard. She served up lemonade as Bernie trotted through her flower garden.

  “My dog is enjoying your back yard,” I said, after accepting the drink. “We live in a mobile home, so it’s a bit cramped.”

  “Diane and I bought this place because of the back yard.” Her gaze drifted off. “We wanted to have children someday.”

  I gave her a moment, before getting to the reason for my visit. “I’m sure you’re aware that Diane and Laura Bratton were very close. Laura trusted her with the documents that kept her alive.”

  “We both knew Laura from school. She was a very bright woman. It’s a terrible shame what happened to her family.” She took a moment, then said, “You’re here because...because of the research...it never got to the press.”

  “It got there, but the files were corrupted, made unreadable.”

  Goldman didn’t respond. She rose and walked over to a small pond that bordered the patio. She took a moment before looking back at me. “It was the government, wasn’t it?”

  I nodded. “Probably. We’ll never know, for sure.”

  She came back over and sat down next to me. I saw there were tears in her eyes. “Diane gave her life to expose the truth about everything. It’s not right.”

  I held on her eyes. “No, it’s not.”

  There was a long silence between us that spoke volumes. Donna Goldman knew why I was there, but we didn’t need to speak of it. She finally rose and said, “I’ll be back in a moment.”

  I took a walk through her back yard while I waited. Bernie and I stopped for a moment near a stand of purple Mexican sage, watching some butterflies dancing in the bright afternoon sunlight. Something about the spectacle reminded me of Charlie and Laura, their spirits now set free from the surly bonds of earth. I heard Goldman’s voice behind me and turned, realizing she was standing very close.

  “Diane and I loved to garden,” she said. “Sometimes, digging in the earth can be very therapeutic. It gives you a great appreciation for the beauty and the wonder of the natural world.” She then reached over, grasped my hand, and slipped a flash drive into it. “Thank you for stopping by, Detective. I appreciate it more than I can ever tell you.”

  SEVENTY

  I got back to Hollywood a little before six, after meeting with Cynthia McFadden and giving her the flash drive Donna Goldman had given me. I’d handed over the electronic file, giving her explicit instructions not to send the research documents electronically. Cynthia had promised that she would download the files offline, copy them, and make sure hard copies got into the hands of several major news outlets.

  I was on my way home when I got a call from Olivia, or Liv as she now wanted me to call her. “Can you stop by my place for a few? I have something I need to discuss.”

  After getting directions to her apartment, I met with her on the rooftop deck of her building a half hour later. My new boss wasted no time telling me what was on her mind as we stood near the railing and watched the lights of the city come on.

  “I know that you met with Donna Goldman this afternoon. I’m assuming everything went as you intended.” I started to ask her how she knew about the meeting when she said, “Molly told me you were asking about Ruskin’s family.”

  I met her eyes and nodded, my gaze then moving back over to the city. “The meeting was productive. I think you’ll hear about the results soon.” I looked back at her, unsure how she was going to respond.

  Liv smiled and looked at the skyline, but otherwise didn’t respond.

  “Are you going to tell the brass what I did?” I asked.

  “I don’t know exactly what you did, so let’s leave it that way.” She looked at me, still smiling. “How do you sleep at night?”

  I was surprised by her question. “I don’t.”

  “Neither do I.” Her unfocused eyes were still on the city. “You and I share a bond, Kate. We live on the dark side of the world because of loss.” Her gaze drifted off again. “I glad I have you to share that understanding.”

  I was touched by what she said. “I’m glad we’re friends.”

  After a long moment, she said, “Do you know what Z-91 really is?”

  “The research...”

  “It’s a symptom.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “There’s something in the preamble to the constitution about promoting the general welfare of the people. Z-91 is the symptom of a sickness in a world where money and power are more important than the lives of children.” I saw the heaviness in her eyes as she added, “Nothing could be more wrong.”

  We were quiet for a moment as we looked at the darkening city again. I then said, “I guess it’s up to us to try and make it right, then.”

  She chuckled. “You remind me of Supergirl.”

  I also laughed. “Most days, that’s about the last thing I feel like.”

  She took a step closer and interlocked her arm in mine. “I’d say what you did today shows you have super powers.”

  “I appreciate you saying that.”

  Her smile came back. “What do you say we go get drunk?”

  I leaned over, hugging her. “I’d say I haven’t had a better offer in a long time.”

  SEVENTY-ONE

  Liv and I had spent a wonderful night out on the town, drinking and forgetting our troubles. In a short period of time, I’d bonded with my new lieutenant and had a feeling that she would be a friend for life. I was still ha
ving bouts of depression over the loss of Charlie, but her friendship was instrumental in helping me try to move on.

  I had intended to talk to my mother the next day, but put it off when I got a late start after sleeping late and taking Bernie to the park. I’d also promised to attend Nana’s dinner party that she’d rescheduled for that evening. Ross was planning to meet me at Nana’s upscale hotel and spa in Malibu, where she’d opened her new restaurant. After taking Bernie to my brother’s place for the night, I got dressed and then went next door to wait for Nana’s limo with my friends.

  Natalie wasted no time, bringing over cocktails she called Nutters while we waited. “These are from a special recipe me aunt handed down to me,” she said, handing a drink to both Mo and me. “I thought it would be a good idea to take the edge off things before we get to Adam and Eve’s.”

  Mo must have seen my confusion. “It’s the name of Nana’s new restaurant.” She slammed down her Nutter in one gulp. “Not bad.” She looked at Natalie. “Do you think I’m overdressed for the party?”

  Both my friends were wearing LBD’s, or little black dresses. They were somewhat conservative, given their usual attire, so I didn’t understand what she meant.

  Natalie giggled. “Maybe just a little.” She looked at me. “Kate, on the other hand, is definitely overdressed.”

  I was wearing dark pants and a silk blouse. “You really think so?”

  There was more giggling. “We’ll see how things go.”

  I took a sip of my Nutter, wondering what they meant. The drink was loaded with alcohol, so I decided to go easy on it.

  “You get any word on that offshore bank account baby sis and me found?” Mo asked. “We figure you can use some of your fortune to help us find a new place.”

  “Krump came by today and said we gotta be outta here in just over two weeks,” Natalie said. “Mo and me were thinking we could all get one of them penthouse apartments at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills.”

  “I’m having Joe do some checking and see if there really is a bank account, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. In the meantime, we’d better start looking for a place that’s a few stories below the penthouse.”

  “She means, like a basement,” Mo said.

  Natalie finished her Nutter. “No worries, I’m sure somethin’ will turn up.”

  After some more chit chat, Nana’s limo pulled up. When we got to the car, I realized Nana was with Tex and Howie.

  “Jack’s agreed to be my date for the evening,” Nana said, looking at Howie, while Natalie and Tex took a seat across from them.

  “Jack?” I said, after Mo and I piled in.

  “Heeeere’s Johnny!” Howie said, in the voice of Jack Nicholson, smiling at me.

  Nana’s date had dyed his hair black, and it was slicked back on his head. I realized he’d taken on the personality of the famous actor from The Shining.

  Jack worked his brows up and down, as he adapted some more lines from another one of the actor’s old movies. “I think we’re gonna have a helluva good time tonight. I just hope I can remember it.”

  Nana cackled and took a puff on an unlit cigarette in a long holder. “Oh, you’ll remember it, all right.” She looked at me. “I can’t wait to see what you’re really made of.”

  I looked at my friends. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Mo shrugged. “Just a figure of speech.”

  That caused Nana and Jack to unsuccessfully attempt to suppress their laughter. I was starting to feel like the entire evening was a huge mistake, especially when I thought about Ross meeting them all.

  “I heard your father left you a boatload of money,” Nana said. “Maybe you can stop living in poverty now.”

  “I’m not sure...”

  Mo cut me off. “Maybe we’ll end up your neighbors, Nana. We need someplace that’s upscale.”

  “I’m going to be moving,” Nana said. “Boris and Jessica are taking over Ravenswood.”

  “You gotta be kidding. He’s really gonna cohabit with that woman?”

  “They’re engaged. You’ll probably all be invited to the wedding.”

  “I can’t wait to see that hairy ghoul walk down the aisle with his bride,” Natalie said.

  “Technically, Boris would be considered suffering from hypertrichosis,” Tex said. “It’s caused by a paracentric chromosomal mutation. Jessica should be informed there’s a fifty percent chance the condition could be passed to their offspring.”

  “You mean Boris and Jessica are gonna have a bunch of baby werewolves,” Mo said, laughing. “That I gotta see.”

  “They deserve one another,” Nana said. “I’m tired of Boris and his family trying to control me.”

  Jack, or Howie, patted his elderly date’s knee, imitating the actor again. “You make me wanna be a better man.”

  “It’s a line from the movie As Good as it Gets,” Tex explained.

  Natalie must have seen me rubbing my temples. “You okay?”

  “I’ve just got a headache,” I groaned. “I shouldn’t have drunk the rest of your Nutter.”

  “You’re going to need more than a Nutter before the night’s over,” Nana said.

  Despite asking what she meant, no one would tell me what was going on. I was forced to endure another hour of lines from Jack’s old movies, Tex’s technical explanation of monstrous medical abnormalities, and Nana telling us that maybe we could move in with her and Howie.

  “You two really gonna move in together?” Natalie asked her.

  She made goo-goo eyes at her date. “Being with Howie is like dating a different star every night.”

  When we got to the Mission Bell, Nana’s upscale hotel, we found Mo’s date, Cleo, and Ross waiting for us in the lobby.

  When Ross came over to me, we exchanged hugs, and I whispered, “Brace yourself, this could be a little crazy.”

  He asked me what I meant, but we were interrupted when the others came over, and Mo introduced us to Cleo. He was a big guy, with a shaved head, who was soft-spoken, maybe leery of what he’d gotten himself into.

  Natalie didn’t cut him any slack, telling him, “Just so you know, Tex and me are gonna get a room and play hide the salami at the hotel after dinner. You might wanna do the same and show Mo some of your trade secrets.”

  Cleo smiled at his date. “Just so you know, I get union scale.”

  Mo brushed orange hair out of her eyes. “Honey, before the night’s over, you’re gonna earn every penny.”

  That was apparently Nana’s cue to turn her attention to my date. “So, you’re the new one? You do know that everyone Kate dates either cheats on her or dies.”

  I stood there, unsure how to respond, while the others laughed. Mo tried to take the edge off what Nana had said, telling Ross, “Kate’s just had a string of bad luck. You probably got a fifty-fifty chance of surviving.”

  “Yeah,” Natalie agreed. “Kate’s like one of them Las Vegas slot machines. The odds gotta eventually work in your favor.”

  After making some more small talk, most of it at my expense, another stretch limo pulled up in front of the hotel, and Boris and Jessica stepped out.

  “Looks like they’re here for the monster prom,” Natalie whispered.

  “I didn’t know Nana had invited them,” I said.

  She giggled. “I think she wants to see what Jessica’s made of.”

  I had no idea what she meant. Mo came over and said, “I just seen the walking dead, and they shoulda stayed horizontal and buried.”

  Boris was wearing a checkered seersucker suit, knee length boots, and white spats, maybe the outfit of choice for the well-dressed ghoul. His date had on a flowery dress, something that looked like it could be left over from a child’s Disney princess party. It took all my willpower to keep a straight face.

  The love-struck couple came over, and Nana introduced them to Cleo and Ross. “This is the baron of Ravenswood and his future first lady.”

  Jessica held out a hand with the large
st diamond ring I’d ever seen. “Charmed, I’m sure.” She looked at Ross, then me. “I see you’ve upped your game. It’s about time.”

  “Your table is ready,” the maître d’ said, coming over to us and saving me from further humiliation, and Jessica from being punched in the face.

  As we walked into the restaurant, I said to Ross, “As you can probably tell, our dinner companions are lacking in some basic social skills.”

  Ross smiled. “I’m sure I’ll get used to them.”

  “I wouldn’t count on it.”

  Adam and Eve, Nana’s new restaurant, brought to mind the Garden of Eden. There were flowering plants and vines everywhere, along with fountains and ponds. The dining areas were separated by bamboo curtains, and there was lots of subdued lighting and soft music. Then we got to our table, and everything about the ambiance suddenly changed.

  A waiter, wearing nothing but a loin cloth, came over and handed out what looked like a pair of goggles to each of us. “The VR headsets will activate shortly,” he said. “Make sure they fit securely so that nothing is missed.”

  “What’s going on?” I said.

  “Just put on your goggles and wait,” Nana said. “We don’t want to spoil the surprise.”

  I glanced at Ross and shrugged. “I guess I’m game, if you are.”

  He smiled. “What have we got to lose?”

  His response resulted in fits of laughter from Nana and my friends. Nana said, “I hope she can handle this.”

  “She can’t handle the truth,” Howie said, in the voice of Jack.

  “Sometimes it feels like my life is just one big odd movie,” I whispered to Ross.

  He smiled, putting on his goggles. “At least it isn’t dull.”

  Once everyone had their goggles in place, the waiter snapped his fingers and said, “Power up.”

  As the screen in front of me lit up, for a moment I wasn’t sure what I was seeing. Then, all at once, I had no doubt what I was seeing and it was horrifying. Howls of laughter moved around the table before Nana pointed at me and said, “I knew you’d look like a girl who just reached puberty.”