Cold Blood (25 page)

Noel continued to blow-dry her hair. Twice his eyes met hers, but he said nothing.

“You know any of the guys in the photo?”

He nodded.

“You see the cat at the end, right at the end of the salon, finishing a tint? He’s the one giving it to her. His name is Cal, Cal Thompson, real little prick, if you’ll excuse the pun.”

Lorraine looked along the row of salon chairs. Cal had his back to her, so she couldn’t get a good look at his face.

She walked down the salon to the end chair. She stood behind the young man who was washing out his tint bowl and brushes.

“Excuse me, it’s Cal, isn’t it?”

Cal Thompson turned. He was good-looking, tanned like everyone in LA, one of those young men full of confidence in his own looks.

“Hi, could I talk to you for a moment?”

He frowned, looked toward the main reception, back to Lorraine.

“In private.”

He hesitated.

“I’m busy right now, if you want to make an appointment”

-3”^

Lorraine took out the photograph.

“You want this plastered over the National Enquirer? I’d find a few minutes if I were you, Cal.”

Cal drew a curtain across the doorway. Lorraine sat down and took out her cigarettes.

“You a reporter?”

“Nope. Sit down a second, Cal.”

He sat down, still holding on to his cool, pushing the ashtray toward Lorraine.

“What do you want?”

“Information. I’m a private investigator. Look at the picture, Cal. Gang rape is an offense, right? She was just a kid, so just answer a few questions, then I’m out of here.”

“Listen, man, she’s no fucking minor. Look at her face, she was loving it.”

“I’d say she was stoned out of her mind. You do know who she is, don’t you?”

He sighed, turning away.

“Yeah, yeah, I know who she is.”

Lorraine waited; he was losing his cool now.

“So you know she’s been missing?”

He nodded.

“Yeah, but it’s got nothing to do with me. I mean, that was just the one time, know what I mean? We were high an

others?”

“All? There’s three guys here fucking a roung kid stoned out of her mind and you say that’s all? Can you name ŤT others?”

“No.”

“So what happened after this?”

Cal shrugged.

“I put my dick away, had a few more drinks and went home. She’d already left with her friend.”

“Who was the friend?”

“I dunno. She was here once at the salon.”

“Tilda Brown?”

“I dunno, I get a lot of clients. Some walk in off the street, so it might not be in the appointment book. Look, I obviously know Anna Louise, but then so did everybody else. She had the reputation of being open to offers, she’d been there a few times before, turning the same tricks. She liked it.”

“Was she always stoned?”

“I dunno, I think it was booze rather than drugs, but everybody’s taking stuff down there, it’s on sale, know what I mean?”

“I’m trying to, Cal. Did you ever see her with anyone specific? Heard the name Polar mentioned at all?”

“No, like I only saw her that time at the club and a few times in the salon. She’s not even my client.”

“You saw her leave the Viper Room on the night this photo was taken?”

“Yeah, and her friend. We hung out for a while longer.”

“We?”

“Couple of friends. It was real late anyway, the place was getting quiet, so it hadda be around four or five in the morning.”

Lorraine slipped the photograph into the envelope.

“Do you recall when this was taken?”

“Yeah, because it was my girlfriend’s birthday. We had a bustup in the Viper, I hung on in there. February thirteenth last year. Look, I’m being dead straight with you. I’m married now and I don’t get into that kind of stuff anymore.”

Lorraine stubbed out her cigarette.

“You recall how she got home? You said you saw her leaving. Did she drive or was she driven, or did she get a taxi?”

“Man, she was too out of it to drive. I think maybe somebody collected her, but I dunno, I honestly don’t remember. I did nothin’ wrong, I mean, she was loving it.”

Lorraine walked to the curtained doorway.

“Thanks. And, Cal, I hope you have been straight with me because I don’t want to have to come back.”

“Hi, you remember me?”

torn Heller was drenched in sweat after a tennis game, tying a white cotton sweater around his shoulders. He stared at Lorraine a moment, then took out a pristine white towel from his kit bag and wiped the sweat from his face, rubbing his hair.

“No, I’m sorry, I don’t.”

She opened her purse as he stowed his rackets into their cases.

“Lorraine Page, Page Investigations.”

He zipped up the bag.

“Oh, right, yeah.”

“Anna Louise Caley, you said you had dated her.”

He slung his bag’s shoulder strap onto his shoulder.

“Right. Look, I should go get a shower.”

“You also said it was a platonic relationshipjust picnics, beach parties…”

He started to move away.

“Wait one second.”

Her voice made him pull up fast.

“You lied, you knew her very well, didn’t you?”

“No more than anyone else.”

She slapped the photo into his chest.

“No more than anyone else? You

mean everybody fucked her like this? Take a good look, because that is no beach party or teenage barbecue, now, is it? It’s a gang bang and you, sunshine, are jerking 5rf over her belly. It is you, isn’t it?”

He stared at the photograph and then let out a long sigh.

“Oh, shit.”

“Let’s sit on a bench and talk. This time you’d better be honest with me or a copy of that is sent to your parents, to the dean of students of this placeyou understand me?”

Mario was polishing the Caleys’ limo. He turned as Lorraine walked up to him.

She smiled.

“Doing a nice job, Mario. Remember me? Lorraine

T-J ?7

Page.

Mario nodded and continued polishing.

“Tell me, on the night of February thirteenth last year, did you collect Anna Louise from the Viper Room?”

“What?”

Lorraine leaned on the side of the car.

“The family left for New Orleans two days later, on the fifteenth, same day Anna Louise disappeared, so I’d say you’ve got a pretty good memory of events close to that date ‘cause you were questioned by the cops, right?”

He nodded again, still polishing.

“So, February thirteenth last year, did you

“

“Yes, ma’am, I picked up Miss Caley and hei^riend, drove them back here.”

“

“Stoned out of their heads?”

“I dunno, ma’am, I just picked ‘em up. They was waitin’ on the sidewalk.”

“Did her parents know?”

“No, ma’am. Anna Louise called me on my cell phone. I had to get up an’ get dressed. It was comin’ up to around five o’clock.”

“How come you’ve never mentioned this to anyone before?”

He walked around to a bucket and dunked his chamois into the soapy water.

“I didn’t want no trouble. They were just foolin’ around, the way kids do. I brought them home, no more to it.”

“You ever picked up Anna Louise from a club before?”

“No, ma’am. She’d call me from a few parties, never wanted to drive when she was not sober. We hadda kind of arrangement, safer that way.”

“Who was she with?”

“Most times with her friend Tilda. She didn’t go out much, only when Miss Brown was stayin’. Everyone said that Miss Brown was a nice girl, but me, well, I didn’t. I think she was a bad influence on Miss Anna Louise, but I never said nothin’ to nobody, not my business.”

“You know anyone called Polar?”

“No, ma’am, I do not, an’ if you’ll excuse me, I need to wash over the wheels now.”

Lorraine stepped aside.

“Did you take Tilda Brown to the airport?”

“I did.”

“She say anything?”

“No, she knew I didn’t like her, she never spoke to me. Miss Tilda Brown is a high-and-mighty little minx.”

Lorraine turned as she heard her name called. Phyllis was standing on the front steps of the house. She looked confused.

“Why, Mrs. Page, I’ve only just sent off your money. I didn’t expect to see you, is there a problem?”

“No, I just need to speak to Mrs. Caley before we leave. She is in, isn’t she? Only I arranged to see her at eleven, but I’ve been held up.”

Lorraine joined Phyllis on the steps.

“I doubt if she will agree to see you. She never mentioned to me that you would be coming over and she is meeting her agent, so …”

Phyllis walked into the hallway, as if to close the front door, but Lorraine was right behind her.

“I need to talk to her, it’s very important.”

“I really can’t interrupt her, she is dressing.”

“Yes, you can, Phyllis, because I am not leaving this house until I see her.”

“I am sorry, but Mrs. Caley cannot see anyone.”

“Don’t you think you should ask me, Phyllis?”

Elizabeth Caley stood at the top of the stairs, looking poised and immaculate.

“I’ll come down, Mrs. Page, but I only have about half an hour.”

Elizabeth stepped brightly and steadily down the stairs, her perfume reaching Lorraine long before the delicate white outstretched hand tapped her shoulder.

Lorraine followed Elizabeth into the sunroom. All the blinds were drawn and the overpowering smell of lilies mixed with Elizabeth’s flowery perfume made her want to gasp for fresh air. They sat at a small white table on two delicate cushioned chairs amid the profusion of plants.

“I’ll get straight to the point.”

“I hope you will, darling. My agent will be here shortlyit seems I am being offered work. Since Anna Louise disappeared I’ve had so much pressdisgusting reallyI think a lot of people in the industry thought I was dead. Of course, I won’t do it, but he is most insistent that I at least discuss the offers. There is nothing sadder than resurrecting old has-beens like myself.”

She laughed.

“You look W&nderful,”

Lorraine said, and meant it. Not a hair of the coal-black braided bun at the nape of Mrs. Caley’s neck was out of place, her makeup was perfect, and her simple pale lemon suit with tight-fitting pencil skirt showed off her slim legs and feet in their white highheeled sandals. She was wearing a tiny gold ankle chain with a diamond drop, diamond earrings and the large diamond and emerald ring on her wedding finger. Beside her, Lorraine felt and looked cheap; this makeover job on Elizabeth Caley had cost a lot of money and it showed.

At that moment, tea and coffee were brought in by the mute butler.

“Thank you, Peters,”

Mrs. Caley said as she poured her pale greenish tea. She looked at Lorraine.

“You’ve found out something, haven’t you?”

Her voice was soft, almost frightened.

“Yes, I have.”

She closed her eyes.

“It’s not good, is it?”

“No.”

“Well, get straight to the point, Mrs. Page, don’t keep me in suspense.”

Lorraine reached for her briefcase.

“I am sorry, but what I’m going to show you will be very upsetting.”

She passed over the photograph and waited, watching Mrs. Caley like a hawk. She saw her eyes widen, saw her swallow once, twice, then breathe in deeply as she stored at the photograph of her daughter. She then passed it back to Lorraine.

“Why? Why would she do something likethat? Why?”

Her lips quivered, then her brow puckered. She seemed m”be trying not to weep in order not to spoil her makeup.

“Who are those people with her?”

“I know two. One is a hairdresser and the other a fellow student.”

She shook her head.

“Dear God, they should be arrested. Where was it taken?”

“In a club. It’s called the Viper Room.”

“Don’t show it to Robert, please don’t let him see that disgusting display or he’ll … he’ll kill them. He wouldn’t believe it, he has no idea.”

“Did you have any idea?”

“What? Did I know my daughter was making a public spectacle of herself? Did I know my daughter was being fucked by a group of men like a whore? No.’ I did not know! But I wish to God I had.”

She clenched her hands.

“What kind of a woman do you think I am?”

“You have a drug problem, I know that.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Who told you this?”

“I found it out, Mrs. Caley, that is my job. But are you fully aware of the enormous risks you are taking with your own life? You are using Temazepam sleeping tablets.”

“Wouldn’t you, under the circumstances?”

she snapped.

“What you are doing is lethal and you must take medical advice and as soon as possible. I believe you are injecting Temazepam”

Mrs. Caley pushed at the table.

“Phyllis, has Phyllis been talking to you?”

“Your doctor has been arrested”

“Oh, my God. Did he tell you? What has he said to you?”

Lorraine opened her cigarette pack and proffered one to Elizabeth Caley, who swiped the pack out of her hand.

“You are supposed to be investigating the disappearance of my daughter, not delving into my private life. You had no right to make any inquiries about my personal

“

Lorraine interrupted, her voice controlled and very firm.

“I am trying to ascertain the whereabouts of your daughter. And I would say your drug problems might have some connection. So I am asking you again, did your daughter also use drugs, Mrs. Caley?”

“No, she did not.”

“Did she know of your drug addiction?”

Elizabeth Caley sighed impatiently.

“Yes, but she would not even contemplate using drugs herself. She saw too much anguish and pain, regret and dependency in her own mother.”

“Were you aware that Tilda Brown also frequented these clubs with your daughter?”

“Tilda was with Anna Louise?”

“I believe so. Did you know the two girls had some kind of argument the day before you left for New Orleans?”

“I don’t know what they were arguing about, just that Tilda decided to leavesilly, really. I just let them get on with it.”

Lorraine wasn’t going to let Mrs. Caley off the hook. She tried again.