Helena Goes to Hollywood: A Helena Morris Mystery (14 page)

The paramedics ran in and asked the usual questions. I answered like a robot and waited for them to work.

They didn’t even touch Danny beyond checking for a pulse.

“Too much blood loss.” I shook my head.

“Got an artery. We’ll call the coroner.” They shook their heads.

I nodded, but part of me wanted them to try even though I knew it was useless.

Ricky walked in. “Did you check the house?” he asked

I shook my head. Dumb move, where was my brain now? The killer could’ve still been in the house. Good thing Todd wasn’t around because he’d freak over that.

The uniforms went room to room clearing it and looking for any clues to the murder. All I could do was stand there and watch over Danny.

“Front door was locked?” Ricky asked.

I pushed away the thoughts of having to tell Sonia about this. My ex would find out if I told him or not. My brain finally took over. “Yeah, I came around back and got a view of the blood through the open door and called.”

Another detective entered. “You told Ricky that the victim called you?”

“Yes.” I handed over my cell phone. “I answered but the line went out so I tried to call him back and got no response. It was weird.”

“Has he ever called you before?” The cop checked my phone records to verify I wasn’t lying.

“He was my brother-in-law so yes, but no other calls on this trip to California.”

“Did you touch anything else?” he asked.

“The sliding door was open and I slipped through. But I’ve been in the house before. I’ve touched the fridge, cabinets, and counter. Door knobs and stuff like that. I checked him for a pulse.” I had to be ruled out as a suspect.

He handed me back my phone. “You were here before because?”

“He and my sister were in the process of divorcing. She had some stalker trouble and I wanted to make sure he wasn’t behind it.” I speed dialed Danny’s cell phone on a hunch.

The garbage can began to ring.

The evidence team, already gloved up, got out an evidence bag.

I disconnected and hoped that would help. Whoever killed Danny had chucked his phone and not very cleverly.

“We’ll have them figure out time of death. See if Danny called you or if the killer hit a button by accident. They might’ve panicked and tossed it when you called back,” Ricky nodded.

“Who would do this to Danny?” I wondered out loud.

“Someone who might benefit from not having to make a payout to him in a divorce or someone related to someone in that position.” The other detective nodded to the door. “We need to question you.”

I knew they would but I still resented it. “I called you.”

“I’m going to go with the squad to bring in Sonia. I’ll break it to her as next of kin—go with Detective Stuart. It’s all the routine.” Ricky nodded.

I wanted to be the one to tell Sonia but maybe it was better coming from Ricky.

I took a closer look at Danny as the detective leaned over.

“Stabbed. Looks like a kitchen knife,” he observed.

“I didn’t see any weapon. Maybe in the garbage?”

The detective shook his head. “You’re working this case too? Usually we don‘t get help from a suspect.”

“I didn’t do it—I left the studio when I got the call. I had plenty of witnesses all morning.” I knew they’d do the song and dance to make sure but I had no worries. I didn’t kill anyone here and I could prove it. It felt like none of them really suspected me, but it was their job to go by the book and verify my alibi.

Ricky stepped closer to me. “We’ll still have to let them interview you and confirm the alibi—it’ll be a few hours.”

This Detective Stuart didn‘t know about my ex. He‘d learn when he ran my name through the computer, but it was unclear if that knowledge would hurt or help my situation.

“I’ll do anything I can do to help figure out who killed Danny.” Especially if it was the same person who was stalking my sister. Now that my safest and best suspect was dead, the danger level of this situation had just ramped up significantly.

I
found myself in the last place I wanted to be. Worse than Hollywood, I was seated in a police interrogation room. It made me tense since I didn’t like being in any situation that I couldn’t fight my way out of or just leave.

They’d done without the handcuffs but I knew my sister had to be freaking out in the next room. I hadn’t been able to talk to her and that bothered me most of all.

“Ms. Morris. Would you like something to drink?” Detective Stuart asked.

“No thanks. What do you want to know?” I offered.

“Were you at Mr. Flynn’s house today?” the detective asked.

“You know I was. He called me and the line went dead.”

“Why were you there before?”

“My sister’s dog was kidnapped and we received a ransom note a few days ago, I thought maybe he’d received a threatening note or some other information. They’re going—
were
going—through a messy divorce and she has had an active stalker in the past two weeks. Maybe Danny had some similar trouble. You should have a report on Sonia’s incidents.”

“Yes, we have it. You were concerned about him?”

I nodded. “He hadn’t called me before on this trip and I thought something may have changed.”

“I’m sure your sister didn’t want to pay him half of her earnings or sell off her mansion. Maybe he wanted you on his side.”

“Danny knows better than to play family against each other. Sonia didn’t want a cheating husband but she didn’t want him dead either.” I refused to react because that’s what they wanted.

A knock at the door brought a friendly face.

Ricky stuck his head in. “You okay?”

“Lieutenant, you need to remove yourself due to your past personal relationship.” The detective was being a hard ass. Did the LAPD love to arrest innocent people? Guilty, fine, but not
everyone
was guilty.

“I’m fine, Ricky, if you could check on Sonia.” I nodded to him.

He winked and left the room.

The boredom continued.

“If you suspected your brother-in-law of stalking your sister I’m sure you wanted him stopped,” the cop said.

I didn’t respond since it wasn’t technically a question.

He huffed and flipped pages. “Where were you at ten this morning?” he asked.

“On the set of my sister’s new crime drama. I’m a tech consultant and assisting in a rehearsal.” Alibis were a good thing.

I could look as guilty as sin with motive but I had grips and actors, tons of disinterested people who could prove where I was.

“Was your sister in the scene?” he asked.

“No, she was in her dressing room going over lines.”

“Can you prove that?” he asked.

“I’m sure people saw her go in and I had my car keys on me since I drove. She didn’t have a vehicle—check with security. She couldn’t kill anyone if she wanted to. Sonia doesn’t have it in her.” The very idea was ridiculous but people snapped all the time so I couldn’t blame the police for looking at Sonia.

“But
you
could kill someone?”

“In theory I have the strength and skill to do it. But I didn’t. I was with the group until I got a call from Danny.” So much for plans.

“Have you and your brother-in-law ever had any arguments before?”

“No, we got along fine.” The real killer could be in Mexico by now!

“How often did you see him while he was married to your sister?”

“A couple times a year. I live in Vegas and they live here so it wasn’t a Sunday dinner routine.”

“Talk to him much?” he asked.

“Only when I saw him in person or there was something important.”

“You trusted him with your sister?”

I shrugged. “He was a good enough guy.”

“Why were they divorcing?”

I could dance around it but there was no point. “She told me he cheated.”

“Hollywood says he was dead weight, her star was on the rise. It’s cleaner and cheaper to end up with a dead husband than an ex to pay forever.” The detective worked hard to bait me.

“For people who’ve seen too many movies and believe that crap, maybe. Divorce is a trip to Disneyland compared to what my sister will go through now. She wanted him out of her life, not dead.” He wanted to get me mad, frustrated enough to let something slip.

“And you? How do you feel about his death?” he asked.

“I don’t care what he did. Cheating and lying doesn’t earn you murder. I’d never do that.”

“Maybe he attacked you?” It started to feel like a fight with my ex. He’d try any angle to win a debate, but interrogation was an annoying skill.

“Danny isn’t the most skilled fighter and I could take him down in minutes. If he’d attacked me I could’ve knocked him out without killing him.”

“If he were armed? What if he was drunk or high and had a weapon? Ever find him like that before?” I tried to read between the lines. Was he drugged? Blood alcohol high?

“That many stab wounds to the back doesn’t signal that he was armed to me.” I shrugged.

“Let me do my job. What do you know about his use of alcohol or drugs? Prescription or otherwise.”

I took a deep breath. “One time I found him drinking, but no sign of drugs. He’d be easier to knock out if he were drunk. He’s not a mean one, he’s a sad one. I’ve seen Danny drink before. He doesn’t get violent, just frustrated.”

He pulled a breath mint from a roll and offered me one. I declined with a shake of my head. I sensed him running out of questions.

“We ran your record. Your ex can’t get you out of this.”

“I didn’t do anything to be gotten out of,” I replied.

“You’re also a black belt in three types of martial arts we can confirm. You teach classes and own half of the academy. Is that correct?”

“Yes, Danny was killed with a knife. You did see that? I’m okay with a gun, I’m great with my bare hands, but I’d never use a knife.”
Mocking the cops. Good move, Hel!

“Unless you wanted to throw us off since you’d know what we’d be looking for. There was also some bruising. We’re going to look into what type of blows could’ve made those. Your sister isn’t a martial arts expert, is she?”

I tried to pull back the sarcasm. “No, she has no experience in any weapons or self-defense.”

“Did you or your sister have a key to Danny’s new home?” he asked.

“I didn’t and I’m not aware of Sonia having one.” No forced entry, which matched what I’d seen but I didn’t have a chance to check every window and door in the house.

“Body temp puts time of death at about ten this morning. We’ve got detectives at the studio now checking out your alibi. Don’t return to the studio today, but I’m releasing you and your sister. Don’t leave L.A. County.” He flipped a few more pages and got up.

I walked out behind him and saw Ricky in the hall. “How is she?” I asked.

“Pretty shaken up, says she was in her dressing room going over lines and never left.” He looked at me sternly. “You’ve got an alibi, right?”

“Yes, not a problem for me.”

“She should call her lawyer. Her blood alcohol level was at the legal limit.”

“What?” I’d noticed her drinking but not at work or in the morning. Sneaky.

“They smelled it on her breath. She wasn’t driving so nothing illegal,” Ricky whispered. “She didn’t want me to tell you.”

That explained her mood swings. She was self-medicating.

“Okay, thanks.” I dropped my voice to whisper, not trusting the ears around me. “Did they notify Danny’s girlfriend? I can’t tell if she lived there or not.”

“Bit of both, she had her own apartment. They tracked her down at the gym. Word is she had a key to the place and they were very happy, no fights or anything. She went hysterical and accused your sister. They’ve got her in to talk but they’re trying to calm her down first.”

I knew the no fights part was a lie but every couple fought. “Great, let me know if she has a solid alibi. I’m wondering if the stalker is doing a doubleheader. Maybe it is a pissed off soap fan. I dismissed them before but what if there is a fan out there so furious that this super couple is leaving the show and are divorcing that they’re coming after them both?” I knew there were sick and crazy people out there but to get that insane over a TV show?

“With you around Sonia maybe Danny was a better target? We’ll look for any disgruntled local fans. Have you found any?” he asked.

“Nothing yet. Everyone who sent threatening fan mail was out of state and accounted for in their homes by locals according to the info. Except a couple that aren’t as threatening as obsessed. The web is harder to track.”

“Abusing FBI connections and LAPD?” Ricky just laughed at me.

“The ex comes in very handy now. I’ll have to go over the list again. A deeper Internet search maybe. All the info out there about Danny and Sonia is too easy.”

“That’s Hollywood—fake becomes real. They are public property and you get anything you want when you’re rich and famous.”

“I’m neither but I’ve got an alibi.”

Suddenly I felt damn lucky that I took that part time gig on the show. The money was great and if I wasn’t on set working, who knows where the hell I’d have been. On the flipside, maybe I could’ve saved Danny.

“Hello.” Ricky snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Girl, you’re daydreaming.”

“Just trying to save the world. It’s overwhelming and complicated.”

He chuckled. “Save your sister first. She should lawyer up if she doesn’t have three witnesses who aren’t friends or related to her that can put her elsewhere at the time of the murder. Just my unofficial advice.”

“I know she won’t want to look guilty—image. Can you give me a ride back to the scene? I need my car.”

“Sure, it’s not evidence. We’ll go out the back where the press can’t access. The team checked your car over—nothing.”

“Of course not, I didn’t kill anyone.” I smacked his arm playfully.

As much as I liked Ricky he was like a college friend. Now he was a guy who I could count on.

It seemed like forever before my sister got sprung but the door finally opened. Her eyes were red and still tearing. Her face was blotchy and scrunched.

“I’m sorry.” I tried to hug her.