Helena Goes to Hollywood: A Helena Morris Mystery Read online

  I put my hands on his back and steered him to the bedroom. “Off to bed, we’ve already got a ransom note on the dog. Someone has it safe somewhere.”

  “Ransom?” he asked. “I’ve got some money.”

  “It’s okay, Danny, don’t worry about it. Let me handle the Fluffy situation and you work on yourself. Okay?” This guy had too many distractions to be staking out Sonia’s place. He was overindulging and self-pitying, not stalking.

  He nodded and climbed into bed. “Lock the door on your way out?”

  “Sure, call me if you think of anything suspicious that happened around Sonia. I feel like this person has been watching her for a while. You might have a clue if you think hard.” I pulled the drapes closed.

  “I’ll think about it when I can think again.” He pulled the flat sheet over his head.

  Closing the bedroom door, I quietly checked out the rest of the house. No odor of dog, no sign of one anywhere. Everything was simple, like he’d just moved in.

  Danny didn’t take the dog; his demeanor and all the evidence told me that. Still, something felt wrong here. The other woman in the house didn’t thrill me but Danny wasn’t good alone. Part of me was shocked Todd hadn’t remarried. I stopped the thought process. All this divorce stuff had me comparing and no two relationships were alike.

  Exiting the house, I locked the doorknob and pulled the door closed behind me. I couldn’t resist and peeked into Danny’s Hummer. Trying a door, I found it was unlocked. Dumb guy, he’d gotten spoiled in the fancier neighborhoods where nothing bad happened. I checked under the seats and the storage areas. I flipped through his glove box and armrest storage compartment. A bottle of vodka? Not good. I pocketed it and left the Hummer.

  Climbing back into my car, I was out of ideas and afraid of what that might mean for Fluffy and Sonia. I headed for the studio feeling helpless. Maybe the only way I could win was to be there twenty-four seven and protect her. For now that was my plan. They got Fluffy and that was too close to my sister for my comfort.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Monday morning came around again, my second Monday in California. Over the weekend we’d received a picture of Fluffy alive and well, but no instructions as to where to drop the money. Ricky was looking into it but Sonia was hopeful it was all a prank, while I had no idea what to think.

  There I sat watching the Hollywood version of a sniper attack. They’d brought in an actual sniper so it didn’t require my attention, which was good because I had no clue. I wandered around to the food table and nibbled on cookies. Chocolate with macadamia nuts, my favorite!

  My cell vibrated and I dug it out of my jeans pocket while walking back down the hall so I didn’t interrupt rehearsal. I looked at the screen and had to admit a little shock—it was Danny. A drunk dial? A lead?

  I hit the button and answered, “Hello.”

  The line was dead. No static. No nothing. Not even a hang up sound. I dialed his cell number and got voicemail.

  I tried again.

  Nothing.

  A chill ran down my back.

  Jordan walked up. “Want to get lunch today? My kicks are getting so good I might eat a burger.”

  He demonstrated a high kick which was good if he didn’t do it with a smoldering model’s pout. But I was pretty sure Jordan got dates at the gym so it made sense.

  “Great work and I’d love to, but first I have to go check on Danny. He tried to call me and it didn’t go through. Keep an eye on Sonia for me?” I rushed through the question and started walking.

  “Sure thing. She was resting all morning in her dressing room since she’s not in the sniper thing but they’ll keep her busy with this new scene.” Jordan headed for the set.

  Danny’s cell phone battery could’ve gone dead. That might be all it was. Maybe he realized his bottle in the Hummer was gone? He hadn’t called me once since I’d been in California. I’d written my number down for him on my first visit and this was the first time he’d used it. There was a flutter of panic.

  I sped to his house and saw the Hummer parked as normal in his driveway. He could’ve called from anywhere, but I walked up to the door and rang the bell. After a few minutes with zero sounds coming from inside at all I pounded on the door.

  Nothing.

  Jogging around the house, I saw all the drapes were closed. I went around back and the sliding glass door was open. I looked in and froze.

  Blood. A lot of it pooled around Danny’s body, which lay face down on the kitchen tile.

  Grabbing my cell, I dialed Ricky.

  “I’m at Danny’s—he called but the call dropped or something. No answer at the front door so I went around back and it was open. He’s dead.” I needed someone to know and get help here now. Taking a picture of the scene with my phone, I sent it to him. Then I began running video.

  “What? Damn, I’m sending squads and an ambulance. I’m on my way.” Ricky trusted me but there were procedures. I had no authority.

  I’d had nightmares about getting a call if something happened to Todd. Especially when he was on a big case, there was the fear that I’d have to identify his body. But Danny was right there surrounded by too much blood.

  It was all over the kitchen floor; Danny just lay there face down and soaked in it. I slipped through the opening without touching anything.

  That much blood made it impossible to see the point of paramedics. He was gone.

  Danny was dead. The truth ate me up as it sank in.

  To reassure myself I felt for a pulse on his neck. He lay there lifeless and by the way his thin shirt clung to him I could see the stab wounds in his back. Lungs punctured. Even a few stabs to his neck. The attack was savage, brutal, and fast.

  The sirens outside made me stand and step back. “In here,” I shouted.

  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.

  Chapter Twenty

  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 t
hat? 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?