Helena Goes to Hollywood: A Helena Morris Mystery Page 7

  Emmy shrugged. “I haven’t really looked yet. I pick up Chris after school since no more nanny. My mom moved in to help with him so I can work more. He gets bored here after school or some days he has baseball practice. It’s too much. Kids really are too much for one person who works full time.”

  “Our mom managed and you will too.” Sonia squeezed Emmy’s hand. “We can go looking for places this weekend.”

  Emmy smiled but didn’t seem enthused. I could tell they were good friends. My sister, as self-involved as she could be, was a good friend and very loyal. Someone could take advantage—like that Carmen.

  I didn’t know the area well enough to be helpful on the real estate hunt. However, I had an idea about that ex-husband, Roger. I pocketed one of Emmy’s cards so I had her last name. Odds were she’d kept the ex’s since they shared a son. I’d thought about going back to my maiden name but I liked my ex better than my father.

  “Let’s talk about something else.” Emmy held up my right hand. “You’ve got good nails. I can do a nice French on these without any tips.”

  “I don’t want fake anything on them.” I imagined grabbing my gun and losing the fight because of a plastic nail jammed in the trigger.

  “Good. You don’t need it. French is a clean look and it fits you—simple and classic.” She went to work applying the base coat. “You’re getting famous, Helena Morris.”

  “Me? No, that’s my sister.” Being in a room with Sonia usually assured I wouldn’t be the center of attention but Emmy clearly wanted a distraction. Sonia for once didn’t seem to mind.

  “No, it’s you. You’re all over the Queen Bees website,” Emmy said casually.

  “Who?” I looked at Sonia with a frown.

  “It’s a gossip site that has minute-by-minute Hollywood truth and trash. They tell you if a rumor is true or not and have the good gossip. I haven’t checked in a while. They tweet and have a website. They’re covering the divorce so I’ve been avoiding my cell. I get stalker mail.” She gave me a sheepish look. Why did I feel like I was pulling teeth to learn what was going on here?

  My sister had decided at some point to bury her head in the California sand. Certainly the happy marriage image was tarnished but if they had truth it could help.

  “Let me check it. We need to know if you’re getting stalker mail.” I tried to pull my hand away.

  “When you’re dry it’ll still be there.” Emmy held on to my hand tightly. “The site has a picture of you pointing a gun. Plus it said you’d elbowed the lead singer of a band at his own party. There’s a picture of him all bloody and you in a black dress. Looks real, is it true?”

  “Oh God!” Sonia moaned in embarrassment. “See? I told you!”

  “It’s true, but he grabbed my ass so he asked for it.” I had no guilt. “The gun thing was in Sonia’s house. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “They’re just saying you’re a little wild. Sonia’s rogue sister.” Emmy blushed. “Just thought you should know that there’s buzz.”

  “You’re supposed to fix things, not make it worse.” Sonia pressed her hands to her face. “Why me?”

  “You? It’s about me. Who cares what they say? If thinking I’m crazy scares off the stalker, I’ll go do something worse.” If Sonia thought I embarrassed that easily she had a lot to learn.

  Being a high level female martial artist meant I was challenged by men who needed to prove they were better than any girl. I’d also been teased and taunted plenty on my way up in a man’s world. Being mocked in Hollywood was no challenge.

  “That’s a good sister,” Emmy smiled.

  “My sister is crazy. Do you really think this is good for my career?” Sonia asked Emmy.

  I rolled my eyes at her. “No, but I think it’s good for keeping you alive. So you have to deal with me here and embarrassing the hell out of you. Consider me a permanent bodyguard or chaperone. I want to check your cell every morning and every night for stalker messages. No deleting!”

  Sonia grimaced. “Emmy, do they really have pictures of Hel on that website?”

  Emmy nodded. “Let me get my laptop, it’s in the office. With two pedicures we’ll be here a while.”

  Short of a few very brief mentions in Vegas papers for my business, I’d never had any publicity. I didn’t want it, but if it drew out my sister’s stalker, fine with me.

  The chime on my sister’s phone signaled a message.

  “Show me,” I said.

  Sonia didn’t even look at the screen and held it up for me while Emmy was in the back.

  “See you tomorrow! Be ready for anything!” I read it aloud and grabbed the phone, trying to figure out where it came from. The number was blocked.

  I put her phone in my purse. “Don’t worry, I’ll be ready.”

  “I can’t handle this, Hel,” she admitted.

  “Don’t think about it now. Let’s see the bad pics of me on this queen’s website thing.” Worrying accomplished nothing. I preferred action.

  She smiled weakly but I saw the fear swirling in her brain. Maybe some unflattering pictures of me on a gossip site would help. Emmy returned and pulled them up like a frequent visitor.

  There I stood holding my gun. Then another picture had me in the black dress after elbowing the rock star. The difference in my makeup was noticeable. My butt coming out of or going in my Mustang was another shot online for the world to see. When did that happen? The angle wasn’t flattering but I was more concerned that I didn’t notice the photograph being taken. It was all under the title of Hollywood PI.

  “See, I’m taking the heat off. You look anorexic compared to me.” I patted Sonia’s knee.

  The only drawback to the pictures was that everyone who saw them knew who I was and why I was here. Goodbye, element of surprise!

  “It gets better. There are comments.” Emmy clicked on a link.

  That name—Dr. Brian—caught my eye and sent a chill through me as I wondered who was behind it. The fan mail Sonia had kept from her smart admirer. Double creepy!

  I pointed it out. “Click on that one.”

  Emmy did and the comment popped up. Nice to see family looking out for each other. Helena Morris for sister of the year!

  Sonia smiled. “See, I told you Brian is sweet. He’s harmless and likes you.”

  “I’ll comment back.” Emmy typed with her long nails: We love her too!

  “Thanks, I guess.” I read Brian’s comment again. It was pointless and harmless, so why did it give me the creeps?

  I pulled out my cell as Emmy soaked my feet for the pedicure. I used my smartphone and searched on the address on the envelope of good fan mail Sonia got from Brian. I got the last name Conners. Brian Conners was a new search and I got a few quick hits. Sorting through them, I found one that fit. Doctor referred to a Ph.D. who worked at UCLA. A literature professor. The link had no pictures but lots of credentials.

  I’d get my FBI ex to run Brian’s background just in case. I really didn’t like that he knew my face when I had no visual on him. Glancing at the very public website with me on it, the entire world had that advantage. Fame had some serious drawbacks.

  Chapter Eleven

  When we got back to the house I pulled out my sister’s cell phone and found a pad of paper in a kitchen drawer. The smell of dinner made my stomach growl. I sat at the table, finding it already set and Fluffy in her place with her own bowl and napkin tucked in her collar. She even had a wine glass just like Sonia’s. I bit my tongue because the weirdness would only keep topping itself.

  I wrote down the names of everyone I wanted to run by my ex in the morning and scrolled through Sonia’s calls to determine what numbers were suspicious and listed those as well. Brian remained at the top of the freaky fan list.

  “I’m starving!” Sonia sat down and took a long drink of wine while I stuck with the water.

  A short middle-aged Latina woman hustled out of the pantry area and set a salad and vinaigrette-looking dressing on the tabl
e.

  “Hel, this is Lupe. If you need anything just let her know.” Sonia dug into the salad.

  “Hi Lupe,” I nodded, not quite sure how to handle the whole housekeeper thing. My full knowledge of that job came from TV shows.

  “I saw you have some bags. Clothes?” Lupe asked.

  “Yeah, some new clothes. And some I wore today. I’ll put them away later.” I waved it off.

  “No, I’ll put them away and take the dirty stuff to the cleaners tomorrow.” Lupe headed back into the kitchen before I could argue.

  In a few seconds Lupe was back with a platter of herb crusted chicken breasts and a bowl of risotto. “Eat up.”

  “Lupe, really you don’t have to take anything to the cleaners. My clothes are all machine wash, so just point me at the machines and I can do my own laundry. I don’t want to be any trouble.” I stabbed a piece of chicken and put it on my plate and then dished out several spoonfuls of risotto.

  My sister shot me a look and got her own piece of chicken. “Let Lupe do her job,” she said flatly.

  Lupe ducked back into the kitchen and returned with butter and a basket of rolls that smelled homemade to me. “Okay, I’ll wash them here then. I’ll put the new clothes away while you’re eating, but call if you need something.”

  “Thanks.” I buttered a roll and bit into it as Lupe disappeared upstairs.

  “I stopped by to see Danny today.” I watched my sister for a reaction.

  She rolled her eyes trying to cover up the fact that she teared up a little.

  “I had to, Sonia. You know I did.” I flipped to a fresh page. “Has he ever threatened you?”

  She shook her head. “It’s not Danny.”

  “He said he tried to get back together with you. Is that true?” I pressed.

  She nodded.

  “You completely refused that idea?” I needed to confirm Danny’s story. There were two sides to everything in a divorce, sometimes more.

  Sonia slammed her fork against the plate. “Of course. He cheated.”

  I didn’t blame her for being mad. “I understand and that is a big strike against him. But six months ago you were saying how in love you still were after over ten years of marriage. That’s got to be like twenty in Hollywood years.”

  She didn’t get the joke. “No, no forgiving. You wouldn’t, Mom couldn’t, so how could I?”

  “Wait, Todd never cheated on me. You know I asked for the divorce because I needed to build my career and not follow him around all my life. And why would you think that about Mom?” I wasn’t that out of the family loop.

  “Mom never said anything. I just always thought Dad must’ve cheated on her while she was pregnant with me and she kicked him out.” Sonia stabbed the salad on her plate. “You two never tell me anything so I just made up stories. Maybe that’s where I learned to be an actress. I’d pick a different scenario and play it out like it was real. Feel those emotions. Better than a phantom father.”

  I knew she’d do this. “I’m trying to get rid of a damn stalker and you’re having daddy issues. Look Sonia, I’m sorry it bugs you but I was a kid too.”

  “You were ten. You remember.”

  “I remember what I saw and heard, yes. I was still a kid. Do you think they tell a kid everything? Come on. Mom’s protecting us both. Don’t open old wounds when she put it behind her years ago. She did the best she could.”

  Mostly Sonia was in the dark but the tiny apartment we lived in had little soundproofing. I’d heard enough of it. Sonia didn’t need to know that. The less info she had, the better.

  “She’s protecting us from some history and it’s dumb. I deserve to know the truth.” Sonia put down the fork and folded her arms.

  “Know that Dad was a jerk that never paid a dime in child support and he never came to visit you. Never sent a card on your birthdays or a single Christmas present. That’s enough for me.” I needed her to focus on herself, not Dad.

  “What if he was killed? What if he’s in jail?” she asked.

  I shook my head. “He’s not dead or in jail.”

  My ex kept tabs on Dad for me. If he got a speeding ticket I’d hear about it. I didn’t want the details of where he lived, if he was remarried, or if he’d had more kids. I just needed to make sure he didn’t go anywhere near Mom or Sonia—ever. Todd took care of it because he knew there was always a chance I’d lose my temper and go after Dad for some payback. Some things I was better off never knowing. The sperm donor wasn’t screwing up my life anymore.

  As far as I knew Dad was somewhere in the Carolinas. Bottom of the ocean would make me happier. A classic abuser, he was a great guy to work with or pal around with. Not even a hint of a criminal record, but at home he was a terror. The proper and politically correct term would be rage-aholic. Everything was a disease now but that didn’t make it better.

  “You know things and you won’t tell me!” She slapped the table.

  “Don’t bruise your skin, TV star.” I mocked her in hopes of changing the subject. A fight I could take but I wasn’t giving up Dad info.

  “Shut up. You know,” she accused.

  “He’s not dead because Todd would have notified me. The government channels are good. I’ve still got connections. He’s not worth our time and Dad clearly never thought we were worth his.” Tough love sucked but I had to do it since we were getting nowhere on the real issue.

  She stormed away from the table. “You sound like my shrink.”

  “Try listening to one of us.”

  I finished my chicken and risotto. Her tantrums were classic, started at two years old and never really stopped. Drama and attention were her drugs of choice and the daddy issue fueled her drama.

  The second Sonia was gone Fluffy jumped up on the table and lapped up the wine out of all the glasses. The dog was an alcoholic! How did one doggie proof a liquor cabinet?

  I wished I had more to go on. Tomorrow I’d call the cops and see if they’d gotten anything on the garage. Then I’d call my ex and have him do some info gathering for me.

  I took my empty plate and my sister’s half full one into the kitchen and set them in the sink. Sonia stomped through the kitchen and locked herself in the home gym. Exercise would help her work off the frustration but it wouldn’t solve the case. I headed upstairs to get in bed with my laptop and see what else the web could tell me about Sonia’s friends, frenemies and other persons of interest.

  At least my sister was getting out of victim mode a bit and starting to get angry. It was the only way to survive.

  Chapter Twelve

  The next morning I woke early, and once Lupe was in the house I went for a run. The neighborhood was beyond nice. Lots of big mansions and gated yards. A stalker’s paradise with so many trees and shrubs around to give cover. Some homes had gates and dogs in the yard.

  The rich and famous wanted privacy, but I wanted witnesses!

  I paid attention to who had dogs. Who had alarm systems on their homes. There were a few security companies whose signs were displayed in the yard. I made a mental note to get one out to Sonia’s mansion today.

  Returning to the house, I slipped in and up the stairs without anyone noticing. Entering my room, I realized Lupe had been there. My bed was made with fresh towels set out on the end, and a newspaper as well. I wanted to keep Lupe!

  Half an hour later I was presentable. Taking my notepad and purse, I wandered downstairs to the kitchen and found Lupe feeding Fluffy.

  “Good morning.” I grabbed a banana from a bowl of fruit conveniently placed on the island and dropped into a chair.

  “Good morning. If you’d like some breakfast I can fix you something. Just go into the dining room.” She pointed in case I’d forgotten.

  I smiled. “Relax Lupe, I’m not high maintenance. I put my dirty clothes in the hamper. I’ll play nice. But it’s breakfast, not the queen coming to dinner. Okay?”

  She nodded. “Would you like anything else?”

  “No thanks, but I h
ave one question. Did you see anyone here the day the note was put in the garage?”

  “No, no one came to the door. No one was in the back that I saw, but I go grocery shopping that day so it might’ve been while I was out. I also walk Fluffy morning, noon, and evening. If that dog didn’t drink so much it’d be less.”

  So it was someone who knew the routine or watched the house long enough to figure it out. “Are you in all day today?” I asked.

  “Today, yes,” she shrugged.

  “I’m going to have a security company come out, hopefully today, and look the place over for an estimate. We’re going to have a system installed so make sure they see every door and window is secure. Got it?”

  “Yes, of course.” She nodded. “Okay, I’m going to walk Fluffy now. Good?”

  “Great.”

  I’d wait until the day was started and we were on set before I bugged my ex. Then I heard Sonia coming down the stairs.

  “Morning,” I said.

  “Did I hear something about a security system?” she asked.

  “Yeah, a lot of your neighbors have them and you should too. I’ll call around and get a guy out here today.”

  “Were you planning on asking me about that?” She tapped her bare foot with the bright pink polish on the toes. “This is my house and you don’t make the rules.”

  The I’m a star and you’re not attitude didn’t impress me. “It’s for your own safety. Especially with Danny not living here anymore—it’s just estimates.”

  “I have a dog.” Sonia’s defenses were still up.

  I could tell today would be one of those horrible sisters-not-wanting-to-be-around-each-other days.

  “That little toilet brush couldn’t hurt a squirrel. With all this expensive furniture, clothes, jewelry, and stuff...you need a system. It’s for your own good.” I stopped when I heard Mom’s voice coming out of me.

  “So you’re buying this for me?” Now she wanted to play the money card. She had it, I didn’t—at least not Brentwood money.

  “A normal house I’d treat, but in this mansion— it’s all yours. Just don’t buy a new purse or pair of shoes this month and you’ll have it covered.” I looked at my watch. “What time to do you have to be there?”