“I didn’t notice anything,” she said.
“Did you talk to any of the other contestants about how any of you were going to beat Wang?”
Her crooked smile came back. “No, but we all had to be thinking about it. I almost dropped out, but the chance to work with Tyrone was priceless. He’s a legend on the East Coast, so I stuck it out.”
“Did you talk to any of your friends and family about the problem?”
Michelle sighed. “Nobody knows anything about the music business. Dad’s been in prison for over a decade. Mom’s working three jobs. I’m not close with my sisters, and they live in Chicago and Atlanta.”
“But somebody solved your problem,” I said. “Splendiferous vanished without a trace.”
“I was worried about him but had no idea what’d happened. I wouldn’t wish him dead for anything. Too nice a guy.”
She seemed candid but could just be a skilled liar. “Let’s talk about the party at the hotel. Did you talk to Wang there?”
“I spoke with all the contestants,” she said. “Tyrone expects us all to get along.”
“I’m particularly interested in the deceased. Did he seem any different than during your earlier conversations?”
“No, as happy and charming as ever. I teased him about being our crown prince. He told me I was a better songwriter. That took my breath away. I’ll never forget the way he smiled as he said it.” Her eyes filled.
“You have any idea why he slipped away from the party?” I asked.
Michelle shook her head. “I didn’t even realize he was gone until I looked around to say goodbye. By then, the others were already trying to find him. I thought maybe he’d found a pretty lady to spend the night with. He was always surrounded by women.”
“Who, in particular?” I asked.
“Katrina, but she asked me where he’d gone.”
I ended with the theory I still liked the best. “Did Wang talk about his family at all?”
Michelle shook her head. “Just that they were his biggest fans, the usual.”
“His clan has a long and inglorious history as pirates and smugglers. Did he mention any of that?”
“Nope. We talked mostly about music and life in the ’hood. He did say his family was well-off. And he seemed very interested in my experiences growing up poor in the projects.”
Overall, I hadn’t gotten much. I could only hope Katrina would know more.
Chapter 13
When Michelle left, I put the ball-shaped camera in a drawer, so it wouldn’t record Willow and me. Then I asked my new assistant, “What do you think?”
“Not much help,” she said. “I thought you’d be more aggressive.”
“About what? She answered all my questions.”
Willow rolled her eyes. “Just on general principals. On TV, Hank, the cops are usually mean and make threats about throwing someone in the slammer.”
“Sorry, but LAPD won’t let me use their jail. Look, most police work is routine, and good cops don’t browbeat cooperating witnesses. What did you think about Michelle?”
“She seemed sensitive about her family’s criminal ties. I know I’d be uncomfortable. But no one in my family has ever been arrested.”
“I noticed her nervousness about family, too. Maybe it goes with growing up poor in a slum. And I struck out when I asked about Splendid’s triad connections.”
“Better luck with your next trip to the batter’s box, isn’t that what you Americans say? I’m still learning sports metaphors. They’re quite odd.”
For some reason, the thought that she cared to learn meant a lot to me. I’d never fallen for someone so quickly and completely.
-o-o-o-
Katrina arrived on time, also dressed fancy. I realized they thought of the interview as part of the show. She beamed at Willow and me like we were judges. The woman had personality out the wazoo, and she was ready to turn it loose on an unsuspecting America.
Willow smiled back warmly, but I kept my expression cop-neutral.
I started asking about Splendid’s family and any trouble he was experiencing. Got zilch.
Then, I changed topics to her legal problems. I knew from Tyrone’s investigation that she’d picked up a DUI when she was seventeen. Nothing else on her record. “Has anyone in your family had run-ins with the law?”
She burst out laughing. “Easier to tell you who ain’t. Mama’s mom’s a Baptist minister. Pure as driven snow. Everybody else makes up for her. Mom got caught shoplifting once, and she gets more than her share of tickets. A DUI for me. The rest of them, my dad and brothers are much worse. Fools spend more time in jail than out.”
“Any of your family involved in gangs?”
“Here’s the thing. I grew up in an LA neighborhood called Hyde Park. Completely controlled by the Crips. Just the way it is. My dad and brothers all belong. They do or they die.”
Not what I’d wanted to hear. One of her brothers could’ve taken shots at me yesterday. Or, one of them might’ve grabbed Splendid off the street outside the Hotel Jerome. “Any of your family been to Colorado this year?”
“Nah, not outdoorsy types. They did love seeing them Maroon Bells, though. Tyrone took us on a few sightseeing trips around Aspen, and I sent them photos. I liked it there. Beats the hell outta LA.”
The Bells were probably the most famous mountains in the state and maybe the country. Every visitor to Aspen took a picture. I couldn’t put much credence in her denial about family following her to Aspen. Willow could check on airlines, but if they were sneaky and drove, that’d be tough to figure out.
“I know you liked Splendiferous Wang, but he seemed to be a rival. What’d you plan to do about that?”
“Might as well ask me what I planned to do about the sun. Chao was spectacular, radiant, the king of the world, at least our world. God Almighty put him on this earth, and there weren’t a damned thing I could do about it. So, I said, Hallelujah!”
She seemed to be avoiding a direct answer. “Come on. He stood in your way. Had to be frustrating for someone who’s worked as hard as you have to get recognized.”
She shrugged. “Gramma always say, ‘The good Lord works in mysterious ways.’ I had no chance to beat Chao in the competition. I figured that out right quick. But I realized, with his help, I could become the top American finisher. He was going back to China, for damned sure. I could be the American winner everybody here would pay attention to.”
I was skeptical and pushed her. “Nobody remembers number two. You either win or you lose. You would’ve been a loser.”
She grinned at me. “Not so, lady. Tyrone needed somebody he could show off to the hip-hop world. Chao never would’ve fit that bill, but I sure as hell could’ve, can. Queen Bey, make room for me!”
I still wasn’t sure I bought Katrina’s spiel. “Are you telling me you didn’t feel the least bit jealous? Come on.”
She didn’t waver. “You didn’t know him, Deputy Morgan. He was just so damned nice. He was born with a great voice and oozed personality. You had to like him. Just had to.” Tears welled in her eyes.
“You fell for Splendiferous?” I asked.
“Who wouldn’t? He was amazing. I spent every second I could with him. Those were the best few days of my life. Dear God, I miss him.”
Tears flowed down her cheeks, but I didn’t know her well enough to judge whether she was conning me. “Did you notice him having any problems at the farewell party?”
“Not him. For me, a couple of the brothers grumbled about me letting a Chinaman do me. ‘Best hunk of meat I ever had,’ I told them, mostly to make them jealous.”
“Did it work?”
“They’ve been treating me like a queen all summer.”
It was time for the key question. “Why’d Splendiferous leave the party?”
She raised her hands, palms up. “No idea. Thought maybe he’d gotten fed up with the rat race. His family and
the folks in China put incredible pressure on him. He never complained, but no guy could meet their expectations. You should’ve seen these silly Chinese groupies following him everywhere, hanging on every word like he was a god.”
“Are you saying he never hinted he might chuck it all?”
She sat back in her chair and thought for a moment. “No, in fact he told me several times how much fun he was having. He just loved people. When he vanished, I worried but hoped I’d misread him. He could’ve become one of those Buddhist guys who meditate high in the mountains. Aspen would be perfect for that.”
She obviously didn’t know how brutal our winters were. A few Buddhists lived in Pitkin County, but the only monastery I knew about contained Catholic monks.
Her voice wavered. “You gotta find out who did him and fry their ass.”
-o-o-o-
Katrina took off. I gave Sharlene the video camera then returned to follow up with Willow. “What’s your take?”
She asked, “Is this what detectives do all day long? Talk to people who sound sincere but don’t know anything useful?”
A nervous laugh escaped my lips. “Afraid so. Not too exciting, is it?”
“Maybe one of them is lying? You need a lie detector machine.”
“Real detectives don’t use them much. The results are inadmissible in court, and the tests are hard to do properly. I have to rely on my instincts, and I’m not the most intuitive woman in the world. Help me out. Tell me your gut reaction.”
Willow ran her fingers through her red hair, which still struck me as weird.
“They both seemed honest,” she said. “I can’t believe either one of them was involved in Wang’s murder.”
“A lot of investigations are like this. We fumble around in the dark until we stumble over a key bit of evidence. Then, the rest of the puzzle falls into place.”
“I did wonder how Katrina fell in love with him so quickly,” Willow said. “She only knew him for four days, and they were supposedly the best of her life.”
But Katrina’s words had rung true for me. “I believe in love at first sight. I felt a strong tug toward you when I saw you at the boat ramp at the reservoir. That was a week ago, and last night was the best of my life.”
Her smile almost knocked me out. “Oh, that’s so romantic, Hank.”
She leaned over and wrapped her arms around me.
After we broke from the clinch, she patted her heart and took several deep breaths. “Okay, it can happen. It did happen for us. I was devastated that day Alex and I spotted Wang’s body. Alex was kind but couldn’t comfort me. Then my heart did a half-dozen flips when you showed up with your tough-girl strut. Our friends in Aspen had told me you had a soft spot for those in trouble. I’d never needed help more, and despite your initial toughness, I knew you’d protect me.”
Her words touched me, and I momentarily forgot why we were there.
When I tuned back into reality, I said, “We’ll have time for ourselves later. For now, I have to pore through the evidence Sharlene is collecting. Maybe we can do that back—”
My phone rang, and the caller ID said Skip. “Hey dude,” I said, “I’m learning lots of new things here. What’s up with you?”
“Glad to hear something’s going well, Hank. Jenkins just got a call from Carol White. She’s insane with grief. Her daughter Dinah was just shot gangland style at a café in Denver. Carol White blames you for the daughter’s death.”
I gasped. “Oh my God! I’m sure the mom’s devastated. What else have you heard?”
“No other details. You’d better get back here, quick as can be. I’m driving to Denver now.”
“You bet. I’ll catch a plane as soon as possible.”
When I hung up, I glanced at Willow.
Her face was pale. With a quivering voice, she asked, “What happened?”
“The witness I interviewed in Denver was just shot in cold blood. I’ve got to get back as soon as possible, but first, I have to talk things over with Tyrone. The rest of his contestants might be in grave danger.”
She nodded. “So much for our romantic evening. No wonder cops are famous for lousy relationships.”
That comment stabbed me—like a knife to the belly. “The job can be hard for our loved ones, but keep in mind, in ten years as a sheriff’s deputy, I’d never fired my gun in the line of duty until I found the bastard who tried to kill you. Most rural cops live boring lives.”
She leaned over and kissed me. “Fulfill your duty, Hank. I’ll run to the hotel and gather our things. We can spend time in Denver. I can’t follow you to Aspen, but we may be able to share a couple of days in Denver.”
I should’ve told her to stay in LA, but I was weak. “Good, but know up front, I’ll probably be working long hours.”
“You’ll have to sleep sometime, won’t you?”
“Yep.”
“Good, and as your assistant, I’ll stay close to you and the other police investigating the latest murder. I should be safer with you than anywhere else.”
She had a point. “Perfect, we’ll take it day by day.”
As she stood, she said, “Let me handle the plane and hotel in Denver. I prefer to travel in style. You focus on your work. Just be ready to leave in an hour.”
-o-o-o-
After Willow hurried away, I waited for Sharlene to end a call before saying, “We’re done here, but something has come up. I have to talk to Tyrone right away.”
She stared at me for a few seconds. “News ain’t good, is it, girl?”
“Afraid not. Is he available?”
Sharlene glanced at her phone, and I did, too. One of the lines was lit up. “I’ll slip him a note.”
With a groan, she rose to her feet, muttering about her knees. She shuffled to his office and returned. “Just a minute. In the meantime, I have all the evidence you asked for on your case right here.”
She tapped a thumb drive on her desk. “Five hundred gigabytes. It’s almost full.”
I took it and slipped it into my pocket. “I’m incredibly grateful.”
Before I could say anything else, Tyrone came out of his office. His brow was furrowed. “Bad news?”
“Terrible,” I said.
He waved both of us into his office and sat behind his desk. Sharlene and I sat across from him.
“I just received word that the contestant I talked to in Denver, Dinah White, has been murdered.”
“Lord, have mercy!” Sharlene put one hand over her heart.
Tyrone didn’t speak but cupped his face in his hands.
“I’m sorry,” I continued, “but it seems obvious now that someone is targeting your show’s contestants. You may have to shut down.”
Without removing his hands, Tyrone said, “How can this be happening?”
“I have to admit I’m shocked,” I said. “It seems like someone might be killing contestants to win the rap competition. That’s crazy, isn’t it?”
Both of them nodded.
“I’ve been here a dozen years,” the big black man said, “but I’ve never heard of anything like this. Game shows and contests have been shown on TV for decades, but nobody has died. Who’s cutthroat enough to murder?”
I’d been thinking exactly the same way—couldn’t fault his argument—but another idea hit me. “What if you’re being targeted by a competitor? Could someone be mad at you personally?”
Sharlene snorted. “Tyrone gets along with everybody. Lots of nasty folks in this business. I’ve worked for some of ‘em, but nobody calls me up and screams about my boy here.”
He gave her a broken smile. “You’re the best, sugar.”
The man turned to me. “We weren’t going to start production for two weeks, but we already have a boarding house reserved in Aspen. I could get everybody else there right away, and surround them with private bodyguards. They’d be safe then, right?”
“Should be. Look, I can’t
tell you what to do, but I’m sure the town and county will help you to keep everybody safe.”
“We’ve already spent a million bucks on promotion,” he said. “I hate to cancel the show now. I’ll talk to Naomi and ask what she wants to do.”
Chapter 14
Despite the turmoil, Willow turned out to be a fantastic flunky. By the time she got back to Century City, she’d set up all our travel arrangements. We each drove a car to return to the airport.
Naomi must’ve agreed with Tyrone about continuing the project. On the way to LAX, he texted me, We travel to Denver tomorrow. They’re Muslims. After attending Dinah’s funeral late in the afternoon, a bus will take us to Aspen. The first sing-off will take place live on Monday night. See you soon.
The rich really did live different. The concierge at Willow’s exclusive flyers’ club at the airport handed us glasses of champagne and checked us into our flight. We barely had time to toss down a few shrimp and caviar appetizers before it was time to head to our first-class seats. Free drinks, dinner, and Wi-fi.
On the plane, I couldn’t talk with Skip, but I could text him. He reached Denver just as we were flying over Monument Valley, on the Arizona-Utah border.
He told me the Denver cops had photographed the hell out of the crime scene, namely the Cajun restaurant I’d visited, and their photographer had given Skip copies. He sent a few to me.
Absolutely gruesome. White had taken two bullets to the center of her chest. Blood stained her clothes and pooled all around the young woman. Her face was contorted in shock.
One strange thing was no one in the restaurant claimed to have heard the shots or seen the attack. The shooter had used a soda pop bottle as a makeshift silencer, leaving it next to her mortal remains, but she’d been shot in the middle of the dining room.
I wasn’t surprised that the bystanders didn’t want to get involved, but one of the witnesses was White’s aunt. I would’ve expected she’d want justice. Skip talked to her, and she claimed she’d been in the kitchen the whole time. He’d also called Dinah White’s mother, but she just swore at him.
-o-o-o-
By the time Willow and I picked up Pitkin County’s SUV and reached the crime scene, it was almost ten p.m. Denver’s finest had knocked off for the evening, but Skip waited for us at a nearby BBQ place. We sat with him and sipped beer.
His Song Silenced Page 10