“Look,” she said, holding it where we could all see. There was a photo of Becca and Derek with a little girl in a sundress. The caption said, “Star couple at the beach with children.” “It says children,” Nell said, studying the picture. A little boy was crawling on the sand toward the water. “Robyn must have a brother.”
“If he didn’t drown,” Dinah said. “Even in the photo, you can see they’re not involved with the kids.” I studied the body language and realized Dinah was right. Becca was holding Robyn’s arms, but it was stiff and posed rather than loving. The actress seemed to have a much stronger connection with the camera than her daughter.
CeeCee nodded at the screen as if the picture confirmed some thought of her own. “Now maybe you understand why I didn’t have children. At least I was honest enough to acknowledge that my career came before anything and that I might be a little self-absorbed.”
Nell went and hugged her. “I love you anyway, Aunt CeeCee.”
CeeCee appeared shocked. “Oh, then you agree that I’m self-absorbed. I thought one of you would at least try to argue with that comment. Think about all my work for Hearts and Barks. I help out at the women and children’s shelter on holidays.” Her gaze moved over us and she seemed genuinely concerned. “And there’s the crochet group. If I was so self-absorbed, I’d just turn it over to Adele and say the heck with it.”
“You’re right. You do spend lots of time thinking of others,” I said. CeeCee still looked a little fragile. I nodded to Dinah and we all stepped in for a group hug.
“What would I do without my friends and niece,” CeeCee said, regaining her good humor. She sniffed the air. “I might not know how to cook, but I know how things are supposed to smell, and that pancake smells done.”
I popped it out of the oven and the fragrance was even more intense and more delicious. Nell got plates and we all sat down at the kitchen table and divided it up.
“Do you know them?” Nell asked after downing her last piece.
CeeCee laughed. “People think all celebrities know each other. The real truth is, Becca and Derek are on a different level than I am and have always been. They’re stars and I’m an actor.”
“You’re a star. What about the CeeCee Collins Show?” Nell protested. “And Caught By a Kiss? There’s even Oscar buzz. What have those two done?”
“They’ve both won Oscars, honey. But what they don’t have and I’m grateful for, is a niece like you who wants to stick up for me.”
I interrupted the mutual admiration society and got back to the real issue at hand.
I told Nell that Pierce Sheraton has mentioned that Robyn had promised him some kind of scoop. I’d also heard Talia mention something about some plan Robyn had for a surprise on the show. Nell’s eyes got big. “What if it had to do with her parents?”
“What if she was going to ruin the tribute to them by revealing what they were really like as parents?” CeeCee said. “Like in the middle of the show come forward and confront them.”
“And what if they found out?” Dinah added.
CeeCee nodded. “Something like that would tarnish their image forever. Knock them off their pedestals.”
We all looked at each other, and I know we were thinking the same thing. How far would they go to protect their image? Would they murder their own child? Finally CeeCee spoke.
“I’ve heard of wanting to kill to get a part. . . .”
CHAPTER 25
I GOT TO THE BOOKSTORE AROUND NOON AND went right to the yarn department. No surprise, Elise and Rhoda were hanging out at the table. Elise seemed stuck on turning out black cell phone covers with red decorations. Though Rhoda had talked her into letting go of the vampire connection and she’d started adding things like red heart-shaped buttons. I began putting out some new yarn we’d just gotten in, which was dangerous. It was all I could do not to set some aside for myself. Barry’s shelves would be overflowing before they were even finished.
As soon as I had time for a break, I went into the café. CeeCee had pulled me aside before Dinah and I had left and asked me to talk to Mason. Even if Nell didn’t want a lawyer, maybe he could offer some advice.
As soon as I sat down at a table by the window, I tried calling him at his office. I was sure it would work out better than when I’d reached him home and not alone.
“What’s up, Sunsh—Molly?” he said. Hmm, so my nickname was dead. No doubt this other woman was his sunshine now. He was polite but distant as I told him about the sweetener drop off and CeeCee’s concern.
“Just tell her to say nothing,” he said. Then I brought up who Robyn’s parents were. I thought for a moment that he was interested.
“I had no idea Becca and Derek had any kids,” he said, then his voice flattened and he asked if there was anything else. I thought there probably was, but I was so unnerved by how he was acting, I couldn’t remember, and we hung up.
Bob dropped off a red-eye just in time. I needed something to perk me up because the call had totally bummed me out. I could deal with Mason meeting someone but not losing him as a friend. Dinah had said that Mason had probably faced I was more or less engaged to Barry and he decided to move on.
“I’ll just have to get used to it,” I said to myself, feeling my lip tremble. I swallowed back my tears and told myself I had to be a big girl. I’d taken to sticking a hook and wad of yarn in my pocket for times like this. I took it out and started working on another cell sock. Bob had his computer on the counter and, after delivering my drink, went back to hammering away, no doubt on his screenplay. I glanced around at the tables and nobody was talking—everybody seemed to be hovering over a computer or reading a book. I hadn’t even noticed D. J. before.
The quiet ended abruptly when the door whooshed open and Pierce Sheraton came in. Came in sounds a little tame. He rushed in and surveyed the area and focused in on Bob.
“Hey, there,” he said. “Did you find a little black notebook?”
Bob must have been lost in tales of the werewolf planet. He glanced up at the sound, but it took a moment before he realized who was there. Bob’s eyes lit up and he straightened.
“Sorry, I was just taking a moment to work on my script.” There was heavy emphasis on the word script, and Bob waited expectantly for Pierce to pick up on it, but there was no response. While Bob checked behind the counter and handed over the lost notebook, he kept talking about his screenplay. He was doing a good job of pitching it by likening it to other hit movies. He said it was like Star Wars with fur, and I noticed a flicker of interest from Pierce. Bob upped the ante by offering Pierce a coffee drink. The entertainment reporter could be a good connection for Bob, and I was curious to see how it was going to play out, but I got interrupted.
Just then Rayaad come up to me and jostled my arm. “Here she is,” our cashier said. I was surprised to see Annie the nanny was with her. Rayaad went back to her station.
“I’m sorry to disturb you while you’re working, but I didn’t know any other way to contact you,” Annie said. She explained she was on an errand for her employer and only had a few minutes but accepted my invitation to sit. She picked up the cell sock I was working on and admired it.
“I don’t know if you know, but Robyn has a brother,” she began. “Miles is nothing like her. He took all the rejection from his parents badly and was a cliché of a Hollywood kid with too much money and too much time.” She shook her head with dismay. “He struggled with a drug problem for years.” Her face brightened. “But he’s doing okay now. He used to be a resident at the halfway house, but now he’s a counselor.” She digressed and said she didn’t normally stay this connected with her charges, but seeing how their parents had shut them out had left her with a feeling of responsibility for them. She wanted me to know that Robyn had a soft spot for her brother and had done what she could to help him. I was still processing the information she’d given me when she asked me for a favor.
“I go to the halfway house once a month to teach a cro
chet class. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you about the tranquilizing benefits of it. It’s good for them to keep their hands busy, too. I’m sure this impatient crochet would appeal to them. The idea they could make something fast might encourage more of the residents to join us, and maybe they could even use the items for a fund-raiser.” She paused and smiled. “I know this is all last minute, but the class is in a few days, and I was wondering if you would be willing to come along and show them how to make one of these.” She held up my cell sock.
My brain was clicking. Robyn’s brother was another piece of the puzzle and talking to him seemed like an excellent idea. And I didn’t mind spreading the word of crochet. I told her the impatient crochet wasn’t really my idea, but I’d be happy to go with her and help show the group how to do it. I could bring patterns for some small items and everything. Annie seemed pleased and we set a time to go there together.
I mentioned the boy doll I’d rescued from the trash. “Did that belong to Miles?” Annie seemed surprised.
“I didn’t know Robyn kept it. Yes, I made them each a doll when I was taking care of them. I do it for all the kids in my charge.”
“Should I bring it for Miles?” I asked.
Annie nodded. “I think he’d like that.”
As she was getting ready to leave, I threw a few more questions at her about Robyn, but all I managed to find out was that the celebrity couple knew about their daughter’s death and that was why they were at the memorial service. But they had decided it was best for everyone not to publically acknowledge their relationship. I suspected the only ones it was best for was them. I wanted to ask if she thought the couple capable of murder, but she looked at her watch and rushed off.
The rest of the day went by in a blur of books and yarn, and it was dark when I drove home. As I pulled into my driveway, I saw Barry’s Tahoe parked on the street in front of my house. Barry and Jeffrey were walking toward me when I got out of my car.
“We’re just coming from open house at school,” Barry said as an explanation. I was glad that Barry had made it to the event, though the expression on his son’s face made me wonder if he felt the same. We all walked into the backyard together just like a regular family.
“Any more problems with your cell phone?” Barry said. I was relieved to see he was smiling. If we were going to be together, he had to have a sense of humor. I asked how he’d happened to show up and he laughed.
“Babe, all I had to hear was the color and make of the car. How many blue green 1993 190 E Mercedes, do you think there are?” He unlocked the back door with his key and slipped on the lights. Cosmo was waiting by the door and ran outside. Jeffrey went on ahead, saying he would feed them.
“Have you eaten?” I asked. Barry said he’d taken Jeffrey out after the school thing.
“Sushi,” he said with an unhappy face. “I can’t believe my kid wants to eat raw fish.”
When we were out of earshot of Jeffrey, I asked Barry if he’d had the “talk” with him yet.
“I’m waiting for the right time,” he said, obviously uncomfortable. “And some noisy restaurant with the tables on top of each other isn’t the place.” As we passed the hall that led to Samuel’s room, I noticed a stack of moving boxes against the wall.
I went to check them out and Barry followed. “I wonder what this is about. I told Samuel not to worry about getting a place. Better for him to take his time than move in with the wrong people,” I said.
“He’s an adult. I’m sure he can figure it out.” I detected a note of pleasure in Barry’s voice and called him on it.
“Of course the idea that he’s moving on sets well with me. Then we can fix your house up and put it on the market.”
“Hey, hold on,” I said, suddenly feeling like I was being rushed into a decision.
Barry’s voice got a tired sound. “I know you still haven’t officially said yes. You know you are going to. We’re good together.” He was hesitant to act affectionate in front of Jeffrey, concerned it would make him feel uncomfortable. He hesitated to act affectionate when Samuel was around because of the way Samuel looked at him made him feel uncomfortable. But here in the hallway away from everyone, he put his arms around me and held me against him.
I started to tell him about the rest of my day. It was fine until I told him that I wasn’t buying the tainted sweetener to discredit the company theory, and I explained why I thought Becca Ivins and Derek Trousedale were valid suspects in Robyn’s murder.
He listened, but I could tell by the way he was breathing he didn’t really want to hear about it. But he still got an A for effort. He also didn’t tell me to stay out of it. It would have been nicer, though, if I could shoot ideas around with him, and if he’d share information.
Jeffrey called out that he was finished with the dogs and then said he’d forgotten he had homework. Reluctantly Barry left my side and went with him. “If we were married . . .” he said with heat coming off his eyes.
Once they’d gone, I realized I hadn’t eaten and made myself a salad out of whatever was in the crisper. It was the one part of the refrigerator that didn’t seemed to get ravaged by Samuel, Barry and Jeffrey. The house seemed quiet without Samuel there and with Barry and Jeffrey gone.
I thought about Mason. He’d be interested in hearing about my potential meeting with Robyn’s brother. He’d be interested in who I had for suspects. Or he would have been. I knew I’d said I’d only call his office from now on, but I punched in his cell number anyway. When it went to voice mail, I hung up.
CHAPTER 26
AS SOON AS THE GROUP HEARD ABOUT THE PLAN to teach crochet at the halfway house, they all wanted to help, but since it was short notice, not everyone could come. Dinah had a class, Sheila had to work, CeeCee had a meeting about the new season of her show. Oscar buzz might be nice, but she was concerned about keeping her paycheck. Nell said her reason for not going was that she felt like too much of a beginner to be much help, but I knew the truth was she didn’t want to meet Robyn’s brother. It wasn’t a secret that the cops had their eye on her in the death of his sister. How friendly would he be, even if she was there to help.
The one person I was hoping wouldn’t come, of course, did. When Mrs. Shedd heard Adele wanted time off to help at a rehab place, she was all for her going. Our boss was very generous when it came to any kind of charity or good deed. So the three of us headed over the hill and to the beach town of Venice. I was always struck by how the light was totally different by the ocean than in the Valley. All the moisture in the air caught the sun and made it iridescent.
The building appeared to be an old hotel or rooming house. Annie signed us in, and we went to a large room on the first floor.
Annie had brought balls of cotton yarn and had a cup full of hooks. I took out a wad of papers and set them on a coffee table. Rhoda had been all for the plan and agreeable about me making copies of her directions to hand out. Adele staked out the middle of the room as the participants came in. The four women and two men situated themselves on the couches and chairs around the room. A young man, holding a clipboard, came in last. He hugged Annie, and before she introduced us, I knew by his resemblance to Robyn that he was her brother, Miles.
On the drive in, Annie had told me more about him. He’d kept the last name Trousedale and was still hoping for some kind of relationship with his parents. Annie confided that she knew Miles’ problems had shut the door forever on that. It was a Pandora’s box they weren’t going to open. Robyn had stuck by her brother through everything and had found the halfway house for him.
Though he appeared to be putting on a good face, Annie said Robyn’s death was devastating to him, and he was very angry that the police hadn’t arrested anybody. She was concerned about him backsliding. “But I can only get involved so far. Don’t get me wrong, I care about Miles, but I’m not family.” Finally, she admitted that she was still being paid by their parents to stay in touch with them, though Robyn and Miles had never known.
I watched the young man in loose jeans and a blue polo shirt with the collar up perch on the arm of the sofa. He appeared to be there as a supervisor.
I was happy to give Adele center stage when it came to a demonstration. No matter what our differences were, I never denied that she was superior at crochet. And it meant so much to her to be the center of attention. Once she’d given them all the idea how to do impatient crochet, Adele supervised while Annie handed out supplies and I gave them each a copy of the directions to make a cell sock.
The three of us helped the six of them get started. Then we just watched as they worked. I took the opportunity to talk to Miles and immediately noticed that he was much softer than his sister. Something about him tugged at my heart. He seemed very needy, like someone who longed to be hugged and reassured. But at the same time, he was aware of being in charge and responsible for the residents in the room. It was as though he was handling his need by helping others. Knowing everything I did, my heart went out to him.
I took the crocheted boy doll out of my bag and offered it to him.
Miles’ eyes got round when he saw it, and then instinctively he picked it up and held it to his chest. Both dolls had been dressed in moss green crocheted clothing. Robyn’s doll had a dress with a pocket and pink flowers along the hem. Miles’ had overalls in the same color with a tiny pink hankie sticking out of the pocket on the front. A moment later, he set it down as if he’d suddenly remembered where he was.
“What were you doing with the doll?” he asked. His demeanor had changed and he seemed wary.
I didn’t give exact details about where I’d found the doll, but I mentioned I was investigating his sister’s death. I explained I was an amateur sleuth and my real job was working at the bookstore. I gave him my card as a visual aid. I was surprised when his expression hardened.
“I don’t know what they’re waiting for. Why don’t they just arrest that production assistant and lock her up?”
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