My drink arrived and I began to nurse it. A few minutes later, I was about to be approached by two floor girls when the lights dimmed. A spot light shined on the rear curtain above the runway. The floor girls turned abruptly and started to walk to the rear of the building; likewise, the girls on the runway also spun 180 degrees and strutted off the raised stage.
An unseen announcer came over the hidden speakers, “Ladies and Gentlemen, please give a warm round of applause for our new star, the lovely, Brandy.”
I shook my head at her barely disguised name. Over the next ten minutes, Andi showed me her conversion from a runway model to an erotic performer. I was speechless. All I could do was watch her perform.
Andi entered dressed like a bride. The music was a rock song with lyrics that explained it was a young bride’s wedding night. She spent a few moments admiring herself. Then, she slowly began to undress. She first took off her gloves and floor length veil. She pulled out the pins holding up her hair and shook her head, letting her hair fall far down her back to the middle of her behind. With a quick movement, she unsnapped the back of her dress, causing it fall to her feet, revealing most of her trim, model-thin body.
She stepped out of the dress wearing only a small push-up bustier, a delicate garter belt with a thin waistband and straps, a tiny g-string, mid-thigh stockings and 4-inch pumps. She slowly removed her bustier, exposed her large breasts and erect nipples. After each piece of clothing comes off, she admired her nails, arms, hair, face, lower legs, thighs, tummy, hips, and her wonderful breasts.
At this point, the song indicated that the bride is dreaming of her husband and what they will do together in bed. Once she was braless, Andi messed up her hair, and pinched her right nipple.
The final lyrics are the knocking sound on the bathroom door with her new husband saying “Is everything all right?” Andi nodded yes, and bent down to her clothes and put on her bustier. She tried to straighten her now wild looking hair, grabbed her dress, veil and gloves, and then slowly strutted off stage to the sounds of light applause from the small crowd.
I was truly stunned. I don’t know exactly how much time passed, but the next thing I noticed were a pair of long legs and high heels in front of me. I looked up to find Andi wearing only a red g-string and red pumps. She had a red hair band on her head that kept her hair off her face. She wore a big red plastic heart pendant on a gold chain around her neck. The pendant dangled between her breasts. I noticed she also carried a red plastic step stool.
Andi looked embarrassed and hurt. I had outed her. And, I now knew why she had been so secretive about her job.
She asked, “What are you doing here, Stevie?”
I said, “Andi, you were acting strange the last two mornings and you wouldn’t let me know much about your job. I was very worried about you. Now, I understand.”
“Oh, Stevie, I can explain…”
I noticed her eyes tearing.
I didn’t know what to say. “Andi, I can’t believe this. What else have you lied about?”
Andi answered, “Nothing.”
She was crying and real tears were on her cheeks. I looked at the bouncer and saw he was already staring our way. I knew this could be a real problem. I still didn’t know what else to say.
“I need time to process all this. What’s going on?”
Andi said, “I’m sorry. Look, I can’t talk here.”
She wiped her eyes and said, “I love you, Stevie.”
I nodded. I couldn’t speak. I was on my feet, I turned and walked away. I didn’t look back.
I heard her say, “Give me a chance to explain…”
***
I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to go. I just got in my car and drove. After a few minutes I realized I was heading north, up hill. I entered the Hollywood hills and was in Griffith Park. I kept driving and climbing up the winding roads and soon turned on to Mulholland Drive. I kept going until I came to the Griffith Observatory. I parked and got out of my car.
I walked to the front of the white, star-gazing building and sat on the stone wall that overlooked the L.A. Basin. I was sad, confused and hurt. I looked out at the vast city of streets, houses and cars and saw no answers. I closed my eyes and let the hot, early afternoon sun beat down on my head and simply let my thoughts go where they may…
So, Andi was a stripper, an exotic dancer. No wonder she had such unusual things going on in her life. What a comedown for a supermodel! Andi used to pull in hundreds of thousands of dollars a few years ago. Now, she had descended to this job. No wonder she lied about it, even when her life was threatened. It showed how desperate things had become with her modeling career over and her acting career going nowhere. She must be so embarrassed, even humiliated. What else had she lied about, and what else didn’t she tell me? No wonder I was getting no where. Could I really believe anything she told me before, or would tell me now?
Where should I go from here?
I prayed for answers.
Not knowing where to go next, I left the high hills and drove back down into the basin, straight to the L.A. police department’s Hollywood office to speak to detective Peter Lomita. I headed south on Vermont, turned right on Sunset Boulevard, and left on Wilcox Avenue and arrived there in 15 minutes. The police were housed in a modern, red brick, two-story building. I found street parking and quickly located the detectives’ offices in a suite on the second floor.
Lieutenant Lomita was in and greeted me with, “Ah, Garrett, the east coast private eye friend of our blonde damsel in distress.”
Lomita was tall, about 6 feet 3 inches, lean and muscular with medium-long dark hair. He was clean shaven, with a strong chin. He had piercing blue eyes that were almost hid by a squint that looked like he was in bright sunlight. He had a good tan and clearly did something to keep in shape. I couldn’t quite pin his age; he could be anywhere between 35 to 50 years old, and had a fairly fierce, gruff manner. He wore above the ankle black boots, trim black slacks, and a white long-sleeved shirt. His black conservative-patterned tie was loosened and the top button of his shirt was undone. His gray sports coat was on a hanger behind his door. He wore a shoulder holster, but his pistol wasn’t in the brown leather holder. His detective badge was fixed to the holster.
Lomita greeted me with a strong handshake and pointed me to the chair in front of his desk.
He leaned back in his chair and said, “Our beautiful blonde was supposed to call me today. Where is she?”
I told him Andi was at work.
“Have her call me when you see her tonight or she can sit her butt in jail. That was the deal.”
“OK.”
“I have only ten minutes, Garrett, so get to it.”
I then gave him a quick summary of the last two days, including the incidents since we last spoke and my recent discovery of Andi’s job. Lomita knew about that, which I guess shouldn’t have surprised me. He was a little wary of me and didn’t disclose any new information, and I wasn’t sure if he knew any. He said that he had talked to several people at the gentleman’s club. I asked and he said that there were no new developments in the case. He took some interest in the developments at the apartment, and said he would speak to Torrance detective, John Savage.
At the end of the conversation, he asked me who I thought did it. I told him I didn’t know, but was pretty sure I still didn’t have a complete picture.
I made it back to the apartment around 3pm. As I walked from my car to the apartment, I passed the pool and saw two women sitting separately, Shayna Ryan and another blonde. Shayna was reclining in a lounge chair in a white bikini which her healthy body certainly filled out. I asked her if she’d be at the pool for a while longer, and she said about another hour, but then would go grocery shopping. I said I’d be right back after I changed into my swim suit.
Five minutes later, we finally had the chance to talk. I told her of my discovery that day and she was surprised that Andi hadn’t disclosed her job before. I ag
reed and wondered what else I didn’t know.
Shayna responded, “Well, what do you want to know?”
“Who shot Sid and what does Andi know? I think the murder was a crime of passion and that the killer is still around. It’s more than a coincidence the things that have been going on these last couple of days. I just don’t think I know the whole story.”
“OK, that’s probably true. But, what don’t you know?”
Shayna’s body glistened from suntan lotion. Up close, I noticed how little her suit covered especially when she flipped onto her stomach and revealed the narrow material covering only the center of her behind. Then, she undid the strings to her top, so she wouldn’t get a tan line. I tried to maintain eye contact.
“Do you still have a key to Andi’s apartment?”
Shayna answered, “Yes, I do.”
“Can I see it?”
Shayna picked up her key chain and asked, “Sure, but why?”
I told her about Andi’s missing clothes and handcuffs and how someone accessed her apartment.
Shayna said, “Wow! That’s scary. Oh, I have it Stevie. See, I put this pink ribbon on it. It reminds me of Andi.”
“Thanks, I just wondered if someone you both knew had stolen that key.”
“Doesn’t look like it.”
I changed the subject. “So, how did you meet Sid?”
“I met him right about where you’re sitting?”
“What was he doing here?”
“Sid owns, well, owned, this apartment building.”
“He did?”
“Yes, Sid was a rich man. He owned a condo complex, too.”
I asked, “Where are the condos?”
“Oh, they’re a ways from here, in the valley.”
I was thinking, so Shayna added, “You know, the San Fernando Valley, north of the basin.”
“Oh, OK.”
Then, something clicked. I asked Shayna, “Are those condos in Chatsworth?”
“Yeah, that’s the town in the valley. How did you know that?”
“I’ll tell you in a few minutes. But, let’s get back to this apartment complex. So, Sid owned it. And, did he come here often?”
“Umm, I don’t know. Well, he came here more when he started things with Andi. But, he also came down here because he knew Rob, the manager. They went way back. They were friends. I think Sid got Rob his job here.”
“Hmmm, I didn’t know that. So, how did you know Andi?”
“We met back in Philadelphia when she first started. I was doing a little modeling then, but she was the rising star.”
“So, did you convince Andi to come to L.A.?”
“No, well, she called me a year and a half ago, crying and upset because she was not getting the modeling jobs like she did earlier in her career. I just mentioned that she should think about coming out here, maybe trying an acting career. I was just getting my first jobs with Sid and singing regularly and told her I could help her. I was surprised how quickly she jumped at my words. She arrived here like two weeks later. I helped her get her apartment and connected her with Sid. You know how things went there.”
I said, “Yes, I do. Have you ever heard of Bambi Deer?”
Shayna answered, “Sure, she was a porn actress, but now she’s dancing at Modern Girls, like Andi.”
“Right. Well, she lives in Chatsworth. Is she living in one of Sid’s condos?”
Shayna said, “Sure, he set her up there. He always asks his girlfriends if he can help them get an apartment or a condo. He offers them for a discount. That way, he gets his places occupied, and he can check out the girls while he checks out his properties.”
“That’s convenient.”
“Yes, it is. Sid had it all figured out. Both Andi and I are paying discounted rent compared to other tenants. There are a few other girls here at the apartments that are paying discounted rent, too.”
“Man, what a racket!”
“Stevie, that happens all over L.A. I guess it happens everywhere, but it’s like the norm out here. Big shots in the business have their girls taken care of all over town. I have no idea how many women Sid set up that way between his properties. But, Sid was very generous. I’ve been here almost three years, and my rent has never gone up. And, he and I were only together about two months.”
“Wow, I guess he could afford to give out those discounts.”
Shayna said, “Yes, probably. But, we are still paying rent, just less than others.”
“I spoke to Bambi’s mom yesterday and found out something else that was interesting.”
“What?”
“Did you know that Sid and Bambi had a child together?”
“No, really?”
Shayna was so stunned by this news that she turned to her side to look me in the eyes, then, two seconds later covered her breasts with her hands, and said, “Oh, my God, Stevie!”
“That’s what her mother told me. Andi didn’t know that either.”
“When did this happen?”
“Bambi got pregnant over three years ago. Their daughter is almost three.”
Shayna whistled. “My God, Stevie, Sid had his kid with Bambi around the time I was seeing him. He never mentioned it. Nor, did Bambi. I remember when she stopped dancing and going to auditions. That’s the reason.”
Shayna turned around, holding her bikini in place and asked me to re-tie it. We had the attention of the other blonde sitting across the pool from us. Shayna gave her a smile that I think meant the other woman should mind her own business. The blonde then got up off her chaise lounge, gathered her towel and other belongings and left the pool area. She was in her late-thirties, with bleached hair and a pretty good body.
After I finished tying her back into her suit, Shayna faced me again.
“I know, Shayna, it’s incredible.”
“So, is any one going to tell Troy?”
I answered, “I think Bambi should. Or, at least get in touch with the Gabriels’ attorney, because her daughter may be able to get a big inheritance out of this. Bambi might have a bright future, thanks to probate court.”
Shayna said, “Wow. This is crazy. But, who shot Sid?”
“I don’t know. Let me ask about Andi’s lovers. She’s had two here, at the apartments, correct?”
Shayna looked surprised, “Two? Who?”
“Mark, the engineer, and Mike Reese, right?”
“Those were just flings. Mark is a nice guy. He got engaged to his girlfriend a few months ago. They still live here.”
“OK. Andi told me about Mark, but she didn’t say much about Reese. How did Andi meet him?”
Shayna answered, “He saw her topless one night in the hot tub, and he got turned on big time. They had a one night stand.”
I responded, “I thought that was how she met Mark.”
“That could be true too; she loves to go topless in the hot tub.”
I asked, “OK, so what does this Mike do for a living?”
Shayna said, “He works in one of the aircraft plants as a supervisor. It’s blue collar work, and he’s muscled. He’d come home a little sweaty in his tight polo shirts and jeans.”
She paused and then added, “Oh, and Mike’s married. Or, he was; apparently he fooled around a lot. He’s getting divorced. I think their marriage was falling apart for a while. Mike moved out last month. And, his wife, Kathy, is too. She’s moving out in a couple days. It’s funny that you mention the Reeses, because that was Kathy Reese sitting across from us a few minutes ago.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it was.”
Shayna looked at her wrist watch and said she had to go. I thanked her for the information. Before she left Shayna thought of something. “Oh, Mike’s wife, Kathy, was one of Sid’s girls, too, at one time. I think that’s why she lived here.”
“Thanks.”
We said our goodbyes.
I sat back on the lounge and tried to digest everything that Shayna told me.
***<
br />
I had to do something. I walked to the front of the complex where the office was located. I had broken out into a sweat by the time I got there. It was a very hot afternoon. Maybe it was due to tension too.
Inside the lobby I noticed that the manager, Rob Nealy, had the office window closed. I turned and looked at the apartment directory. It was a wall-mounted glass case that covered a black felt mat. White plastic letters were in slots on the felt. The left column listed the apartment numbers and the right column showed the last names of the residents. To the right of number 105 was the name “Reese”. That apartment was down the right hall, parallel to Anza Avenue, and that’s where I was headed.
Number 105 was the third door on the left, facing the street. I was about to knock when the door opened and the blonde women from the pool stared right at me. She was tall, thin with a hard, unhappy face. She had her purse over her shoulder - it had a long, thin leather strap and the purse was small. She was in jeans, tan work boots and a tank top. She held her keys in her right hand. She looked like she was in a hurry to go somewhere.
She said, “Who are you?”
I quickly introduced myself and asked if I could talk to her a minute.
She said her name was Kathy Reese and that she was in a hurry, but, she stopped anyway. During our two minute conversation she stood two feet inside her apartment while I remained in the hall. I noticed over her shoulder that her apartment looked empty of furniture, or nearly so.
She said, “Look, I know my husband slept with that tramp. But, that’s over and I’ve filed for divorce. Mike’s gone, and I’m out of here at the end of this month.”
“I’m sorry that happened.”
“Yeah, well, your friend broke up my marriage and couldn’t care less. What do you want me to say?”
With that statement I paused for a moment. Kathy made her way out to the hall and locked her door. She turned around and put her keys in her purse. Suddenly, she was very angry. “I don’t understand why she’s free. She’s the killer. She shot Sid Gabriel. She even shot him with her own gun.”
I said, “That’s not what happened, according to Andi.”
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