another day and an SUV.”
“I don’t suppose you got any license numbers?”
“No, why would I? I had no reason to spy on Vienna. That would be an invasion of her privacy and downright creepy.”
“God forbid you should be creepy. Sorry I asked.”
“Besides, how many Lotuses are there in town? You should be able to track this one down. And there’s her roommate, Danielle. She might know something.” Like did she kill Vienna for not paying the rent.
“Thanks, Rita,” he said as he entered something into his computer. Was it the persons or vehicles I’d suggested? Or had he entered some information about me? I’d have given anything to have a look at the screen in front of him.
“By the way,” he said, “who was Ms. Fairchild’s winning bid for? The one she gave you.”
“Dr. Rhodes.”
“Dr. Jonathan Rhodes at San Francisco General Hospital,” he said, glancing down at something on his desk. “Have you contacted him about it?”
“Not yet. Why, is there some reason I shouldn’t?”
“Go ahead,” he said. It was almost as if he was daring me. And what was I going to say to Jonathan?
I didn’t bid on you because I couldn’t afford it, but Vienna did and she gave me her ticket before she was murdered. How about that?
He stood to indicate the interview was over.
“I just have one question,” I said. “Are you sure it was murder?” Why did I ask? I wouldn’t be here if she’d just died from a poisonous snakebite or a heart attack. I’d seen those marks on her neck. I knew.
“We’re calling it a possible homicide while we wait for the coroner’s report. From what you said about those marks on her neck—”
“Yes, but—”
“I appreciate your coming in, Rita,” he said. “You’re free to go.”
I breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.
“Of course, we would appreciate it if you didn’t leave town without notifying us.”
I sat down again. “Is that usual?” I meant, was that usual for a nonsuspect.
“It’s customary in a murder investigation.”
“Then you must have the coroner’s report and you know it was murder.”
He didn’t bother to confirm or deny it. All he said was, “You’ve been helpful, and we may need to call on you again for some details, names or addresses you may have left out or forgotten.” He looked at a file folder on his desk. “Is your address and phone number the same?”
“Except I’ve moved to the third floor of the building,” I said.
“Better view?” he asked. He’d been to my old place during the investigation of the other murder. But I had no idea where he lived, since he never followed through on that dinner invitation.
“Slightly,” I said. “But a smaller place.”
Before I left, he instructed Rowley to drive me to the health club as a way of making up for interrupting my Sunday. He also said the site of the incident—he didn’t call it murder this time—had been cleared and was currently available. He handed me a card from a cleaning service that specialized in crime scenes and said we should call them. I said I’d give it to Dolce. I didn’t tell him she was missing. He probably knew. I wanted to ask him if he needed any help solving this crime, but I knew better. I could just see the expression on his face of “Here we go again.” I also realized it was not the time to remind him that he hadn’t followed through on his dinner invitation, so I just said, “Good luck,” and left.
I was too late for my water safety class, so I just snapped on my goggles, slipped into my Speedo and swam laps for a half hour. On a Sunday afternoon the pool wasn’t very crowded. I was able to switch off my brain, and it was good for me to do something mindless after a day like this. Still, the vision of Vienna in her gown lying on the floor kept getting in the way of my zoning out.
I was full of ideas of who might have killed Vienna, but unfortunately no one had asked me. Surely the information I’d given Jack about
“I don’t suppose you got any license numbers?”
“No, why would I? I had no reason to spy on Vienna. That would be an invasion of her privacy and downright creepy.”
“God forbid you should be creepy. Sorry I asked.”
“Besides, how many Lotuses are there in town? You should be able to track this one down. And there’s her roommate, Danielle. She might know something.” Like did she kill Vienna for not paying the rent.
“Thanks, Rita,” he said as he entered something into his computer. Was it the persons or vehicles I’d suggested? Or had he entered some information about me? I’d have given anything to have a look at the screen in front of him.
“By the way,” he said, “who was Ms. Fairchild’s winning bid for? The one she gave you.”
“Dr. Rhodes.”
“Dr. Jonathan Rhodes at San Francisco General Hospital,” he said, glancing down at something on his desk. “Have you contacted him about it?”
“Not yet. Why, is there some reason I shouldn’t?”
“Go ahead,” he said. It was almost as if he was daring me. And what was I going to say to Jonathan?
I didn’t bid on you because I couldn’t afford it, but Vienna did and she gave me her ticket before she was murdered. How about that?
He stood to indicate the interview was over.
“I just have one question,” I said. “Are you sure it was murder?” Why did I ask? I wouldn’t be here if she’d just died from a poisonous snakebite or a heart attack. I’d seen those marks on her neck. I knew.
“We’re calling it a possible homicide while we wait for the coroner’s report. From what you said about those marks on her neck—”
“Yes, but—”
“I appreciate your coming in, Rita,” he said. “You’re free to go.”
I breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.
“Of course, we would appreciate it if you didn’t leave town without notifying us.”
I sat down again. “Is that usual?” I meant, was that usual for a nonsuspect.
“It’s customary in a murder investigation.”
“Then you must have the coroner’s report and you know it was murder.”
He didn’t bother to confirm or deny it. All he said was, “You’ve been helpful, and we may need to call on you again for some details, names or addresses you may have left out or forgotten.” He looked at a file folder on his desk. “Is your address and phone number the same?”
“Except I’ve moved to the third floor of the building,” I said.
“Better view?” he asked. He’d been to my old place during the investigation of the other murder. But I had no idea where he lived, since he never followed through on that dinner invitation.
“Slightly,” I said. “But a smaller place.”
Before I left, he instructed Rowley to drive me to the health club as a way of making up for interrupting my Sunday. He also said the site of the incident—he didn’t call it murder this time—had been cleared and was currently available. He handed me a card from a cleaning service that specialized in crime scenes and said we should call them. I said I’d give it to Dolce. I didn’t tell him she was missing. He probably knew. I wanted to ask him if he needed any help solving this crime, but I knew better. I could just see the expression on his face of “Here we go again.” I also realized it was not the time to remind him that he hadn’t followed through on his dinner invitation, so I just said, “Good luck,” and left.
I was too late for my water safety class, so I just snapped on my goggles, slipped into my Speedo and swam laps for a half hour. On a Sunday afternoon the pool wasn’t very crowded. I was able to switch off my brain, and it was good for me to do something mindless after a day like this. Still, the vision of Vienna in her gown lying on the floor kept getting in the way of my zoning out.
I was full of ideas of who might have killed Vienna, but unfortunately no one had asked me. Surely the information I’d given Jack about
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