"When I called the cops, I expected to be taken down to the basement of the Hollywood police station and beaten black and blue until I confessed," said Phalen. "Your connections with Joe Club couldn't have come at a better time."
"Timing is everything," Flix said. "But, you're right. We are strangers here. We'd probably be near the top of the list of major suspects – after Sato and Alfred, of course."
"The husband's usually the number one suspect in these cases," said Phalen.
"But a good word from Joe Club goes a long way. I had to bite a bullet for it," Flix said, "and ruin my movie star face, but I guess it was worth it. I would have hated the thoughts of both of us under arrest."
"But Club vouched for you, and you vouched for me, and glory be, we're still free," said Phalen.
"I don't think I would have been quite so poetic, but that does about sum it up for us."
"The gardener wasn't so lucky," said Phalen.
"No, he wasn't. I'll see about him later. Right now, I want to go and find Emory. He's a large part of this puzzle. I know it. I hope he's recovered enough to talk with sense," said Flix. "You hang around here. Club seems at his wit's end. Two murders and the last one doesn't even have footprints leading to the body! He's given his okay for us to stick around. As long as we don't cause his officers any trouble."
"Call me Saint, Cupid," Phalen said. "I'll stay out of trouble. With all I've found out lately, my head is whirling. This Hollywood is something else."
"I'll meet back with you tonight at the bungalow," said Flix.
"Yep. No train ticket home today, I'm afraid," said Phalen.
"Lillian will be there when you get back."
"Will she?" said Phalen. "I wonder."
YOU ARE READING
Ashes of Yesterday
Mystery / ThrillerWhat would make you pull the trigger? When Reed Kimball is found with a bullet between the eyes, the police are faced with so many suspects, they don't know where to begin. A gambler, a speculator, and a love 'em and leave 'em kinda guy, Kimball is...
