Hollywood Murder Read Online Free Page A

the elevator up to his office. He not only planned to have a pleasant evening. After the night was over, he planned to have a pleasant life.

SIX
     
    After leaving Natalie and Mo’s apartment, I took Bernie for his evening stroll around the apartment building. The Barkley Bungalows were undergoing renovation and scaffolding had been set up in front of several of the World War II era units. Despite the construction and rather odd assortment of tenants—several aspiring actors, including some who played zombies, lived in the complex—the place was finally beginning to feel like home.
    When I got back to my apartment, I had a bite to eat, watched a little TV, and got ready for bed. Noah called just after nine and asked me about my day.
    “It was uneventful,” I said, sitting on my bed. “Except for being held at gunpoint by a billionaire.” I took a moment and filled him in on my meeting with Collin Russell and what he’d told me about his son being involved in the Revelation.
    “You really believe there’s an organization that’s running things behind the scenes in Hollywood?”
    “I’ve heard rumors about it for years. I’m not sure how much of it’s true, and, if it is, how much control they have. From what Russell said, they’re powerful and will stop at nothing to get their way.” I went on a moment longer, speculating that Malone and the group might be behind the murder of my love-dad.
    Noah was obviously concerned. “If this group does exist, you need to be careful. I’ve got big plans for you and I don’t want anything interfering.”
    I lay back on the bed. “What exactly do you have in mind, doctor?” Noah was a local veterinarian who lived with a menagerie of dogs, cats, and other assorted animals. We’d met when he’d treated Bernie for a minor injury to his leg.
    “I was thinking about dinner and a concert this Saturday night. If you’d like, we could come back to my place afterward.”
    “Just you, me, and a couple dozen dogs. It sounds very romantic.”
    He laughed. “I promise to keep the dogs downstairs. We probably won’t end up with more than one or two in bed with us before the night’s over.”
    “You’re starting to sound very domestic.”
    He lowered his voice. “I think you’ll find that’s not entirely true.”
    “I’m counting on it. See you Saturday night.”
    I stayed in bed, thinking about how my life had changed in the few short weeks since Noah and I had met. Dr. Noah Fraser was a former marine. He’d lost his leg below the knee when an IED hit his armored vehicle while he was on patrol in Iraq. After several surgeries, he’d come through the experience remarkably well, thanks to lots of therapy, including the companionship of a therapy dog. Noah’s lifelong love of animals and his traumatic experiences in Iraq had convinced him to become a vet.
    I’d fallen asleep to pleasant thoughts about our lives together when my phone rang. I saw that it was just after midnight when I answered the call from my lieutenant, Ozzie Powell.
    “You and Leo just caught a case over in Hancock Park,” Oz said. “Dembowski says it’s going to be high profile when the media gets some of the details. He wants Hall and Peters on it with you. Now that I’m awake, I might also stop by.”
    Melvin Dembowski was our captain. Darby Hall and Melvina Peters were a couple of detectives recently assigned to Section One.
    I sat up on the bed, rubbing my eyes. “What do you know about the case?”
    “Just that the maid was murdered and the family’s gone missing.”
    “Missing, as in kidnapped?”
    “Maybe. We’re not sure at this point. All I do know is that it’s a pretty bad scene at the house.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “The maid’s sister went by the residence to check on her when she didn’t come home. She said the front door was open and she found a body inside that she thinks is her sister.”
    I dragged a hand through my hair, deciding I must still be half asleep.