A Dead Sister (Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery) (22 page)

The hypodermic was loaded with both heroin and fentanyl. Jessica paused long enough to look up information about fentanyl online. Used in operating rooms as an anesthetic, some addicts also used it to augment the high from heroin. It was, apparently, a dangerous mix. If Jessica decided to pull Laura in on the latest episode of murder and mayhem, she would ask about that, too, when she saw her on Friday. As a surgical nurse, Laura would certainly be familiar with the substance. Maybe both the on and “off label” uses for the stuff.

A note in Kelly’s file suggested the contents of that hypodermic, if injected, would most likely have resulted in death. Begrudgingly, Jessica acknowledged Art Greenwal
d was correct in asserting that Kelly might have ended up dead that night even if she had not been run down. True, only if she was an addict on the run, planning to inject the contents of that hypodermic. That was still an impossible scenario for Jessica to accept.

Lab tests revealed trace amounts of seminal fluid on her underpants and streaks of vomit on her shirt. In addition to vomit, the shirt had several small round droplets of blood. No DNA was obtained from the seminal fluid, but DNA from the blood indicated the donor was male. Several strands of hair found in Kelly’s right hand also came from an unknown male, the DNA from hair follicles matching that contained in the blood droplets. That aspect of the investigation soon reached a dead end, too, since there was no match to anyone in CODIS—the Combined DNA Index System. Nor did the hair and blood come from her boyfriend, who supplied the police with a sample of his own DNA.

Jessica searched for information in the report referencing the type of DNA testing used back in 1999, but could find none. More recent improvements made it possible to test samples previously regarded as too degraded or too small to yield results. She made a note to ask Art about the possibility of retesting any seminal fluid that might still be obtained from Kelly’s clothes, presuming they were still in the possession of the police. She would also ask about running new samples or rerunning the 1999 samples through CODIS again. New DNA evidence from offenders and arrestees was always being added to that database. There were also a number of fibers on her body. Not helpful since they were commonly found in towels and carpets, and could have come from the hotel and spa where she worked or her apartment.

In Kelly’s apartment, investigators had found a small amount of marijuana, a few bottles of beer, some wine and liquor. In her medicine cabinet, they identified ordinary OTC items, but none of the prescription drugs found in her system. Nor was there anything in the report about finding a sleep aid, no chloral hydrate or anything else like that. No mention of barbiturates, heroin, fentanyl or any illicit drugs other than the marijuana, and nothing in the report about needles or other drug paraphernalia in her apartment. “Odd for a flaming addict,” Jessica muttered, resisting the urge to hurl the file and its contents into the fountain.

Jessica looked through the list of Kelly’s personal effects logged in by the police. Nothing out of the ordinary there either: a large handbag, hairbrush, keys, lipstick, tissues, hand cream, gum, a wallet containing her driver’s license, employee I.D., grocery store club cards, a library card, a few dollars cash, coins and a couple casino chips retrieved from the bottom of the purse.

Where was her cell phone? She had one, Jessica was sure about that. She had called Kelly to coordinate events on New Year’s Eve. Perhaps she had left it at home. Jessica checked again, but found no record of a cell phone anywhere in the investigators’ notes about evidence collected at her apartment. She presumed the police would have checked calls to or from Kelly during the last week or so of her life, even if they had not found a phone. Jessica noted yet another question for Art Greenwald when she called him on Monday.

Police investigators had made the rounds, interviewing a lot of people about what went on that night. In addition to Kelly’s supervisor in the Spa, Bridget Potter, police interviewed those on duty at the front desk, a night manager, the supervisor of hotel security, the hotel food and beverage manager, and supervisors at the restaurants and bars in the hotel and casino where Kelly sometimes worked. Kelly had taken her regular days off from the spa Wednesday and Thursday. As Jessica already knew, that included  Thursday night, New Year’s Eve. She had been penciled in on schedules for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in different locations at the casino. She had picked up extra shifts each evening in addition to working her usual shift at the spa.

Bridget Potter said she regarded Kelly as a good worker, and had last seen her on Monday, January 4
th
. She hadn’t notice anything unusual that day about Kelly. The next day, Tuesday, Kelly had called in sick. Since Wednesday and Thursday were Kelly’s usual days off, it wasn’t until Friday that Ms. Potter had any reason for concern. It was out of character for Kelly to miss work, especially without calling as she had done on Tuesday. But Ms. Potter concluded that she was, after all, only 19, and a lot of her counterparts had lapses like that. By Sunday, she became concerned enough that she placed a call to Kelly but was unable to reach her. Jessica made another note: “What number did B. Potter use to call Kelly on Sunday, January 10
th
?”

The police spoke to several of Kelly’s co-workers, including a couple of spa attendants, as well as several servers in the bars and restaurants who wore the same outfit Kelly was wearing at the time of her death. None of them had seen Kelly that night or any night that week. She was someone they called on to fill in or trade shifts if they were sick or had an emergency of some kind.
None of them had tried to track her down that week. They generally regarded her as friendly and outgoing, but did not know her well. No one seemed to have an unkind word about Kelly. Well almost no one.

The police identified Robert Simmons as Kelly’s boyfriend. He was also a co-worker at the time, a dealer in the casino. An interview revealed t
hat he had last seen Kelly on the first Monday of the new year. He admitted they weren’t getting along. She had “ditched him” on New Year’s Eve to party with her “snooty friends,” and had gone to work on Friday as usual. He complained that she had “ditched him” all weekend, in fact. She had picked up evening shifts, on Saturday and Sunday, in addition to her daytime shifts at the spa. On Monday when she was about to do the same thing again, he grew angry.

According to the boyfriend, some guy, a “whale,” as he referred to him, gave Kelly a big tip at the spa that day. “The whale says he’s going to have dinner that night at the hotel casino so there’s another hundred dollar tip in it for her, maybe more, if she shows up to work that night.” The same thing had happened on Saturday
and
Sunday, and Bobby, as he called himself, was more and more upset about it. Monday, when Kelly came home just long enough to change from the spa attendant outfit to the garb worn by servers, he was waiting at her apartment to confront her face-to-face. That led to a shouting match, and she stormed out, leaving him alone in her apartment.

Bobby Simmons claimed that was that last time he saw her or spoke to her. When she didn’t call or answer his calls, he figured she was really “pissed” and was giving her time to cool off. When officers conducting the interview asked if he had looked for her at work, he said “Hell no! I wasn’t that hard up.” Besides, when she was angry, he never knew what she was going to do, and he didn’t want to run the risk of getting into it with her on the job. “She might’ve accused me of stalking her or something. Kelly Fontana was trouble when she was mad at you. I didn’t want
that kind of trouble on the job, or in my life.”

In addition to individuals at the hotel and casino, police investigators had canvassed neighbors who lived in the complex where Kelly was renting an apartment. The landlord with the Desert Cities Property Management Company indicated she was a good tenant. She had no credit to speak of, so her parents were co-signers on the lease. Kelly had not missed a rent payment in the six months since she moved in; she had been late a couple times, but never more than a couple days. There had
never been any complaints about Kelly Fontana. No reports of loud music, parties, or quarrels that got out of hand. None of the issues management companies sometimes encountered with tenants, especially young adults.

Something was still nagging at Jessica. I
t wasn’t just the missing cell phone, even though she wondered again where it might have gone. Why didn’t she have it on her, in her purse or a pocket of her clothes? Jessica went back to take another look at those awful photos.

Kelly
was sprawled on the ground. Her purse, and its contents, lay nearby, along with that hypodermic. Then it struck her. Kelly was wearing a soiled white shirt, short skirt and black tights, but no vest. According to the boyfriend, Kelly had been dressed for work in the restaurants or casino. A neighbor who recalled passing Kelly also noted she was wearing the white shirt, black tights, skirt and a vest. The neighbor had seen Kelly dressed that way on a number of occasions since she moved into the apartment complex. Jessica went back over the evidence log carefully, and there was nothing about a vest or that cell phone. Another question to ask of someone involved in that investigation. As much as she disliked the idea, it was increasingly clear they were going to have to talk to Uncle Don.

The first thing Jessica did, once she had been through the file, was to create a timeline from all the reports she read. Kelly was last seen by her boyfriend on Monday evening, January 4
th
around six when he says she headed back to work. The last anyone had any contact with her was Tuesday morning January 5
th
, when she called her supervisor at the spa to say she was too ill to work. Her body was found early Monday morning, January 11
th
. That left several days in which Kelly’s whereabouts were unaccounted for. Had she spent that time partying her brains out somewhere, screwing around and loading her body with drugs? Where? Had she been at the hotel all that time, or had she shown up there that night before she was chased from it by two men? Had the two men chasing her been trying to deliver her to the man waiting behind the wheel of the midnight blue Mercedes sedan that killed her? Where were the cell phone and vest?

Jessica created a spreadsheet to collect the burgeoning number of questions. She also began entering the names and positions held by each of the individuals the police had interviewed. She wanted to speak to all of them, to hear from each what they remembered about Kelly. Of course, that presumed she could locate them. What were the odds that any of the hotel, casino or restaurant staff would still be working in the same place more than a decade later? Turnover rates in hospitality and food service were notoriously high. Some of them might still be around, or might be found working at the newer “sister” casino opened just off I-10 in Rancho Mirage. Even if they had moved on, Jerry Reynolds, with his investigative skills might be able to track them down. Perhaps they could get a last known address from the police or someone in human resources.

By the time Jessica had finished, more than thirty names were on the list. The challenge now was figuring out where to start. The list of tasks was mounting. Mustering the courage to get back into the business of sleuthing, after the trouncing she had taken poking around into Roger Stone’s death, was no small matter. It felt a little like that upward climb on a roller coaster, with no hint about the twists or turns to come on the wild ride to follow.

CHAPTER 16

Jessica drove slowly and carefully to Frank’s house. Anticipation increased as she got closer. Most of that anticipation was tied to the things she had discovered in
Kelly’s file that she had to share with Frank. Some of it was the idea of sharing anything with Frank. More disconcerting yet was doing it under the canny watchfulness of Don and Evelyn Fontana. They were sure to figure out that Jessica and Frank’s liaison was a ruse, or was it?

Driving from downtown Riverside to Frank’s neighborhood in Perris took just over twenty minutes, even with the commuter traffic at that time of day. Jessica pulled up at the curb in front of the home in which Frank and his family lived. It was one of the thousands of new homes built in the last decade throughout the inland empire. The California bungalow had a large porch supported by thick square columns, a sloping roof and light brown stucco siding, trimmed in white to match the columns.

As Jessica headed up the walkway, the front door swung open. Frank invited her into the foyer, with a den on the left and a dining room on the right. Taking the cupcakes and wine she held, he had Jessica follow him through the dining room into the kitchen where Evelyn was hard at work. Delicious aromas wafted toward her as Evelyn bustled around. She planted a welcoming kiss on Jessica’s cheek.

“It is so wonderful to see you, Jessica.” Jessica admired the vivacious woman, obviously in her element, as she moved around the roomy kitchen.

“It was kind of you to include me in your family celebration, Aunt Evelyn.”

“My goodness, Jessica, there’s no need to be so formal. You’ve been a member of our family for a long time. I’m just sorry we haven’t had a chance to invite you over sooner. That sad situation with Roger sort of caught us all off guard. None of us felt much like celebrating, or we would have had you over for a visit in the desert before now. We know what you did for Roger and Laura, Jessica. We’re so glad you’re okay after all you went through.” She gave Jessica a big hug, whispering, “And we’re sorry about that jackass you married. At least he’s out of your life, and making a public spectacle of himself, too.”

“Oh, ick, ick, ick! You saw that too, Aunt Evelyn?”

“According to little Frankie, it’s gone viral, Jessica, whatever that means. Those entertainment news shows run it over and over again. There’s a point where she elbows Jim pretty good while he’s trying to hold her back. The look on his face says it all.” She laughed impishly as she went back to preparing their feast. Frank had gone outside to the backyard where Uncle Don was busy with the barbeque grill, and the kids were swimming in the backyard pool.

“Jessica, why don’t you take this plate of cheese slices out to Don, to put on the burgers? I’m sure Frank wants to introduce you to the kids, although you already met them at our house at some point. If you brought a suit, you’re welcome to go for a swim yourself, although it will have to be a short one. Don will be growling about starving to death if he’s not stuffing his face in a half hour or so.”

“I have met Frank’s kids, but it was years ago. I’m sure they don’t remember me. A swim sounds wonderful, but I used the pool this morning at the hotel, so I’m probably already at my limit when it comes to sun and water for one day. Is there anything I can do in here to help you?”

“Not right now, Jessica. When Don flips the burgers, you can come in and get the buns so he can toast them. Say, you should get something to drink. Grab a can of beer or pour yourself a glass of wine, if you want. Or we could open one of the bottles you brought. We have soft drinks in the fridge, too, if you’d rather have something without alcohol. That Frank! He should have offered you something before he ran out the back door. You know what, Jessica?”

“No. What?” Jessica asked, as she poured a glass of white wine from a bottle that was open on the table in the morning room just off the kitchen. Jessica took a sip. Not bad. The bottle contained a chardonnay from a winery nearby in Temecula. The area was trying to make a name for itself among the vastly competitive California wine-growing industry. It was cool and crisp, respectable as she rolled it around her mouth, bracing for whatever Evelyn had to say.

“You make him nervous. He acts sort of shy when he talks about you. He likes you...a lot.” Jessica felt her cheeks flush. Evelyn was wearing that devilish smile again as she went back to work, slicing a huge tomato for their burgers.

“She knows something’s up,” Jessica thought, as she picked up the plate of cheese slices. “I’ll take these to Uncle Don,” was all she said as she passed the table laden with good things to eat in the morning room of the kitchen. Californians loved to build their houses with lots of places to eat. Like Jessica’s house in the desert, this one had a large wrap-around bar in the kitchen with stools for informal meals as well as the family dining area in the morning room overlooking the backyard. The larger, more formal dining room was big enough to seat twelve for a dinner party. More than twelve if dinner guests were willing to squeeze in around the ample table in the dining room. In addition, there was a place for dining al fresco outside on the patio. That’s where a table was now decked out in red, white, and blue, all set up for their burger bash.

When Frank saw her step outside, he glanced at her and smiled, then quickly looked away. Shy was right. Maybe he was feeling as disconcerted as she was about the deception afoot. Then she flashed for a moment on that hug the night before and felt that flush creeping up over her again. She wondered who was fooling whom?

“Hey, Uncle Don. How’s it going? Are you about ready to put cheese on those burgers?”

“Jessica, wow, you look great. She looks great, doesn’t she, Frank? Go get the cheese slices, why don’t you?” He was grinning broadly as he gave Frank a nudge with his elbow. Frank took a step in her direction.

“Frank’s parents are really enjoying themselves,” Jessica thought. She wasn’t sure if she should feel amused, irritated, or embarrassed by their reaction to the charade she and Frank were playing. Surely, Frank hadn’t said anything to make them believe there was anything
really
going on? They couldn’t possibly believe she was a serious prospect as a partner for their son as a newly-minted divorcee? Maybe Frank had caved and already filled them in on what they
were
up to, and they were all pulling Jessica’s leg.

“You do look terrific, Jessica. Dad’s right about that.” That shy grin remained on his face as he took her in with an appreciative look. She was dressed simply, in ankle-length skinny black jeans and a silky knit tank top that highlighted the curves she was working so hard to tone. The coppery color made her green eyes pop. She had taken extra care to style her hair and apply her makeup just so, quite a bit of trouble for a non-date with a non-boyfriend.

“Thanks for the compliments, you two,” Jessica said, trying to sound nonchalant. “Uncle Don, you’re supposed to make sure I know when you flip the burgers, so I can go back inside and bring out the buns for you to toast.”

“I hear and I obey,” Uncle Don replied.

“And, Frank, Aunt Evelyn says you should introduce me to the kids.” Jessica was suddenly aware that their shrieking had subsided the moment she stepped from the house. Both Frankie and Evie were watching her intently as they bobbed up and down in the pool. Frank handed the plate of cheese slices to his dad, who placed them on the stainless steel counter built-in next to the grill where the burgers were sizzling away.

“Follow me,” Frank said, as he walked across the patio toward the pool. Jessica did as she was told. When they were within a foot or so of the pool, Evie and Frankie swam over to the side.

“Evie, Frankie, I’d like you to meet an old friend of mine. This is Jessica Huntington. We went to high school together.”

“Hi, Jessica,” the two said nearly in unison. “Did you really go high school with my dad?” Evie inquired, eyeing Jessica with curiosity.

“That’s right. I graduated from St. Theresa’s in Palm Springs, just like your dad.”

“What was he like in high school? Were you a girlfriend, or what? Did you know
my mom? Were you rivals, or was she your friend, too?” Evie had let go of the side of the pool and was treading water as she peppered Jessica with questions. Frankie was rolling his eyes, but he didn’t swim off. He was clearly waiting to hear what Jessica had to say.

“Well, your dad was a couple years ahead of me in school. He was kind of a big shot.” Jessica pulled up a sling-back patio chair and sat down, a couple feet from the pool. She slid the sunglasses that were on top of her head down over her eyes so she could talk to Evie and Frankie without being blinded by the glare from the sun bouncing around on the moving water. Glancing sideways at Frank, she could tell he was uncomfortable, waiting for someone to say something inappropriate. Jessica smiled as she continued.

“I had this huge crush on him, but so did a lot of girls.” That got a reaction from Frank, as if he had been hit with a bolt of electricity. Evie let out a giggle.

“For real?” she asked.

“For real,” Jessica answered. “Let’s see, what else can I tell you? Your dad was in student government and ended up being elected president of his class in his senior year. He was a good student, too, and quite an athlete, always winning games and tournaments, golf, tennis and swimming. Because he was older than me, we didn’t hang out that much. So, I guess I’d have to say we were friends, but not close friends. That goes for your mom, too. You know what I mean Evie, friends but not bffs?” She nodded her head, weighing what Jessica was saying very carefully as Jessica added, “I used to hang out a lot at your grandparents’ house, but by the time that happened, your mom and dad were already a couple. Your mom didn’t have any rivals, Evie.”

“Yeah, I know my mom and dad fell in love in high school. Then they got married when Dad was in college. And then they had us. They’re not in love anymore, Jessica. They’re divorced.” Frankie rolled his eyes again. He looked like he had heard about all he cared to hear, and was about to swim off when Evie went on. “But if you weren’t close friends to Mom or Dad, how come you were at Grandpa and Grandma’s house?”

“Well, your dad’s cousin
was
my best friend. Your grandparents and her parents, your Uncle Sammy and Aunt Monica, used to get together for all sorts of things. Like today, you know? Not just holidays, but birthdays and celebrations, graduations, things like that. We always had the best time with pool parties and barbeques and games like volleyball, music and dancing sometimes.”

“Oh no, you mean Cousin Kelly, don’t you? She’s dead. Your best friend was killed in a car accident. That must have been hard to take!”

That was it! Frankie dove like a seal under the water. He was almost at the other end of the pool before he came up again for air. Not beyond ear shot, however. As she spoke, she could tell that the older Frank was about to bolt, too.

“It was. Still is, Evie. I miss her. She was beautiful, and so much fun to be around. I wish she was here with us today.”

“I’m sorry. I guess I shouldn’t have brought it up. I understand what it feels like to lose someone you care about. It makes you sad and angry and mixed up all at once.” She had rolled onto her back, then flipped over abruptly and came up to Jessica at poolside. “At least that’s how I felt when Mom left. Like this horrible accident had happened, and she was just gone. But she wasn’t gone, really. And now I might have two moms, if she gets married again. Are you married? Do you have a new best friend now?”

That was the limit to what Frank senior could take. He was about to speak, but Jessica looked up and shook her head slightly, hoping to reassure him while waving him off. Then she bent over a little closer to Evie, as close as she could get without dumping her wine or tipping her chair over.

“Evie, that’s a very good question. I did have, his name was Jim. I thought he was my bff, and I married him. Now I’m divorced too, so I’m sort of without a best friend at the moment again. I’m lucky, though. I don’t have one
best f
riend but I do have several really good ones. Like Tommy, you know, Kelly’s brother?”

“Of course, he’s loads of fun.” She had folded her arms on the edge of the pool, resting her chin on her arms, as her legs, stretched out behind her, pumped the water.

“Well, he’s a really, really good friend. And there’s Laura Stone. She was friends with me and Kelly. She used to go to those parties with us at your grandparents’ house too. Your grandparents, we called them Uncle Don and Aunt Evelyn, like Kelly and Tommy did—they’re friends, too. Then there’s my friend Bernadette. My mom and dad are divorced, but they’re both my really good friends, too. Of course, there’s your dad. We’re good friends now, too.”

“So, does that mean you’re his girlfriend now, are you like, lovers or something?” Frankie dove under water again, and Frank, who was now at Jessica’s elbow, sucked in a big gulp of air. That went down the wrong way and he started to cough. Even Jessica was caught off guard and burst out laughing.

“Oh my God, Evie, you ask the best questions! I’m not your dad’s lover, but I am a girl and a friend, just not a girlfriend in the way some people mean. Right now, I’m still working through a lot of things that have to do with my divorce. Your dad is helping me, since he’s faced a lot of the same problems.”