Gone (20 page)

She tasted her drink, nudged the cup a few inches away. “Mom and Dad are not ebullient people. When my brother
did
get into Harvard, their reaction was low-key. Cathy had to know she was being patronized.”

Milo said, “She and her husband ran a business. In terms of her ability to plan—”

Susan Palmer moved her head rapidly, more quiver than shake. “In any other family, Cathy would’ve been able to think of herself as successful. But in ours… the business came about after a long… how can I say this… Cathy got into difficulties. When she was younger.”

“Teenage difficulties?” said Milo.

“Cathy had an extended adolescence. Drugs, drinking, hanging with the wrong crowd. Eight years after high school she still lived at home and did nothing but sleep late and party. A couple of times, she ended up in the E.R. That’s why my parents were
thrilled
when she went to beauty school. That’s where she met Andy. Perfect match.”

“Andy wasn’t a student, either?” said Milo.

“Andy also struggled through high school,” said Susan Palmer. “He’s nice enough —
nice to Cathy, that’s what’s important. They both got jobs as stylists at local salons. But their incomes never progressed much and after ten years, they were still living in a cruddy little apartment. So we set them up. Barry and I, my brother and his wife, Mom and Dad. We found an old commercial building, renovated it, bought beauty equipment. Officially it was a loan but no one’s ever discussed repayment.”

“Locks of Luck,” I said.

“Corny, no? That was Andy’s inspiration.”

“They make money?” said Milo.

“The last few years they were turning a small profit. Mom and Dad still helping out.”

“Mom and Dad are in Toledo?”

“Geographically in Toledo. Psychologically in Denial.”

“They think Cathy and Andy are alive.”

“I’m sure sometimes they even
believe
it,” said Susan Palmer. “Other times… let’s just say it’s been tough. Mom’s health has deteriorated and Dad’s aged terribly. If you could learn
anything,
you’d be helping some really nice people.”

Milo said, “Do you have any theories about what happened?”

“The only one that makes sense is that Cathy and Andy went hiking and met some psycho.” Susan Palmer shut and opened her eyes. “I can only imagine. I don’t
want
to imagine.”

“The morning they went hiking, did anything unusual occur?”

“No, it was just a regular morning. Barry and I both had a full day of patients, we were really rushed. Cathy and Andy were just waking up when we were about to leave. All excited about exploring nature. Barry and I were so hurried, we didn’t pay much attention.” Her eyes misted. “How could I know it would be the last time I’d see my sister?”

She tasted her drink. “I
specifically
said
whole
milk, this is
low
-fat.
Idiots.
”

Milo said, “I’ll get you another.”

“Forget it,” she snapped. On the brink of tears. Her face softened. “No, thanks, Lieutenant. What else can I tell you?”

“Did Cathy and Andy mention where in Malibu they were headed?”

“Barry and I thought they’d enjoy the ocean, but they had a Triple-A book and wanted to hike somewhere at the top of Kanan Dume Road.”

“Where atop Kanan Dume?”

“I couldn’t tell you,” said Susan Palmer. “I just remember them showing us a map in the book. It looked pretty curvy but that’s what they wanted. We told the sheriffs all this and they said they drove up and checked the area. Frankly, I don’t trust them, they never took us seriously. Barry and I have spent hours driving all over land-side Malibu.” She exhaled. “So much space.”

I said, “Their car was found around twenty-five miles north of Kanan Dume.”

“Which is why I’ve come to believe whatever happened was up in the hills. It had to be that way, right? Why else would someone cancel Cathy and Andy’s credit card if they weren’t trying to cover up something terrible? Same for ditching the car. It was to throw us off the trail.”

“Were Cathy and Andy aware of the discount outlets?”

“We never told them about it, but maybe from the Triple-A book.” She placed both elbows on the table. “My sister and brother-in-law were simple, direct people. If they said they were going hiking up in Malibu, they went hiking up in Malibu. No
way
would they just disappear and go off on some crazy adventure.”

“They did have one fantasy,” I said.

“What do you mean?”

“Acting.”

“That,”
she said. “During those eight years after high school Cathy managed to convince herself she was going to be an actress. Or a model, depending on what day it was. Not that she ever did anything to pursue those goals beyond reading fan magazines. My mother knew the owner of Dillman’s department store and they gave Cathy a runway job modeling spring fashions. Cathy’s pretty, when she was young she was gorgeous. But by that time a few years older and not exactly anorexic.”

She sniffed and held her breath for several seconds. “I flew out to attend the show. Mom and I sat in the front row and we both bought clothing we didn’t need. The following spring, Dillman’s didn’t ask Cathy back.”

“How’d she react?” I said.

“She didn’t. Which was Cathy’s way, she’d just take every bit of indignity as if she deserved to be disappointed. We all
hated
when Cathy got disappointed. That’s why Mom encouraged her to take some acting lessons. Adult Ed at the community center, musical revivals, that kind of thing. Mom wanted Cathy
engaged
in something and Cathy finally agreed. She seemed to be having a good time. Then she stopped and announced she was going to become a cosmetologist. That’s why Barry and I were shocked when she and Andy got here and announced they’d come to pursue acting.”

“Was it Andy’s dream, as well?”

“It was Cathy’s dream but Andy got with the program, like he always did.”

Milo said, “That can make for a good marriage.”

“Andy and Cathy were best friends. It was almost… I don’t want to say platonic, but the truth is, I’ve always wondered, and so did my husband and my brother and anyone who’s met Andy.”

“Wondered about what?”

“His being gay.”

“Because he’s a hairdresser,” said Milo.

“It’s more than that. Andy has a definite feminine side to him. He’s really good at clothes and decorating and cooking and that sounds prejudiced but if you met him, you’d understand.” She blinked. “Maybe he was one of those effeminate straight men. It doesn’t matter, does it? He
loved
my sister. They adored each other.”

Milo said, “The missing persons file mentioned something about acting schools.”

“It did?”

“You’re surprised, Doctor?”

“I told the sheriff that but I had no idea he actually wrote it down. Is it important?”

“Anything that fills in Cathy and Andy’s activities during their trip to L.A. could be important. They mention specific schools?”

“No, the only thing they talked about was tourist stuff. Disneyland, Universal City Walk, Hollywood and Vine —
they went to the Hollywood museum on Vine, the old Max Factor building. That they loved, because of the emphasis on hair and makeup. Andy kept talking about the Blonde Room, the Brunette Room—” She brightened. “Maybe they found an acting school in Hollywood. There’s bound to be some there, right?”

“More than a few.”

“I’d be willing to check, Lieutenant. I’ll call every single one.”

“I’ll do it, Dr. Palmer.”

She eyed him warily.

“Cross my heart.”

“Sorry, it’s just… I need to relax and trust someone. I get a good feeling about you, Lieutenant.”

Milo’s turn to blush.

“I hope I’m right,” said Susan Palmer.

M
ilo talked to Susan Palmer for another ten minutes, easing into open-ended questions, putting pauses and silences to work.

Good technique but it didn’t produce. She talked about how much she missed her sister, lapsed into exclusive past tense. When she shot to her feet, her eyes looked bruised. “Got an office full of malocclusions. Please stay in touch.”

We watched her cross the parking lot and get into a silver BMW740. The license plate read: I STR8 10.

Milo said, “Her office is two blocks away but she drove.”

“California girl,” I said. “Something her sister wanted to be.”

“Acting lessons and a hike above Kanan Dume. Can’t be coincidence. The question is how do the Gaidelases figure in with a couple of pretty-face female victims?”

“That girl we spoke to —
Briana —
said Nora rejected applicants for reasons other than talent.”

“Wanting ’em young and pretty,” he said. “Cathy and Andy were both too old and Cathy was too fat. So what, they got turned away from the PlayHouse
and
killed? Talk about flunking an audition.”

“Maybe their obvious vulnerability got a predator sniffing.”

“Someone at the school spots ’em and stalks ’em?” He gazed out the window and back at me.

I said, “Could be the same way Tori Giacomo was spotted. If her ex is right about her dating someone, you’d think that person would’ve surfaced when she went missing. Unless he had something to do with her death.”

“A good-looking predator. As in Meserve. What, he proposed a three-way to the Gaidelases and the party went bad?”

“Or he just offered to help them with their careers.”

“Yeah,” he said, “that would work.”

“On the other hand,” I said, “Reynold Peaty had plenty of opportunity to check out the flock at the PlayHouse.”

“Him… let’s see if Sean’s seen anything.” He tried Binchy’s number, scowled, clicked off. “No connection. Maybe the cell waves are upset by environmentally conscious mochalicious fumes.”

I said, “Nora’s attachment to youth is interesting.”

“Why? That just makes her like everyone else in showbiz.”

“But she has no profit motive. The school’s a make-work project, so why get picky? Unless what she really wanted was a personal dating pool.”

“Sample the studs,” he said.

“And when they get too close, Brother Brad chases them off. Or thinks he does.”

“Okay, she’s a middle-aged horn-dog. How do the Gaidelases figure in with that?”

“I don’t know, but when Susan Palmer was describing her family situation, I was struck by parallels between Cathy and Nora. Both floundered well into adulthood. Family connections got Cathy a runway gig that she couldn’t hold on to. Nora’s got her a single sitcom walk-on that went nowhere. Cathy had long-standing drug problems. Nora smokes dope to get her day going. Eventually, both women were set up in business. Cathy’s salon had been making a profit recently. Meaning it lost money for years. The Dowd family fortune has relieved Nora from any financial pressure, but bottom line, we’ve got a couple of prodigal daughters. Maybe Cathy showing up at the PlayHouse evoked something in Nora that Nora didn’t want to see.”

“Cathy’s too much like her, so she kills her? That’s a little abstract, Alex. Why would Nora even know about Cathy’s history if she turned her away?”

“What if Cathy did have a chance to audition?” I said. “Nora’s a big one for opening the soul.”

“Cathy emoted and it made Nora squirm? Fine, but I don’t see flashpoint epiphany as a motive for murder. All Nora has to do is send her and Andy away and move on to the next stud. And if uncomfortable memories are the issue, how does Michaela fit in? Or Tori Giacomo who disappeared
before
the Gaidelases? This feels more like a sexual thing, Alex. Just what you said: Some psychopath scopes out the herd and picks off the weak ones. Cathy may have been over the hill for a starlet, but she wasn’t a bad-looking woman. To a guy like Peaty she coulda looked downright sexy, no?”

“Peaty was caught peeping at college girls. Michaela and Tori would fit, but—”

“Cathy wouldn’t. So maybe he’s not as limited as that oafish demeanor suggests. Or Cathy set something off —
fond memories of a barroom floozy who rejected him back in Reno. Hell, maybe Cathy reminded him of his
mother
and he snapped. You guys still believe in the Oedipal thing?”

“It has its place.”

“No telling what goes on in the old cranio, right?” He got up and paced. “If it’s a sexual thing, there could be more victims out there. But let’s concentrate on the victims we know about. What they have in common is acting school and/or the Malibu hills.”

“One person with links to both is Meserve,” I said. “He picked Latigo for his hoax allegedly because he’d hiked up there. Nora was angry at the hoax, but instead of kicking him out, she promoted him. Maybe she wasn’t clueless after all.”

“Dylan and Nora planned the hoax together? Why?”

“The real performance game. Two failed actors writing a script. Discarding the bit players —
that
sounds like Hollywood.”

“Nora choreographs, Meserve acts it out.”

“Nora
directs.
It’s what everyone in the industry aims for.”

The coffeehouse got warmer and noisier as every table filled. Sleek people began milling at the entrance. Lots of peeved glances aimed our way.

Milo hooked his finger and we left. A woman muttered, “Finally.”

We drove to the station and ran into Sean Binchy exiting Milo’s office. Binchy’s Doc Martens gleamed as shiny as his rusty, gelled hair.

“Hey, Loot. I just took a call for you.”

“I tried to call
you,
” said Milo. “Anything new on Peaty?”

Binchy beamed. “We can arrest him if you want. Driving without a license.”

“He has a car?”

“Red Datsun minivan, old and messed-up looking. He parks it on the street, three blocks from his apartment. Which shows intent to conceal, right? The plates are inactive, originally came from a Chrysler sedan that was supposed to be junked ten years ago. Your basic little old lady from Pasadena. Literally, Loot. And guess what, that’s exactly where Peaty drove this morning. Ten East to the 110 North, off at Arroyo Parkway, and then he took surface streets.”

“Where?”

“Apartment building on the east side of town. He pulled mops and cleaning stuff out of the van and went in there to work. I tried to call you but your cell wasn’t receiving.”