False Prophet (42 page)

“What’s so bad about that?”

“Oh, man…” Decker shook his head. “You’re a good cop, Margie, but you’re a lousy good ole boy. You don’t let some dick come into your house and charge you a fortune for something you can do yourself. That’s being a wuss.”

“Pete, how much is your time worth?”

“Forget it, Marge, you’re sounding not only like a broad but a white-collar broad at that. The guest bed’s all made up. Towels are in the bathroom. Good night.”

Marge watched him trudge off to bed, muttering something about not being a wuss for any broad. It was times like these she was glad she wasn’t married.

Carrying four heavy bags, Rina managed to insert the key in the front door and push it open with her feet. She was surprised to find the house so quiet. She’d noticed the Honda and had expected to see Peter and Marge conferring over coffee. The stillness stopped her from yelling out a hello. She tiptoed into the bedroom, saw her husband’s form in a jumble of sheets, and left.

It must have been a long evening.

Dragging the bags to the kitchen, she put up coffee, then began to unpack groceries. A few minutes later, she heard footsteps too light to be Peter’s. Marge was dressed in wrinkled clothes, her hair messy, her eyes heavy-lidded.

Rina smiled. “Coffee?”

“Thanks, I’d love a cup.” Marge yawned. “What time is it?”

“Eight-thirty.”

“That’s not too bad.” Marge stretched and rolled her neck. Rina heard the cracking sounds.

“Guest bed a little small, Margie?”

“Only ’cause I’m as big as a horse.”

“No, you’re not!” Rina patted her stomach. “That honor belongs exclusively to me. Sit. You look like you could use some TLC.”

“Boy, you know it.” Marge sat down and leaned her elbows on the cherrywood table. “Where’d you go last night?”

“I took the kids and slept over my parents’.” She pulled out a mug and filled it with black coffee. “Peter didn’t want us home alone after what happened with Lilah last night.”

“Yeah, he told me. Well, you won’t have to worry about her tonight. She’s in the hospital. Attempted suicide.”

“What?”

“I’m going to see her today. Maybe if I’m lucky, she’ll even talk to me. Find out what the heck is going on.”

“That’s…” Rina rubbed her arms. “She… she must be in terrible pain. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, she must be one unhappy lady.”

“Poor Peter.” Rina placed a cup of coffee in front of Marge. “I hope he isn’t feeling guilty.”

“He probably is. You know your husband. He feels guilty about everything.”

“Yes, he does, doesn’t he? Would you like some toast or a bran muffin? I just came back from the bakery.”

“Bran muffin would be great.”

The phone rang. Before Rina could answer it, Decker caught it in the bedroom. He came out ten minutes later, dressed but barefoot. His hair was wet and he’d shaved. He kissed Rina on the lips. “When did you get in?”

“About fifteen minutes ago. Who was on the phone?”

“Station house.” To Marge, he said, “Perry Goldin left his number. That’s Lilah’s ex. I haven’t the foggiest notion what he wants.”

“You want some coffee, Peter?” Rina asked.

“Thanks, darlin’, that would be great. How are you?”

“Fine.”

“Boys in school?”

“Yes. It’s a half-day today. I’ve got to pick them up at twelve. Some sort of teachers’ conference.”

“You want me to swing by and retrieve them?”

“No, that’s all right. I can do it.” She served Peter a cup of coffee and a plate of toast. “I was sorry to hear about Lilah. It’s very sad.”

“Maybe now she’ll get some help.” Decker took the phone from the dining-room breakfront and brought it to the table. “She sure could use some.” He turned to Marge. “Are you going to see her today?”

“Right after I change my clothes.”

“What time is it?” Decker asked. “What
day
is it?”

“Friday, eight-forty-eight
A.M
.,” Rina said. “Shabbos starts at seven-twenty-six. That should give you plenty of time to finish your business.”

“One can always hope,” Decker said.

Marge stood and wiped crumbs from her mouth. “Thanks for breakfast, Rina.” She patted Decker’s shoulder. “See you, sport.”

After Marge left, Rina said, “You send me away and she sleeps over? You’re lucky I’m not the jealous type.”

“Not to worry, my dear, the last thought on my mind is another woman, least of all Marge. I can’t even handle the one I got.” Decker pulled his wife onto his lap and kissed her. “I missed you, darlin’.”

Rina repositioned herself on his legs. “I can tell.”

“I don’t lie.” Decker raised his brow. “
It
don’t lie.”

“Just let me get the roast in the oven,” she said. “Five minutes.”

“I’m setting my watch. In the meantime, I’ll make my phone call.”

Rina got up. “Five minutes.”

Decker panted out loud as he dialed. Rina laughed as she left. A soft female voice answered the call. He asked for Perry Goldin, and after a beat, the bridge teacher came on the line.

“Hey, Sergeant, thanks for getting back to me so soon.”

“No problem.”

“Wendy’s been telling me that there’ve been more police cars driving by the legal clinic. I want to thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad she feels safer.”

“She does.” He paused. “Look, do you remember I told you about an old lady Lilah used to visit?”

“Greta Millstein.”

“Righto, you can be my bridge partner. Among my many bad habits is sticking my nose where it probably doesn’t belong. I don’t know… for some strange reason, I felt compelled to call Greta and tell her what had happened to Lilah. They were close a long time ago; I figured maybe she’d want to know. I touched briefly on our meeting and she expressed an interest in talking to you. I hope I wasn’t out of line.”

“The exact opposite. I’ve been wanting to talk to her.”

“Great. I know she has tea every morning around ten, ten-thirty. I’ll arrange a meeting if you want.”

“That would be perfect.”

“It might be better if I went with you… someone familiar. Hell, I wouldn’t mind seeing her. I abandoned her along with Lilah, so even if you don’t go, I’ll go anyway.”

“I’ll meet you there at ten.”

Goldin gave him directions. “I’ll wait for you and we’ll go in together. The apartment complex is big and you can get lost unless you know where you’re going. I’ll be sitting in a red Ferrari Testarossa almost trashed beyond recognition.”

“Now that hurts,” Decker said.

“Not for me. I picked it up for a song and a dance. And if you knew my musical talent, you’d know how cheap that was. See you later.”

Decker hung up and checked his watch. “Time’s up,” he announced. “Are you ready?”

Rina walked into the dining room and placed her hands on her hips. “Sweep me off my feet, my darling.”

Decker laughed and scooped her into his arms. “You’ve gained a little weight, dear.”

Rina slugged his shoulder. “So have you. So what’s
your
excuse?”

“Call it sympathetic pregnancy.” Decker carried her over the threshold of their bedroom and lowered her onto the mattress. “I figure, why should you go it alone? I’m just that kind of guy.”

Dressed in clothes
that didn’t smell like a gym locker, Marge was ready for business. The ambulance had taken Lilah to a community hospital, but the floor nurse said in a huffy voice that Miss Brecht was in the process of being transferred to a private facility. Marge found the room and was pleased to see the door open. She took that as license to enter without asking permission.

Freddy Brecht was playing the role of chief of staff, protecting his sister as rigidly as a palace guard. Freddy blocked not only the bed, but also Marge’s view of Lilah.

“She isn’t up to seeing anyone, Detective,” Brecht said, in a clipped tone. “Now if you’ll kindly—”

“It’s all right, Freddy.” A pale-faced Lilah peeked around her brother’s shoulders and fell back on her pillow. “Let me talk to her.”

Brecht pivoted to his sister. “Lilah, you are in no condition—”

“Freddy, I know you mean well, but you’re being a pain. Go away and let me talk to her.”

Brecht was silent, his cheeks and bald head glowing pink. “You don’t have to be rude, Lilah.”

“Freddy, I’m not myself. Don’t be priggish.”

Brecht deepened in color. “You realize, Lilah, you’re sounding more and more like Mother.”

“Yes, I know that and yes, it bothers me. But we can’t help who we are, can we? Now please go away.” A slender hand waved in the air. “Let me talk to her alone.”

Brecht was slow to leave. “Ten minutes, Detective. Despite what she says, she needs her rest.”

Marge waited until Brecht was down the hallway before she closed the door. The stress of the past few days had eroded some youth from Lilah’s face. Her cheeks were gaunt, her blue eyes lusterless. Marge bit back pity as she pulled up a chair by the bed.

“I was hoping you’d be Peter.” Defeat was woven through Lilah’s voice. “Hoping but not expecting.”

Marge waited a beat. “How’re you feeling?”

“I’ll tell you this much.” She sat up. “Frederick’s constant hovering is a drain, but at least he had the decency to show up. Unlike
other
relatives I have.”

“Your mother?”

“Who else?”

“Maybe she doesn’t know.”

“She knows. She doesn’t care. Perhaps she’s too busy avoiding the police — driving back and forth between Malibu and the spa. Sources say she’s found another driver after knocking off Russ.” Her laughter was mocking. “Good luck to anyone stupid enough to take that assignment.”

Marge pulled out a notebook. “How do you know she knocked off Russ?”

“I don’t know. But who else would have sent Russ over to kill Kingston?”

“You think your mother sent Russ over to kill your brother?”

“What difference does it make what I think?” Eyes watered, then overflowed with tears. “King’s gone and what I think won’t bring him back.”

She shielded her face with her hands and cried bitterly. Marge waited, pencil poised to write. After a minute, Lilah dried her eyes and lowered her head onto a pillow.

“It’s funny… King and I had been estranged for so long. He was overbearing, but…” Her voice cracked. “But deep down, I knew it was because he cared. Yesterday, when he called me, so comforting…” She turned to the wall.

“What did you and Kingston talk about yesterday?”

Lilah shook her head and started to cry. Softly, Marge said, “Why’d you take the pills, Lilah?”

“I don’t know… I felt so… so
guilty
about King’s death… and resentful, too. Impulses aren’t often well thought out. It wasn’t the first stupid thing I’ve ever done. I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

“Like taking Carl Totes’s sheets?” Marge said.

Lilah jerked her head up. “He
told
you?”

Marge didn’t answer. Lilah let out full laughter. “Well, I fell right into that! No, Carl wouldn’t…” She laughed again. “Not Carl. He’d have sat in jail forever rather than…”

“Rather than disclose your little secret?” Marge asked.

“Something like that.”

“Why’d you set him up?”

“Who said I did, Detective?”

“Carl’s being brought up for rape charges, Lilah. Does he deserve that?”

Lilah waited a long time before she spoke. “That… it also wasn’t well thought out. It… I…”

“Why’d you do it, Lilah? Why did you fake your rape?”

Lilah didn’t answer.

Marge said, “We’re going to get to the bottom of the whole mess, Lilah. Help us out. It’ll save us a lot of energy and time, so we can concentrate on who killed your brother and why.”

“I didn’t have
anything
to do with King’s death!” Lilah insisted. “I want you to know that.”

“Go on.”

Lilah twirled a strand of her hair. “I’m only telling you my part because I do care about Carl… and my brother.”

Marge nodded encouragingly.

Lilah said, “After Freddy dropped me off from our weekly dinner, I knew instantly that my safe had been tampered with. I keep an inch of Scotch tape across the door. When I walked into my bedroom and saw that it was gone, I rushed to the safe — to the
inner safe
. The memoirs were
gone
! If I had known Kingston was in on it, I wouldn’t have bothered with the rape business.”

Marge sat up. “How do you
know
Kingston was in on it?”

“He intimated that he had something that was mine when he called me… that Mother had put him up to something. When we met for dinner, he was going to tell me more.”

Lilah covered her mouth with her fist, then lowered her hand to her lap.

“But
that
evening, at
that
time, all I knew was that somehow, some way, my mother had finally gotten her paws on
my
memoirs. They’ve been preying on her mind for months, though she’s tried to hide it. I don’t know specifically what’s in the papers that’s driving her crazy. As I’ve told you before, I’ve respected my father’s wishes and haven’t read them.”

Lilah’s nostrils suddenly flared in anger.

“Mother took them and that is truly unforgivable. They belonged to
me
! Not
her
!
Me
! I
had
to do something! You do understand, don’t you?”

Marge was impassive.

Lilah said, “So I stormed out of my house and took a late-night jog around my property! A slow jog… I can think when I do a slow jog. Confronting Mother was an exercise in futility. She’s a marvelous actress and can lie as easily as breathe. I had to get the
police
involved. And I had to make sure the police would be just as eager to find the memoirs as I was.” She drew her hospital gown tightly across her chest. “As I was jogging by the stable, I heard Carl…” She looked down. “I’ve heard him before. I knew what he was doing. He was… playing with himself… overme.”

Tears formed in Lilah’s eyes.

“He’s in love with me, has this picture of me…” She looked at Marge. “I never meant to hurt him. I was just so
furious
at Mother, I couldn’t think rationally. So I waited until he was done, then went in and took his sheets and towels.”