G'Day USA (10 page)

‘
If there’s a single piece of evidence pointing away from suicide I assume foul play. Thought you’d have adopted that stance also.’

‘
There could be an explanation.’

‘
For a shooter to have no GSR on his hand, or bruise? You ever shoot one of those Rugers? Tiny little thing. Truly a woman’s gun. Really light, and while it only fires a .380 ACP round, because it’s light it kicks like a son of a bitch. And the grip is thin. That kick with the small grip in a hand as big as Sweeney’s he would have had a bruise.’ Perkins slid into the front seat of the car. ‘And the gun wouldn’t have ended up in the tub.’

‘
How do you figure?’ Stanfield got behind the wheel of the car.

‘
Physics. The bullet hits your brain and you immediately lose all muscle control. Newton’s Third law is still in effect, pushing your hand away from your head. The right hand was on the outside of the tub and the Ruger would have ended up somewhere near the toilet.’

Stanfield nodded. ‘Makes sense. So there’s a killer out there.’

Perkins scrolled through the numbers on his phone. ‘And we need to act like it. We need to review the trace evidence a little better.’ He dialed.

‘
And we need to establish means, motive and opportunity.’

‘
We’ve got all three. Hang on.’ Stanfield turned his attention to the phone. ‘Perkins here. Do me a favor, will you? I’m heading back to the station and need to see the evidence collected at the Sweeney residence. Can you have it delivered to my desk?’ He listened. ‘Yes all of it. And no, it wasn’t suicide. If you guys think the place needs another sweep, by all means come out here and do it. As a matter of fact, send some uniforms out here to lock the place down until you do. Thanks.’

He looked at his partner. ‘You got anything planned tonight?’

‘
It’s Tuesday. Must see TV is recording as we speak. I’m all yours.’

‘
I bet you say that to all the guys.’

Stanfield laughed. ‘What did you mean, “we’ve got all three”?’

‘“
Means” is the gun, “opportunity” is the apparently otherwise empty house after 6:00 and “motive”? Well, half this town had motive to kill him.’

‘
True. We need to talk to the people who shared a beer and pizza with him last night. Last people and all that.’ Stanfield parked. The station was less than a mile from the crime scene.

‘
The results from the prints should be back by now. I’ll buy you food and we’ll go visit.’

H
e hung up the phone. It took some coercion. Some threats. Some promises of very nice drugs. But she’d do it. And once she did, he had her for anything else he needed her to do.

The Killer sat on his sofa, feet twitching with nervous energy. The adrenaline coursing through his system rivaled that of anything he’d done before. ‘Fuck, if I'd known this was so much fun I would have started earlier.’

He wasn’t finished. There were others on his list. Some deserved it more than others, but none more than Sweeney. Soon stage two would kick off. This was the best spectator sport. Especially when you were the only one who knew what was going on.

P
erkins tossed the results of the AFIS search on Stanfield’s desk. ‘Three people other than the victim: Saul Green, 57, lawyer for the victim. Lives in Reseda. We’ll stop by and see him later. Kent Williams, 27, a small time actor with unfulfilled dreams. I believe he’s worked with Sweeney before. He looks like the lead in that Sweeney horror flick based in Australia. Can’t remember the name. His address is an apartment in Encino. Not the nicer part. Charles Bates, 26. Works, as far as we can tell, as a contractor in the telecoms industry. He doesn’t appear to have any connection to the victim or the other two visitors. He lives in an apartment in Compton.’

‘
Their prints were all on file?’

‘
They’ve all been on international flights since the fingerprinting started.’

Stanfield nodded. ‘Shylock first?’

‘
That’s an unfair characterization of a man we’ve never met. He might be a nice guy.’ Perkins smiled.

‘
He’s Sweeney’s lawyer. Or he was. I think that takes him off the nice list.’ Stanfield handed the file back to Perkins. ‘Think he’s home?’

‘
Let’s find out.’ He stood and headed for the door. ‘You’re driving again.’

‘
Yeah sure. You ever run the serial number of the murder weapon?’

‘
Ah, shit. I’m getting forgetful in my advancing years, young pup.’ He slid into the car and pulled his phone from his shirt pocket and called a colleague. ‘You haven’t left. Excellent. Need one more quick favor. I started but didn’t have time to finish. Have you determined ownership of the murder weapon? No? Can you run the serial number and text me the results? Fantastic. Thanks.’ He looked at Stanfield. ‘Done. Should know in half an hour or so.’

‘
That’ll be another question answered. Lawyer’s place is around here somewhere.’ He pulled up alongside a moderately well-kept yard surrounding a modest two story house. ‘Not the most expensive lawyer, by the looks of it.’

‘
Sweeney probably owed him a ton.’ Perkins grunted as he opened the door. ‘Let’s go ruin his dinner.’

Saul opened the door as they walked up the steps. ‘Cops?’

‘
Did our fashionable haircuts give us away? Are you Saul Green?’

‘
I am. I’ve been expecting this visit. It’s about Bart, isn’t it?’

‘
May we come in?’

‘
Certainly. Something to drink?’

‘
We’re fine. Thanks.’ Perkins opened his notebook. ‘You were Mr. Sweeney’s defense attorney, correct?’

‘
Yes. His suicide was complete shock to me. Things were turning around for him.’

‘
How’s that? He was just released from jail. Hadn’t been out for two days before he was killed. What was looking up?’

‘
Killed? I thought it was suicide. It was announced on the radio it was suicide.’

‘
Don’t believe everything you hear. New evidence has come to light which is leading us in a different direction. I understand you were with him late yesterday afternoon.

Saul nodded. ‘I was. That makes a bit more sense then.’

‘
How’s that?’ Perkins waited with pen poised over paper.

‘
He had no reason to suicide. I just signed him to a directing job. Not a lot of money, but more than he’s made in the last year.’ He smiled. ‘A lot more. Work was going to start in a day or so. Rehearsals were starting next Monday.’ Saul shook his head. ‘No. This makes more sense.’

‘
If it makes more sense, could you tell me who you think may have had enough of a grudge with him to kill him?’

Saul sighed and smiled. ‘Who didn’t, really? He wasn’t the most loveable of men.’

‘
Who had he been talking to recently?’

‘
Aside from me, that I know of, were Kent Williams and Charlie Bates - they were over last night - and the financial backers of the project earlier in the day. None of them would gain by killing him. Certainly not the backers. This is going to delay the movie. And Kent and Charlie had parts in the piece.’

‘
I thought Charlie was in the telecoms business. He acts on the side?’

‘
No. He’s been Assistant Director for Bart a couple of times. Bart asked him to come back. Signed him up as AD and Second Unit. He seemed keen to get back in the saddle.’

‘
So with Bart out of the picture this Bates kid would slide into the spot?’

Saul frowned. ‘Possible. I’d have to talk to the backers, but he’d be the logical choice.’

Stanfield leaned forward. ‘How well do you know Mr. Bates?’

‘
Just met him. Seemed a quiet guy. Definitely the quieter of the two. Looked like your typical surfer dude.’

‘
So you don’t know if he was talking to anyone else?’

‘
Who, Sweeney? No. Check his phone records.’

‘
PacBell is sending us the records of his house phone. We’ll certainly look at that.’

‘
Check his mobile also.’

Perkins looked at Stanfield. ‘Do you remember seeing a mobile phone in the personal effects inventory?’

‘
No. Strange in this day and age, but I put it down to his recent release from prison.’

‘
I picked up a pre-pay for him. I don’t have any of the paperwork. I don’t even think I took it with me.’

‘
Where?’

‘
The Alltel shop in Northridge Plaza. Check with them. It would have been under my name. Wonder where it is?’

Perkins took his phone out to arrange for the sales records from Alltel when an incoming message vibrated his phone. He opened it and swore.

‘
What is it, pops?’

Perkins frowned. ‘First, what have I said about calling me that in front of others? And second, they just sent me the name and address of the registered owner of the murder weapon.’ He held the phone up so Stanfield could read it.

‘
Shit. We better go.’ To Saul he said, ‘Thanks for your time Mr. Green. If we need anything else we’ll give you a call.’

Perkins clenched his jaw. ‘I hope there’s a mistake with this. I kinda liked her.’

Chapter Nine

I knew how the scene, and the movie, ended, but the emotional hit was still strong. I blinked back tears and looked around me. Wet cheeks reflected the explosion on the screen as the music swelled and the movie came to an end. Credits crawled up the screen and there was a sudden explosion of applause as the theatre stood as one.

Now
that
was freaky.

Marty took my hand and lifted me gently to my feet. I looked around. Everyone was facing me as they applauded. I knew the movie was good; I was part of it. But I had no idea it was
that
good.

He leaned close to my ear. ‘Wow. That was incredible.’

‘
This
is incredible. They’re being awfully nice, aren’t they?’

‘
This response isn’t because they’re nice. It’s because you, and the Hanks, and Ratner made an incredible movie. This is going to break all records. When this hits the rest of the country on Thursday there isn’t going to be an empty theatre seat in America.’ He gave me a squeeze. ‘And you won’t have to audition for anything again, if you don’t want to.’

Tom Hanks reached across a couple of seats, took my hand and smiled. ‘You nailed it. So glad you were part of this. It wouldn’t have been even half of the movie without you. And man am I glad my name is attached. Makes me look even smarter than I am. When all this hoopla dies down we need to meet, you and I and Ratner, and decide what next you’re going to do. If you’ll excuse a slightly inappropriate turn of phrase, I’m going to milk you for all you’re worth.’ He gave my hand a pat. ‘Damn fine working with you. Now where did Ratner go?’

We made our way to the lobby. The champagne flowed and press who were at the screening waited for their opportunity to ask questions.

A sea of other supporters took turns poking a nose in and offering congratulations. I’m cynical for my young age, but this seemed to me to be people wanting to rub against success, hoping some of it rubs off on them. But hell it was fun.

‘
You look stunning tonight. That dress is fabulous.’ Colin’s wife, the delightful Sam Bryant, had a smile on her face, her red hair pulled up and offset with a brilliant jade floor-length dress. ‘Gucci, right?’

‘
You know it. You look fantastic yourself. And your husband is a doll.’

She squeezed Colin. ‘I know. And quite the hero in this. I like the way he buffed up. Inspired me to get fit too. If I was eight inches taller I might fit in your dress.’

She probably could.

I buzzed
without
the champagne. Taking the offered glass was probably not a good idea. My tolerance was low. I had hardly touched a drop since we started filming, and that abstinence had continued through post. My system was no longer accustomed to alcohol.

Jon Favreau caught my eye from across the lobby and waved me over. Pecking order had been established. Probably subconscious on his part, but there it was. I smiled and excused myself from the discussion I was in and met him a quiet corner.

‘
You beckoned?’

‘
Oh, don’t make it sound like that. I would have come over there, but it was too noisy and it’s nice and quiet here. And I want to talk to you.’

‘
Well I’m a huge fan, so this is even more exciting than the premiere. Did you like the movie?’

He nodded. ‘I had to see you up close, too, because you look so frail, but that fight scene, where you had to carry Colin’s unconscious body back to the hospital, how did you do that? You did that, right? That wasn’t your face slapped on someone else’s body?’

‘
No, that was me.’ I flexed a tiny little bicep. ‘I’m stronger than I look.’

‘
Clearly. So what’s your schedule look like for the next few months?’

I gestured back to the larger crowd. ‘Tom wants to sit down with Brett and me and Marty and decide that in a couple of weeks when the wild and crazy wears off.’

‘
Makes sense. You’re golden right now. I’ll chat with them and see if I can horn in on that action.’