Prior to her arrest none of her teenage problems had leaked out of sealed records, nor had she been disciplined by the system. Mildrew and Andrea Stengel were senior partners at Munchley, Zabella and Cater, a downtown firm with a wide reach. After leaving college Gretchen moved back home to a guesthouse at their estate, attending openings of bad art and premieres of films that lost money, hanging out with the sweating throng of Eurotrash that filled Sunset Plaza cafes. Telling anyone who cared to listen that she was working on a screenplay, had a deal pending at one of the big independent production companies.
At some point she discovered long-hidden organizational skills and began mustering a small army of hookers: girls with great bodies and fresh faces and the ability to operate a credit-card machine. None was older than twenty-five, some had been Peabody School acquaintances, others she spotted on Sunset or the Colony. Many had never sold sex before. All were terrific at faking innocence.
The nerve center of the operation was Gretchen's free digs behind the parental swimming pool. She called her employees "agents" and put them to work in the lounges and bars of hotels with "Beverly" in their names. Clients paid for the room and the flesh, the girls divvied up for clothing and cosmetics and birth control, and Gretchen financedquarterly medical checkups. Other than doctor bills, phone and credit company charges, her overhead was nil. By the time she was twenty-five, Gretchen was pulling in seven figures a year and lopping off a zero when she filed with the IRS.
What tripped her up was never made clear. The rumor mill spat out the names of famous clients: movie stars, assorted film industry lampreys, politicians, developers. Supposedly Gretchen had run afoul of the LAPD. But no John list ever materialized, and Gretchen sat mute during her indictment.
Her trial was slated to be the Next Big Media Event. Then Gretchen's lawyer pled her to a single evasion charge and a money-laundering misdemeanor, and bargained her sentence to thirty-two months in federal lockup, plus restitution and penalties. Gretchen served solid but truncated time: no interviews, no wheedling, seven months lopped off for good behavior.
Now she was selling used clothes in a high-rent closet that reeked of weed and hiring ex-employees to stroke the customers.
It suggested an inability to learn from experience, but maybe Gretchen had learned something other than crime doesn't pay.
Blaming her parents was easy but, like most pat solutions, that was just an excuse not to puzzle. Gretchen's older brother had achieved honors as a flight surgeon for the Navy, and a younger sister ran a music school in Harlem. Following Gretchen's arrest someone had suggested middle-child syndrome. They might as well have indicted the lunar cycle. Mil-drew and Andrea Stengel were high-powered lawyers but by all accounts attentive parents. The week after Gretchen's conviction they resigned their partnerships and moved to Galisteo, New Mexico, purportedly to live "the simple life."
Milo and I walked up to the table. Gretchen had to have seen us, but she ignored us and tweaked the tail of the crayfish. Edging the creature toward her mouth, she changed her mind, drew back her arm, flicked the crustacean's tail as if daring it to resuscitate. Then back to her lips. Licking but not biting. Some weight-loss behavior-mod trick? Play with your calories but never ingest them?
Nearby diners had begun to stare. Gretchen didn't react. Her companion lacked Gretchen's composure and started fidgeting with her salad. Scallops on something saw-toothed and weedlike. She was young like Gretchen, with cropped hair, felonious cheekbones, and slanted eyes, wore a sleeveless yellow sundress, pink coral necklace and earrings, long, curving nails painted a lighter shade of coral. All that color achingly dramatic against flawless black skin.
Gretchen's cuticles were a wreck. She had on a shapeless black sweatshirt and black leggings. Her hair looked as if it hadn't been washed in a week. The black lenses did their trick, putting her somewhere else.
Milo moved so he could smile down at the black woman. "Nice dress. Does it have a past?"
Painful smile in response.
"Have a bug," said Gretchen, waving the crayfish. "That's what they are. Bugs." Her voice was nasal and scratchy. The black woman grimaced.
Milo said, "Thanks for the biology lesson, Ms. Stengel."
Gretchen said, "Actually, they're more like spiders." To the black woman: "Think spiders taste any good?" Her lips barely moved when she spoke. The black woman put her fork down and picked up her napkin.
"What about flies and caterpillars?" said Gretchen. "Or slugs."
Milo said, "Lauren Teague."
The black woman wiped her mouth. Gretchen Stengel didn't budge.
Milo said, "Lauren—"
"It's a name," said Gretchen.
The black woman said, "If you'll excuse me, please," and started to rise.
"Please stay," said Milo.
"I have to go to the little girls' room." She reached down for her purse. Milo had placed his foot over the strap.
"Please," she said.
Conversation at neighboring tables had died. A waiter came over. A glance from Milo made him retreat, but seconds later one of the white-jacketed maitre d's arrived.
"Officer," he said, sidling up to Milo and managing to spit out the word while smiling wider than his lips had been built for. "You are a police officer?"
"And here I thought I was being subtle."
"Please, sir, this isn't the place and time."
Gretchen twirled the crayfish. The black woman hung her head."For what?" said Milo.
"Sir," said White Jacket. "People are trying to enjoy their food. This is a distraction."
Milo spied a free chair at a neighboring table, pulled it over, sat down. "How's this for blending in?"
"Really, Officer."
"Fuck it, Damien," said Gretchen. "Leave him alone, I know him."
Damien stared at her. "You're sure, Gretch?"
"Yeah, yeah." She waved the crayfish. "Tell Joel to make it spicier next time."
"Oh." Damien's acrobatic lips fluttered. "It's too bland?"
"If you've got taste buds."
"Oh, no— I'll bring you some extra sauce, Gretch—"
"No," said Gretchen. "That won't help, too late. It has to be cooked into the meat."
"Really, Gretch—"
"No, Damien."
Damien simpered. "I am so sorry. I'll have a fresh batch prepared right now—"
"Don't bother. Not hungry."
"I feel terrible," said Damien.
"Don't," said Gretchen, flicking the crayfish's tail. "Just do better next time."
"Sure. Of course. Certainly." To the black woman: "Is yours okay?"
"Perfect." Glum tone. "I'm going to the little girls' room." She stood. Six feet tall in flats, sleek as a panther. Looking down at her purse, she left it there, edged past me, disappeared.
Damien said, "Really, Gretch, I can get you another plate in no time."
"I'm fine," said Gretchen, blowing a kiss at him. "Go away."
When he departed she looked at me. "Sit. Take Ingrid's chair, she'll be gone awhile. Bladder infection. I tell her to drink cranberry juice, but she hates it."
"Old friend?" said Milo.
"New friend."
"Let's talk about Lauren Teague. Someone shot her and dumped her in an alley."Gretchen's flat expression maintained. She put the crayfish down. "How terrible. I thought she was too smart for that."
"Too smart for what?"
"Going into business without me."
"You think that's what killed her?"
Off came the sunglasses. The brown eyes were piercing and focused; childhood learning difficulties seemed remote, and I wondered how many of the rumors about her were true.
"So do you," she said. "That's why you're here."
"Were you and she in touch?"
Gretchen shook her head. "After I retired, I cut all ties to the staff."
"How long has it been since you saw Lauren?"
Gretchen tried to pry something from between her teeth. Stubby nails weren't up to the task. She removed the toothpick from a crayfish and began probing. "She resigned before I retired."
"How long before?"
"Maybe a year."
"Why?" said Milo.
"She never said."
"You didn't ask?"
"Why should I?" said Gretchen. "It wasn't as if there was a personnel shortage."
"Any idea why she quit?"
"It could've been anything."
"You never discussed it."
"Nope. She e-mailed me, I e-mailed back."
"She was into computers," said Milo.
Gretchen laughed.
Milo said, "What's funny?"
"That's like asking if she was into refrigerators." She reskewered the crayfish.
"Any theories?" said Milo. "About why she quit?"
"Nope."
"What else do you remember about Lauren?"
"Great body, knew how to do makeup, no need for surgery. Some clients don't like bionics."
"Think she might've picked up a steady?" said Milo.
"Anything's possible."
"Did you know she'd gone back to school?"
"Really," said Gretchen. "How self-improving." She folded her hands in her lap.
"When she was working for you, did she complain of problematic clients?"
"Nope."
"No problems at all?"
"She was good with people. I was sorry to see her go."
"Did she have any particular specialties?"
"Other than being gorgeous and smart and polite?"
"No kinks?"
Gretchen smiled. "Kinks?"
"Anything out of the ordinary."
Gretchen laughed. "How could I even begin to answer that."
"How about yes or no, and if it's yes, some details?"
Gretchen sat back and crossed her legs. Her back was against the wall, and she seemed to enjoy the support. "The truth is, people are depressingly ordinary."
"Guys were willing to pay big-time for ordinary?"
"Guys were willing to pay to have it on their terms."
"So Lauren had no specialties?"
Shrug.
"What about special clients? Guys who requested her specifically?"
Gretchen shook her head. Picked up a crayfish and stared at the crustacean. "Look at those eyes. It's as if he knows."
"Knows what?"
"That he's dead."
Milo said, "Who requested Lauren?"
"Nothing comes to mind."
Milo edged his chair closer to her. From the way he talked into her ear and her sudden, warm smile, they might've been lovers.
"Help me out here," he said. "We're talking murder."
"I can help if you want to buy a dress." She drew her head back and looked him up and down. "I don't think you'd like our styles."
Milo stayed close to her. "Someone tied Lauren up and shot her in the back of the head and left her like garbage in a dumpster. Give me a name. Anyone who had a thing for Lauren."
Gretchen touched his tie, lifted it, and kissed the tip. "Nice syntho. Chez Sears? Tar-zhay?"
"What about girls she worked with? Friends on the staff?"
"Far as I recall, she went it alone."
"What about Michelle?"
"Michelle," said Gretchen. "As in ... ?"
"A brunette Lauren stripped with—they both did the party scene. Back when you were in business. Was that one of your subsidiaries?"
"Uh-uh. I specialized."
"In what?"
"Networking. The tools of commerce."
"Nuts into bolts," said Milo. "So Lauren and Michelle were freelancing on the side?"
Gretchen smiled again. "You're cute."
"Did you have a Michelle on staff?"
"It's a common name."
"How about a last name?"
Gretchen placed her lips next to Milo's ears. Flicked his lobe with her tongue. Gave a soft, dry laugh. "I have nothing to offer because I'm nothing. A speck of lint in the navel of the least important creature in the universe. And that makes me free."
"You're anything but nothing," said Milo. "I'd say you're a presence.'"
"You are so sweet," said Gretchen. "I'll bet you treat the girls gently."
Milo's turn to smile. "So how about tossing me a bone? Off the record. Michelle what?"
"Michelle, ma belle. Sontles whatever." Gretchen began toying with the crayfish. "Those eyes. He's like, Let me sit on this plate dead and get all shriveled up but leave me intact, I just don't want to be chewed up."
"Lauren didn't end up intact."
Gretchen sighed. "They really should remove the eyes."
Milo said, "So that's it? Nothing?"
"Have a nice day," said Gretchen.
On the way out we met Ingrid returning.
Milo blocked her way. "Lauren Teague was murdered."Lavender lips parted. "Oh." Then: "Who's Lauren?"
"An old friend of Gretchen's."
"I'm a new friend."
"I don't think so, dear," said Milo. "I think you and old Gretch go way back— ten to one I can get hold of your sheet like that." Snapping fingers in front of her face. "Seen Michelle recently?"
"Michelle who?"
"My, my, the same old song—Michelle the tall brunette who used to dance with Lauren."
Ingrid shook her head. Milo's hand closed around her arm. "We can discuss this in my office or you can continue your meal."
Ingrid's eyes burned fiercely. She craned to get a look at Gretchen's table.
"Don't worry," said Milo. "I won't let her know you told me."
"Told you what?"
"Michelle's last name."
"I don't know any Michelle. I've heard mention of Michelle Salazar— Did Gretchen eat anything?"
"Not much."
"Damn! She needs to eat. Please don't bother her lunch again."
14
MILO PUNCHED THE MDT's keypad, ran a search on Salazar, Michelle.
The screen lit up. Three hits: Michelle Angela, 47, with a record for larceny, Michelle Sandra, 22, imprisoned in Arizona for manslaughter, and Michelle Leticia, 26, arrested two years ago for prostitution, a year after that for possession of narcotics.
"There you go," I said. "The age is perfect."
"Echo Park. Let's go— Would you recognize her?"
"No, it was dark," I said. "Maybe."
Michelle Salazar lived in a two-story, peach-colored sixplex on a twisting street one block east of Micheltorena and two blocks north of Sunset. A brown sky hung low over the potholes, boxy hieroglyphics sang gang sagas, small children played in the dust. Two doors up a cluster of shaved-head young men in white tank tops and baggy pants crowded an old white van, sharing cigarettes and beer and lean looks.