L.A. Dead Part 19

"As I understand it," Reeves said, "you are here to surrender Mrs. Calder."

Blumberg held up a hand. "Before any charge is made, I request that you question my client. It's my belief that, when you are done, you will see that an arrest is unnecessary."

"All right; do you have any objection to a steno-graphic record being made?"

"None whatsoever. I'd also like to volunteer my client for a polygraph; you choose the examiner."

"Yes, I saw your press conference," Reeves said dryly. "Shall we begin?"

"By all means."

Reeves dictated the names of those present and started to ask his first question, but Blumberg interrupted.

"I'd like the record to show that my client is here voluntarily and is willing to answer all questions."

"So noted," the D.A. said. "Mrs. Calder, you understand you are here because you are a suspect in the murder of your husband, Vance Calder?"

"I understand it, but I don't understand it," Arrington replied in a calm voice.

"Beg pardon?"

"I mean, I accept your characterization of my visit here, but I don't understand why I'm a suspect."

"That will become apparent as we proceed," Reeves said. "Mrs. Calder, please recount the events as you recall them on the evening of your husband's death."

"I have only one memory of that evening," Arrington said. "I remember being shown my husband's body as it lay on the floor of the central hallway of our house. Apart from that single image, I have no recollection of anything between midafternoon the previous day and the following morning, when I woke up at the Judson Clinic."

Blumberg spoke up. "For the record, Dr. James Judson, an eminent psychiatrist, is available to testify that Mrs. Calder is suffering from a kind of amnesia, brought on by the shock of her husband's violent death."

"So you have no recollection of shooting your husband?" Reeves asked.

"I would never have shot my husband," Arrington replied, "but I have no recollection of the events of that evening."

"So you don't know if you shot him?"

"I know that I would never never do such a thing." do such a thing."

"But you don't know know."

"Asked and answered," Blumberg said. "Perfectly clear."

"Mrs. Calder, is it possible that, while delusional, you might have shot your husband?"

"I have never been delusional," Arrington replied. "My doctor has explained to me that my amnesia has nothing to do with delusion."

"Have you ever threatened to kill your husband?"

"Certainly not."

Reeves took a small tape recorder from a credenza behind him and placed it on the table. "This is an excerpt from an interview with a friend of yours, Mrs. Beverly Walters."

"An acquaintance, not a friend," Arrington replied.

Reeves pressed a b.u.t.ton.

"I told Arrington," Beverly Walters's voice said, "that I had it on good authority that Vance, during the filming of his last picture, was sleeping with his costar, Charlene Joiner, on a regular basis. She pooh-poohed this. I asked her if she would divorce Vance, if she found out that it was true. She replied, and these are her exact words, 'I wouldn't divorce him. I'd shoot him.' And this was two days before Vance was killed."

Reeves stopped the machine. "Do you recall this conversation with Mrs. Walters?"

"Yes, I do," Arrington replied.

"So you admit having said that you would not divorce your husband on learning of his adultery, but shoot him, instead?"

"I spoke those words in jest, and Mrs. Walters took them as such. We both had a good laugh about it."

"But you don't deny having said that you would shoot your husband?"

"Mr. Reeves, how many times have you said, in jest, that you would kill somebody, maybe even your wife? This is common parlance, and we all do it. I had no evidence of adultery on my husband's part. I regarded him at that time, and still do, as a faithful husband."

"But Mrs. Walters had just told you that she, quote, had it on good authority, unquote, that your husband was actually committing adultery with his costar, Ms. Joiner."

"Mr. Reeves, I would never accept Beverly Walters's word about such a thing. She is an inveterate and vicious gossip, who enjoys stirring up trouble, and that is why she is an acquaintance, and not a friend of mine. If her husband were not an occasional business a.s.sociate of my husband, I would not see her at all."

"But she said she had it on good authority."

"'Good authority,' to Beverly Walters, is something she heard at the hairdresser's or read in a scandal sheet. Did you ask her to substantiate this rumor she was spreading?"

Reeves didn't reply.

"I a.s.sure you that if I were a murderous person, I would have been much more likely to shoot Beverly Walters than my husband."

Stone had to suppress a smile.

"Mrs. Calder, did you and your husband ever fight?"

"Occasionally-perhaps rarely would be a better choice of words."

"Physically fight?"

"No, never."

"I will reserve the right to present evidence to the contrary at a later date," Reeves said. "That concludes the questioning," he said to the stenographer. "Thank you; you may leave us now."

The stenographer took her machine and left the room.

Stone was surprised that Arrington's questioning had been so brief, and that no further evidence against her had been offered.

"Mrs. Calder," the district attorney said, "you are under arrest on a charge of second-degree murder. Please stand up."

Arrington stood, and the two police detectives began to handcuff her.

Twenty-five.

ON SUNDAY MORNING, STONE GOT UP AND WENT OUT for the papers. He'd have to arrange daily delivery, he thought. The studio, ordinarily a hive of activity, was dead on a Sunday. He drove through the empty streets, inquired of the guard at the gate where to get a paper, and for his trouble was rewarded with a New York Times New York Times and a and a Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times.

"We get a few delivered for folks who are working over the weekend," the guard said.

Stone returned to the bungalow, and as he entered, the phone was ringing. He picked it up.

"Stone Barrington?"

"Yes."

"This is Charlene Joiner."

"Good morning."

"As I mentioned at the funeral, I'd like to get together with you; I have some information you might find interesting."

"All right," Stone said.

"Why don't you come to lunch? There'll be some other people here, but we can find a moment to talk."

"Thank you, I will," Stone replied.

"Do you know the Malibu Colony?"

"Yes, I've been to the Calder house there."

"I'm six doors down," she said. She gave him the house number. "One o'clock, and California casual."

"See you then." He hung up, wondering what information she might have for him and what "California casual" meant.

Betty had left Danish pastries in the fridge for him; he made himself some coffee and spent the morning reading the papers. The L.A. paper had a front-page story about Arrington's arrest, while the New York paper had a blurb on the front page and an inside story-this seemed to be the standard coverage. Marc Blumberg had issued a press release, detailing Arrington's willingness to answer all questions. "I don't expect this to go to trial," he said, "if the LAPD does its job, but should it do so, Mrs. Calder will testify without fear of any question."

Stone thought that was immoderate; things might change before the trial, and they might not want her to testify. Still, it sounded good now, and helped create the impression that Arrington had nothing to fear from a trial. He was troubled by the D.A.'s reluctance to disclose the evidence against her. Normally, they would use the press to reinforce the idea that they had a strong case.

He pa.s.sed through the Malibu Colony gate a little after one, then drove to Charlene Joiner's house. A uniformed maid opened the door for him and took him out to a rear terrace. Charlene and another woman were sitting beside the pool, talking, both wearing swimsuits. Charlene stood up, wrapped a colorful sarong skirt around her lower body, and came to greet him, hand out.

"h.e.l.lo, Stone," she said, taking his hand and leading him toward the other woman. "This is Ilsa Berends," she said.

Stone recognized the actress from her films. She was in her early forties, he thought, but in wonderful shape. "How do you do, Miss Berends," he said. "I've enjoyed your work in films." He turned to Charlene. "Yours, too. In fact I saw one on the airplane from Milan."

"You were in Milan recently?" Berends asked.

"Venice, really; I flew out of Milan."

"Vacation?" Charlene asked.

"Sort of," Stone replied. He turned to see another woman arriving, and she was another recognizable actress, though he could not remember her name. Five minutes later, two more arrived.

Charlene introduced everyone. "I'm afraid you're going to be in the middle of a hen party," she said. "You're our only man."

"The pleasure is mine," Stone replied. A houseman brought everyone mimosas, and half an hour later, they sat down to lunch.

The conversation was about L.A. matters-films, gossip, and shopping.

"I understand you're a friend of Arrington Calder," Ilsa Berends said to Stone.

It was the first question addressed to him by anyone. "That's right," Stone said.

"I also hear you used to live together," the actress said. This got everyone's attention.

"I think I'll stand on attorney-client privilege," Stone replied.

Everyone laughed.

"Were you there when Arrington was arrested?" another woman asked.

"I was at the meeting at the D.A.'s office, where Arrington had voluntarily appeared and answered questions."

"I think she did it," the youngest woman, who could only have been in her early twenties, said.

"Certainly not," Stone replied.

"The loyal attorney," Berends said.

"So far, the district attorney seems to have no evidence against her."

"Except Beverly Walters's statement," Charlene said.

Stone was astonished. "How did you know about that?" he asked.

Everybody laughed.

"Because Beverly has told everyone she knows about it," Charlene replied. "She would never be involved in anything like this without telling all of Beverly Hills."

"Well, I can tell you that her version of the conversation is different from Arrington's. It was an entirely innocent remark."

"Innocent, that she said she was going to kill her husband?" Berends asked.