The Burnt House

8

S TUDIO CITY HAD gotten its moniker from its proximity to the major movie corporations and broadcasting systems. It was ten minutes away from Universal, a quick trip across the canyon from Paramount, CBS, and all of old Hollywood, and a speedy fifteen-minute freeway drive from NBC in Burbank. The Greenwich Village of the Valley, it was a section of boutiques, florists, clubs, and coffeehouses, and most important, it had a big bowling alley where the beautiful and young Hollywood elite were often seen spending a recreational night out, just being plain folk.

Arielle Toombs lived in a wood-sided complex that was shaded in the hot, hot summers by dozens of lacy elms and giant sycamores. Each apartment had its own private balcony, but the pools, gym, and the recreation room were communal-enjoyed by anyone with a rent check that didn’t bounce.

Morning fog had given way to a tent of blue above, and as Decker climbed the stairs to Arielle’s third-floor apartment, he was already planning his weekend. Cindy and Koby were coming in for a way-overdue Friday-night dinner, Saturday would be synagogue and study group in the afternoon, but Sunday would be his to plan, time unscheduled and unfettered by obligations. If Hannah had arranged something with her friends, a very frequent occurrence since she reached her teens, maybe he and Rina would take a spin out to Oxnard, to the kosher winery and restaurant. It had become one of their favorite places.

Decker’s knock was answered by a woman in her thirties: brunette, tall, and lithe. Her eyes were deep green and set off by her clothes-jade-colored, cotton capri pants, and an orange T-shirt. Her hair was pinned back into a ponytail and her feet were housed in flip-flops. “Are you Lieutenant Decker?”

“Yes, I am.” He showed her ID to back up his claim.

She smiled and said, “I suppose I should have asked who it was before I answered the door. But like they say, no harm, no foul. Come in. Would you like something to drink?”

“Water would be great.”

“Still or sparkling?”

Only in L.A. “Either would be fine,” Decker said.

“Not a problem. Take a seat anywhere. Please excuse the mess.”

The mess consisted of newspapers lying on a mattress-style black sofa. It was low-slung and tufted with buttons, but surprisingly comfortable. Arielle’s living space was open and she had kept the furnishings sparse. Besides the sofa, the area had two side chairs, and a coffee table made out of acrylic. When she came back, she was carrying two glasses of sparkling water. She handed one to Decker, took a sip from her glass, and then sat down. “I don’t know how I can help you. It’s company policy to direct all questions about 1324 to their official task force.”

“I know that. And you should know, though, that the company can’t take away your freedom of speech.”

“It isn’t that,” Arielle said. “It’s just that in a crisis like this, so much misinformation is circulated. WestAir is just trying to keep it to a minimum.” She flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. “The guy over the phone, I forgot his name.”

“Detective Oliver.”

“Yeah, him. He mentioned Roseanne Dresden. That he had a couple of questions about her?”

“Actually, yes. I’d like to talk to you about Roseanne.”

Tears instantly pooled in her eyes. She put down her water and wiped her eyes. “Sure.”

“You knew her well?”

“Since eighth grade.”

“That’s a long time.”

“Yes, it’s a very long time.”

“You’re from Fresno?”

“Born and bred.”

“What brought you down to L.A.?”

“A boyfriend.”

“Did you come before or after Roseanne?”

“Before, I think, but I’m not sure. We weren’t close in high school. We ran in totally different circles. If you would have told me we would have winded up close friends, I would have said you were nuts.”

“Why’s that?”

“She was one of the popular kids and I wasn’t. To tell you the truth, I didn’t like her much back then. I thought she was a snob. We became close when we both started working for WestAir. The crash was horrible on so many different levels, but I can’t tell you how devastated I was when I found out about her. I was shocked that she had been scheduled to work San Jose.”

“Really.” Decker took out his notepad. “Why’s that?”

“I would have thought that she had no use for…anyway. When I thought about it, I figured it made some sense. She was having a hard time at home and maybe she felt it would do some good to get away, and San Jose opened up.”

“I’ve heard she had a rocky marriage.”

“Her husband was cheating on her and wasn’t subtle about it. Still, there must be two sides to every story.”

“What would you say his side was?” Decker asked.

A deep sigh. “I loved Roseanne. I truly did. She was lively, funny, loyal, and would give you the shirt off her back. She had an open heart and time for everyone.”

“But…”

“But every once in a while…” Arielle shook her head. “What can I say? That eighth-grade side of her would materialize and she could be absolutely awful. She could cut a person down with a few well-placed words.”

“A person like her husband?”

Arielle looked at the ceiling. “Roseanne was usually such a sweetie, so if you’d never seen it, it would throw you off guard. But I remember this one specific time that my boyfriend and I were at a dinner party with them-Rosie and Ivan. She was really upset with him, and was zinging him all evening. Every once in a while, he’d try to zing her back, but he was clearly out of his league.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah. Exactly! Ivan probably had it coming, but it was still pretty ugly, especially since…” She waved her hand in the air. “Never mind.”

Decker said, “Now’s not the time to play coy, Ms. Toombs. I really need to know what was going on between them.”

Arielle paused. “Why?”

It should have been Decker’s turn to say never mind. Instead, he fed her a little white lie. “We’re investigating the crash for insurance fraud. There seems to have been some dispute as to whom she named as benefactor of her policy. If she and Ivan had been having long-standing problems, it might have some bearing on the claim and counterclaim.”

“Well, if Rosie would have known what was going to happen to her, I’m sure she wouldn’t have left the twit a dime. But I don’t know if she had gotten around to changing her insurance policy.”

“So what were you hesitant to tell me a few moments ago?”

“Oh, golly! It’s just that Roseanne wasn’t such an angel herself.”

“Ah…” Decker nodded.

“But it’s still Ivan’s fault. She didn’t start doing anything until he stepped out on her repeatedly.”

Decker said, “Was she seeing anyone specific?”

“I suppose I should lay all the cards on the table. About six months ago, Rosie broke off a long-standing affair that she was having with a married man. He was in his fifties. I don’t know how rich he was, but I do know he spent a lot on her. Every time we went up to San Jose for work, and we’d have to spend the night there, she’d come back the next day with something shiny on her finger or on her wrists or earlobes. One time he bought her a diamond watch-a Chopard. That’s a very expensive brand.”

“Yes, it is. So maybe that’s why she was planning to work from San Jose.”

“If this had happened six months ago, I would have said of course, that’s the reason.” Arielle took a long gulp of her water. “But she broke it off and was resolved never to see him again. Mr. Married Man began having ideas about the two of them running off into the sunset, and while he was good for a trinket or two, she definitely didn’t want him around permanently. When she broke off the affair, Rosie told me that he was very upset with her. The whole thing ended badly. That’s why I found it so odd that she was on the plane, planning to work in San Jose.”

“Maybe they reconciled.”

“I…honestly don’t think so. She was trying to reconcile with Ivan. They were in counseling together, although it wasn’t working, according to her.”

“I’d like to talk to her ex-lover. I’ll need his name.”

“I can give it to you, but what relevance would it have to her insurance policy?”

“We’re just checking out all kinds of avenues,” Decker said. “Maybe if she was going to marry this guy, she would have changed her policy.”

“No, you’re on the wrong track. She had no intent of marrying Ray. Raymond Holmes. He’s five ten, two-seventy, and like I said, in his fifties. He was a builder. I found him as dull as dry toast. Roseanne would never marry him.”

“Why not? He could certainly give her the security that Ivan wasn’t giving her.”

“Roseanne never cared about security. Her father has money and she was earning a good living. Roseanne was interested in a shoulder to cry on and Ray was perfect for that…although I’m sure the jewelry didn’t hurt.”

“Tell me something, Ms. Toombs. How did Roseanne…with all her attributes…hook up with a loser like Ivan Dresden?”

“Have you ever met Ivan?”

Decker shook his head.

“He’s really good-looking. It’s his best asset. It’s his only asset. If he would have just been a slacker, and a spendthrift, I think Roseanne would have tolerated him because he’s great arm candy. It was the affairs. They made her look small. Even though she had her own fling, her heart wasn’t into it. She was planning on leaving him, but like I told you before, I don’t know if she got around to changing her insurance policy.”

If there was ever a convenient time for Ivan to whack her, it would have been then. Yet now that Decker had found out about Roseanne’s lover, her being on the flight to San Jose made a lot more sense, despite Arielle’s insistence that the relationship was over. Decker said, “I’ll take Raymond Holmes’s phone number and address now.”

“I’ll give you what I have, but it may not be current.”

“That’s not a problem. I’m sure he’s listed, at least professionally.”

“Yeah, according to Roseanne, he owns a successful contracting company.”

“According to Roseanne,” Decker repeated.

“I believe her. Roseanne was a lot of things, but she wasn’t a liar.”

“She was cheating on her husband. Isn’t that lying?”

Arielle thought about that. “More like lies of omission rather than lies of commission. I don’t know if she ever told Ivan about the affair. And I doubt that Ivan cared enough to ever ask.”

DECKER’S CELL PHONE displayed a new message: Marge, and there was urgency in her voice. He called her back immediately and she picked up on the third ring.

“Where are you?” Decker asked.

“On my way back to the station house from the Crypt. We can put the brakes on the Dresden mystery. A female body just showed up on a slab from recovery.”

“Roseanne?”

“Nothing definitive, but who else would it be? Roseanne was the only female in the crash unaccounted for. The body is badly burned and badly decayed. The skeleton is extremely fragile. It took them almost four hours to transport it to the Crypt.”

“Do they have the jaw for dental records?”

“They have the entire skeleton, Pete. The problem is that it’s going to take a while to X-ray the teeth. Every time they touch something, a piece crumbles. Except for one area that was relatively unscathed.”

“Which area is that?”

“Back spine.”

“And the pathologist is pretty sure it’s her.”

There was a pause. “You don’t want to let go of this, do you?”

“I guess I just don’t like spinning my wheels. My fault. I made the assignments before recovery was done. I’m sure she’ll be identified and that will be that. I’ll call up the Lodestones and let them know the news.”

Marge said, “Even if the dentals aren’t perfect, we caught another break. We found some intact fabric and there was discernible writing on it…like a message T-shirt. Pink. We can go back and check if Roseanne owned a T-shirt like that one, maybe there’s even a photograph with her in it.”

“Great.” Still, Decker felt oddly disappointed. Some aspect of him had bought into the Lodestones’ fantasy idea that Roseanne hadn’t been on the plane. “Well, we’ll get some kind of identity soon enough, so it certainly doesn’t pay to put any more time into the case.”

“I wish I would have known about it earlier in the day. Save me a trip to the paper bullshitting with a reporter and pretending I was an insurance agent…although I must say I pulled it off nicely.”

“I used an insurance dodge, too.”

“Great minds think alike.”

“Call up Oliver and tell him to put the case in storage until further notice. I’ll meet you back at the station house and we’ll see what other mayhem the residents of the West Valley have cooked up for us.”