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I sat in my desk chair with out-stretched legs, coffee cup in hand and waited… not worried about him physically, but not relaxed. I didn’t trust him and why was he here? I wanted to call Whitey, but I didn’t want to move. I was convinced that stillness and relaxation indicates strength and at the very least I have a thief in my house.
About a minute lapsed with Robbie more hunched forward and sipping coffee. I imagined him trying to conceive a summation for a losing case. Finally, he straightened and looked as if he would rise, you know, to take the power, to stand while your victim sits. However, during his movement of bringing his feet to the position to stand he caught my eye and seemed to give up and slump backwards into the sofa and made a moaning sound. “Ohhhhh, this was a bad idea. Harley, I came here to tell you that I am willing to do whatever I can to help in the investigation of her murder.”
I stared directly at him and spoke in a straightforward low, measured tone. “That’s a fucking lie. That’s not why you’re here.”
Something happened that I would never have expected, but Robbie exploded… lost his composure and control… and jumped up yelling. “Alright! Alright! I’m scared! That’s why I’m here. And I’m afraid you’re going to press charges. And, if you do I could lose my career… my reputation.”
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“That’s not true. She wouldn’t let me. She loved you. She was true to you. That’s what I didn’t understand… what did she see in you? You don’t have anything.”
That comment connected with my ego but I was not about to show it and remained mute as he rattled on. “I checked you out… ran a credit report. You’ve never been late on a payment. Transferred Teri’s account to yours so she could avoid paying interest. All around good guy who has nothing.”
It seemed as though Robbie was gaining a little courage and I decided to discourage that. “Are you implying that if I toss you off this deck I have nothing to lose?”
That did the trick as fear flushed his face. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I think I’m in trouble and I didn’t know where to go.”
“So you came here?”
Robbie suddenly seemed lost and turned away facing the railing and held on with both hands as if sick or contemplating jumping. It’s only two stories high and the pool is below, but you’d have to be an Olympic athlete to have a chance at hitting it. For a brief instant I had an urge to encourage him to leap but said nothing.
“Yeah, I came here. I’d like to talk.” My counseling skills were acute as I simply listened which made Robbie even more uncomfortable. “To you. I’d like to talk to you.” Part of me wished to experience glee when watching him squirm, but I just remained silent. “I’d like to talk with you… not at you.”
His request seemed honest and I turned and went into my apartment leaving the door open. Robbie followed me in and stood at the door. I went to the coffee pot. “Coffee?”
“I guess.”
“Either you want some or you don’t. I couldn’t care less.”
“I think I will then. Thank you. Cream and sugar, please.”
He accepted his coffee black from Sam. Perhaps he felt a little less tense now. I motioned for him to sit on the sofa while I poured a little milk into a creamer and along with the sugar set them on the trunk. I quickly returned with black coffee and a spoon. He wasn’t making eye contact indicating he wasn’t comfortable. And, that was the way I wanted him.
I sat in my desk chair with out-stretched legs, coffee cup in hand and waited.
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“We’ll see. He’s no dummy. He knows we know he stole the tapes and he knows we have nothing on him.” “Sam looked at me as if I didn’t realize why. “It’s circumstantial. Prints. So what? He confirmed that he may have been there… with her. Maybe she showed him the tapes. Maybe she took them. But, maybe this will be a needle in his ass and make something happen. We’re all drawing at straws here.” Sam then turned his attention directly to me. “He was in your apartment with her or without her. That’s a fact”
“I brought the books that were on top of the tapes if you want to check them for prints… to help prove he was in the apartment and wasn’t just given the tapes.”
Sam looked at Whitey with a surprised face. “You tell him to do that?” Whitey gave him some kind of ridiculous facial gesture meaning no.
“Don’t worry, I picked them up by the edges and bagged them.” Now they were both giving me a surprised look. “Just in case you truly wanted to prove he was here and not just given the tapes.”
Sam inhaled and blew a smoke ring. “Not bad Harley, not bad. I don’t know if it will be needed, but we’ll take it. Let me ask you… He’s a jealous guy, right?
“From what I understand… now this was a few years ago, but I remember her saying how easy it was to get to him because of how jealous he was. Maybe she believed that getting under his skin made her more powerful… I don’t know, but I thought it was ironic because she was also a jealous person.” I had their attention. “She admitted she was jealous. You can’t help but somehow respect that.”
Sam laughed. “Well, that’s an interesting way to look at it.” Then he asked the question we all were thinking about. “Is your buddy Robbie jealous enough to have her killed?”
I didn’t know how to answer.
Whitey did for me. “That’s the sixty-four thousand dollar question.”
They each lit another smoke as I went to my truck to get the books.
Sam and Whitey had work to do and I was consumed with thoughts of Robbie and drove back to my apartment. I wasn’t inside more than a minute before my phone rang. I read the name. “Lilly, surprise, surprise.”
“Oh Harley you picked up. I’m so happy. I’m consumed with you. You’re the best thing that every happened to me and I don’t know how I’ll be able to go on without you.”
She sounded almost sincere and I prayed I was right and went along with her. “Lilly I was just about to call you. You’re won’t have to live without me. We can be together forever. We’ll get married today. I have a couple of hours free.”
“What gave me away Mr. Saltz? Was it a lack of sincerity?”
“No, I believed you it’s just that I’ve heard that line so often.”
“Oh, what would life be without humor? That was rhetorical. I’ve lived it with Robbie. And he is the reason for my call. And don’t be concerned, I didn’t tell him about our little tryst. I’m holding that up my sleeve as they say.”
Calling about Robbie had my attention as she continued. “He just canceled a meeting with our attorneys tomorrow over something concerning his being investigated in Teri’s murder. Would you know anything about that? What’s going here Harley? I can’t afford for him to have any involvement in a murder. I want his money and I want to break him. There’s no way he would every dirty his hands in something heinous. I told you he’s never had a fight in his life.”
“Would he hire someone?” The words just flew out.
“What does that mean?
“I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to say that. It’s not my place.”
“But you did. Oh my God… is that what they think?”
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“Is that what he said? He specifically used the word investigated?”
“Oh God Harley you’re so manly. You put me right under control don’t you? And, now that I think about it that bastard was up to his same old bullshit. He started the conversation by saying that he was helping the police and when I mentioned the attorney meeting tomorrow he switched gears into investigation and that he is too involved to be able to focus elsewhere. What could I say? I had to reschedule.”
There was little I could add to her conversation, she was doing fine by herself and I continued to listen as I began to make coffee… multi-tasking. When I poured the water from the pot to the maker Lilly moaned. “Ohhhhhhh, you’re making coffee. I can almost smell it. I’ll be right up.” Her comment stopped me completely. “Got you didn’t I? You looked around your apartment to see if it needed to be straightened… Virgo you are, but not typical.”
She was absolutely right I immediately looked around to see if I had to clean up as she began to fill the phone with little giggles. “I may know you as well as anybody and I don’t know you at all. Anyway Harley you will let me know if you hear anything about Robbie won’t you? And, I’d love to treat you to another dinner and dessert. That is if you’re interested.”
I wanted to blurt out that I was interested in Missey but that would serve no purpose. Instead I hit the on button for the coffee. It’s incredibly quick and does make noise.
“Harley, I’ll be right up. Do you have any cream? If not, we can whip some up.” With that she hung up and I wasn’t sure if she was serious or not, but I sure didn’t want her. Regardless, I quickly straightened up the place… made the bed, put out clean towels and lit a couple of candles just in time to hear the doorbell. My first thought was how am I going to get rid of her. I have a chance with Missey and I’m not going to blow it for anything.
I opened the door. Robbie. That’s right, Robbie was standing there… alone and cautious. That was easy to determine. He was backed up against the railing. I looked around for Lilly. He was alone. I didn’t know what to say and consequently said nothing. I really had no idea why he would be here and questions were floating around as I stared at him. Did Lilly actually tell him about being with me? Does he want some kind of confrontation… something physical? With that in mind I changed my stance to ready.
Robbie picked up on my willingness to scrap by inching further away. That gave me a little humor… he was cleaning the railing with his ass. Remember, I’ve never been a fan of his and I was not about to give him any satisfaction by speaking first, so I continued to stare even as he began to stutter. “Ah, I’m sorry for stopping over here without contacting you first, but the last time I called here you weren’t happy with me and I understand that. I was actually afraid for several weeks. I couldn’t tell Teri what you said to me and she never brought it up. So I guess that meant you didn’t mention it to her. That made me dislike you even more, you were such a better man than I was.”
If what he was saying was truthful he was really humbling himself. I decided to speak and test the waters. “She told me you were still banging her.’
“That’s not true. She wouldn’t let me. She loved you. She was true to you. That’s what I didn’t understand.
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“No. Actually, I don’t know… maybe. She’d do temp work sometimes and often it was down in the Century City area where his office is. I never pressed her for information about it primarily because she hated temp work. I was happy whenever she found any work. She had bills, credit cards, manis and pedis.” All three of us shared a knowing, albeit dispirited look.
Whitey looked at Sam and eased the tension. “Now you see why I never married?” That elicited smiles. “You set up dipshit pretty well Sammy. Something tells me he’s not going to sleep tonight.”
“We’ll see. He’s no dummy. He knows we know he stole the tapes and he knows we have nothing on him.” “Sam looked at me as if I didn’t realize why. “It’s circumstantial. Prints. So what? He confirmed that he may have been there… with her. Maybe she showed him the tapes. Maybe she took them. But, maybe this will be a needle in his ass and make something happen. We’re all drawing at straws here.”
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“Alright, I think he was jealous of me. And, I think she told him about the tapes after she was married just to piss him off. She could be like that… dig… get under you skin. She excelled at that.”
Sam blew smoke through his nose. “Why would she want to piss him off?”
“It gave her an upper hand. She knew he hired her just to have her around. She said she made fifteen bucks an hour for just looking good, doing her own thing and being able to come and go as she pleased. She hated being used. It pissed me off, too. I didn’t want her anywhere near him. I didn’t trust him from moment one.”
Sam cut me off. “Whoa. Back up here. Are you saying she was working for him while with you?”
“No. Actually, I don’t know… maybe. She’d do some temp work and often it was down in the Century City area where his office is. I never pressed her for information about that. She generally hated temp work. I was happy whenever she found anything.
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Sam chuckled. “Yeah, you never hung around trying to one-up each other with your love connection?” Robbie’s posture was now stiff and Sam seemed to try to push directly through it. “You didn’t socialize together… have him over for drinks?”
“No, that didn’t happen.”
“Did you ever go over to his place?”
“His place.”
“Yes, his apartment.”
“No, I don’t believe so.”
“But, it is possible?”
“I guess it’s possible Detective, maybe with Teri, certainly not with him. It’s just something I don’t recall.” It looked like Robbie knew exactly where this conversation was headed and was working hard at controlling his nervous body actions.
“Something doesn’t have to impress us to leave an impression. Small one bedroom apartment, VCR player, tapes around.” Robbie tried to look bored, exhaled, pushed his chair back and before he could rise Sam struck again. “Robbie, I have a respect for your position. I really do. And, again I appreciate you coming in to chat. But, when I am lied to I develop tremendous suspicion. And, holding back the truth….”
Robbie rose. “Time’s up, Detective.”
“I understand, but before you go could you tell me how your prints got into that apartment?”
Robbie stood erect and squared his shoulders. “I didn’t say I’d never been there Detective Gray. I said I don’t recall. Now, if that’s a crime arrest me… for what… not recalling a visit. I’m an attorney, do you think I would walk into a situation where I could jeopardize myself? If my prints were there then obviously I must have accompanied them, I usually do.” He held out his hands, displayed his fingertips and grinned. “What does this have to do with Teri’s murder?”
“Some sensitive material was stolen and your fingertips… excuse me, prints were found. Let’s just say it’s a suspicious situation and I’m hoping you can clear it up.”
Robbie put his arms on his chest as if about to present a summation to a jury, but only turned his head. “Could you be a little more ambiguous Detective?” Robbie seemed to be trying to provide a better and brighter than thou image
Not to be outdone Sam casually responded. “Accusation is a bed partner of suspicion and together they can produce a pretty shitty offspring… a soiled reputation. Not much of a benefit to a law firm is it?”
“Sensitive material? And, what would that be?” Robbie hadn’t moved. “If I’ve interpreted your innuendo correctly I am being considered a suspect in sensitive theft? Perhaps I should contact my attorney… one who is delicate and not impervious to sensitivity.”
“You’ve made your point Mr. Baron.” Sam opened the door for Robbie. “I’d like to keep our line of communication open.” And with a hint of sarcasm he continued. “You were a good friend of the deceased and her family and may be of help.” Sam stood as patient as a psychiatrist and with an aura that seemed omniscient.
Robbie tried to maintain control and as he exited turned around. “I donated my time and energy in good faith Detective… coming up here to talk about Teri’s murder, not to be corralled in the implication of theft.”
“Thank you Mr. Barron. I’ll walk you our.”
With that our monitors showed an empty space and the detectives in our room rose, acknowledged Whitey, nodded to me and exited. Whitey stood and coughed. “Smoke time.” I followed him out. “The back is reserved for smokers. Makes me feel special. I’m telling you this is a messed up state… can’t smoke anywhere.” Actually, it was a nice location right at the tip of North Hollywood Park. Whitey lit up. “Could be a nice back yard.”
Half way through the cigarette Sam joined us. “Knew you’d be here.” He lit up. If I had that job I’d still be smoking, too. “So, what do we have here?” He looked at me. “Tell me something.”
Without a thought I was responding. “He was never in my place when I was there. Probably when I was in Vegas at Whitey’s”
Whitey piped in. “Las Vegas.”
“Las Vegas. I think he though of Teri as a possession and was jealous of everyone who she showed an interest in.”
Whitey moaned. “Bullshit, you don’t mean everyone.”
“Alright, I think he was jealous of me. And, I think she told him about those tapes after she was married just to piss him off. She could be like that… dig… get under you skin.
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“How long do you plan on having me here?” Sam gave an innocent almost apologetic look and used Robbie’s arms and hands up gesture. Robbie understood that the time was not definitive. “If it’s going to be over an hour maybe an order of sushi and water with a lemon… twist.”
“I’ll bring you some coffee. Black alright?”
As Sam was leaving Robbie nodded as he cleared his throat, then rose and walked a few steps and stretched without a glance at the cameras. His movement seemed to lack purpose. It was as if he wanted to fill in space… at least that’s the way I would write it.
I hadn’t taken any notes or thought of any questions, comments, or anything that I believed would help in the process, but wrote something anyway. Ask him if he’s sure of his sexuality. Whitey looked at it and whispered, “Sam already has that down.” I realized that whatever Whitey and I discussed about Teri was registered in his internal computer and discussed with Sam.
A moment later, Sam was back with coffee for two. “I could use an entire pot.” He handed one to Robbie. “Again Mr. Baron, we appreciate you coming down to help us and anything you can tell us about her may do just that.”
Robbie seemed to accept that yet now appeared fidgety. “This is being filmed right?” He motioned toward the cameras. “And, who’s watching?”
Not at all fazed, Sam yawned again. “Of course it’s being documented. This is a murder investigation and something you say now may help us later. It’s so easy to miss the tree in the forest. And, a couple of detectives are…” He pointed to a camera. “I’d like to ask you a couple of personal questions if it’s alright.”
Robbie put on his best smile. “Doesn’t mean I’ll answer. You understand.”
Sam hinted at a quick smile. “You did have a physical relationship with Miss Mitchell.” Robbie stared straight ahead. “How long did it last or was it still going on?”
“What we won’t do for friends.” Robbie forced a chuckle. “That’s extremely personal don’t you think? But, since my wife recently filed for divorce I’ll answer. Physical relationship… yes, we had one of those and it was sweet. She was game for anything. And, I mean anything. She could have made some money in that area. Actually, she did, didn’t she? I kept her around.”
“You kept her around until the end, right?” Robbie stiffened and Sam realized he may have crossed a line and softened the question. “What I mean is you gave her opportunities for employment and friendship… always.”
I worked. Robbie accepted it as a compliment, seemed less tense and rode with it. “I did. I gave her opportunities and friendship and she gave me…” He leaned back with his hands behind his head. “She gave me her charms. Life’s a two-way street Detective.
Whitey pushed his notepad in front of me. Piece of work, isn’t he? I enjoyed reading it, but it didn’t make me feel better. All I could think of was ‘How could Teri be with him… ever?’
Sam then turned his head and looked directly at a camera as if he could see us.
Whitey leaned into me and whispered again. “Watch this. Sam’s about to spring.”
“How well do you know the guy she lived with in Orange County… the guy with the BMW’s?”
“Daniel… not well at all. He didn’t really care for me.”
“Something against attorneys?”
Everybody laughed at that including Sam.
Robbie had his smug look now. “Against this one for sure.” Robbie fed off of Sam’s tell me more look. “She spent more time with me than him. She was there because of that big house and a new BMW. But, it was in Orange County and she detested Orange County. She found it all boring… business boring she said, including him. She used to call me and beg to go on a trip. She’d go anywhere anytime.”
“What about that last guy, the one before her husband? Saltz.”
Robbie shook his head as he openly scoffed. “Salt shaker? We never got along either. He’s a little more common than my usual associates.”
“Salt shaker, I like that. Were you having physical relations with her when she was with him… too?”
“I’m nearing the end of the question and answer period Detective. But, I don’t want to leave you with anything other than pure thoughts about our ‘physical relationship’ as you so deftly refer to it. I introduced Teri to a wonderful world of physical freedom. Now, you can interpret that any way you wish. But, she loved it and she would have jumped at the opportunity to become Mrs. Baron.”
That piqued Sam’s attention. “Why didn’t she?”
“She didn’t really fit.”
“Sexually?”
“Sexually she was up for anything. That’s what I loved about her. She was my little marionette.”
Sam seemed to sense that he had only a few questions left. “Mr. Baron, we appreciate your candor so much, but you skirted the question and we are trying to solve a murder here. Mr. Saltz was her last boyfriend unless you were still sleeping with her.”
Wow! I’m watching a guy on a monitor that I truly don’t like and my heart is pounding with anticipation and when he leaned forward onto the table I wanted to slap his arms off. But, above that I wanted him to say no.
“No, Detective, I wasn’t. I don’t know what she saw in him.”
“Well, he does seem sure of his sexuality… doesn’t he?” That comment was delivered
like a spear and Robbie’s eyes made a dart toward a camera. Sam continued. “Even I can see that. Did she ever talk about him?“
It was easy to see the wheels working in Robbie’s eyes and he folded his arms and seemed to realize his weak body language and leaned back and gave a cagy comment. “He’s a suspect isn’t he? Figures.”
“At this point of time Mr. Barron we’re talking to everyone. And, you didn’t answer the question.”
“I’m sorry Detective. Yes, I believe she mentioned him at times.”
“When was the last time?”
Robbie scratched his neck and hesitating. “I don’t recall. The less I heard about him the better. As I said, we didn’t really get along, socialize.”
Sam chuckled. “Yeah, you never hung around together one-upping each other with your love connection.” Robbie’s posture was now stiff and Sam seemed to be trying to push directly through it. “You didn’t socialize together… have him over for drinks?”
“No, that didn’t happen.”
“Did you ever go over to his place?
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“What about that last guy, the one before her husband? Saltz.”
Robbie shook his head as he openly scoffed. “Salt shaker? We never got along either. He’s a little more common than my usual associates.”
“Salt shaker, I like that. Were you having physical relations with her when she was with him… too?”
“I’m nearing the end of the question and answer period Detective. But, I don’t want to leave you with anything other than pure thoughts about our ‘physical relationship’ as you so deftly refer to it. I introduced Teri to a wonderful world of physical freedom. Now, you can interpret that any way you wish. But, she loved it and she would have jumped at the opportunity to become Mrs. Baron.”
That piqued Sam’s attention. “Why didn’t she?”
“She didn’t really fit.”
Sexually?”
“Sexually she was up for anything. That’s what I loved about her. She was my little marionette.”
Sam seemed to sense that he had only a few questions left. “Mr. Baron, we appreciate your candor so much, but you skirted the question and we are trying to solve a murder here. Mr. Saltz was her last boyfriend unless you were still sleeping with her.”
Wow. I’m watching through this mirror and my heart is now pounding with anticipation of his response. I truly didn’t like this guy and when he leaned forward and into the table I wanted to slap his arms off. But, above that I wanted him to say no.
“No, Detective, I wasn’t. I don’t know what she saw in him.”
“Well, he does seem sure of his sexuality… doesn’t he?” That comment was delivered like a spear and Robbie’s eyes made a dart in our direction. Sam continued. “Even I can see that.”
