“It was really dark, but from what I could make out, he wasn’t that young, like in his twenties, more like he was thirties or forties. I couldn’t see his face with his goggles, and I can’t tell you his hair color because the watch cap was pulled low. It was dark, too, like his clothes. He was on the tall side, at least six feet, I’d say, and lean. As soon as I started firing, he ran, fast.”

Cam said, “Gloria, we’ve been searching for a connection among the women the Serial has chosen to attack. As you know they’ve all been actresses about your age. Have you been offered any important roles lately? Or competed in any auditions?”

Gloria grinned hugely at Arturo. “Yes, I won a huge role just today. I told Detective Loomis about it.”

“And she’s been celebrating with champagne,” Arturo added.

When Gloria had told her and Daniel all about the role of Detective Belle DeWitt in Hard Line, Cam said, “Congratulations. Gloria, I know it takes a lot of talent and grit and luck to score a part like that. I’m sure you agree it often helps if you know people in the business, people who are willing to use their influence on your behalf. Did anyone in the business help you score that role in Hard Line?”

“Yes,” Gloria said readily, “I know one of the producers of the show.”

“What’s his name?” Daniel asked.

“Theo Markham, he’s big-time TV and movies. Strange, but he was helping Connie Morrissey before she was killed.” Gloria shrugged. “I’m sure there were other girls he’s helped. And there’ll be girls after me. And who knows? Maybe there are more right now. Theo’s a busy guy.”

How long did he wait before he went scouting for Connie’s replacement? “How did you meet Markham?” Daniel asked.

“I’m a waitress at Burgundy’s in Beverly Hills, well, not anymore. I’m giving my notice tomorrow. I knew who he was when he came in for lunch one day and made certain he sat at one of my tables. I gave him great service, made sure he noticed me.” She shrugged. “He called me two days later and we had dinner.”

“How long ago was that?”

Gloria cocked her head at him. “Maybe three weeks.”

“Did he ever talk about Connie Morrissey?”

“No. I’ve got to tell you, I was glad of it.”

Cam said matter-of-factly, “You’re sleeping with him?”

She gave them a smile. “He wouldn’t want me to say. Truth is, I owe him big-time. He’s changed my life.”

Sex, Daniel thought, the currency in Hollywood.

All of them realized the well was dry. Cam said, “Where does your family live, Gloria?”

“In Toledo, Ohio. But I don’t want them to know about this, not yet. They’d want to come out here or beg me to come home and stay with them. No, not yet.”

“For now,” Cam continued, “the press will know only that there was a break-in with shots fired, and no one hurt. You’ll have a little time to tell your parents yourself, but not much. This is going to be a very big story when it breaks. Maybe going to visit your parents isn’t such a bad idea.”

Gloria was shaking her head. “Really, I can’t. You don’t know my relatives.”

“You know your condo is now a crime scene. You can’t stay here tonight.”

“I’ve got some friends who’ll put me up.”

“No, that might be dangerous,” Arturo said. “We don’t know who the Serial is or where he is, or why he picked you this time, or whether he’ll try again. He’s never failed before. Hey, you could stay at the police station, in one of the holding cells.”

Gloria gave him a look. “If there’s no attached bathroom, you can hang that one up, Detective. But you can give me back my .22.”

Before Arturo could offer his own house for her to stay at, Cam said, “Tell you what, you and I still have a lot to talk about. I’m staying with a friend of mine, Missy Devereaux, in Malibu, not far from the Colony. She’s an actress, too. I’ll check with her, but I’m sure she won’t mind. Go ahead and pack a bag, and don’t forget to bring your laptop and your cell phone. We can put you up until we get a better handle on this.”

“I wish you’d said until you caught him.”

Cam smiled. “I’ll say it now. Come stay with Missy and me until we catch him.”

Gloria smiled back and headed for her bedroom. “Missy Devereaux,” she called back to the group in the kitchen. “I think I’ve lost a couple of auditions to her.”

51

* * *

MISSY’S COTTAGE

MALIBU

FRIDAY MORNING

Missy stood in the kitchen doorway, hands on her hips, wearing shorts, a tight orange tank top, and sneakers on her bare feet. Her hair was tousled all over her head and she looked about eighteen. Daniel swallowed.

“Gloria’s already over at Cam’s parents’ place. When Cam told her who they were Gloria nearly frothed at the mouth she was so excited to meet them.”

She poured Daniel a glass of orange juice. “You look tired. Drink up, it’ll make you feel better.” When he set the empty glass on the counter, Missy said, “What Gloria must have gone through—” She shuddered, then straightened, took a wide-legged stance and tried to look tough. “I wouldn’t have fallen apart, either. Maybe I should get a gun like Gloria did.”

Over my dead body. But Daniel wasn’t stupid. “There are now three of you in the house, and that includes an FBI agent. You’re safe.”

Missy said, “Yeah, I know, you’re afraid I’d shoot Blinker if he showed up again.”

That isn’t such a bad idea, but he said, “Another reason you shouldn’t have one.”

But Missy had moved on. “None of us could go back to sleep when Cam brought Gloria over, so the three of us went over Gloria’s emails and I showed her my records, and we studied hers. You want to know what I think? The connections to Markham have got to mean something. I got to thinking I’d be pretty good at this gathering evidence thing, using my deductive reasoning on the facts I’ve gathered, and nailing a perp. That’s what you call the criminal, right? The perp?”

“That’s what they call the criminal on TV,” Daniel said, watching her pick up the coffeepot, examine the remains, and set about to make a fresh pot.