But I didn’t care who got dirt on them, if it meant getting Robin out of this mess.
* * *
Back in the office, I was still steaming. And there was no sign of Alvin to take it out on. I’d had a twelve-ounce Colombian to calm me down, and for some reason it wasn’t working. I was too jangled to even consider tackling any of my cases, so I settled for making notes on Mitzi’s murder in a little book.
I started a few lists. Like who had a reason to kill Mitzi.
I thumbed through the issues of Femme Fatale which were still stacked on the desk, looking for other local people who’d been skewered. Deb Goodhouse and Jo Quinlan were the only two who showed up. I put them on the list.
I left a note to Alvin instructing him to get to work finding out who else in the Ottawa area had been roughed up by Mitzi, either in print or on the air.
Of course, Mitzi’s killer could have come from anywhere, and I knew it. Still, I told myself I’d deal with possible non- Ottawa candidates later on. If I had to.
I added a bit to Alvin’s note, instructing him to get a list of everyone Mitzi had ever targeted in any medium and their address. And to do this quickly. I underlined “quickly” twice, adding “P.S. Alvin, if at anytime in the future I receive a call from, about or in any way pertaining to Robin and you do not give a clear message and stand on your head to locate me, I will truss you up with the telephone extension wire and ship you back to Sydney in an urn.”
I felt a certain satisfaction when I turned my attention to my own list.
I added Rudy Wendtz’s name, in light of their big argument the night before Mitzi’s death. And I put Sammy Dash’s name, too, just because I hated the little jerk.
Then I remembered Richard’s comment about Mitzi’s next project. A book on Members of Parliament, senators, backroom boys. That could make for a pretty long list. I translated it to political connections and added it to the other names.
On my To Do list, I made a note to find out who had complained about Mitzi’s fight with Rudy and what the other guests had heard.
Would Richard help me get their names, I wondered.
Five minutes later, I knew the answer.
“You must be kidding. How long do you think I’d hold onto my job if I gave out that kind of information and you badgered my clients?” Amusement wafted over the phone lines. “I hope you’re a good sport about it, because I’d really like to see you again.”
“Me?” I said, “Richard, Goodsport is my middle name.
Why don’t I drop in for a drink in your very nice bar when I finish up here at the office?”
“Great, I’ll wait for you.”
I had a smile on my face as I hung up and departed the office for the ATM down the street. I hoped that Richard would forgive me my trespasses.
* * *
“I can’t give you that information,” Stephanie gasped, her big hair quivering with outrage.
“That’s too bad,” I said. “I would be grateful.” I pushed the symbol of my potential gratitude towards her on the polished top of the reception desk at the Harmony.
She took a quick look at the warm red-orange tones of the fifty and quivered a little bit more.
“No,” she said, “Mr. Sandes would be very upset. I could even lose my job.” Her eyes strayed to the bill.
I added a second one to the first. She licked her lips.
“All right. It would take a little while, but I could mail you the information.”
“Sure,” I said, tearing the fifties in two and handing her one half of each. “And when I get the information, I’ll send you the balance on my account.”
She wrote out her home address on a piece of Harmony stationary, and I handed her one of my cards. We’d just completed our little transaction, when Stephanie gulped.
I turned and saw Richard heading towards us.
“Here he is, dear,” I said, “no need to call him for me at all. But thanks for your help.”
Stephanie nodded, whitely, and tried to smile.
I didn’t have to try. My smile bloomed by itself as Richard got closer.
* * *
As I unlocked the door to my office the next day, the phone was ringing.
Alvin had left a note. Gone out, it said.
I answered the phone myself.
“Where have you been?”
“Alexa, it’s not like you to be peevish.”
“Just answer the question, dear. Don’t be evasive.”
I decided to answer the question before Alexa and I tossed any more adjectives at each other. “I’ve been all over the place. There was a murder, in case you forgot, and Robin was brought in for questioning. I’ve been busy.”
“Robin was brought in for questioning!”
“Don’t you listen to the news?”
“I just got back from the cottage. Where is she? Don’t tell me she’s in….”
I reached for my cup of coffee to steady myself and interrupted her. “They haven’t arrested her. They’d have to show probable cause. And since she didn’t do it, that’s unlikely.”
“God, I hope she’s got a good lawyer.”
“Me.”
“Camilla!”
“I know, I think it’s crazy too. But she insists.”
“Do you have to deal with the police and everything?”
“That’s a really silly question from a sophisticated woman.”
She sighed. “I know.”
We both knew why she’d asked it.
“He hasn’t called me, you know,” she said.
“You’ve been at the cottage.”
“Well, he could have left a message.”
“Didn’t he?”
“There were a lot of clicks.”
“I don’t know what to tell you.”
“Why do you think he wouldn’t leave a message?”
“Jeez, I don’t know. Maybe he was afraid his wife would overhear him.”
After Alexa hung up on me, I spotted the envelope from Stephanie. The girl certainly was quick on her feet. I smiled at the contents. Sure enough. Three names, three addresses. Check-in times, check-out times. Room numbers at the Harmony. Home and work phone numbers. Stephanie was a girl who’d go far. I tucked the two half-fifties into a envelope and scribbled her home address on it. Alvin could get a little exercise delivering it. And I made a note to say nice things about her to Richard.
Now I had a little ammo in my war against Wendtz.
I picked up the phone.
Of the two people I reached, neither had clear memories of Mitzi and Rudy’s dust-up. Both were a bit confused about why I was calling.
Connie Dietz was my biggest hope. She’d had the room next to Mitzi’s.
“Sorry, Ms. Dietz will not be back in the office until May 25.” The voice was prim and officious. I couldn’t resist shaking it up a bit.
“This is regarding a police investigation.” True enough. “Ms. Dietz was staying in the hotel where Mitzi Brochu was murdered.