Private #1 Suspect (Private 2)

“Three forty-five North Maple. Should be about three blocks down. I take responsibility, Justine, but I don’t know what I could have done differently. We had to stay out of the shot, which went all the way out to the road.”

“You couldn’t have known. I mean it, Scotty.”

The building coming up on their right was blocky, about fifteen stories high. Justine turned the car down a ramp on the east side of the building and took the car deep into the dark underground garage.

A few minutes later, she and Scotty were giving their names to a woman behind the reception desk of the Barbara Crowley Talent Agency.

/> CHAPTER 67

PIPER WINNICK’S AGENT, Barbara Crowley, came out to the reception area within a minute of being buzzed. She was an attractive woman in her early forties, with short gold-and-silver hair. She was wearing an expensive black suit, gold bangles, and black nail polish.

Justine noted that Crowley had chewed off her lipstick and looked ragged for such a well-put-together woman.

“Have you heard from Danny?” the agent asked Justine.

Justine said, “No. Not yet.”

She introduced Christian Scott, then she and Scotty followed Crowley down a hallway lined with large framed photos of movie stars, the photos signed to Crowley with gratitude and love.

When Justine and Scotty were seated in front of Crowley’s desk, she closed her office door and said, “I’m worried for Piper. That’s not exactly right. I’m frantic.”

“You think Danny would hurt her?” Justine asked.

“Could he? Would he? Is he just a regular kid turned into a movie star or is he something far worse? Danny was hospitalized a while ago. Were you told about that?”

“No one told us,” Justine said.

“Well, let me do it. Danny checked himself into Blue Skies for a ‘tune-up,’ stayed out of sight for a couple of months.”

Justine knew about Blue Skies. Tommy Morgan had spent time there for his gambling addiction.

“Rehab, isn’t it?” Scotty asked. “Exclusive place for the addicted.”

“Not just addiction. Celebrities, others who can afford it, go there for R and R,” said Crowley. “I was told Danny’s problems were stress related, and when he checked out two months later, Merv Koulos assured me that Danny was absolutely fine. He had just needed some rest.

“So I met with Danny,” Crowley continued. “He seemed sober and sane or I never would have let Piper take the job. Then, when Katie Blackwell said she was molested, I told Piper I was going to cancel the contract, but she wanted to work with Danny, and I mean really. Her parents wanted her to make the film.”

Justine said, “Do you remember when Danny was at Blue Skies?”

“About six months ago, I think.”

The phone on her desk rang, and Crowley leaped for it. She turned her body away from her visitors as she said, “Yes, yes, I’ll be happy to. Now is fine.”

She hung up the receiver.

“The police are here,” she said to her visitors. “Piper’s parents called them. I’m sorry about that, but Danny has kidnapped Piper. I won’t sleep until we have that child back with her family.”

CHAPTER 68

JUSTINE HAD DROPPED Scotty off at his surveillance assignment in the warehouse district, then forced herself to call Tommy Morgan. It felt a lot like walking over broken glass. At night. In a hailstorm. With a stick in her eye.

He was still in his office and had taken her call.

“Tommy, I’ve got a question.”

“Sure. What do you need?”

“Were you at Blue Skies while Danny Whitman was there?”