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CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
“No, no, no,” Matthew said, as if repeating it over and over would make it untrue. “That can’t be.”
“It is. And I don’t need to tell you, the sentence for something like that can be significant.”
Jessie actually had no idea what the sentence was. And she didn’t really want to get too deep in the weeds anyway. Without the LAPD to back her up, she was in a vulnerable position. If the Zellers called a lawyer, Jessie’s lack of authorization for this interview would be quickly revealed. She needed to scare them, but not too much.
“I had no idea she was underage,” Matthew balked. “And you said any legally questionable activities weren’t a priority for you.”
“I did,” she agreed. “And that still stands. What you did isn’t excusable. But assuming you cooperate completely right now, it might be manageable.”
“What do you need?” Helen asked.
“First, where were you both on Monday night?”
Matt scrunched up his face trying to remember. But Helen had no such issues.
“We were at the premiere, remember?” she said to him.
“Oh yeah,” he recalled, turning to Jessie. “One of the actors on Catch & Convict is starring in an action movie being released on Friday. We went to the premiere screening. There was a red carpet beforehand and an after-party. I’d say we have about a hundred and fifty alibi witnesses.”
Jessie was annoyed at how happy he seemed at the possibility that he was definitively off the hook. But she tried to stay focused on the crucial issue.
“Okay. We’ll check into that. I also need the names of any other clients she had.”
Both of their faces fell.
“We don’t know that,” Helen said. “Melissa was scrupulous about keeping the identities of her clients confidential.”
“Even with you?” Jessie challenged. “No gossip over cookie baking?”
Helen shook her head.
“No way,” she insisted. “I think she knew that it would ruin her business. If she was willing to tell me about someone else, she knew I’d worry she was telling someone else about us.”
“You’re sure?” Jessie pushed. “I can claim I got the name from an anonymous source.”
“No, she never mentioned a name,” Helen reiterated.
Jessie sat silently in her chair. She thought she’d had this great lead that would break open the case. But now it was turning into just another dead end. And she’d pursued it at great risk to her career. If the Zellers ever mentioned this meeting to anyone, she’d be screwed.
She was briefly tempted to warn them not to discuss this with anyone else as a means of protecting herself. But the idea made her feel dirty and she dismissed it. Suddenly Helen’s head popped up. Jessie could see she’d had an epiphany of some kind.
“What?” she asked.
“Melissa never said anything to me. But she did give me something. About a week and a half ago, just a few days before she brought up her uneasiness with our arrangement, she gave me an envelope. She asked me to keep it for her, said that she’d pick it up at some point. She didn’t say what was in it, but I could tell it was important to her. I kept it in the living room between some magazines. I showed her where in case she needed it and I wasn’t here.”
She left the room and came back a minute later with a sealed envelope. She handed it to Jessie.
“Maybe it’ll help?” she said hopefully.
“Maybe,” Jessie agreed, not willing to open it front of them. “I’m going to see myself out. But this isn’t necessarily over. I’m looking for a killer. But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Keep your noses clean.”
Both Zellers nodded vigorously as Jessie left the kitchen. She made sure to walk down the hall to the front door at a normal, unhurried pace. She didn’t rip open the envelope until she was back in her car.
*
They were photos.
