He only smiled. “Thanks again for coming, Veronica.”
54
* * *
CENTURY CITY
LOS ANGELES
FRIDAY MORNING
When they stepped off the elevator at the Culver Building an hour and a half later, Markham’s assistant showed them into his office without a word. Markham rose slowly from behind his desk. He said something to a man seated in front of his desk and the man left quickly, not meeting their eyes.
“Forgive Bobby, he doesn’t like cops. I find accountants rarely do. His brother’s in prison for embezzlement.” He eyed them. “So why are you here again? I’ve already cooperated with answering your questions, more than I needed to. So why am I still in your loop?” He laid his fist against the top of his desk.
Cam said, “We’re here to tell you that Gloria Swanson was attacked last night in her home in Santa Monica.”
Markham looked like he’d been shot. He stared at them, not speaking, obviously shaken.
“She’s all right,” Daniel said. “She saved herself. One of our people called some of the actresses we were worried might be possible targets. Gloria bought a gun and when the Serial came, she shot at him but didn’t hit him. Unfortunately, he’s still at large.”
Cam stepped forward. “Mr. Markham, are you all right? Would you like a glass of water?”
“No, no, thank you. She’s really all right?”
“Yes, she’s quite safe,” Daniel said. “Can you tell us where you were last night, say around one a.m.?”
Markham stared blankly at Daniel as if he’d spoken in a foreign language. He moistened his mouth with his tongue. “You think I could have— You’re crazy. I was at home, asleep, with my wife, in our bed. I left the house at eight o’clock this morning.”
Cam said, “You never mentioned the lead role in The Crown Prince was about to go to Connie Morrissey before she was murdered. The same role you then gave to Deborah Connelly. The role she was playing when she was murdered on Tuesday night. You didn’t think that fact would interest us? You didn’t think our knowing that was important?”
He stared at Cam. “What? No, of course that was true, but I was in shock about Deborah’s death and I didn’t think of it.” He looked back and forth between them, both of them hard-faced with not a bit of give. “Really, it didn’t occur to me at the time. I’m not lying and besides, what difference does it make?”
“Where were you Tuesday night, sir?”
“Tuesday night?”
“The night Deborah was murdered.”
“I was at the studio, studying rushes from The Crown Prince. We ran really late that night. Then I went home.”
“How long after Connie was murdered did you offer Deborah her role in The Crown Prince?”
“I don’t remember, a week, maybe, I don’t know. Casting contacted me, I think, cleared Ms. Connelly, and that’s why that madman Doc murdered her. I’m sure he fought her tooth and nail about it. Maybe she had enough and wanted to leave him. I know she was over-the-top happy when she was by herself filming in Italy those two weeks. I’ll bet seeing him again, listening to him grill her, accuse her of sleeping with other actors—”
He ground down, shut his mouth.
Cam said immediately, “You’re sleeping with Gloria and that’s why you helped her get the lead in Hard Line, right?”
He stiffened. “This Gloria Swanson will be as famous as the first one and that role will be her springboard. She’s as talented as Connie was. She deserves the role in Hard Line. She’ll be excellent. Sleeping with her has nothing to do with it.”
“But it didn’t hurt she was sleeping with you, right? Like Connie Morrissey was sleeping with you? And now Gloria was almost murdered like Connie was, if she hadn’t been smart. Help us out here, Mr. Markham. Make us understand. What does that say to you?”
“I don’t know! Do you hear me, I don’t understand any of this. You should do your job instead of badgering me—” He broke off and licked his lips again. “Did Gloria tell you we were sleeping together?”
“No, she didn’t,” Cam said. “As I recall, she said you would prefer she didn’t say. But of course you were, just as you were sleeping with Connie.”
“I have a family and I don’t want my wife involved in any of this. We have an understanding, but that includes keeping our private lives out of the press. It would ruin things for me.”
Cam wanted to punch him, but she steamed ahead, ignoring his last remark. “Did you have another secret? Like sleeping with Deborah? Is that why you gave her Connie’s role in The Crown Prince?”
“No!” He fidgeted with a pen on his desk, then said, his voice sullen, “I saw her audition, realized she was born to play the role. Look, I didn’t pay people to give roles to Connie or Gloria. The truth is, I did get Gloria the audition for the detective role on Hard Line because I know she’s gutsy, savvy, and I know she’ll nail the part, give the show more depth, more complexity. It was in my best interest. She shined at the audition, as I knew she would. She earned that role.”
“And how about the actress who will replace Deborah Connelly in The Crown Prince? Is she currently on standby?”
“Of course not. That’s insulting.”
Cam leaned in. “How many actresses have been special to you, Mr. Markham? Any of the other victims?”
“I appreciate beautiful and talented women. They appreciate my influence. I wouldn’t hurt any of them. It’s that Doc character you should be looking at.”
Daniel said, “Is that why you hired a private investigator, Gus Hampton, to find proof Dr. Mark Richards murdered Deborah Connelly? Because you didn’t believe we would look at him closely? Why are you so convinced Doc murdered Deborah?”
Markham gave them a disgusted look. He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a cigar, clipped it, fondled it between his fingers, and finally lit it. “My hiring Hampton wasn’t a secret. I hired him because I concluded that you’re fools. I’ve told you over and over about Doc and what he’s like, but you’ve latched on to me instead.”
Daniel said, “Why do you care so much? Why are you spending so much money to prove Dr. Richards guilty of murdering his girlfriend?”