9ddba8405c712dc705f6095a3ea49417

“And you’re the person in charge?”

“Yes. I tell them where to go and what to watch out for. The house has a top-of-the-line security system. No one gets in or out without being seen. We have motion sensors and security cameras. Also, two people walk the perimeter, keeping their eyes peeled.”

“So… correct me if I’m wrong…”

“Yes, Miss Poole?”

“No one came into the house after Jamie left. And the house was so well-guarded you would have noticed if anyone did.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“And yet Chickie was killed somewhere between…”

“The last time I saw her was at six thirty.”

“And Hortense found her at seven. So she was killed between six thirty and seven.”

The man nodded.

“So this must be an inside job, no question about it.”

“Yes,” Tyson agreed. “Someone who was already in the house must have killed her.”

“And only you were here, and your team, and Nickie, Yuki, Hortense…”

“And half a dozen staff.”

She gave the man a pointed look.“You do realize you’ve just incriminated yourself, don’t you, Tyson?”

“Oh, no, Miss Poole. I would never do anything to harm Miss Hay.”

“Is it true you’ve been in contact with Laron Weskit recently, Tyson?”

His eyes went wide and he stammered for a moment, but then finally cast down his eyes.“Yes, Miss Poole. Yes, I have.”

Chapter 11

It was our opportunity to listen in on a reallive interrogation and we weren’t going to miss it for the world. Odelia was grilling a potential killer. Dooley and I sat around, casually being inconspicuous, while Odelia asked this bodyguard a couple of zingers.

“Is this what a detective does, Max?” asked Dooley, and I confirmed that this was exactly what a detective did, which, in a sense, Odelia was and more.

“Laron Weskit contacted me last year,” said Tyson. He’d lit up another cigarette and was taking a long, fortifying drag. “He and Chickie had fallen out by then and she was in search of a new record company, ready to sign a contract for her next couple of albums. Laron needed someone on the inside, and asked me to be his eyes and ears.”

“He wanted you to spy on Chickie.”

“Yes, that’s what it boiled down to. He said Chickie had abandoned him, and it was only a matter of time before she did the same to me.”

“Did she have a history of dumping business associates, or members of staff?”

“Not that I was aware of. Most people left after working for her for a while. Chickie was a perfectionist, and if you didn’t do things exactly the way she liked, she could really haul you over the coals. So I knew Laron had a point. Sooner or later I’d make a mistake and it would be my ass onthe line. So I decided to take him up on his offer.”

“Which was?”

“If I kept him informed of which record companies Chickie was in contact with, and the state of the negotiations, he’d recommend me to the stars he had under contract.”

“Do you think Laron is the kind of man capable of murder?” she asked.

“I doubt it. Laron is a businessman, not a killer.”

“Yes, but we all know what happens when an artist dies, Tyson.”

He looked puzzled.“I don’t…”

“The value of their catalog goes up. And Laron Weskit owns the rights to all of Chickie’s old songs, doesn’t he?”

“He does,” the man confirmed.

“It’s a strong motive for murder, Tyson. Was Chickie’s new album ready?”

“I… I’m not sure. Chickie was very secretive about it. She didn’t confide in a lot of people. Not even her own family. Only last week Yuki complained she hadn’t heard the new songs yet.”

“Who had heard those new songs?”

“Um, just the producer, I guess.”

“Is he here?”

“No, he’s in New York. Chickie has been coming and going to his studio for the past couple of months. I know because I’m the one who’s been driving her.”

Odelia smiled.“Tell me honestly, Tyson—youhave heard the new songs, haven’t you? And you’ve been secretly recording them and sending them to Laron Weskit.”

“No! I would never do that, Miss Poole. You have to believe me. All I did was keep an eye on the record executives Chickie was in negotiation with. Laron was still hoping to reach an understanding with her. Make a new deal. He wanted to know if he still had a chance. These big players have deep pockets, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep up.”

“Is Laron in town?”

“Yes, he and his wife are staying at the Hampton Cove Star. Charlie Dieber, who’s under contract with Laron, is being offered some kind of award. Keys to the city.”

“So Charlie and Laron are both staying at the Star,” said Odelia pensively.

“I guess so.”

Odelia nodded, and I could tell what she was thinking: time to pay a visit to Laron and Charlie, and find out what they’d been up to.

“One last question,” she said.

“Yes, Miss Poole.”

“Can you definitely rule out the possibility that an intruder managed to get past security and murder your employer?”