Hollywood Assassin (9 page)
As Pearl and I headed down the canyon, Olive began to lurch and backfire. “Damn, this is all I need.” I’d taken off work early after my lunch disaster and picked up the retired detective. We were headed to something called Excite Entertainment where Pearl learned Roger Diamond had worked. We planned to meet Natalie there. I hoped my snoop sister wouldn’t be dressed as a porn star.
“Rough day?” Pearl asked.
Bernie was in the backseat, lapping air.
“Had lunch with my mom and sister today. Amanda and I have issues, as in a gay brother she doesn’t approve of.”
“Have an older brother in Cleveland. Don’t talk much anymore. Funny how you can grow up with someone and then grow apart over the years.”
As we hit the freeway, Olive’s engine leveled out. I was grateful for small favors.
“Bobby and I used to be inseparable as kids,” Pearl went on. “Course, if you’ve got a kid brother named Pearl, you’re gonna take a few lumps sticking up for him.”
“I just assumed your nickname was because of your silver hair.”
Pearl smiled, exposing the gap in his front teeth. “My given name is Paul Earl. Somewhere over the years my mother decided to combine the P in Paul with Earl. When I was a kid I hated it.”
“Seems to fit you.”
“I’ve settled with my fate. But it’s like most things in life, it takes a few years and a little perspective to accept the hand that’s been dealt. Maybe in time your sister will be able to see things in a different light.”
“I’m not holding my breath.”
He smiled. “You remind me of your dad.”
It took a moment to register. “You…you knew my father?”
A nod. We were in rush hour traffic, stop and go now. “We attended a few training classes together, chatted a couple of times. Your dad was a good cop. Tried to do the right thing, even when other people didn’t.” His gaze came over in my direction. “You both have that in common. Something to keep in mind.”
My eyes misted. “Thank you for saying that.”
We spent the better part of an hour in traffic before reaching Excite Entertainment Studios in an industrial area of Van Nuys. As I parked Olive, I saw Natalie waving to us. Thank God she had all her clothes on.
“Hello, fellow snoopers,” Natalie said when we met up with her in the parking lot. I let Bernie stretch and sniff the flowers in the median. Natalie was eager to tell me, “While I was waiting I got an offer to be in a movie.”
Why wasn’t I surprised? Even in her halter top and jeans, my friend was stunning.
“I hope you didn’t accept, Natalie. You do know what kind of movies they make here?”
“Not to worry. It’s all on the up and up. I’m going to be in somethin’ called,
Holiday Stewardess
. Might even get to fly the plane. The script says it’s gonna have some mechanical problems and I gotta use me bra to keep the autopilot working.”
“What? Natalie you can’t do this.”
She gave me an impish grin. “I was just taking the mickey with ya. Don’t worry. Not ‘bout to ride some moose’s pink cigar for a little loot. I’ve got me standards.” She bent down and hugged Bernie who wagged his appreciation.
I stifled a grin. “Speaking of movies, I took a look at the DVD’s I borrowed from Roger Diamond’s house last night. He secretly videotaped himself having sex with different women.”
“Was Cassie Reynolds on any of the tapes?” Pearl asked.
I said no before securing Bernie back in Olive. I updated them on the Diamond investigation as we walked to the porn studio.
“Word has it the case is already cold. Crime scene was pretty clean. They’re questioning Diamond’s ex-wife and girlfriends, but don’t have a serious suspect.”
We stopped at the studio entrance. Pearl said, “My sources tell me Diamond was a player, used people for his own purposes.”
“So why are we here?” Natalie asked. “Do you think we’ll see some actors in the studio? Always wondered how you can lay around and let somebody dab the donut with a camera in your face.”
Pearl smiled, mouth closed. He then said to Natalie, “Most detectives follow the blood trail. But we’re here on the money trail.” Pearl looked over at me. “Are you sure you want to do this? Wouldn’t want the department causing you any more headaches.”
“Let’s hope they’re busy with the blood trail,” I said, opening the front door of Excite Entertainment. I lowered my voice. “I’ll just try to blend in; let you take the lead.”
We were greeted by a pale, overweight receptionist named Sandra. Pearl covered up the word
retired
as he flashed his badge. “We have an appointment with Monica Benson.”
Sandra barely made eye contact, pressed her intercom.
We spent ten minutes in an office full of awards that looked like Oscars for porn before the CEO of Excite Entertainment arrived. Monica Benson appeared to be in her early sixties. She was nervous, drumming her manicured red nails on the table as we sat down.
Pearl explained why we were there. He referenced Natalie and me as associates without giving our names. “As I mentioned when I called, Ms. Benson, we’re looking into the death of Roger Diamond. I understand he was on the production staff here.”
More finger taps. Benson’s thin blonde hair and painted brows framed a long serious face. The CEO didn’t fit my mental image of someone who ran an X-rated movie studio. She wasn’t bald and smoking a cigar.
“Have you ever considered acting?” Benson’s eyes fixed on Natalie, ignoring Pearl. “With your innocent looks you could make a small fortune.”
“Thanks, but I already got me a sugar daddy,” Natalie said. “Far as acting goes, sometimes Clyde has me dress up and…”
I coughed. Natalie went mute, her head slumped.
“Too bad.” Benson swung her gaze over to Pearl. “Let me help you understand something and make it perfectly clear, Mr. Kramer. Roger Diamond was a contractor. He had no business relationship with our studio. He was an independent operator who used our facilities for a fee.”
If Benson’s condescending tone bothered Pearl, he didn’t show it. “Nevertheless, from what I’ve learned, not only were the Excite Entertainment Studios used in the making of his films, your production crews were also involved.”
“Merely a financial arrangement. We provide prepackaged services for a number of projects, but, as I stated, it’s always on a contractual basis. We have our own company that produces films independently for our own purposes. Mr. Diamond had no direct connection to Excite.”
“Ms. Benson, it’s my turn to make something perfectly clear.” Pearl pulled a folded paper from his shirt pocket and put on his reading glasses. “
Black on Velvet, Heaven Scent, Married White Female
.” He looked over the top of his glasses. “I could go on. Just a few of Mr. Diamond’s films, all made in partnership with your company.”
“As I indicated, all the films Mr. Diamond worked on were independent productions. I think I’ve heard about…”
“Do the names Blue Star Productions and First World Entertainment ring a bell?”
Benson pushed back in her chair; lit a long thin cigarette. A cloud of smoke swirled around her long, thin face. “Where are you going with this, Detective?”
Pearl folded the paper and reading glasses. “Not to the feds, if you cooperate. All I want is information. I’m not interested in initiating an audit of your company’s records.”
“Are you insinuating there’s been something illegal?”
Pearl’s already sonorous voice lowered. “Ms. Benson you and I know that if the feds decide to audit this company, as with any audit, there will be issues regarding financial arrangements. I certainly wouldn’t want to stir anything up; make things difficult for you.”
Benson blew a stream of smoke into the air. “Of course not.”
“I’m merely here to find out about Mr. Diamond’s partnership arrangements. I know that Blue Star and First World are major players in the production of X-rated films. There was a relationship between Roger Diamond and Excite Entertainment, regardless of how you want to frame it. I want to know who the money was behind those companies. Once I have that information you’ll never see me again.”
Benson rose, walked to the window. She separated the blinds. The setting sun filtered in, motes of cigarette smoke drifted through the air. She turned back to Pearl.
“What I’m going to tell you is mostly a matter of public record. With some digging you would be able to find it out eventually.” She came back to the table and sat down. “Blue Star and First World are subsidiaries of Harper International Productions.”
Pearl glanced at me, then back at Benson. “Are you referring to Harper International, as in
the
Conrad Harper, Ms. Benson?”
She took a heavy pull on her cigarette and nodded.
I finally spoke up at the realization of what she was saying, “Conrad Harper is one of the major movie producers in Hollywood. Are you telling us Roger Diamond and Conrad Harper were partners in the production of adult films?”
“Yes.”
Natalie turned to me. She looked like a schoolgirl who’d accidently walked into the boy’s gym. “Bloody mother of Johnny Holmes!”
We all looked at Natalie. She became small, twisted her hands in her lap. “Clyde has this movie collection. Saw him once. The guy had a plonker the size of a fire hose.”
The tension broke when Monica Benson laughed, exposing large nicotine-stained teeth that reminded me of an old television show about a talking horse. She regained her composure and began to lecture us.
“The X-rated film industry is a multi-million dollar business. Some of the largest companies in America, including banking and insurance corporations, are involved in the productions. They all operate under the cover of subsidiary corporations created to conceal the identity of the parent companies.” More horse teeth; smoke. “Most people don’t want to believe companies that claim to be red, white, and blue, are in the business of paying America’s sons and daughters to fuck their brains out.”
“How did the business relationship between Diamond and Harper work?” Pearl asked.
“Roger provided the actors, the script, and the day-to-day production arrangements. Harper bankrolled everything.”
“Did Harper ever come to the studios?”
Benson laughed again. It came out as a sputtering cough. “I only saw him on set once. He stayed in the shadows.”
“Is that because he didn’t want to be recognized?”
“Harper’s a germ freak—wore a surgical mask and gloves. Unless you knew who he was you wouldn’t have recognized him. He was probably afraid he’d get a disease by watching people fuck.”
I removed a recent photograph of Cassie Reynolds from my purse. Charlie had given it to me. I didn’t ask how he’d gotten it. “Ms. Benson can you tell me if you ever saw this woman with Roger Diamond?”
A thin arm stretched out and she took the photograph. After studying it for a few seconds, she said, “Roger introduced her as Rhonda somebody. Don’t remember the last name. She was given a role in his last production. It was called,
Summer School
, but never got off the ground.”
“Why is that?”
“Rhonda was a bit camera shy. When it came time for her first sex scene, she ran off the set crying like a schoolgirl. She refused to continue. Roger found another actress.”
“Can you tell us who was present when she was on the set?” I asked.
“Just Roger, the production crew, and Mr. Harper.”
I exchanged glances with Pearl and said, “Cassie Reynolds was murdered two weeks before Roger Diamond. We’re trying to determine if there was any link between their deaths. Do you think Roger could have harmed her because of what happened on the set?”
Benson crushed out her cigarette. “I doubt it. Roger wasn’t the type to get violent. He usually got his way using his silver tongue. He could be very persuasive.”
“Do you know anyone who might have wanted to harm either of them?”
A shrug. “Who knows. In this business it could be anyone from an irate girlfriend to a crazy relative.”
“Or maybe an unhappy production partner?”
“The film would have meant nothing to someone like Harper. Besides, I can’t see that old fart capable of doing much harm to anyone.”
***
Back in the parking lot Pearl said, “I’m going to see what I can find out about Conrad Harper’s business dealings. Could be we’ve just seen the tip of an iceberg.”
“I’ll do a little more digging into Diamond’s background,” I said. I turned to Natalie. “Maurice Simpson. Anything?”
She shook her head. “Got a bad feeling ‘bout the bloke. His girls won’t talk. Maybe scared.”
I watched as Natalie’s husband, Clyde, drove up in his Cadillac. Before Natalie climbed in the passenger seat, I told her to be careful.
As we drove away, Pearl said, “Funny thing about money trails. You never know where they’re going to lead.”
I flicked an eyebrow, nodded. “Sometimes those trails are covered with blood.”