Read A Death In Beverly Hills for Free Online Page A
Authors: David Grace
Tags: detective, thriller, Crime, Mystery, Police, hollywood, Murder, Grace, lawyer, trial, Beverly Hills, kidnapped, Cops, movie stars, saved, courtroom, lost, a death in beverly hills, action hero, district attorney, found, david grace
hitting the 'Off' switch on the video camera.
Chapter Eight
"Here you go, Mr. Janson." Smiling, Markham's receptionist handed Steve a buff envelope. Inside was a written authorization to interview Tom Travis in the County Jail, authorizations to review copies of Marian Travis's and Tom Travis's medical records, a "To Whom It May Concern" letter attesting that Steven Janson was retained by the Law Offices Of Gregory Markham as an investigator in the case of 'The People versus Thomas Travis' and requesting all possible cooperation, and lastly, a check for $14,000 covering the first week's work. As much as he hated everything about this job, Janson allowed himself a small measure of satisfaction in taking fourteen thousand dollars of Tom Travis's money.
Markham's offices filled a restored Victorian in Santa Monica a few blocks from Kenny's, a deli that Steve hadn't visited since Lynn's death. He was debating going back there when he noticed a woman standing in the shadows beneath an old sycamore in front of Markham's gate. As he approached a thin breeze rustled the leaves and gray shadows crawled up and down Cynthia Allard's bare arms.
"Hi, Steve. What are you doing here?" Expensively dressed in a silk business jacket, pearl blouse and charcoal skirt, Cynthia extended a ring-free hand.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Are you kidding? Greg Markham's the lead defense attorney in the Trial of The Century."
"What is this, the fourth or fifth Trial of The Century in the last fifteen years?"
"That depends on where you rank Michael Jackson." Cynthia glanced quickly from Janson to the building and back. "Some new development in your case?"
"No comment."
"Don't tell me you're helping Markham with the Travis case?"
"Deal," Steve said with a thin smile and turned to leave.
"Steve, come on, your working on the Travis case is major news."
"Do you have any proof that I am?"
Cynthia gave him a weak smile.
"It's been swell. Now, I'm going to lunch."
"Can I come along, for old times sake?" Steve looked up and down the tree-shrouded street. "It's just me, no cameras."
"Will I be having lunch with Cynthia Allard, old friend from the D.A.'s office or Cynthia Allard, Girl Reporter?"
"I'll keep my microphone in my purse."
"Everything that's said between us today is completely off the record, not background, not deep background. It never happened, right?"
"Fine," Cynthia agreed after a slight hesitation, "you drive."
* * *
Kenny's was still as Steve remembered it, huge laminated menus and vinyl booths, each table holding a bowl of sour pickles.
"So, how are you doing?" Cynthia asked once the waitress had shambled away.
"Okay. I'm mostly consulting for insurance defense firms, summarizing depositions, doing pre-trial motion research, interviewing witnesses, nothing that crosses the line into the actual practice of law."
"I don't work for the State Bar, Steve."
"Sorry. Defense mechanism. I know Ted Hamilton's just praying for me to do something he can prosecute me for."
"He had it bad for Lynn."
"If he had had it bad for Lynn," Steve said with a harsh edge creeping into his voice, "he wouldn't have tried to have me disbarred."
"I didn't--"
"No, I'm just a little wound up when it comes to Ted Hamilton. Territorial."
"Excuse me?"
"Someone . . . , somebody once told me that I was territorial." Janson took a swallow of iced tea then carefully set down the glass if it were woven from gossamer threads. "I'm going to say this very calmly and not lose my temper. Ted Hamilton is a toadying jerk. He went after Lynn mostly because she was Lynn Burris, daughter of the Honorable Malcolm Burris, scion of the Burris Family Conglomerate. No fragrance is as sweet to Ted Hamilton as the scent of old money. The fact that Lynn was beautiful and smart and fun was just icing on the cake. Ted Hamilton hates my guts because I took Daddy's family away from him. Lynn was just incidental. Then, in his eyes at least, I got her killed. He and
Chapter Eight
"Here you go, Mr. Janson." Smiling, Markham's receptionist handed Steve a buff envelope. Inside was a written authorization to interview Tom Travis in the County Jail, authorizations to review copies of Marian Travis's and Tom Travis's medical records, a "To Whom It May Concern" letter attesting that Steven Janson was retained by the Law Offices Of Gregory Markham as an investigator in the case of 'The People versus Thomas Travis' and requesting all possible cooperation, and lastly, a check for $14,000 covering the first week's work. As much as he hated everything about this job, Janson allowed himself a small measure of satisfaction in taking fourteen thousand dollars of Tom Travis's money.
Markham's offices filled a restored Victorian in Santa Monica a few blocks from Kenny's, a deli that Steve hadn't visited since Lynn's death. He was debating going back there when he noticed a woman standing in the shadows beneath an old sycamore in front of Markham's gate. As he approached a thin breeze rustled the leaves and gray shadows crawled up and down Cynthia Allard's bare arms.
"Hi, Steve. What are you doing here?" Expensively dressed in a silk business jacket, pearl blouse and charcoal skirt, Cynthia extended a ring-free hand.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Are you kidding? Greg Markham's the lead defense attorney in the Trial of The Century."
"What is this, the fourth or fifth Trial of The Century in the last fifteen years?"
"That depends on where you rank Michael Jackson." Cynthia glanced quickly from Janson to the building and back. "Some new development in your case?"
"No comment."
"Don't tell me you're helping Markham with the Travis case?"
"Deal," Steve said with a thin smile and turned to leave.
"Steve, come on, your working on the Travis case is major news."
"Do you have any proof that I am?"
Cynthia gave him a weak smile.
"It's been swell. Now, I'm going to lunch."
"Can I come along, for old times sake?" Steve looked up and down the tree-shrouded street. "It's just me, no cameras."
"Will I be having lunch with Cynthia Allard, old friend from the D.A.'s office or Cynthia Allard, Girl Reporter?"
"I'll keep my microphone in my purse."
"Everything that's said between us today is completely off the record, not background, not deep background. It never happened, right?"
"Fine," Cynthia agreed after a slight hesitation, "you drive."
* * *
Kenny's was still as Steve remembered it, huge laminated menus and vinyl booths, each table holding a bowl of sour pickles.
"So, how are you doing?" Cynthia asked once the waitress had shambled away.
"Okay. I'm mostly consulting for insurance defense firms, summarizing depositions, doing pre-trial motion research, interviewing witnesses, nothing that crosses the line into the actual practice of law."
"I don't work for the State Bar, Steve."
"Sorry. Defense mechanism. I know Ted Hamilton's just praying for me to do something he can prosecute me for."
"He had it bad for Lynn."
"If he had had it bad for Lynn," Steve said with a harsh edge creeping into his voice, "he wouldn't have tried to have me disbarred."
"I didn't--"
"No, I'm just a little wound up when it comes to Ted Hamilton. Territorial."
"Excuse me?"
"Someone . . . , somebody once told me that I was territorial." Janson took a swallow of iced tea then carefully set down the glass if it were woven from gossamer threads. "I'm going to say this very calmly and not lose my temper. Ted Hamilton is a toadying jerk. He went after Lynn mostly because she was Lynn Burris, daughter of the Honorable Malcolm Burris, scion of the Burris Family Conglomerate. No fragrance is as sweet to Ted Hamilton as the scent of old money. The fact that Lynn was beautiful and smart and fun was just icing on the cake. Ted Hamilton hates my guts because I took Daddy's family away from him. Lynn was just incidental. Then, in his eyes at least, I got her killed. He and