Hollywood Lust

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Book: Read Hollywood Lust for Free Online
Authors: M. Z. Kelly
reports, Reeder had missed a couple of days work and a co-worker came here to check on him. His body was found by a woman named Joyce Moss, who called the police. Reeder was wearing his pajamas, and the coroner determined that he’d been dead a little over forty-eight hours. They estimated the TOD as sometime between midnight and six in the morning.”
    “How did Moss get in?” Alex asked, apparently now interested in what Selfie had to say.
    “She had a key. The reports say she and Reeder were friends.”
    “Maybe more than friends.” He looked at Leo. “What makes you think our vic was gay?”
    “As part of the routine follow-up, family and friends were interviewed. Reeder was in the closet, but there was no doubt about his sexual orientation. The list of everyone that was interviewed is in the murder book.”
    Alex sniffed but didn’t respond.
    Selfie continued, “The autopsy showed Reeder suffered a half-dozen stab wounds to the chest, including a couple of fatal blows that pierced his heart. The knife, as you can see from the photographs, was found next to the body. No prints, trace, or other evidence was found.”
    I looked at Leo as Bernie settled on the floor next to me. “You said he was having issues with his ex-wife. I’m assuming she was interviewed.”
    “Several times.” Leo had removed his coat and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. His arms were muscular but without tattoos. “His ex wasn’t happy with him, I think both because she realized he was gay after five years of marriage and because Reeder spent every cent they made. They filed for bankruptcy at the same time they divorced.”
    I looked at Selfie. “Anything else?”
    “You already know the details about the knife, but there’s…” She shook her head. “Never mind.”
    Leo came over to her. “Tell us what’s on your mind. Everything’s important.”
    She drew in a breath and nodded. “I was just thinking this crime…it was personal. Nothing that we know of was taken from the condo during the assault. The victim was wearing his pajamas, the crime occurred in the early morning hours. It could be that Reeder and his killer were lovers or shared some other close connection.” Selfie fingered the piercing above her left eyebrow. “I think there must have been a tipping point…something that we’re missing that caused the killer to act.”
    Leo nodded slowly, beaming one of his smiles. “Very good. Your thought about our victim having a close connection to his killer has been on my mind all these years.”
    “But there was no DNA or other evidence,” Selfie said. “It could be they’d gone somewhere together, came home, and got into an argument before the murder.”
    “What about Reeder’s relationships, boyfriends?” I said to Leo as he mulled over what Selfie had said. “Did anyone look good as a potential suspect?”
    He shook his head. “The original investigators looked at everyone who was close to him. No one had a motive.”
    “So, where does this leave us?” Selfie asked.
    “With a cold case that’s going back into the refrigerator,” Alex said. “This is a complete waste of time.”
    Leo smiled, his dark eyes holding on Alex for a moment. He looked back at Selfie. “Tell you what, why don’t you take another pass at anyone the original investigators interviewed. Maybe a fresh set of eyes will come up with something.” He looked at me. “Let’s also put it on our list to go back to the ex-wife. Maybe time has mellowed out some of her negative feelings. It could be that she’s remembered something.”
    Leo turned and began walking to the door.
    “Where are you going?” Alex asked.
    He stopped and turned back to my tubby partner for a moment. “Crime scene number two. MacArthur Park.”

SEVEN
     
    MacArthur Park consisted of a small lake, soccer fields, a children’s playground, and a recreation center. I remembered reading somewhere that when the lake was drained in the 1970s, hundreds of

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