Read Hollywood Notorious: A Hollywood Alphabet Thriller Series (A Hollywood Alphabet Series Thriller Book 14) for Free Online Page B

loser ass of yours to jail.”
    Gooseberry cocked his head at Darby and smirked. “Long as he’s here, I ain’t talking.”
    “Fine,” Darby said. “Keep your fat pie hole shut, and we’ll just book you for murder.”
    I glared at Darby, realizing whatever had transpired between him and Buck was affecting his attitude. “This isn’t helping.”
    “I’m no fucking social worker.”
    Leo went over to him and lowered his voice. “Let’s take a walk.”
    After a couple of protests, Darby finally agreed to go with Leo. That left me alone with the huge reality TV star and murder suspect.
    “Let’s cut to the chase,” I said, locking eyes with Gooseberry. “Tell me what went down last night.”
    He lowered his eyes, taking in my body, before meeting my eyes again. “You’re kinda hot. How ‘bout we get together when I get out of here?”
    “How ‘bout you answer my question, or I’ll do what the other detective said and just book you into jail.”
    He brushed a hand over his bald head and exhaled. “Awright, let’s get this shit over with. I had some issues with the bros, that’s all.”
    “The bros?”
    “The two guys that ate it. Everybody called ’em ‘the bros’.”
    “Duncan and Hanks?”
    He shrugged. “I guess. Dunno their real names.”
    “What exactly was this beef about?”
    “Nuthin’ much. Just some smack.”
    “Heroin.” He didn’t respond. “So what happened when you got to the cemetery?”
    “I just got out of my car, then all hell broke loose.”
    “There was shooting?”
    “Yeah.”
    “And what did you do?”
    I got on the ground, capped off a couple of rounds, and got hit.”
    “Were the bros shooting at you?”
    “Naw. They was already in some kinda shit.”
    “What do you mean?”
    The lines in his heavy brow deepened. “Somebody was shootin’ at ’em.”
    “You mean somebody who was already in the cemetery?”
    “Yeah, I guess.”
    “Did you see anyone besides the bros?”
    I got a head shake before he moaned and hit the call button for the nurse. “I’m gonna need something for this pain.”
    While we waited for the nurse, I said, “Did you see anyone coming from the trees last night?”
    “What?”
    “The tree line above the cemetery.”
    “You mean where that messed up girl was found?”
    I released a breath. “How do you know about her?”
    “It’s all over the tube. It was on when I got out of recovery. They’re calling the freak who did her ‘the Reaper’. He fucked her up good.”
    “Did you see anybody besides the bros when you got out of your car?”
    I got a headshake as he worked the call button again.
    “Let’s talk about your manager, Howard Slade.”
    “I had nothing to do with what happened to him.”
    “He was run down in a parking lot the night before last, not too far from his office. We know you two were in a dispute over money. Where were you at the time?”
    Gooseberry’s fleshy face turned up. “I was with Billy and Ricky. They’ll vouch for me, tell you I had nothing to do with it.”
    I took out a notepad. “Where do these guys live?”
    “Guys?” His grin widened. “They ain’t no guys, Detective.”
    The nurse came through the door. Gooseberry said to her, “I need some morphine, hon. Make it a double. My ass hurts like hell.”
    I exchanged a look with the nurse and said, “He seems to have an exceptionally low tolerance for pain.”
    After Gooseberry defended his need for morphine, I told the nurse, “I think we’re the ones who needs the drugs. He’s the world’s biggest big pain in the ass.”

EIGHT
     
    Dr. Ellen Moore stood in front of the glass security window in the maximum security wing of Berkshire State Hospital. Even though she knew the glass was mirrored on the other side, the patient’s amber eyes seemed fixed on her. The psychiatrist was new to the hospital and her sense of unease grew.
    Moore turned to the chief of psychiatry, who stood beside her. “You honestly believe he doesn’t