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finger.”
    “Women notice things like that.”
    “Mary Jo also remembers the girl was driving some kind of sports car.”
    “Women can never tell one car from another. Pam can’t. She cracks them up indiscriminately.”
    “Mary Jo didn’t see the car. She heard it. Idling outside the post office and then gunning off.”
    “Hearsay evidence,” said Hagopian. “So now do you think it’s possible Jackie McCleary is alive?”
    “I think somebody wanted McCleary to believe she was for a couple of days. Showing up in Manzana at all was a little risky, but it created the impression there was a tangible Jackie around. In case McCleary had checked with the inn before going on out there,” said Easy. “I want to talk to the surviving members of the San Amaro gang. It would take somebody who knew Jackie fairly well to try this.”
    “If it is one of her old buddies, they’re taking a chance. They’re the most likely suspects.”
    Easy finished his beer. “Whoever it is figures McCleary won’t go to the police. He wants to believe his daughter is still alive and in trouble. The number two letter was meant to keep him from starting any kind of investigation. But the old man is used to giving in only so far to his daughter, then he does what he wants. Also, they may think they’re a lot cleverer than they are.”
    “Everybody does in this town.” Hagopian started to reach into his briefcase, then stopped and blinked at the far end of the room. “That’s sort of fetching, isn’t it?”
    Four naked girls carrying string instruments came out on a low stage, seated themselves, tuned up and began playing classical string quartet music.
    “What did you find out about the San Amaro gang?” Easy asked.
    Hagopian continued to watch the naked string quartet. “Mozart. I’ve never heard Mozart in quite this context before.” He reached all the way into the scuffed case and handed Easy two folded sheets of yellow paper. “First, about the San Amaro gang. They are: Ned Segal, Lee Ott, Perry Burley, Mitch Stammsky, Eva Lerner, Harry Dune and Judy Teller. Five of them still live in Los Angeles and environs. I gave you names, addresses, phone numbers and bios when I had anything. You can start with Judy Teller.”
    Easy glanced from the beach photo to the list. “The little redheaded gossip columnist? McCleary didn’t give me her name.”
    “Her name was Adrienne Grossman then. There she is right on the other side of Jackie in your picture. See, her right nipple is about to pop out of her suit,” said Hagopian. “She writes for TV Look now and then. You can meet her this afternoon.”
    “How?”
    “ TV Look is throwing a cocktail party up in their offices, for staff and friends. I’m certain that little bitch will be there.”
    “I’ll have Nan, my secretary, contact the gang and set up interviews for tonight and tomorrow. I want to ask them what they think about the possibility of Jackie being alive.” He studied the list the dark writer had provided. “Eva Lerner is one of the girls the inn people thought looked familiar. She’s not in LA anymore?”
    “Name is Eva Schatz now and she’s living in Chicago,” replied Hagopian. “Not that she couldn’t fly out here for a quick impersonation. She’s married to Jerry Schatz, the talk show host.”
    “We’ll scratch her for now,” said Easy. “Okay, I’ll start with Judy Teller.” He noticed Hagopian was grinning and had his hand back inside the old briefcase. “What else have you got?”
    “I remembered who the unidentified guy in the picture is.” He produced a wad of photocopied newspaper clippings. “You must have seen these in the paper couple weeks back. The first one ran on September 17th.”
    Easy leafed through the clippings, reading the heads and subheads. “‘Mystery Murder Victim Found,’ ‘Who Is Long Dead Man Found On Channel Islands?’ ‘Island Mystery Man is Long Missing Heir,’ ‘Dead Man Was Missing Six Years. Remains