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part. I understand they used to see quite a bit of her in the bar at the Edgewater Hotel. She also cruised through Bubbles in Montebello, which you probably heard was closed down last July. She had a penchant for the places where the high rollers hung out."
    "Did her mother know this?"
    "Sure she did. Absolutely. Lorna was even picked up once on a misdemeanor for soliciting an undercover vice officer at Bubbles. We didn't want to rub her mother's nose in the fact, but she was certainly informed."
    "Maybe it's just beginning to sink in," I said. "Someone sent her a copy of a pornographic film in which Lorna loomed large. Apparently that's what prompted her to come see me. She thinks Lorna was either blackmailed into it or working undercover."
    "Oh, yeah, right," he said.
    "I'm just telling you her assumption."
    Cheney snorted. "She's in denial big time. Have you actually seen this tape?"
    "I just saw it tonight. It was pretty raunchy."
    "Yeah, well, I'm not sure how much difference it makes. The kind of stuff she was into, it really doesn't surprise me. How's it supposed to tie in? That's the part I don't get."
    "Janice thinks Lorna was about to blow the whistle on someone."
    "Oh, man, that lady's seen too many bad TV movies. Blow the whistle on who, and for what? Those people are legitimate... in some sense of the word. They're probably scumbags, but that's not against the law in this state. Look at all the politicians."
    "That's what I told her. Anyway, I'm trying to figure out if there's enough to warrant my taking on the job. If you guys couldn't come up with anything, how can I?"
    "Maybe you'll get lucky. I'm one of life's eternal optimists. Case is still open, but we ain't had jackshit for months. You want to look at the files, it can probably be arranged."
    "That'd be great. What I'd really like to see are the crime scene photographs."
    "I'll try to clear it with Lieutenant Dolan, but I don't think he'll object. You heard he's in the hospital? He had a heart attack."
    I was so startled, I put a hand to my own heart, nearly knocking my glass over in the process. I caught it before it tipped, though a little wave of wine slopped out. "Dolan had a heart attack? That's awful! When was this?"
    "Yesterday, right after squad meeting, he started having chest pains. Like boom, he's in trouble. Guy looks like shit, and he's short of breath. Next thing I know he's out like a light. Everybody scrambling around, doing CPR. Paramedics pulled him back from the brink, but it was really touch-and-go."
    "Is he going to be okay?"
    "We hope so. He's doing fine, last I heard. He's over at St. Terry's in the cardiac care unit, raising hell, of course."
    "Sounds like him. I'll try to get over there first chance I have."
    "He'd like that. You should do it. I talked to him this morning, and the guy's going nuts. Claims he doesn't like to sleep because he's scared he won't wake up."
    "He admitted that? I never knew Lieutenant Dolan to talk about anything personal," I said.
    "He's changed. He's a new man. It's amazing," he said. "You ought to see for yourself. He'd be thrilled at the company, probably talk your ear off."
    I shifted the subject back to Lorna Kepler. "What about you? Do you have a theory about Lorna's death?"
    Cheney shrugged. "I think somebody killed her, if that's what you're after. Rough trade, jealous boyfriend. Maybe some other hooker thought Lorna was treading on her turf. Lorna Kepler loved risk. She's the kind who liked to teeter right out on the edge."
    "She have enemies?"
    "Not as far as we know. Oddly enough, people seemed to like her a lot. I say 'oddly' because she was different, really unlike other folk. It was almost admiration on their part because she was so out there, you know? She disregarded the rules and played the game her way."
    "I take it your investigation covered a lot of ground."
    "That's right, though it never came to much. Frustrating. Anyway, it's all there if you want to take a look. I can have Emerald