Bones

I said, “You went over to her house.”

“I wanted a loving surprise. She didn’t answer my knock. I went out in back, Simone likes to be outside. All kinds of weather, she takes off her clothes… outside is where she bleeds herself. There are stains on her furniture. Teak furniture. It’s a tiny backyard, overgrown, steep hillside in back, a little gazebo where she sleeps. Before I got there I heard it. Simone and someone. My brain understood but my legs kept moving. I found a stalker spot. Watched. There was no reason, I already knew what was…”

Catching his breath, he studied the ceiling.

I said, “What did you see?”

“Licking each other. Cats. Grooming, licking, licking, grooming.” Moistening his own lips. “Licking, growling. Laughing, talking brutality.”

“Simone and…”

Long silence.

“Who was with her, Travis?”

“The wig.”

“Give us a name.”

“Him,” said Huck. “The-wig-the-smile-Weir-the-lawyer. A nightmare. She told me she hated him, he was corrupt, stealing from Simon, she was going to tell Simon, I shouldn’t do it, she would do it, shit would hit the fan, teach those scumbags a lesson, then we’d be free…”

“But in the backyard…”

“Licking. No hatred. Except what they shared.”

I said, “They shared hatred.”

Silence.

“Hatred of who, Travis?”

Huck’s breathing quickened. His eyes jumped.

“Who, Travis?”

“Licking laughing, that disgusting word.”

“What word?”

“Gook.”

“Nadine?” I said. “Because she’s Asian?”

“They spewed it out like vomit gook-lover gook-sucker gook-fucker gook bitch slant-eyed gook scum-spawn.” Clenched fists turned burn scars into pearls. “My head-hearing it, I wanted to burn myself up. Went home, found more matches. Soaked them in water. Called another sponsor.”

Tears filled his eyes. “I never told Simon.”

“Simone hates her family.”

“More than hatred,” said Huck. “It-she-there’s no word for it.”

“Had Simone ever shown resentment about Simon remarrying?”

“No, no, no, no, just the opposite. She loved Nadine, Nadine was smart, stylish, beautiful, not like her mother. I know Kelly, Kelly’s good people, but she wasn’t there for Simone, okay, I understand that, we all understand that, but…”

“Simone claimed she loved Nadine.”

“She said she wished Nadine had raised her. They hugged, they kissed, Nadine treated Simone like a sister. When Simone came to the house, she played with Kelvin’s hair. Beautiful hair, she always said. She kissed his cheeks. So cute, Travis. I love him, Travis. A genius, I love him, Travis. Hands of gold, I love him, Travis.”

“Hands of gold.”

“Gold, diamond, platinum, magic hands. She said his music was pure love and his hands went straight to his soul.”

“No love that day in the backyard.”

“My world flamed,” said Huck. “I crawled back in my cage.”

Wallenburg said, “You didn’t say anything to the Vanders because you had no proof. Why would anyone believe you?”

Huck smiled. “Objection overruled.”

“Travis-”

“I didn’t say anything because I’m a coward.”

“That’s ridiculous, Travis. You have more courage than most.”

I said, “She may be right.”

Moe Reed arched a brow. Milo still didn’t stir.

I said, “It was a tough choice, Travis. Lance the boil and hope you can dodge the pus stream, or pray that it stays at the verbal level.”

“Excuses,” said Huck. “Average German.”

“Oh, for God’s sake, Travis,” said Wallenburg. “We’re not here to be cosmic and philosophical, these are legal matters. There was absolutely no way for you to know what they had pla

One of Milo’s eyes opened. “Unless he was involved.”

Wallenburg said, “Oh, please. Have you been awake for the last ten minutes?”

“Oh, yeah. Heard a good story.”

Travis Huck said, “It’s logical, Debora. I killed someone, I pay for sex-”

“Be quiet, Travis!”

I said, “Let’s talk about the other victims.”

Huck said, “Three women.”

“Sheralyn Dawkins. Lurlene Chenoweth. DeMaura Montouthe.”

No flicker of recognition. No tell, whatsoever.

Huck said, “I heard about them on the television. That’s when I ran.”

“Why then?”

“What they did for a living. I go to women like them. I started to feel I knew them. Maybe I did do something.”

“Did you?”

“Sometimes it’s hard to know what I do.”

I repeated the names.

He said, “No. I don’t think so.”

Wallenburg’s teeth clenched. “Travis. That is not. What you. Told me.”

“Deb-”

Reed fished out three mug shots.

Huck studied them for a long time. Shook his head.

Wallenburg said, “He had nothing to do with it. He panicked and fled.”

I said, “Have you ever picked up women near the airport?”

“No.”

“Where do you cruise for them?”

“Sunset Strip.”

“Why not the airport?”

“I have to stay close to home, in case Simon and Nadine need me.”

“Need you for what?”

“Errands, takeout from all-night places-sometimes Nadine gets hungry late at night. Sometimes I get a CD for Kelvin at Tower Records on Sunset. Used to. It closed, now I go to Virgin.”

Both stores were minutes from where Reed had found prostitutes who knew Huck.

“Twenty-four seven availability,” I said.

“It’s my job.”

“Did Simone know you frequented prostitutes?”

Tiny smile, hard to decipher.

“Something fu

Huck gave a start. “No-it wasn’t frequent. I… I… occasioned.”

I said, “Did Simone know?”

“I confessed to her.”

“Why?”

“We were talking. Filling in dark spaces.”

“Sharing secrets.”

“Yes.”

“What dark spaces did Simone fill?”

“Tasting her blood. Needing to feel. Wanting the perfect body, always feeling huge, hating the mirror, seeing lumps.”

“What did you tell her about prostitutes?”

“I said before her there were only women like that. I said being with her was like landing on the moon.”

“New life.”

“New universe.”

“So discovering her with Weir was-”

Huck clapped his hands together. “Crash-down.”

I glanced at Milo. Back in shut-eyed repose.

“Travis, tell us about Silford Duboff.”

Clouded eyes. “Who?”

“The guy who takes care of the Bird Marsh.”

“I’ve never been to the Bird Marsh.”

“Never?”

“Never.”

I repeated Duboff’s name.

Huck said, “Am I supposed to know him? I’m sorry.”

“Let’s talk about someone you do know. Selena Bass.”

Huck seemed prepared for the question. “Selena is how I knew for sure.”

“Knew what?”

“Simone’s hatred didn’t stop at words.”

“You figured Simone murdered Selena.”

“Selena came from Simone.”

“Came from her how?”

“Simone found her. Said she did it for Kelvin. Simone brought Selena to the house.”

“Finding a teacher for Kelvin.”

“Finding a friend who-guess what-is also a piano genius and a teacher.”

“Simone called Selena her friend.”

“They acted like friends.”

“How so?”

“Happy ski

“How do you know they weren’t friends?”

“Simone told me. Later. Said she heard Selena play piano at a party. Selena had magic hands, golden hands just like Kelvin, she’d be perfect for Kelvin. Kelvin had a grumpy old teacher, wanted to stop his lessons. Simone told Selena she could make big money. I should’ve known there was more.”

“More what?”

“The first time, I was bringing in groceries and Simone’s car pulled up, she’s got another girl with her, they’re giggling. I went inside. They didn’t. When I came out to get more groceries, they were looking at the ocean. Hands around each other. Simone’s hand went to Selena’s… her butt.”