Twisted

She’d left with the killer. Lured to a dark, quiet spot. Bludgeoned on the sidewalk, then propped behind the wheel of her own vehicle.

Petra said, “What kind of appointment did Marta have in the city?”

“She didn’t say.” Pastern shifted. Looked down at her own tile-work. “Marta went into the city a lot. My initial take was that the Valley bored her. She grew up in Hamburg, which is supposed to be a pretty sophisticated city. Back in Germany, she’d been some sort of mathematician or engineer. That’s where she met Kurt, he’s a rocket designer or something like that- he was doing something for the government at one of the military bases. They got married there, had Katya in Germany, moved to the States soon after.”

Long answer to a short question and now Pastern was stirring her tea rapidly, as if willing the liquid to evaporate. Talking about Marta’s errands had made her jumpy.

“Your initial take was boredom,” said Petra. “Any other reason for her to come into the city frequently?”

The spaces between Pastern’s freckles pinkened. “I don’t want to say when I don’t know.”

“Say what, Emily?”

“Are you married, Detective?”

“Used to be.”

“Oh. Sorry for prying.”

“No prob.”

“It’s fu

Down below, Sophia stirred. Pastern dipped a finger in her snifter, rubbed liquid over the dog’s nose and mouth. “The heat’s not great for her, but she’s pretty robust. Back in Italy, they live outdoors, guard estates.”

“Did the Doebblers own a dog?”

“Never,” said Pastern. “At one point, Marta wanted one. For Katya. She said Kurt wouldn’t allow it. I think that’s abusive, don’t you? Animals are great for kids. They teach them a lot about giving and sharing.”

“Absolutely,” said Petra. “So Kurt doesn’t like animals.”

“He told Marta they were too messy.” Pastern fiddled with her hair. “What I said before- that I always thought Kurt did it. That won’t get back to him, right? Because it’s not an accusation, just a feeling. And he does live close.”

“It will absolutely not get back to him, Emily.”

“I’m going to believe you on that. I guess that’s about it.”

Petra said, “Could we talk more about Marta’s errands in the city?”

Pastern answered quickly. “She liked to shop- discount clothing places, that kind of thing.”

Let it ride. “Okay… can you think of any reason Kurt might have to murder Marta?”

“So you do suspect him?”

“At this point I don’t know enough to suspect anyone, Emily. That’s why it’s important for you to tell me everything you know.”

“I have.” Pastern’s smile was shaky.

Petra smiled back. Tasted her designer coffee. Dreadful. She’d give Pastern one more try and if the woman continued to resist, follow up with a phone call tomorrow. Tonight.

Emily Pastern untied her hair and shook it loose. She had knotted it up tight, created an austere little bun that gave her face an ascetic cast.

“The errands,” said Petra.

“Okay. I might as well tell you because you’ve taken the trouble after all these years and you do seem like someone who cares.”

She moistened the dog’s snout again. Breathed in deeply.

Dramatic type; Petra wondered how much of what she said could be taken seriously.

“Okay,” Pastern repeated. “I’m pretty sure Marta was having an affair.”

Petra waited for the woman’s breathing to slow. “With who?”

“I don’t know, Detective. But she gave off all the signs.”

Petra held out an expectant palm.

Emily Pastern said, “Dressing better, walking bouncier- sexier. Color in her cheeks. She was still reserved, but there was something going on beneath the surface. A glow. A fire.”

The color in Pastern’s cheeks heightened. Ah, suburbia.

Petra said, “Happier than usual.”

“More than happier. Alive. It wasn’t because of Kurt, believe me. He was the same old dull Kurt.”

“But Marta changed.”

“Anyone who knew her could tell she had. Suddenly she was gone all the time. Rushing here, rushing there. Which wasn’t like Marta at all. It was true what I said about her being bored. She told me she found the Valley too slow. But her way of coping had been stay-at-home stuff. Being a PTA mom, collecting- glass figurines, samplers, little Japanese teapots. She used to hit the flea markets regularly. Then all that stopped and she boxed up her collections and started driving into the city regularly.”

“Around the same time she started to dress and walk sexier?”

“Exactly the same time,” said Pastern. “You’re a woman. You know I’m right.”

“You’re making a good case, Emily.”

“Maybe Kurt found out. Maybe that’s why he did it. It sure wasn’t for any romantic reasons of his own. He’s never remarried and if he’s been hooked up with another woman, I haven’t heard.”

“Would you have heard?” said Petra. “With his being distant and all that?”

“Oh, yeah,” said Pastern. “Our kids still go to the same school. West Valley Prep. It’s still suburbia, Petra.”

Petra watched as she wiped her lips daintily. Drama queen or not, Pastern had given her something to work with. She asked her if there was anything else she wanted to say and when Pastern shook her head, thanked her, fished a ten out of her purse and stood.

Sophia grumbled.

Pastern patted her calm and reached for her own purse. “No, it’s on me.”

“Against regulations,” said Petra, smiling. Little Miss By-the-Book. Ha.

“You’re sure? Okay, then, nice to meet you, hope you get him.”

As Petra started to leave, Pastern said, “Why’d you ask me if Kurt and Marta had a dog?”

“Just curious,” said Petra. “Trying to get a feel for them as people.”

“He’s a cold person,” said Pastern. “She was a nice person. I’ll tell you who did love dogs: Katya. She was always over playing with Daisy. Her needs were so obvious. But Kurt wouldn’t hear of it.”

“Too messy.”

“He’s compulsive.” Pastern frowned. “Real life isn’t like that.”

“Sure isn’t,” said Petra. “What color is Daisy?”

“A deep beautiful mahogany red. She’s show-quality.”

No match to the hairs on Coral Langdon. So much for the complex transfer scenario Petra had formulated. From daughter to dad to…

She said, “I’ll bet she is. Any idea how Katya’s doing?”

“My daughter, who’s in the same grade but not the same class, says she’s very quiet, keeps to herself. What else would you expect? Growing up with someone like that. Besides that, a girl needs a mother. It’s basic psychology, right?”

Petra flashed a plastic smile, muttered something. Escaped.

CHAPTER 41

Petra drove east on Ventura Boulevard to Laurel Canyon, took that winding, leafy route back to the city. She loved Laurel, with its mix of ramshackle, radical, and royal. Great place to live in the unlikely event she ever had money.

She zipped past what was left of the old Houdini estate. Some magic would be nice right around now. Something to help her figure out if Emily Pastern’s suspicions were righteous.

Marta’s infidelity, Kurt a revenge murderer.

If so, he’d pla

From everything she’d seen, now buttressed by Pastern’s comments, Kurt was a cold fish. One of those technically minded guys who saw everything as an equation.

You humiliate me, I kill you?

No reason it couldn’t have happened that way. She ran the scenario through her head: Kurt calls Marta from the phone booth, then heads over to the theater parking lot to wait. Marta shows up, they drive off- he drives. Then he pulls over around the block. Tells her the real reason he’s there. He knows about all those trips to the city.