Chapter 10 #2
"Detective Barclay said nine, so I'll head out in a few."
"I want to ask you something, completely unrelated to Paige."
"That would actually be refreshing," I said with a smile.
"Your aunt mentioned your dad was coming to town this weekend. What's the deal with you and your dad? I know you said he wasn't around much when you were growing up, but I don't know much more than that."
"There's not much more to say. My father is a musician who has spent most of his life traveling from city to city, gig to gig.
He's a guitar player, and I guess he's good.
He can sing, too. He had dreams of being a rock star, but according to my mother, he wasn't ruthless or dedicated enough to make that happen. "
"And your mom is an actress, right?"
"She used to be. She tried for a very long time to reach the level of success my aunt got to, but she never made it, even though she was ruthless and dedicated. In fact, I blame her for teaching me that rivals couldn't be friends. And that there was only room for one person under the spotlight."
Morgan smiled. "It's nice to have someone to blame for our bad habits."
I smiled back at her. "Isn't it? I don't really blame her, but I did grow up with two parents who were more focused on pursuing their creative passions than on raising a child. I pretty much raised myself."
"Probably why you're so strong and independent."
"Maybe. My aunt was a good role model, but she was also busy and working.
She and mom didn't get along that well. I think my mom was jealous of Aunt Viv.
But for some reason, my father and my aunt get along great.
Whenever he comes through Chicago, he usually stays with her.
When I went to school here, we probably spent more time together than we had in years, but since I left and went to New York, I doubt I talk to him more than once or twice a year, and I haven't seen him in probably three years. "
"That's a long time. But it sounds like you can see him this weekend."
"Maybe. We'll see what's happening then."
"Do you see your mom more than your dad?"
"Slightly more. She likes to come to New York. Loves the theater and the shopping, so we get together when that happens."
"Neither one of them remarried?"
"My mom did. She had a second marriage that lasted about ten years.
That ended two years ago. She said she's done with marriage now.
We'll see. She doesn't really like to be alone.
Even when she's not married, she usually has a man in her life.
My father also has female friends, but he told me a long time ago that after my mom, he realized he wasn't cut out for marriage.
I don't think he was wrong. Anyway, they're both nice people.
You'd like them. When we get together, it's usually fine.
No one really digs too deep into the other's life. "
"Is your mom retired?"
"No. She works part-time for a casting agency in LA. I think she still occasionally goes out on auditions for older character actors, but she hasn't had a part in a while now. She's fifty-eight years old, so there aren't a lot of parts for women her age."
"It's too bad she doesn't come to Chicago. It seems like she could star in the productions next door."
"She and my aunt could never work together. Too much water under that bridge." I checked my watch. "I should get going."
"Text me after and let me know what happens."
"I will." I took one more swig of coffee, then set my mug in the sink and headed downstairs to the garage.
It was actually fun to have a car to drive.
Being a New Yorker, I hadn't owned a vehicle in the past nine years and only drove occasionally when I rented or borrowed a car to go on a road trip.
The last car I'd borrowed to get Cassidy and me to Stonecross had ended up at the bottom of a cliff.
Hopefully, I could give this one back to my aunt intact.
When I got to police headquarters, I was once more ushered into Detective Barclay's office and offered a seat in the chair in front of his desk.
"Thanks for coming in," he said, his expression unreadable.
"No problem. What's going on?"
"It's been brought to my attention that you were involved in a near collision in front of your hotel Tuesday night."
"Yes." I was surprised to hear he knew about that. "But I didn't think there was even going to be a report on that. I didn't have a license plate or who was driving."
"There was a camera that caught the action and the plate. The car had been stolen several hours earlier. Unfortunately, we don't know who was driving, but we're reviewing other traffic cameras to see if we can find someone exiting the vehicle."
"That seems like more work than you would normally do considering I wasn't injured."
He met my gaze. "Your podcast is generating a great deal of public interest. I received a call from the mayor yesterday asking me what we're doing about this old case."
I was thrilled we'd gotten such a good result so quickly. "What did you tell him?"
"That I've decided to reopen the case."
I could see the reluctance in his gaze, but I was thrilled with his decision. "That's great."
"Is it? Because you're going to need to back off and let me investigate."
"You need my help, Detective."
"That's the last thing I need."
"I'm not a neutral party. I knew Paige. As you mentioned the other day, I had a missed call from her on the day of her death. I know most of the people who were in her life back then. I can be helpful."
"Or you can get in the way."
"Wouldn't you rather work with me than against me?"
He sighed. "All right, but I'm not sure why you care so much about this girl's death. You were rivals. You were her understudy. When she died, you got her part in the big play. You were actually the only one who appeared to benefit from her death."
"Do you think I would kill someone to get a part in a play?"
"I have no idea what you would be willing to do. But I'm going to find out."
Now, his words felt like a threat. "I don't have anything to hide. If I did, I wouldn't have tried to get the case reopened."
"I spoke to the MacIntyre family. Alina told me she pressured you into doing Paige's story on the podcast. She also said she didn't really trust you, but you had the microphone she needed."