The Girl Who Knew Too Much(102)

Irene caught her breath. “You’re sure Nick Tremayne’s real name is Archie Guthrie?”

“Oh, yeah. Saw him in Sea of Shadows and then in Fortune’s Rogue. No mistaking him.”

“I understand he left town with one of the other young actresses who got coffee at your café.”

“Yep. There were four of them, two young men and two young women. One of the men died in a fire at a local studio. The filmmaker died in that fire, too. As for Betty, the actress who worked for me, she was killed in a tragic accident. Slipped and fell in the bathtub. Real sad. The other two went to Hollywood.”

“What happened to the woman who ran off to California with Nick Tremayne?”

“I don’t know. Doubt if she’ll ever make it to the silver screen, though.”

“Why not?”

“She didn’t have that special something.”

“Can you describe her?”

“Tall. Dark hair. Pretty girl but I don’t think she had much talent. She had a job in an office, as I recall. A secretary, I think. Probably should have stuck with it. I’m sure she’s no longer with Archie—I mean, Nick Tremayne.”

“Why not?”

“I read all the Hollywood magazines. According to them, Tremayne has a new girl on his arm every other week.”

“Thank you,” Irene said.

Very gently she put down the receiver.

For a long moment she simply stared, appalled, at the notes she had made during the two conversations. Shocked understanding lanced through her. It was followed by a rush of guilt.

I’ve been wrong from the start.





Chapter 60




Henry Oakes paused in the shady gardens just outside Oliver Ward’s private villa. He had been doing a lot of thinking and had decided that he could not wait any longer. He was Nick Tremayne’s special friend, after all. He had to do whatever was necessary to protect his pal. Someday Nick would understand and thank him.

It had been easy enough gaining access to the hotel grounds. He had crawled into the back of a delivery truck bringing crates of fresh vegetables to the hotel kitchen. There had been a guard at the gate but he recognized the driver and waved him through.

Henry had jumped out of the truck at the first opportunity. The driver never knew that he had a passenger.

Once on the hotel grounds Henry had made his way into the extensive gardens. He was dressed like a maintenance man in overalls and boots. He had a cap pulled down low over his eyes. He kept his head down and walked purposefully toward his goal. He had learned long ago that no one ever paid any attention to a workingman who looked like he knew where he was going.

He stood in the shade and watched the front door of the villa. No one else had appeared after Ward left. The woman who was causing trouble for Nick Tremayne was inside.

She was still hanging around the hotel, still trying to find a way to hurt Nick Tremayne.

One of the hotel security guards was watching the front door of the villa.

Henry took the small bottle of chloroform out of his pocket.

He had warned Irene Glasson.





Chapter 61




She went painstakingly back through her notes. She had to be sure this time. She could not risk another mistake. She updated the timeline, rearranged a few details, and walked through the logic again.

In the end it all went back to Seattle, Irene thought. The answers were there at the beginning—the destruction of the films made by the small Seattle movie studio, the death of the filmmaker and one of the actors, the drowning of Betty Scott.

There had been four of them at the start. Two were now deceased. Nick had become a star. The only one missing from the timeline was the other young actress who had run off to Hollywood with Nick. For all intents and purposes, she had vanished.

Except that she hadn’t.

Irene picked up the phone again and dialed the number of Oliver’s office. Elena answered.

“Elena, this is Irene. Is Oliver there?”

“I’m afraid not,” Elena said. “He’s with Chester in the workshop. They’re testing a new alarm system, I believe.”

“I know where the workshop is. I’ll find him.”

“Mr. Ward said you weren’t to leave Casa del Mar without one of the security guards,” Elena said quickly.

“Don’t worry. There’s a guard out front. He can accompany me.”

“All right.”

Irene replaced the receiver, grabbed her handbag, and rushed to the door.

Henry Oakes was on the front step. He was dressed in workman’s clothes, complete with a tool belt. There was a knife in the belt.

He fixed her with his disturbing gaze.

“I’m sorry, Miss Glasson,” he said.

Irene tried to slam the door shut but Henry had one foot over the threshold.