“I was not alone that time. Mr. Ward was with me.”
“Regardless, it strikes me as something of a coincidence that you were on the scene when another woman was found dead,” Claudia said.
“Believe me, that thought did occur to me. Shortly before she died, Daisy Jennings contacted me. She claimed she had something important to tell me. Do you have any idea what it was?”
“Not unless she was trying to get revenge on Mr. Tremayne.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Women are always throwing themselves at Mr. Tremayne, but the only thing he’s serious about is his career.”
“Where is Nick Tremayne right now?”
“At this very minute? Playing golf, not that it’s any of your business.”
“Alone?”
“Of course not. Men don’t play golf alone. He’s with a friend.”
“Someone from L.A.? Another star?”
“What?” Claudia frowned. “No. Someone he met here at the hotel. Another guest. Mr. Enright. Stop asking me questions. I would have thought you’d have learned your lesson by now.”
“What lesson is that?”
“According to Mr. Ogden at the studio, you lost your job and your landlady tossed you out of your apartment,” Claudia said. “Isn’t that bad enough? The men who run Mr. Tremayne’s studio are very powerful people. If you keep asking questions about Nick Tremayne, your life will get even more unpleasant, believe me.”
“Are you threatening me, Claudia?”
“Me? No. I’m just a lowly assistant. But I’ve worked at the studio long enough to know that men like Ogden can do a great deal of damage to people who get in their way. If I were you, Miss Glasson, I’d find another story. Leave Nick Tremayne alone.”
“Sounds like you’re afraid of this Mr. Ogden.”
“No, Miss Glasson, I’m not afraid of Earnest Ogden. I’m absolutely terrified of him.”
“Because he could get you fired?”
“In a heartbeat. Look, I’ll tell you the truth. Hollywood was the biggest mistake of my life. I’m not cut out for that world or this one here in Burning Cove, either. I’m just trying to keep my job long enough to get some money together so that I can go home.”
“What will you do when you go home?”
“What everyone told me I should do the day I graduated from high school.” Claudia got to her feet and collected her book and her handbag. “Get a job in a department store. Meet a nice guy who can support me. Get married.”
“Where is home?” Irene asked.
“A place where you don’t need to wear sunglasses every day of the year.”
Claudia walked swiftly toward the door of the glass-walled tearoom and disappeared out into the gardens.
Chapter 48
Irene sat quietly, thinking about what Claudia had said. After a while she got to her feet and went along the arched walkway to Oliver’s office.
Elena smiled when she opened the door. “Hello, Irene. How are you today?”
“I’m fine, thank you, Elena. And you?”
“Excellent, thanks. Are you here to see Mr. Ward?”
“Yes. Is he in his office?”
“He is. I’ll let him know you’re here.” Elena pressed the intercom button. “Miss Glasson is here, sir.”
“Send her in. I was about to go looking for her.”
Elena started to get to her feet to open the door.
“Don’t bother, please, I’ll get it.” Irene crossed the room. She paused, her hand on the knob, and looked back at Elena. “Do you ever get tired of all the sunshine here in California?”
Elena laughed. “Are you kidding? I was born and raised here. I love the light.”
Irene smiled. “I’m not from around here but I agree with you. I love the light, too. Oddly enough, not everyone does.”
She walked into Oliver’s office and closed the door behind her. He got to his feet.
“There you are,” he said. “I was about to go looking for you. Chester just briefed me on what he discovered about Atherton’s notebook. Those calculations are for a highly advanced version of a military device called a rangekeeper. Saltwood evidently has a secret contract with the Navy.”
“We’re talking about espionage?”
“That’s what it looks like. Chester agrees with the advice that Helen Spencer gave you in her letter, by the way. He says we’ll be asking for a lot of trouble if we contact the FBI.”
Irene shuddered. “We’ll become suspects in an espionage case.”
“Yes.”
“Good heavens. This thing just gets deeper and deeper, doesn’t it?”