Page 45 of The 24th Hour
Arthur sighed. “I was up and dressed at seven, as usual. Mr. Jamie came downstairs at eight. Patty made coffee and brought it into the office for us. While she was making his omelet, Mr. Jamie’s phone rang. Same time, Patty leans inthrough the doorway and says, ‘Breakfast is served.’ Mr. Jamie turns his back and says into the phone, ‘Seriously? Yes. I’ll meet you there in five.’ And he says to me, ‘Have Rafe bring the Jag around.’
“I passed Mr. Jamie’s message to Rafe, assuming he’d drive Mr. Jamie where he wanted to go. But then I saw Rafe through the front window walking back to his apartment as the Jag was pulling out of the drive.”
Brady said, “Fricke didn’t say who was on the phone?”
“No, he did not. He left his breakfast uneaten and a draft of his will on his desk. I gave it to Sergeant Boxer.”
“You’ve told me you liked Mr. Fricke.”
“I’ve been with him for twenty years. He’s been very good to me and I’m grateful to him and I miss him …”
Brady leaned across the table, grabbed Arthur by the forearms, and shook him. “Steady, Arthur. Say your life depends on it. Who shot him?”
Arthur tried to break free of Brady’s grip and said, “Let go. I’m all right.”
Brady released his hold on Arthur, who rubbed his forearms and asked, “Do I need a lawyer?”
“Do you?”
Arthur shook his head. “Don’t do that again, Lieutenant. I’m cooperating.”
Brady sat back in his seat. Arthur leaned forward and lowered his voice. He said, “One thing I’ve never mentioned. Jamie had been seeing Mrs. Holly’s younger sister, Rae.”
“‘Seeing’ meaning having an affair with her?”
“Yes. When Mrs. Holly was alive, she never said anything about it to me. I never saw any sign of betrayal on her face.”
“Tell me about Rae.”
“She’s wealthy. Has a place in Malibu. She writes screenplays, one of which, according toVariety,she sold. Also, I’ve heard that she parties with big names in Hollywood. That’s all I know.”
“But Rae came to see Holly, right?” Brady said.
Arthur sighed. “Yes. Sorry. She came a few times a year on holidays. Mrs. Holly always said, ‘I love my sister.’”
Brady said, “Arthur, I asked you who shot Jamie. This is your answer? You suspect Rae Bergen? Why?”
Arthur said, “Lieutenant, I don’t suspect anyone. I’m desperate to know who killed Mrs. Holly and Mr. Jamie. But the way I do my job is to not see or hear things I shouldn’t. What you’re getting from me is blindfolded doodling under intense police pressure. Mr. Jamie was seeing Rae Bergen. That’s a fact. And Mr. Jamie was seeing her right up till the time he was murdered. He’d call her when I was in the office. On occasion, he had Rafe drive him to the airport to meet Ms. Rae and travel elsewhere. If Mr. Jamie made ‘forever after’ promises to her, I don’t know. I was privy to Mr. Jamie’s personal life, but I was not his confidant. I answered the phone. I took messages. I opened the mail. I supervised the staff. Et cetera.”
“Do you think Rae Bergen had a motive to kill her sister?”
“I didnotsay that. I’m hypothesizing because you’re leaning on me. I think it’s possible that someone, Ms. Rae or someone else, called Mr. Jamie and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got something for you. Meet me on Steiner Street.’ Again, I’m making up scenarios.”
“Okay,” said Brady. “I think we’re finished. Thanks, Arthur. I appreciate your cooperation.”
Brady pushed back his chair, showed the Frickes’ house manager out of the interview room, and hooked him up with a ride home.
I said to Alvarez, “See what you can find out about Rae Bergen.”
Alvarez said, “Are we looking to bring her in?”
“Dig around. Talk to me. If there’s a case to be made, we’ll talk to Brady.”
Crossing her fingers, Alvarez left the observation room.
CHAPTER 58
IT HAD BEEN a long day and I was flagging. I needed coffee, heavy on the sugar. Cappy and Chi were in the break room, conversing over coffee when I walked in and poured myself a mug of dregs. I pulled a chair up to the table.