Bitter Sweets

empty and they were alone. She pulled up a stool and an ashtray and settled down to talk to her only customer.

    “You’re a P.I., huh? Who are you working for?”

    “At this point, I suppose I’m working for Christy, Lisa Mallock’s little girl.”

    “Oh, yeah. Earl has brought her in here a few times; Vanessa has, too. Vanessa is crazy about that kid...about all kids, for that matter.”

    “Really? She didn’t seem like the maternal type.”

    “Aw...she just likes to show off with the purple hair and the chains and black leather and all. She’s a pain in the neck, it’s true, but she’s not as bad as she thinks she is. I’ve known a lot rougher.”

    “How were she and Earl getting along lately?”

    Zelda stubbed out her cigarette butt and promptly lit another. “Funny you should ask. They had a big, hairy fight in here about a week ago.”

    “Do you know what it was about?”

    “Sure. Everybody in the joint with two ears knew what it was about. Vanessa isn’t exactly subtle when she’s mad. She was accusing him of wanting Lisa back. She’s always been pretty insecure about that.”

    “Do you think he gave her a reason to feel insecure?” “Oh, yeah. Earl never got over losing Lisa and Christy. He was always scheming about how he could get Lisa to come back to him.”

    “How bad was the fight?”

    “Well, there weren’t any beer bottles thrown, or shots fired, nobody got stabbed. So, for this place, I guess it wasn’t too bad.” “Did Earl threaten Vanessa, or-”

    “Oh, no. Vanessa was the one doing all the yelling. Poor old Earl looked like he wanted to crawl under a booth somewhere. She told him that, if he dumped her to take off after Lisa again, she’d kill him. 1 guess that’s a threat, huh?”

    “Do you think she meant it?”

    “I’m sure she did at the time.”

    “Yep, then 1 would definitely call that a threat.” Savannah nodded thoughtfully. “When the cop told her that Earl had been killed, how did she take it?”

    “Really hard. She had a fit, crying, screaming, and all that.”

    “What happened then?”

    “After the cop left, she calmed right down and said she wanted to take the day off.”

    “Do you have any idea where she may have gone? Home or-?”

    "No, she said she was going downtown to the Fiesta Del Mar, the big beach party down by the fairgrounds.”

    Yes, I know the place.” Savannah studied Zelda’s plain, seemingly honest face to see if she was telling her the truth. She seeded guileless, but you couldn’t tell these days.

    Vanessa helps out at the booth there for the Boys’ and Girls’ Club every year; no matter wnat;” Zelda said. “It’s a big deal to her. She wouldn’t miss it... not even for Earl.”

    “But you say, as soon as the cop left she cheered up?” Savannah asked again just to make sure she got it straight.

    "The minute he walked out the door. The difference was and day. Judging from the way she was acting when she left, I’d say she’s down at the beach, partying hard.”

    CHAPTER FIFTEEN

    Like the other ninety percent of San Carmelita’s population, Savannah had to park about a thousand blocks from the beach and walk to the city-sponsored fiesta. Los Angeles tourist bucks were a big boon in the summer, and the town council wasn’t above throwing these little shindigs to lure hot, stressed-out city dwellers to the cooler, less smog-choked coast.

    And there were never enough parking spots. A few more mercenary downtown citizens were allowing cars to park on their lawns for five bucks. Savannah declined on principle alone. Where she came from, only white trash parked vehicles on grass. Four blocks of city beach were cordoned off for the party. Families milled up and down the sidewalks, viewing local art displays, eating cotton candy and ice slushies, riding skateboards, tandem bikes, and, occasionally, dads’ backs.

    The scent of barbecued chicken and ribs filled the air, along with the sounds of merrymaking.

    A local radio station blared “Surfin* U.S.A.” and other selections by the Beach Boys, while the disc jockey interviewed the “man on the street” or the “kid on the beach,” whoever walked by between songs.

    Booths, distinguished by bright banners that flew and snapped in the sea breeze, advertised various businesses and charitable organizations.

    It didn’t take long to find the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of San Carmelita setup. The display was quite impressive. They had