Fall Guy

speak to him?“
    „Tonight. Just before you called. I found him waiting for me when I got home. He wants his stuff. He seems real anxious to get it.“
    „You didn't bring him in here, did you?“
    „No, Detective. I thought he might be armed.“
    „This is serious, Ms. Alexander.“
    „Right. And I understand that cops never make jokes to ease the tension. I'll try to behave myself. He was here, standing at the gate, like you were.
    I had no idea he'd show up here, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to ask him some questions. I have a lot of questions, Detective, and I haven't been getting a lot of answers. We went over to the White Horse, had a burger. He talked about breaking into the apartment on Horatio Street, finding Tim in the bathtub, the shower going. He told me about the two rookie cops who contaminated the crime scene and handled everything in sight without gloves. And he stuck me with the check.“
    „So he hasn't been back to Tim's place yet?“ Deadpan. Had I thought I was going to rattle him, I'd have been severely mistaken.
    „No. But he's been calling a lot. That's why he showed up. I never seem to be here to answer his calls. What's up?“
    „Did he tell you where he was staying now?“
    „Yes, he did. With an aunt.“
    „And did he give you a number where you could reach him?“
    „Yes. He wrote it on a napkin. Why? Do you want it?“
    He shook his head. „She's been reported missing,“ he said, his expression not changing.
    „By Parker?“
    Brody laughed. Well, perhaps it was more of a snort of derision. „No, ma'am. She's an actress. She had a small part in an Off-Broadway play, right here in the neighborhood.“
    „At the Louise Lortell?“
    „Yes, ma'am.“
    „Detective?“
    „Yes?“
    „I think you ought to be calling me Rachel.“
    He nodded.
    „Would you like a beer?“
    He shook his head.
    „So, she didn't show up for work?“
    „She missed the Sunday matinee. They called and couldn't reach her. They left a message. I don't know what they figured, but they put the understudy on, Sunday night as well. The theater is dark on Monday. They tried to call her Tuesday. Same thing. No luck. So today they called it in. It's not like her, they said. She's never missed a performance. A real pro. At it since she was eleven.“
    „Has anyone talked to Parker?“
    „He told one of the detectives he was going to live with an aunt of his, that he'd lived with her before and she'd agreed to take him in again when we took him out of Tim's apartment.“
    „He told me the same thing.“
    „Tonight?“
    „Yes, this was the only time I talked to him.“
    „So he hasn't been to Tim's?“
    „No. I already told you that. If you're not going to believe me, you can go back to calling me ma'am.“
    „Yes, ma'am. Just trying to get this straight.“
    „I told him he could come on Friday, that that's the soonest I could do it. So did anyone talk to him after you heard his aunt had gone missing? What did he say? Did he say where she was?“
    „He says she went to Europe. He says she gave him the keys and said he could stay at her place until she gets back.“
    „Europe? In the middle of the run of a show? I wouldn't think so.“
    „We asked Parker where we could get in touch with her and he was quite vague, said he had no idea where she might be, not even what country she went to.“
    „Let me guess. There's no record of her on any flight.“
    „Correct. And her passport? Expired over two years ago.“
    „Are you looking for Parker? Is he going to be charged?“
    „With what?“ He ran a hand through his short hair. „There's no body, no evidence he did anything wrong.“
    „But you think he did.“
    „You don't want to know what I think of Parker.“
    „Did Tim?“
    „Ma'am?“
    „Did Tim want to know what you thought of Parker?“
    „No, ma'am. He never asked.“
    „So, now what?“
    „We're looking into the aunt's whereabouts. I just wanted you to be aware of this. The offer holds. If you want me to be there when you let Parker take his things, I will. Unless you have a boyfriend who could...“
    I shook my head. „Ex. I don't think he'd fly in from California for this.“
    „I'm sorry,“ he said. I thought he meant it, too.
    „I wanted to talk to you, too. I saw where the tile was replaced. Tim wasn't cleaning his gun.“
    Brody didn't move.
    „It wasn't an accident.“
    „There's no need for Mary Margaret to hear that.“
    „None at all.“
    „And no need