The Villa

she added with a cool nod. "I'm an old family friend."
    Claremont knew of her. And had been under ruthless cross-examination by her husband. Lawyers at the ready, he mused. "Are you representing Ms. Avano, Judge Moore?"
    "I'm here to offer my friend my support and my advice, should that be necessary."
    "Why don't we go sit down?" Pilar said. "Sophia, would you ask Maria to arrange for some coffee?"
    "Of course."
    Slick and civilized, Claremont thought. He saw where the daughter got her class. But classy women killed, just like all the other kinds.
    Especially when they'd been tossed over for a younger model.
    Still, she answered questions directly.
    Hadn't seen or spoken with the deceased since the famous party. Hadn't been to her daughter's apartment in more than a month. Didn't have a key. Didn't own a gun, though she admitted before the judge could cut her off that there were guns in the house.
    "You were upset when your husband finalized your divorce to marry Rene Foxx."
    "Yes," Pilar agreed, even as Helen opened her mouth. "It's foolish to deny it, Helen. Naturally I was upset. I don't find the end of a marriage a reason to celebrate. Even when the marriage had become no more than a legality. He was my daughter's father."
    "You argued?"
    "No." Her lips curved, and put Claremont in mind of an elegantly sorrowful Madonna. "It was difficult to argue with Tony. He slipped around most arguments. I gave him what he wanted. There was really nothing else to do, was there?"
    "I handled the divorce for Mrs. Avano," Helen put in. "It was amicable on both sides. Legally as simple as such matters can be."
    "But you were upset nonetheless," Maguire stated. "Upset enough to phone your ex-husband's residence last week in the middle of the night and make certain threats and accusations."
    "I did no such thing." For the first time a battle light came into her eyes. "I never called Tony's apartment, never spoke to Rene at all. She assumed I did."
    "Mrs. Avano, we can easily check phone records."
    "Then please do so." Her spine stiffened, and so did her voice. "However displeased I was with the choices Tony made, they were his choices. I'm not in the habit of calling anyone in the middle of the night to make threats or accusations."
    "The current Mrs. Avano claims otherwise."
    "Then she's mistaken, or she's lying. She called me, in the middle of the night, and accused me of this, was abusive and upsetting. You'll find that call on your phone records, Detective, but you won't find one on mine."
    "Why would she lie?"
    "I don't know." On a sigh, Pilar rubbed her temple. "Perhaps she wasn't. I'm sure someone did call her, and she assumed it was me. She was angry. She disliked me on principle."
    "Do you know what time Mr. Avano left the premises here the night of the party?"
    "No. Frankly, I avoided both him and Rene as much as possible that evening. It was awkward and it was uncomfortable for me."
    "Do you know why he went to your daughter's apartment at…" The cab company had come through. Claremont looked at his pad as if refreshing his memory. "Three o'clock that morning?"
    "No."
    "Where were you at that time?"
    "In bed. Most of the guests were gone by one. I went to my room sometime before two. Alone," she added, anticipating the question. "I said good night to Sophia, then I went straight to bed because I was tired. It had been a long day."
    "Could we have a moment?" Helen asked, and gestured to indicate the detectives should step out of the room.
    "You can get from here to San Francisco in an hour," Maguire speculated in the hallway. "She's got no alibi for the time in question. She's got a decent motive."
    "Why meet the ex in your daughter's apartment?"
    "All in the family."
    "Maybe," Claremont responded, and stepped back in when the judge called.
    "Detectives, Mrs. Avano is reluctant to bring up certain information. Anthony Avano was her husband for a number of years, and they share a daughter. She's distressed to say anything that damages his reputation. However, as I've advised her, it's more constructive to pass on this information, as it may be useful to your investigation. And more-over… Moreover, Pilar," she said quietly, "they're going to get the picture soon enough from other sources."
    "All right." She got to her feet, roamed the room. "All right. You asked if I had any idea why he might have gone to Sophia's. I can't be sure, but… Tony had a weakness for women. Some people drink, some gamble, some have affairs.