Milo said, “Obviously Connie sure thought so.”
Ballister’s brow furrowed. “That must’ve been scary as hell. I could tell Connie was weird. But like that?”
“Weird, how?”
“She just didn’t react normally — like she was part person part robot.”
“A cyborg.”
Unfamiliar term to Ballister. “Whatever.”
Milo said, “A weird woman, Myron. Now someone’s gone and killed her.”
“Wow. That’s totally crazy.”
Louella the waitress cruised past, trying hard not to notice us. Milo said, “Pardon?”
She stopped, half swiveled. “Yes, sir?”
He produced his wallet, peeled off money. “Sorry for taking up space, and sorry for my daughter’s outburst. Hope this covers it.”
She took the cash, counted silently. “This is way too much.”
“It includes what they had and what we didn’t order.”
Ballister said, “You don’t need to do that.”
Louella said, “You’re sure? This is way too much.”
Milo patted her hand. “Sure as I can be.”
“You’re an angel,” she said, and left retabulating her bounty.
Ballister said, “That was cool of you, man, but really it’s not necessary to comp my—”
“Paid off my student loans a long time ago, Myron. Let’s talk about Ree Sykes.”
Ballister’s fingertips tapped his glass. “Don’t take offense at this, sir, but if you think paying for—”
“No tit for tat, Myron. Just tell me what you feel comfortable talking about.”
“I know you’re doing your job, sir, but since she was an actual client, I can’t divulge—”
“I’m not concerned with anything related to the lawsuit, Myron. Only Ree’s feelings about her sister.”
“Feelings? Oh, no, no way, man, you can’t be thinking that.”
Milo was silent.
“Not a chance,” said Ballister. “She’s just about the most nonviolent person I ever met.”
“Maybe, but I still need to talk to her. Unfortunately, she’s left town.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Good question, Myron.”
“Well, I don’t know.”
“She never mentioned travel to you?”
“No, never. She take the baby?”
“Sure did.”
“So maybe it’s a vacation. After all the stress.”
“After her sister gets murdered.”
“No way,” said Ballister. “She doesn’t have a violent bone in her body.”
“I’m sure she seemed that way but I’ve been doing this job a long time and I still get surprised.”
“That would be a huge surprise, man. No way, I can’t see that.”
“What if she thought Connie would take her back to court?”
“She figured that would hap — shit, forget I said that.”
“She expected to be sued again.”
“She figured there was a good chance. I told her I’d represent her, we’d win again. And Medea — oh, shit—”
“Medea wouldn’t be representing Connie?”
Ballister groaned. “You can’t repeat this, man. I’d be toast.”
“Deal, Myron.”
“Yeah, Medea said she was through, if Connie asked her she’d refer her to someone else. Because the case was a loser. So you see, Ree had nothing to worry about.”
“Except a whole lot of emotional stress.”
“Even so. She’s like a … lamb. When I was at her apartment interviewing her she found a spider and picked it up gently and put it outside.”
Milo said, “Flower child.”
“Exactly.”
“Kinda like the Manson Family?”
“Oh, man … listen, you have to do your job but trust me, Ree did not kill her sister. I’d bet on it.”
Delivering his argument in a new voice: determined, deeper, as if a sudden hormonal surge had annealed him. Maybe he’d master that over time, end up an effective courtroom warrior.
Milo said, “I’m not into betting, Myron, I build up facts. What would help Ree out is having her talk to me so I can eliminate her. You have no idea where she is?”
“None.”
“If you did, would you tell us?”
“Probably not,” said Ballister. “I’m being honest.”
“Best policy, Myron.”
“Not really, sir. Not in the actual world. But it’s hard to change.”
CHAPTER 26
Milo thanked Ballister for his time and he smiled and said, “Sure, guys. Good luck.”
But we made no effort to leave the booth and Ballister’s smile crumpled and a knot of muscle below his left ear began twitching. He glanced at his uneaten food, toyed with his Margarita glass. Took hold of it and watched ice swirl before forcing another smile and blurting, “What now?”
I said, “In her deposition, Connie mentioned two musicians she suspected might be Rambla’s father.”
He’d read the deposition, probably a dozen times. But no comment.
I pressed: “What did Ree have to say about that?”
“We never discussed it.”
“Really,” I said.
“It wasn’t relevant,” said Ballister. “I guess you didn’t think so, either, or you would’ve mentioned it in your custody report.”
“Good point.”
He smiled. “Once in a while, I come up with ’em.”
I shifted closer. He tried to move back, couldn’t, took hold of the glass again.
I said, “Did Ree ever tell you who the baby’s father is?”
Head shake. “I asked once, figured maybe it could help her. She wouldn’t tell me so I dropped it.”
“How’d you figure it would help her?”
“Having a support system,” he said. “If the father was a decent guy. And if she could cooperate with him it would show stability and also make it two against one.”
“Ree didn’t care about any of that.”
“She said it wasn’t important.”
“Or maybe the father’s not a decent guy.”
“I don’t know one way or the other. Anyway, we won, so who cares?”
“But now Ree’s gone.”
“Her prerogative,” said Ballister. “It’s a free country.”
Milo said, “Sure is, Myron, but if you do hear from her …”
“If I did I couldn’t tell you.”
“Even if telling us was best for your client?”
“Even,” said Ballister. “It’s all up to her.”
“Spoken like a true attorney, Myron. Best of luck to you.”
Ballister raised his glass. “Luck to you, too.”
Once again, we didn’t budge. This time Ballister was resigned. He sucked up ice, chewed slowly.
Milo said, “We’re gonna need luck, Myron — oh yeah one more thing. I need to ask where you were last Thursday, from seven thirty p.m. on.”
“Me?” said Ballister. “Oh … you’ve got to be kidding.”
Milo sat there.
The young lawyer shook his head. “Crazy … okay, sure, no prob, where was I … what time?”
Milo repeated the parameters.
Ballister fidgeted. “I guess I was with Medea.”
“You guess.”
“I was with her, okay? Definitely.”
“All night?”
Return of the blush. “Yup.”
“She’ll back you up on that?”
“I think so,” said Ballister.
“She might not?” said Milo.