Free Web of Evil by J. A. Jance

complete briefing on Ali’s conversation with her.
    “Angeleri,” Ali corrected. “Victor Angeleri, and yes, he was there.”
    “Edie says you told them about driving past the crash site, seeing the emergency vehicles, all that?”
    “I had to,” Ali said. “It’s the truth. I could see those lights from miles away. Coming past Palm Springs at that time of night, I couldn’t not see them.”
    “Great,” Dave muttered. “What else did they have to say?”
    “I don’t know. They asked a bunch of questions. I answered them. End of story.”
    “What did they say when the interview was over?”
    “What do you mean?” Ali asked. “You mean, like, did they say good-bye?”
    “No, I mean like, ‘Don’t leave the state without letting us know.’”
    Ali paused. “Well, yes,” she said at length. “I suppose they did mention something to that effect. They told me they’d be pursuing all possible leads but it might be best if I stayed around L.A. for a while. I told them that was fine. That I had planned to be here several more days. They hinted it might take a little longer than that for them to get all their ducks in a row.”
    “I’ll just bet,” Dave said. “Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m glad your mother is on her way.”
    “Mom is coming here—to L.A.?”
    “Yes. Edie Larson is riding to the rescue. Didn’t she tell you?”
    “No,” Ali said. “As a matter of fact she didn’t. I’ll call and tell her not to come.”
    “That’s probably why she didn’t mention it to you, and by now it’s too late, because she’s already on her way. I may show up, too,” Dave added. “I came to Lake Havasu to see the kids this weekend, which means I’m only four and a half hours away.”
    Ali knew that since Dave’s ex-wife and her new husband had taken the children and moved to Lake Havasu City, Dave had spent at least one weekend a month going there to see them.
    “Really, Dave,” she told him. “That’s not necessary. What about your kids?”
    “What about them? I already did what Rich wanted me to do this weekend—which was to get him signed up for his learner’s permit. As for Cassie and Crystal? They’ll be glad to have me out of their hair. Spending weekends with me is more of a hassle for my daughters than it is anything else. I’m not nearly cool enough to suit them.”
    “But it makes no sense for both you and Mom to drop everything and come running to California,” Ali argued. “I’m sure this is no big deal.”
    “No big deal?” Dave repeated. “Are you kidding? Being accused of murder is always a big deal, even if you end up getting off. Ask O. J. Simpson. Ask Robert Blake. And since you obviously don’t want me to do this for you, let’s just say I’m doing it for your folks—for your mom. This is my cell phone, by the way,” he added. “Feel free to call me on it anytime if you need to.”
    The truth of the matter was, Ali still had Dave’s cell phone number stored in her phone. She had needed his help once, desperately, when the abusive husband of one of her cutloose fans had come looking for Ali. But there was no way she was going to admit that to him, especially not right then.
    “I still think this is silly,” she said.
    “Everybody’s entitled to his or her opinion,” Dave returned. “I don’t have enough available cell phone minutes to waste time arguing about it.”
    “All right,” Ali said, capitulating. “You know where to come?”
    “Edie gave me the address. Rich is putting it into MapQuest right now. Unfortunately my Nissan Sentra doesn’t come equipped with the fancy-schmancy GPS you have in your Cayenne. I can’t leave until a little later, but I’ll be there.”
    He hung up. Ali was still holding the phone in her hand when it rang again. “Ali?”
    Helga’s near-baritone usually made people think they were talking to a man. Ali knew better. “What’s up?” Ali asked.
    “Are you decent?”
    “Not exactly.”
    “Get that way,”