Free Hollywood Assassin by M. Z. Kelly

up the bills. “Cassie was hanging with some guy named Roger. Don’t know his last name, but Maurice didn’t like him.”
    “You think Maurice had something to do with Cassie’s death?” I asked.
    The prostitute shook her head. “Maurice take care of business, but he ain’t no killer.”
    “Where can we find Maurice?” Pearl asked. “We need to ask him a couple of questions.”
    “Maurice around, but he finds you if he want somethin’.” Mo inhaled, Spandex straining. “But I can guarantee he don’t want nuthin’ from you two.”
    “What can you tell us about Roger?” I asked.
    “Cassie wanted into the Hollywood scene. Thought Roger could help her get into the movies.”
    “Did Roger have connections to the movie industry?”
    Mo shrugged. “He was in one of them soap operas. Cassie wanted him to get her a part.”
    Natalie chimed in, “Was it that one about the girl who always wants to drop the doctors’ knickers? I like that episode where they’re in the operatin’ room after hours and…”
    “Natalie.” I gave her a look. She made a zipping motion on her lips.
    “I think it’s on channel three,” Mo said. “ Beautiful Lies or some shit like that. Roger had a small part off and on. Saw it once. He sucked.”
    “Did he get Cassie a part in the show?” Pearl asked.
    “Roger said he would only get Cassie a part if she agreed to be in a movie he was producing over in the valley.”
    “They make X-rated films in the San Fernando Valley,” Pearl said. “Is that what you’re talking about?”
    Mo gave a little snort, her tone grew impatient. “Listen, Cassie thought Roger might be her ticket to a new life by getting her into the movies. As it turned out, he had only a certain kind of movie in mind for her.”
    “Do you think Roger had something to do with Cassie’s murder?” I asked.
    The prostitute’s heavy shoulders shrugged. “All I know is that if they gave out an Oscar for the biggest dick in Hollywood, Roger would win. And, believe me, I seen a lot of dicks.”
     
    ***
     
    Back on the street, Pearl told us he would see if he could rundown the cast of Beautiful Lies... try to get a lead on Roger. Natalie offered to track down Maurice Simpson. We tried to dissuade her, but my snoop sister was insistent.
    I dropped Natalie at home after giving her a lecture about the Hollywood street scene and being careful. As she opened the car door I said, “What do you think Clyde will say when he sees your outfit?”
    “Clyde goes to bed at 8:30, but I might just wake him up and play a round of gobble the geezer.”
    “You’re going to give Clyde a stroke one of these days.”
    Natalie tapped a finger to her temple as she closed the door. “Life insurance is a wonderful thing.”
    When I got home it was a glass of wine for me and The Dog Whisperer for Bernie. The episode where Cesar Millan gets bit by a little mutt is Bernie’s favorite. As the show was ending, my phone rang. It was the night watch commander, Sam Ballick.
    “Kate, we’ve got a customer down here who says you sent him our way.” I was drawing a blank when Ballick said, “The guy says he spent the evening starring on LAPD’s sex cam.”
    I laughed, said to Ballick, “Send him home to his wife. Tell him he has to let her know what happened because we’ll be sending her the video.”
    Before we called it a night I said to Bernie, “Ever wonder what kind of trouble guys would get into if they didn’t have a penis?”
    I got the silent treatment. I guess there are some things guys just won’t talk about.

 
    Chapter Nine
     
    “Hi, my name is Roger.” The man pulled up a chair and sat down at my table. Could this be the part-time soap star—the Roger who was involved with Cassie Reynolds?
    A second glance told me this Roger was no actor. He was a drink-drooler, a beanpole who looked to be about thirty-five with greasy hair and bad teeth. Got Meth?
    After a day of training that ended at the shooting range, I’d