Free Hollywood Prisoner: A Hollywood Alphabet Series Thriller by M.Z. Kelly Page B

their fortune and to cover up the murders they’d committed.
    Retribution.
    Harlee’s last words to me held both a promise and a threat. I knew that she would stop at nothing to protect the deadly legacy she’d inherited. And, while I was still committed to shining the light of truth on what happened, I also knew that I would need to be more vigilant than ever.
    Bernie and I had just gotten home when Natalie knocked on my door. “You need to come over, Kate. I just got the lowdown on the dirty deeds Izzy’s…” Her eyes fixed on my hair. “What’d you do to yourself?”
    I brushed a hand through my new do as she bent down and greeted Bernie, who had started doing the happy dance when he saw her. “Robin gave me a shorter and sassier look. What do you think?”
    “I think you look…hot.” She stood and lowered her voice. “Be careful ‘round Howie. Depending on when you catch him, he’s got a rep for hittin’ on anything that’s movin’.”
    “Howie?”
    “He’s the bloke who’s got the lowdown on Izzy’s cheatin’.” She tugged on my arm. “Come on, you gotta meet him.”
    After a couple feeble protests, telling Natalie that I had plans to spend a quiet night alone, she dragged me next door. I found Mo in their living room with a handsome man who looked like he was around thirty.
    After Mo complimented me on my hair, she made introductions. “This here is Howie Cromwell. He’s one of Izzy’s assistants in his magic show, but he also does some PI work for Jimmy.”
    Jimmy was Natalie and Mo’s boss, a sleazy PI who hired several part-time employees. Cromwell was handsome, with blue eyes, and brown hair cut short. He wasted no time proving Natalie was correct about him being a womanizer. 
    “Do you have a little black dress?” Howie asked me.
    “I ah…” I looked at my friends, who were smiling like they had a secret. I looked back at their guest. “I guess.”
    “Put it on, so I can take it off you.” His eyes swept over my body. “I wanna see what’s in the fridge.”
    I looked at my friends and realized they’d probably told him about me not dating. They often referred to my private parts as being in the refrigerator when I wasn’t in a relationship.
    I was about to respond when Howie went on, still ogling me. “Dang ya…dang ya…I’d like to take ya home and bang ya.” He looked at Natalie and Mo. “You know what the difference is between men and women?”
    Natalie started to answer. “I heard this theory once…”
    “Wrong,” Howie said, cutting her off. “Men are more in touch with their bodily functions.” He pulled on his finger and made a farting sound. He looked at me. “Wanna hear me play ‘Unchained Melody’?” He didn’t wait for an answer, instead pulling his finger several times as he farted his way through the song. When he finished, he said to me, “What do you think?”
    “I think you’re insane,” I said.
    Howie looked at my friends. “I think she likes me.”
    Mo brushed blue wig hair out of her eyes. “Kate always did like men who are in touch with their bodies.”
    “Want another song?” Howie asked me.
    I stood. “I think I’ve heard enough.”
    “Wait.” Natalie pulled me down onto the sofa, then said to Howie, “This one needs to be brought around slowly. You’d better put it in PG gear.”
    Howie cleared his throat, sat up straighter. “Very nice to meet you, Detective Sexton. May I call you Kate?”
    I looked at my friends and exhaled. “Really?”
    “Howie’s harmless,” Mo said. She looked at their friend. “Aren’t you, hon?”
    Howie’s face was serious as he nodded. “I’ve been in therapy for years, learning to control my impulses.” He lowered his voice and pointed at my friends. “These two are aliens, in case you didn’t know. Klaatu barada nikto .”
    “What?”
    “It’s from the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. It’s an alien phrase instructing Gort, the robot, not to destroy the planet. So far,