When She Dreams (Burning Cove #6)(26)

Not a bad version of events, Sam thought, especially considering that Maggie was making it up on the fly. Brandon and the others seemed satisfied. Aunt Cornelia was a celebrity, after all. Fans chased after celebrities.

Brandon surveyed the small group gathered in the room. “Where is Aunt Cornelia?”

“She left in a taxi shortly before you arrived, Detective,” Dolores said. “She was distraught. I escorted her out to the cab.”

Brandon reached inside his jacket and took out a notebook and a pencil. “Got a last name for Aunt Cornelia?”

Arthur and Dolores exchanged bewildered glances. Sam looked at Maggie and knew she was holding her breath.

Dolores shook her head. “No. She’s registered as Aunt Cornelia. She said she preferred to use what she called her stage name. She’s a celebrity, after all. That’s what celebrities do. Hollywood actors all have screen names that are different from their real names. We are thrilled to have Aunt Cornelia among our guests, so we didn’t insist on a last name.”

“How did she pay for her ticket?” Brandon asked.

“Cash,” Dolores said.

“Where is she staying?” Brandon asked.

“She told the cab driver to take her to a cottage on Rose Beach,” Dolores said. “It’s off Cliff Road, a couple of miles from here.”

Well, that was easy, Sam thought. He glanced at Maggie and saw the glint of understanding in her eyes. They had an address for the fake Cornelia. With luck Maggie would take that as an indication that he knew how to do his job. Then again, that probably wouldn’t stop her from offering advice.

Brandon finished jotting down the address and looked at the doctor. “I’ll get a statement from her in the morning. Meanwhile, I’ll take a look around Miss Nevins’s room at the hotel. If everything is in order, I’ll tell the staff to pack up her things tomorrow and put them in safekeeping until someone claims them.” He looked at the doctor. “Anything else for me, Doc?”

The doctor shook his head and hoisted his satchel. “Not unless you come up with something that warrants an autopsy.”

“Doubt the family will authorize one,” Brandon muttered. “Especially if it might indicate an overdose.”

Maggie cleared her throat. “What about the possibility of a seizure caused by the dream generator?”

Sam and everyone else looked at her. The Guilfoyles were shocked. The doctor rubbed his jaw and got a thoughtful expression. Detective Brandon frowned and turned to Arthur.

“Is it possible for someone to suffer a seizure from that thing?” Brandon asked.

“Absolutely not.” Arthur’s jaw tightened. “Some people are disturbed by rapidly flickering lights, but I assure you the dream generator experience is not harmful.”

Brandon grunted. “That’s that, then. Time to track down next of kin. I hate this part of the job.” He angled the fedora over his eyes and looked at Sam. “I’d like a word with you before we leave. Outside.”

“Sure,” Sam said.

The doctor motioned to two men waiting with a stretcher. “Take the lady to the morgue.”

Sam followed Brandon out of the theater and through the French doors into the courtyard garden. Brandon stopped.

“Cop?” he asked.

“Ex,” Sam said. “Homicide.”

“Thought so. You’ve got the look.” Brandon took out a pack of cigarettes, extracted one, and stuck it in the corner of his mouth. He did not light it. “Trying to quit. Wife says it’s bad for the health.”

“Yeah? The ads say smoking is good for the nerves.”

Brandon shook his head. “Who you gonna believe?”

“Your wife is probably more honest than the people who sell cigarettes.”

“That’s what I figure. Where did you work homicide?”

“L.A.”

“You’re too young to be retired.”

“Fired.”

“Don’t tell me you got caught taking bribes. Nobody gets fired for that, not in L.A. Bribes are considered one of the benefits of the job. Part of the pension plan.”

“I arrested the wrong man. The family was not happy.”

“Yeah, that’ll do it every time,” Brandon said. “Who’d you arrest?”

“John Harris Chichester the Third.”

“The Bloody Scarf Murders. Right, that explains it. So, what are you doing here in Burning Cove?”

“I’m in the private investigation business now. My office is in Adelina Beach. Miss Lodge is a client. I’d rather that information did not get out while I’m working the case. The situation is somewhat delicate. Blackmail. People will get hurt if I’m not careful.”

Brandon snorted in disgust. “And your case will fall apart if the Guilfoyles and everyone else discover you’re a private detective.”

“The extortionist will disappear if that happens. At this point I’m going on the assumption that whoever it is doesn’t know who I am or what I’m doing here.”

Brandon angled his head in the general direction of the hallway behind them. “You think the extortionist is attending this dream conference?”

“That’s what it looks like.”

“You’ve got everyone convinced Miss Lodge is writing a book about dreams and you’re her research assistant.” Brandon grimaced. “Sounds like a real screwy case.”