Erica Weiss phoned back while I was in the shower. I dried off and reachedher at her office.
“What an experience, Doctor. You okay?” Like many referrals, she was just aphone voice to me. Fast-talking, high-energy, peppy as a cheerleader.
“I’m fine. Any word on Hauser?”
“Haven’t checked yet. What exactly transpired?”
When I finished the re-tell, she was peppier. “His malpractice carrier willbe thrilled to learn the ante just got upped. Idiot just cooked his goose well-done.When can I depose you?”
“Everything’s in the police report,” I said.
“Even so. When’s convenient for you?”
Never. “How about tomorrow?”
“I was thinking more like today.”
“It’s short notice.”
“Those poor women could use their settlements, Doctor.”
“Try me late in the afternoon.”
“You’re a doll,” she said. “I’ll come to you with the court reporter. Justname the place.”
“Let’s talk later.”
“Commitment-shy? Sure, whatever works, but please make it sooner rather thanlater.”
 
Billy Dowd’s address was on the south side of Beverly Hills, a short walk to Roxbury Park. Last year, I’dwitnessed a shoot-out at the park that had never made the papers. This was Beverly Hills, with itsaura of safety and ninety-second police response.
Lots of Spanish-style duplexes from the twenties on the block. Billy’s waspink with leaded windows, a red-clay roof, and exuberant plaster moldings. Anunfenced gateway led to a tile-inlaid stairway that climbed to the secondfloor. The overhang created a shaded entry nook for the ground-floor unit.
The wrought-iron mailbox inside the left-hand gatepost was unmarked. Iclimbed to the upstairs unit and knocked on a heavy carved door. Thepeep-window was blocked by a wooden slat but it stayed closed as the dooropened.
A brunette in a white nylon uniform dress looked at me while combing herhair. Coarse hair chopped boyish meant short brisk strokes. She was fortyishwith a dangerous tan, a beakish nose, and close-set black eyes. Santa Monica Hospital name tag above her left breast:A. Holzer, R.N.
A strange man showing up unannounced didn’t perturb her.
“Can I help you?” Some kind of Teutonic accent.
“Billy Dowd lives downstairs?”
“Yes, but he’s not here.”
I showed her my police consultant I.D. Expired six months ago. Very fewpeople are detail-oriented. A. Holzer barely glanced at it. “Police? AboutBilly?”
“One of Billy and his brother’s employees was involved in some trouble.”
“Oh—you wish to speak to Billy about that?”
“Actually, I’m here to see you.”
“Me? Why?”
“You look after Billy?”
“Look after?” She laughed. “He’s a grown man.”
“Physically he is,” I said.
The hand around the hairbrush turned glossy. “I don’t understand why you areasking these questions. Billy is all right?”
“He’s fine. These are routine questions. Sounds as if you like him.”
“Of course I do, Billy is very nice,” she said. “Listen, I am very tired,got off shift early this morning. I would like to sleep—”
“Eleven-to-seven shift your usual?”
“Yes. That’s why I would like to sleep.” New smile. Frosty.
“Sounds like you deserve it. What unit do you work on?”
“Cardiac Care—”
“Eight hours of CCU care, then all the time you spend with Billy.”
“It’s not—Billy doesn’t require—why is this important?” She placed a hand onthe door.
“It probably isn’t,” I said. “But when something really bad happens, lots ofquestions need to be asked. About everyone who knew the victim.”
“There was a victim. Someone was hurt?”
“Someone was murdered.”
Her hand flew to her mouth. “Gotten Himmel—who?”
“A man named Reynold Peaty.”
Head shake. “I don’t know this person.”
“He did janitorial work at some of Brad and Billy’s buildings.” I describedPeaty.
When I got to the muttonchops, she said, “Oh, him.”
“You’ve met him.”
“Not a meeting, just seeing.”
“He came here,” I said.
She plucked at her badge. Gave her hair a few more whacks.
“Ms. Holzer—”
“Annalise Holzer.” Lower voice, soft, guarded. I half expected a rank andserial number.
I said, “Reynold Peaty came to see Billy.”
“No, no, not to see, to bring things back.”
“Things?”
“Things Billy forgets. At the office. Sometimes Mr. Dowd brings themhimself, sometimes I guess he sends this man.”
“Reynold Peaty.”
“Billy didn’t kill him, that is for sure. Billy opens the windows to letflies out so he doesn’t have to hit them.”
“Gentle.”
“Gentle,” Annalise Holzer agreed. “Like a nice little boy.”
“But forgetful,” I said.
“Everyone forgets.”
“What does Billy forget?”
“The watch, the wallet. Lots of times the wallet.”
“Mr. Peaty came by and gave you the wallet?”
“No,” she said. “He tells me Billy lost the wallet and he is returning thewallet.”
“How many times did that happen?”
“A few,” she said. “I do not count.”
Lots of times the wallet. I raised an eyebrow.
Annalise Holzer said, “A few times, that’s all.”
“Those times, did Mr. Peaty go inside Billy’s apartment?”
“I don’t know.”
“You watch him.”
“Nein,” she said. “Not watching, not babysitting. Mr. Dowd asks me to helpif Billy needs something.”
“Sounds like a good job.”
Shrug.
“Good salary?”
“No money, only less rent.”
“Mr. Dowd’s your landlord?”
“Very nice landlord, some of them are like…snakes.”
............