CHAPTER 9

That was some skilled interrogation, Helen told herself as she drove home from Bernie’s house. If you’d worked for the Allies during World War II, the Nazis would be goosestepping down Federal Highway.

Every time Helen thought about her talk with Bernie, she burned with shame. She’d bragged to Phil that she would be better at getting information from the woman. Deep inside, Helen knew she’d steered her husband away from Bernie because she’d seen the opulent redhead strutting on that video. Bernie had been shockingly sexy—a quarter century ago. Bernie had grown up since then.

Helen tormented herself all the way back to the Coronado.When she wasn’t giving herself a blistering lecture, the heat scorched her. Sweat soaked her blouse and plastered her damp hair to her neck. Even when the Jeep got rolling on the road, the air was like a burning breeze through a blast furnace.

I need a car with air-conditioning, she told herself. A few more successes like this morning and we won’t be able to afford gas for this one. I have no business being a private detective. I couldn’t find the cap on the toothpaste. I’m lucky I found my way home.

Helen parked the Jeep in its slot at the Coronado. Her sandal sank into the soft, melted asphalt. She pulled it out, then slogged up the stairs to the Coronado Investigations office.

Phil greeted her with a smile. “How did the interrogation go?”

“Bernie threw me off her property.” Helen opened a bottle of cold water from the office fridge and flopped into her desk chair. It squeaked in protest.

“Good.” Phil looked pleased. “That means you’ve hit a nerve.”

“I didn’t come close,” Helen said. “I couldn’t even get in her house. Bernie ordered me off the front porch. She doesn’t want us looking into Mark’s death. She implied that her brother Gus was nuts and said she’d sue us sideways if we bothered her again.”

“Even better,” Phil said. “When a subject overreacts, it means something.”

“It means I did a lousy job,” Helen said.

“No, it doesn’t,” Phil said. “I see two signs of success: Bernie ordered you off her property. She said her brother Gus was crazy. We’re getting somewhere.”

“It would help if we knew where we were going,” Helen said.

“My turn to use the wheels,” Phil said. “I’m interviewing one of Mark’s friends, a guy named Joel who lives in Boca. Can I give you a ride into work?”

“After I change my shirt,” Helen said. “I’ve been sweating like a stevedore in your Jeep.”

She showered, changed into a cool blouse and combed the wind tangles out of her hair. On the short ride to the gym, Helen said, “Any way we could afford a car with air-conditioning? Showing up for interviews sweaty and windblown isn’t professional.”

“The heat doesn’t bother me. I’m naturally cool.” He grinned.

Helen kissed him. “I know,” she said. “I love you anyway.”

“I hate to give up my Jeep,” Phil said. “It blends in so many places. I think we could find you a good used car. Want me to start looking?”

“Yes,” Helen said. “You can save me from the clutches of the car dealers. I don’t care what I drive as long as it has air-conditioning. I’m guessing we don’t want a flashy ride for our business.We’re at the gym already. Thanks for the ride.”

The doors to Fantastic Fitness opened with that weird air-lock whoosh, and Helen was gratefully enveloped in its chilled atmosphere. Carla was at the reception desk. Bryan was leaning across it, talking to her.

As she approached, Helen heard him say, “I have a session this afternoon with my trainer, Jan. Is she in yet?”

Carla checked the schedule. “Jan’s due here in about ten minutes.”

“Okay.” Bryan shrugged and his shoulders rippled. “I’ll warm up on the stationary bike until she comes in.”

Bryan mounted the first bike in the front row when a scream split the gym air: “What the hell are you doing on my bike?”

Helen recognized the roar: Debbi the bodybuilder was in another rage. Her chest heaved. Her yellow hair stood up in outraged spikes. Helen feared she would black out from fury. Helen had never seen a young bodybuilder who looked so lean. There wasn’t enough fat on her to fry an egg. The corded muscles twisting on her arms, legs and shoulders made her look like a science-fiction creature.

Carla pushed Helen toward the stationary bike. “Go break up that fight!” she said. “I got her last two tantrums. I can’t deal with Debbi today.”

Bryan didn’t want a confrontation with Debbi. He dismounted from the bike and tried to soothe her. “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t know you were using this.”

“Everyone knows I always use the first bike. Even you should know.”

Debbi’s anger sizzled and crackled around her like an electric field. Helen approached the bodybuilder warily, like a zookeeper approaching a wild animal.

Bryan stayed sweetly apologetic. “I didn’t see anyone on the bike. I didn’t think anyone was using it.”

“It’s bad enough I have to watch that crap CNN instead of seeing the truth on Fox News,” Debbi said. “Then I go hydrate and you steal my bike.”

“Here,” Bryan said. “Take it.”

Helen saw that Debbi’s face was stroke red and her eyes were jaundice yellow. Even her skin had a yellow tinge. She looked trapped and hurt.

I should have a tranquilizer gun for this assignment, Helen thought. She tried to tell herself that Debbi was young and damaged by her father’s misdeeds, but it didn’t help.

“Debbi,” Helen said softly, working to keep the fear out of her voice. “Bryan didn’t mean to take your bike. He’s rooting for you just like everyone else here. We all want you to succeed. Remember your talk with Carla? Anger is bad for your career.”

Debbi whirled on Helen as if she was going to attack her. Then her face grew softer. Her eyes looked wounded. “You’re right,” she said. “It’s not worth it. He’s not worth it.”

Bryan had climbed on another bike farther down the row and was pedaling hard. He didn’t look their way.

Debbi took a seat on the bike she’d claimed as her own. “I’ll try to do better,” she said.

“Good work,” Carla whispered when Helen was back at the reception desk. “She still scares me.”

“She’s better after you talked to her,” Helen said. “This time Debbi made an effort to calm down. Look at her. She’s fine now.”

Debbi was pedaling so furiously, Helen thought the bike might burst into flames.

“After she lost her temper,” Carla said. “Mark my words. That woman will kill someone.When she goes postal and the reporters are here interviewing the survivors, I’m going to tell them I warned everyone she was dangerous.”

“At least there are plenty of people here with muscles if she goes ballistic,” Helen said. “They’ll protect us.”

“Hard bodies are no protection if someone comes at you with a gun,” Carla said.

“Gun?” Helen said.

“Debbi’s father killed a woman in that botched holdup,” Carla said.

“That’s unfair,” Helen said. “You told Debbi you didn’t blame her for her father’s mistakes.”

“I don’t,” Carla said. “But I’m not going to forget what he did, either. Emotions get stirred up in gyms. People get murdered. Nearly everyone comes in here with a gym bag.You can hide a handgun or a rifle in one. Nobody checks gym bags. We don’t have metal detectors here. And it’s happened before.

“At a competitor’s gym, a lesbian flirted with another woman. Her partner shot her. At another gym, a man thought his girlfriend was cheating on him. He hid a gun in his duffel bag and opened fire on her aerobics class. His girlfriend was shot in the leg. Four innocent gym members died.

“Sweat, sex, ambition and half-naked people are a dangerous combination. We have cheating couples here. We have ’roid-raging bodybuilders who want to win medals. We have people working out practically naked. See that woman over there on the treadmill? She’s wearing more makeup than clothes.”

“Is she wearing lace underwear?” Helen asked.

“That’s lingerie; that’s no workout suit,” Carla said. “Her panties don’t cover her butt cheeks.”

“She certainly can’t conceal any deadly weapons in that outfit,” Helen said. “Unless you count her implants.”

“Helen, be serious.” Carla nodded toward a massive bald bodybuilder doing pull-ups with giant chains slung around his neck. The chains could have anchored a cruise ship, but he wore them like necklaces. The links were thicker than his blush-worthy thong.

“Look at that hulk in the banana sack,” Carla said.

“Cashew sack is more like it,” Helen said. “Doesn’t look like the guy has much down there.”

“Steroids, probably,” Carla said. “Do you think that mastodon could move fast enough to help me?” Helen heard the fear in Carla’s voice. “He may be built like Superman, but he can’t stop bullets. When it comes down to it, we’re alone at this desk.”

Treadmills and bicycles whirred. Basketballs thumped and barbells clanged. Workout music pounded and the television blared.

Helen realized if she or Carla was in danger, no one would hear them. The gym was too noisy. They were marooned on a stark black-and-steel island.

She hoped Debbi’s workout would leave her too tired to follow in her father’s footsteps.

That thought made Helen feel guilty. Poor Debbi was right to worry. No wonder her eyes seemed stricken. She was tarred by her father’s lethal legacy.

Helen thought of a little red-haired boy pedaling his retro car. Would Gus the Third escape his family’s sad past?