Page 123 of The Girl Who Knew Too Much

“This is Dorothy Hodges. Whom did you say is calling?”

“You don’t know me, Miss Hodges. I’m a journalist doing some background research on a movie actor named Nick Tremayne.”

“Heavens, dear, you must have the wrong number. I don’t know Nick Tremayne. I don’t know any movie stars. This is Seattle, not Hollywood.”

“I have reason to believe that Tremayne may have known your niece, Betty.”

“Betty? She passed almost a year ago.”

“Yes, I know, Miss Hodges. Did you ever meet any of Betty’s boyfriends?”

“No. I know that, for a time, she dated a young man who wanted to become an actor. Betty fancied herself in love with him. But she never brought him around to introduce him. I don’t remember his name.”

“I understand Betty lived in a boardinghouse.”

“She was a bit wild, I’m afraid. Ran with a fast crowd. I had to insist that she move out. I just couldn’t tolerate the smoking and the drinking and the partying. She visited me once in a while when she needed rent money. All she ever talked about was her dream of going to Hollywood with her boyfriend. She was sure they would both become stars. Poor, foolish girl.”

“Did she ever do any real acting?”

“Oh, yes. She made a couple of films here in Seattle. She was very excited about them. But they never got released.”

“What happened?”

“The studio burned down a few months before Betty died. She told me that all of the films including the ones she made were destroyed. Between you and me, I did wonder exactly what sort of movies they were, if you take my meaning.”

The kind of movies that could ruin a rising star’s career, maybe, Irene thought.

“I understand, Miss Hodges. You said you never met any of Betty’s boyfriends. What about her girlfriends? Did you know any of them? I’d really like to talk to someone who knew Betty well.”

“Why are you so curious about my poor niece?”

“It’s a long story, Miss Hodges. But I think it’s possible that Betty’s death wasn’t an accident. I think she was murdered.”

“Murdered.”Shock reverberated through the telephone line. “But that can’t be true. They said that Betty slipped and fell in the bathtub.”

“I know, Miss Hodges. But as it happens, she’s not the only woman to die that way. I’m hoping that if I track down someone who knew about those films that Betty made, I might be able to get to the truth.”

“I see. Well, I’m afraid the only girlfriend that Betty ever mentioned was another aspiring actress. She lived at the same boardinghouse. As I recall, she was in those films that Betty made here in Seattle.”

One more detail, Irene thought.

“Do you remember the name of the other actress?” she asked, hardly daring to hope.

“No. But I’m sure the woman who ran the boardinghouse can tell you. As I said, Betty and her friend both had rooms there. Those two had a falling-out at some point. I do remember that much.”

“You mean their friendship ended?”

“Oh, yes. Betty didn’t talk about it much, at least not to me, but she was real cut up about it.”

“What broke up the friendship?”

“What do you think? A man, of course. Betty said that her actor boyfriend ran off to Hollywood with the other girl.”

“Do you remember what sort of work Betty’s girlfriend did? Aspiring actresses usually have to support themselves while they wait to be discovered.”

“Yes, I know. Betty was a waitress.”

“What about her girlfriend?”