Death Turns A Trick (Rebecca Schwartz #1) (A Rebecca Schwartz Mystery) (The Rebecca Schwartz Series) by Julie Smith

got home all right.”
    “What’s his last name?”
    “Phillips.”
    “Now that’s even more interesting. Considering that was the victim’s last name. Did you look at her driver’s license?”
    “No.”
    “I did. Her full name was Carol Phillips.”
    Things I hadn’t put together came back to me in a rush.
    Parker had a sister, Carol, who was a student at San Francisco State. Parker had left the party without a word to me and then come back and talked to Kandi angrily. Was Kandi that Carol Phillips? Could the elegant Parker have a prostitute for a sister?
    I suppose I must have reacted somehow, because Martinez said, “That name mean anything to you?”
    “Parker has a sister named that. But I’ve never seen her. I don’t know if Kandi was she.”
    “How well do you know Parker?”
    “I’ve known him about three weeks. I met him at my law partner’s house.”
    “I said how well.”
    “None of your business.”
    “Okay, Miss Schwartz. I guess that’s enough for now. What’s his address and phone number?”
    “You’re crazy.”
    Martinez picked up my phone and dialed directory assistance. He asked for Elena’s number as well as Parker’s, but she wasn’t listed. Martinez asked me for her number.
    “I’ve forgotten it.”
    “Well, you’ve got till tomorrow to remember. We’ll keep in touch.”
    Everybody had cleared out now except Martinez and Curry. “Are you through in my apartment?”
    “For tonight,” said Martinez. “But we’ll have to seal it overnight and have the lab people go over it inch by inch in the morning. Are you planning to stay with your sister?”
    “Yes.”
    “You’d better give me the phone number. I may need you.”
    I gave it to him. “When can I come home tomorrow?”
    “Probably around ten o’clock. Eleven to be safe. I’d like to ask you to do one last thing before you go, though. Will you come over and take a look to see if anything’s missing?” “Okay.”
    Martinez showed me around my own apartment and I took a cursory look, which was the best I could do without touching anything.
    When we got to the bedroom, he pointed to the rubber gloves on the bed. “Those yours?”
    “They look like mine. I keep them under the sink.”
    We looked there; my gloves were gone. “He must have worn them to avoid leaving fingerprints.”
    Martinez didn’t answer.
    “Nothing’s missing that I can see,” I said. “But did your fellows find anything that—well—that looked like it didn’t belong here?”
    “You mean the mythical object the murderer was looking for? No, Miss Schwartz, they didn’t. Sometimes, you know, a murderer will ransack a place as a cover-up—to make it look like an interrupted burglary.”
    I went back to Tony’s while Martinez and Curry locked up. Mickey, who had sat there like a scared statue while those apes were there, came to life with a shudder. “Let’s get out of here.”
    “Not quite yet. I have to think a minute.”
    I thought: I could call Parker and warn him, but what good would that do? If Kandi had been his sister, I’d have to break the news that she was dead. An unpleasant prospect. Or if he’d killed her, I’d be tipping him off, and that would be obstructing justice. I put the thought out of my mind. We didn’t know each other very well, but I was sure he wouldn’t kill his own sister. At least I told myself I was. I decided not to call.
    I could call Mom and Dad, but that would just frighten them. The murder had been discovered too late to make the morning papers, so I had plenty of time to let them know before the media did.
    There was only one call I couldn’t avoid making. I had lied to the police on Elena’s account, which put me in the position of having to make sure our stories jibed. Besides, if I had her call the police instead of just letting them come around, it might save her the embarrassment of having them pay a call at an awkward moment.
    I dialed and explained the situation. “Jesus!” she