Design for Dying by Renee Patrick Page A

‘I’m not stopping until everyone knows my name.’” Vi’s voice couldn’t do justice to Ruby’s timbre, but she nailed the intensity. More impressively she captured some of Ruby’s spirit in the set of her shoulders, the casual toss of her head. “I wish I could be like that and not get down in the dumps when things don’t pan out. Which is a lot. Maybe I should be like you and get a regular job.”
    â€œYou forget that as an actress I’m a terrific salesgirl. You’re too talented to give up. And you’re still pulling down good money at the Midnight Room.” Ruby had strong-armed Tommy Carpa into giving Vi a cocktail waitress spot at his club back when she and Tommy were still an item. “How’s your boss?”
    â€œTommy took the news about Ruby real bad. After she threw him over he made like he didn’t care and had forgotten all about her. But every couple of nights he’d track me down on the floor and ask what she was up to. ‘How’s Ruby? She seeing anybody?’”
    â€œDid Ruby ask about Tommy?”
    â€œNot as much as Tommy asked after her, but sometimes. It got confusing, like I was carrying messages they weren’t actually sending. I’m not Western Union.”
    â€œThe detectives thought it was odd nobody had mentioned Tommy’s name.”
    â€œWhy would anybody? Tommy and Ruby hadn’t been going together for months.”
    â€œHe was still pining for her. You’re not a little suspicious?”
    â€œOf Tommy? Everybody thinks he’s some kind of tough guy. A gangster. But it’s not true.”
    Right, I thought. And the cops call him Tommy the Shark because he was born with too many teeth.
    Vi’s fingers worried a tissue. “You told the detectives about Tommy, then?”
    â€œThey’re interested in anyone who knew Ruby.”
    â€œThey should talk to her new friends while they’re at it.”
    â€œWhat new friends?”
    â€œArmando something or other. And Natalie. Ruby said he was rolling in it and Natalie was the most elegant lady she’d ever seen.”
    â€œDid you tell Detective Morrow about them?”
    â€œI told one of the detectives everything I could remember. Which wasn’t much. Ruby never even mentioned their last names. But she was seeing a lot of them lately.”
    I could tell Vi was tired of talking about Ruby, so I babbled about work, my trip to Paramount and my subsequent encounter with Edith Head. I pitched hard for her to come have cake with me and Kay.
    â€œMaybe later.”
    I kissed the crown of her head. As I shut the door the phonograph started up again. “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” drifted down the stairs behind me as my mind turned over the question I couldn’t bring myself to put to Vi: Did Ruby ever mention me?
    *   *   *
    â€œVI JUST NEEDS time,” Kay said as I demolished a second piece of cake. “It can’t help seeing Tommy every night. You know she secretly loved being caught in the middle of their twisted little romance.”
    â€œTell me, Scoop, what do you hear about these new flush friends of Ruby’s?”
    â€œNot a thing. I got tired of Ruby, flitting around like she was already a movie star. I paid no mind to her stories even when Vi repeated them. What friends are these?”
    â€œVi mentioned Armando and Natalie. He’s rich, she’s beautiful, the three of them are the best of pals. It could be Ruby stole that gown from Paramount so she could take a spin in their social circle.”
    Kay’s brow furrowed as her fearsome brain set to work. “I doubt they’re movie people. I’d recognize the names. Armando sounds south of the border. There are so many South Americans around with pesos to spare. Tell you what, I’ll ask around the Modern Movie office, thumb through the clippings.”
    â€œGreat. Anything you find I can