fine,” Karen said, a curious look on her face. “But where will you be while all this is going on?”
“You know, I think you’re better off if I don’t tell you.”
“You’re not going to do something crazy, are you?” Karen asked.
“I guess that depends on how you define crazy,” Jessie told her. “I’m not an LAPD employee. I’m just a private citizen consulting for the department. As such, I’m not bound by the same rules as you. And I’m not inclined to let some entitled, self-satisfied billionaire determine how I can investigate this murder. Milly Estrada deserves better than that. She deserves justice. And I’m going to get it for her.”
Karen didn’t respond to that other than to smile. She got in her car and backed out of the driveway. As she pulled away, she lowered her window.
“Let me know if you need me to bail you out,” she shouted as she drove off.
Once she left, Jessie parked her car half a block down the road, walked back in the direction of the main gate, and sat on a bench near some bushes in the park across the street. Ten minutes later, a dry-cleaning service van pulled up. The gate opened and the van headed up the driveway.
Jessie got up from the bench and casually jogged across the street. She darted by just before the gates slammed closed. The sound clarified one clear thought in her head.
No turning back now.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
She tried to act casual.
It was hard, considering that she had to make her way up a quarter-mile-long driveway to a massive mansion that she knew was at least partially monitored by 24/7 security. She expected personnel to show up at any second and kick her out.
When she got up to the roundabout in front of the house, she discovered why that hadn’t happened. Security had their hands full. There were already lots of people milling about. In addition to the dry cleaner, there were landscapers putting equipment back in a truck, several people doing work on a nearby stone fountain, and someone carrying pool equipment from a van around the side of the house.
Jessie decided that might be her best bet. If she approached the place from the side, she’d be less likely to attract attention than just wandering up to the front door. So she jogged after the pool guy as nonchalantly as possible.
“Hey,” she called out when she was close enough that only he could hear her. “Need a hand? It looks like something’s going to drop at any second.”
The guy turned around. He was in his fifties with gray hair and leathery skin that had clearly spent many years in the sun.
“Sure,” he said, offering her an unwieldy plastic hose. “I’d never turn down an extra hand. Is this a new policy?”
“What do you mean?”
“This is the first time a staffer has ever offered to help me with anything,” he said. “No offense, but your bosses aren’t exactly worker-friendly.”
“None taken,” Jessie said, throwing the hose over her shoulder. “I’m actually a peon too, and a new one, so I’m right there with you. Do you clean the pool every Monday?”
“Yep. And Fridays too. Those are pre-party prep days. Mondays are for post-party cleanup. They’re the worst.”
“Why do you say that?” Jessie asked, moving the hose closer to her face as they passed two employees walking by in the royal blue “JO” shirts that served as the Otis Estate uniform.
“You wouldn’t believe the stuff I’ve had to fish out of the pool,” he said. “The hot tub is even worse.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“Trust me,” he said, visibly shivering at the memory. “You don’t want to know. Let’s just say that with some of the things I’ve found, I’m surprised the health department hasn’t raided this place. And there’s no amount of chorine that could get me in that water.”
They had reached the edge of the pool near the supply room. Jessie glanced around. There were about a dozen people lounging on chaises, most nibbling at pastries. Despite the early hour, a few young women were already in bikinis soaking up the sun.
“Thanks for your help,” the pool guy said, extending his hand. “I’m Mike, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Mike,” Jessie said, shaking his hand but not giving her name. “I hope today’s cleanup isn’t too painful. I guess I better get back to my job too.”
She grabbed a stack of towels and stacked them on her shoulder high enough to block her face from anyone