The Silver Stain by Paul Johnston Read Free Book Online

pretty gross, but Maria licked them into shape and even the nude scenes were OK.’
    Mavros tried hard to put those from his mind. ‘So you’d say you were friends beyond the work level?’
    ‘Friends, no. For a start, there isn’t anything beyond work in Hollywood. Even going for a drink means bonding with people who have some professional interest. Put it this way – I’ve never been to Maria’s house. But I can call her any time and she’s there for me. I guess what I’m saying is that as well as needing her, I respect her. Any good?’
    Mavros nodded. ‘When and where did you last see her?’
    ‘Right here, on this piece of furniture. It must have been about nine in the evening on Sunday. I was looking over my lines and Maria was telling that asshole Jannet to keep his comments till the morning.’
    ‘You and the director don’t get on?’
    Cara raised her shoulders. ‘It’s no biggie. He’s good at his job and I don’t have any fundamental problems with what he wants.’
    ‘But you don’t like him?’ Mavros persisted, probing her unwillingness to come clean.
    ‘No, I don’t,’ the actress replied, after a pause. ‘He’s a loudmouth and a bully, though that applies to plenty of his kind. Is this relevant?’
    Mavros didn’t answer. ‘When did you realize Maria was missing?’
    ‘She always comes to the suite at least an hour before I’m due to leave for a shoot. But on Monday she didn’t. I called her, both in her room and on her cell. She didn’t answer either. It turned out that no one in the hotel had seen her since Sunday evening. Nobody else seemed to care. If I hadn’t started shouting, the assholes wouldn’t even have called the cops – and they were worse than useless.’ She paused. ‘I hope you aren’t.’
    ‘No,’ he replied, ‘I’m not.’ He reckoned displaying his battle scars was de rigueur. ‘I’ve found everyone I’ve gone looking for professionally. But I’m not surprised the police weren’t interested. It still isn’t much more than thirty-six hours since Maria disappeared and she’s an adult. If there are no suspicious circumstances, all the police in any country will do is add her name to a list.’
    ‘Well, I guess that’s why you’ve been brought in. Tell me, Alex, what do you usually do when a woman goes missing?’
    ‘The same as I do when a man or a child goes missing. Follow up on the people in their immediate circle. It hardly ever happens that people disappear without a trace.’
    Cara Parks’ expression was grim. ‘You’ll be earning your corn, Alex. Maria’s immediate circle comprises the residents of this resort complex.’
    ‘I’m sure you can narrow them down a bit,’ Mavros said, taking out his notebook. ‘Who did she spend time with on set?’
    ‘Apart from me and the other people who look after me, no one that I know of.’
    ‘Give me their names.’ He noted her personal hairdresser, dialogue coach, costume designer and various others. ‘What about in her free time?’
    The actress laughed. ‘Free time? You don’t get much of that on location. For all I know, Maria might have spent every evening in the hotel bar or disco – though I doubt it – but she was always fresh at six a.m.’
    ‘No significant other?’
    Cara looked blank. ‘Oh, you mean lover. Never heard of one. Sorry.’
    ‘That’s OK. I’ll take it from here.’
    ‘And you’ll find her.’ She raised her hand. ‘I know you’ve never failed, Alex, but this is important to me. I care about Maria, I really do.’
    Mavros watched her carefully. Her eyes were damp and her lips had trembled. For all her acting skills, she looked sincere.
    ‘Where was she staying?’
    The star held up an envelope. ‘243. There’s a duplicate key card here. The hotel’s been asked to leave the room untouched.’
    ‘Thanks.’ Mavros got up.
    ‘No, thank you,’ Cara Parks said, rising and shaking his hand again. ‘I know you’ll help us out.’
    ‘I don’t suppose