“We’re still investigating.”
“Are you part of the investigation or is it your job to call people up and drop bombshells?”
“I’m sorry for your loss, Mr. Penny. And yes, it is a bombshell.”
“Do you have a suspect?”
“The investigation just started, Mr. Penny. All this just happened last night.”
The lawyer paused. “Do you want to know where I was last night?”
She was taken aback. “Sure.”
“I worked until around midnight, then came home, grabbed six hours of sleep, and was back at my desk by seven. That has been my routine—day in and day out—for the last twenty years except for vacations. The last time I took time off was six months ago. My wife and I went to our island in Greece. Any other questions I can answer for you?”
“I do have a few. Are you coming to L.A. to deal with the burial?”
“I suppose I have to. I’ve barely had time to process what you’ve told … murdered?”
“We think so. Would you have any ideas about what happened?”
“Not really. I know my father made many enemies, but he’s been out of commission for years. Why would anyone harm him now, especially with death looming at his door?”
“Do you have names of some of those enemies?”
“No one specific comes to mind. My father was very abrasive. He had half of the Dale Carnegie method right. He influenced people. The friend part … not so much.”
“Okay. Does your father have a lawyer that we could talk to?”
“Dad has a slew of lawyers. He generally used McCray, Aaronson and Greig as his firm. Why?”
“I assume your dad had a will. Sometimes a will points us in the right direction.”
“I’ve been in charge of Dad’s estate planning for the last twenty-five years. He definitely has a will and he’s changed it a number of times, depending on who has curried his favor. Dad was mercurial.”
“What kind of changes did your father make?”
“I’m not at liberty to discuss the particulars. Let’s just say his changes had to do with who was flattering him. When you are worth over half a billion dollars, you deal with a lot of sycophants.”
“Did you invest his money personally?”
“No, no, no. I am the president of his foundation. But Dad used our firm for his estate planning, so I am well aware of what he’s worth. But as far as control over his fortune, I had nothing to do with how the money was invested or spent. But I do know that Dad has his assets spread out among a dozen different brokerage houses. Sometimes, I’d write checks at his behest.”
“What kind of checks?”
“Charity. As I told you, I’m president of his foundation.”
“So you were in regular contact with your father?”
“My father was a recluse. I haven’t seen him since he married Sabrina. And even after the divorce, we rarely spoke. Whenever he wanted something specific, he’d notify me via phone call but mostly written word. Then I’d execute the order.”
“So you two must have had some kind of relationship if he gave you that power.”
“I think I was the least of many evils. We don’t really have a relationship, but my father recognized that I was honest.”
Don’t have a relationship. Still using present tense. “What kind of charities did your father support?”
“They’d vary, depending on his mood. And let me tell you, the man was very, very temperamental. He was my father and he supported his family, but he’s not likable. He was a womanizer and a louse when he drank. Is this interview going to take a while? If it is, could I call you back in a bit?”
Marge said, “Just a couple more questions. Are you coming to L.A. to make arrangements for the body?”
“My dad had made prior arrangements to be buried somewhere in L.A. I’ll come in for the burial. I can’t talk for my sister—Oh dear. Did you call her? My sister?”
“I left a message with Hollie Hanson to have her call me.”
“So you haven’t spoken to her?”
“Not yet.”
“I’ll call and tell her the news. What else do you want to know?”
“If your firm did your father’s estate planning, you must know the contents of your father’s will.”
“That’s not a question, Sergeant, that’s a statement.”
Marge was quiet.
Penny said, “This is not a discussion to be had over the phone. Let’s just say there is plenty to go around. No reason for any of the principals to be covetous. I’m wealthy and my sister is even wealthier. We both were aware that it was only a matter of time before my father passed on.”
“A matter of time? Was your father in poor health?”
“Not that I know of, but he was old.” A long pause. “The fact that someone hurried his death along is troublesome. I’m wondering if a phony will isn’t about to make an appearance. Anyway that’s not your concern. Or maybe it will be your concern. I should hang up now. I have to call my sister. This is just terrible—the murder. No one deserves to have their life cut down.”
“Could I call you later?”
“How about if I have time, I’ll call you later.”
“When do you think you’ll be coming into L.A.?”
“When are you done with the autopsy?”
“Probably by tomorrow.”
“Please call me when you’re done so I can transfer the body to a funeral home. I’ll try to schedule the funeral on Monday or Tuesday.”
“Do you think your sister will come out?”
“I honestly don’t know. Graciela had even less tolerance for Dad than I do.”
“When you come out to L.A., I’d like to talk to you a little more at length.”
“No problem. I really do have to go now, Sergeant Dunn.”
“One more thing. Were you aware that your father kept a tiger in his apartment?”
“A tiger?” A pause. “Are you serious?”
“An adult female tiger. We had to extract the tiger before we could even enter the apartment.”
“Oh my God! Did the tiger attack … no, that wouldn’t be a police matter. Is my father’s body even recognizable?”
“As far as we could tell, the tiger didn’t lay a paw on your dad.”
“That’s good to know. I knew my father was giving that crazy organization some money, but I had no idea he had become so personally involved in wild animal rescue. To keep a tiger in his apartment is beyond ludicrous.”
“What wild animal organization did he support?”
“Global Earth Sanctuary. It’s in San Bernardino. I know because I sent out the checks.”
“Was he giving them a lot of money?”
“Pocket change for what he was worth: a hundred thousand a year.