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  The hostess, a young Hispanic woman dressed in a stylish black dress and sling-back high heelsclothing that had been someone else's castoffssmiled shyly at Sister Anne and Ali as she led a group of diners to a table.

  "Glad I could help," Ali said. And she was.

  After lunch, feeling a strange sense of letdown, Ali returned to her hotel. First she called her mother, who was still at the Sugar Loaf.

  "Well?" Edie Larson said. "Are you free as a bird now?"

  "Not exactly," Ali said, and then went on to explain the situation.

  "My word," Edie said. "If that doesn't take the cake! After you had to drive all that way! It's inexcusable for him to not show up like that. Did you try calling him?"

  "No," Ali admitted. "Under the circumstances, that didn't seem like a good idea. His attorney called, though. From what he was saying, it sounded like Paul stayed out all night."

  "And he hasn't even married the poor girl yet?" Edie demanded. "Seems like it's a little early for him to be up to his old tricks."

  Ali didn't exactly agree with the "poor girl" part. But the "old tricks" reference worked. "Yes," Ali said. "It does seem early."

  "You stay there as long as necessary in order to get this all straightened out," Edie said. "Everything here is under control. Chris stopped by last night before he headed for his seminar in Phoenix tomorrow. We invited him to come to dinner Sunday night when he gets home, so he won't starve to death. As for Sam? She's fine. She took to your father the way most strays do. In other wordslove at first sight. What are you going to do with this extra time, hook up with some old friends?"

  What old friends? Ali wondered. Other than Sister Anne, she didn't seem to have any real friends waiting for her. The ones she did have were people who were primarily friends of Paul's. In the aftermath of her blowup with Paul and the abrupt ending to her television career, Ali had been surprised and hurt by the number of people who had simply vanished from her life the moment her face had disappeared from the evening news. It had been hard to accept that people she had considered close friends had been drawn by her celebrity rather than anything else. Coming to terms with the reality of those lost relationships still hurt, but Edie Larson didn't need to know that.

  "Already handled, Mom," Ali said as airily as she could manage. "Not to worry."

  But it wasn't. When Ali got off the phone with her mother, she slipped out of her new Nordy's "court dress" and changed into a T-shirt and jeans. There were, of course, people she could have called, some of whom were bound to be in town. But she didn't call any of them. There was something so trite and Holly-woodyso whiny and patheticabout gathering a group of pals around to hold your hand during stalled divorce proceedings that she couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead, Ali pulled out her computer and turned to Babe of Yavapai's new friendsthe ones who were only a mouse click away.

  CUTLOOSEBLOG.COM

  Friday, September 16, 2005

  Surprisingly enough it's more difficult to be cut loose legally than one would think. The divorce that was supposed to be finalized today isn't because my soon-to-be-former husband was a no-show in court, and our rent-a-judge refused to issue a decree without his being present and accounted for. So here I am stuck in limbo for a little longer. This should all be brought to a conclusion next week, but for now I'm here with time on my hands and not much to do.

  In the past I've always had work to fall back on. And family responsibilities. But my son is raised now. I no longer have to look after him, and although I'm not entirely finished with him yet, I no longer have a husband to look after, either.

  So I've decided to treat this like an extended vacationa vacation in a place where I used to live, but where I was always too busy working to do the things tourists from around the world come here to do. Starting with the Getty. And the La Brea Tar Pits. Who knows? I may even throw over the traces completely and go for a walk on the beach or spend a day at Disneyland.

  In other words, blogging will be light for a while for the very good reason that I'm out having fun.

  Posted 2:16 P.M., September 16, 2005 by Babe

  After that, Ali read through and posted some of the comments that had come in from her readers while she'd been otherwise engaged.

  Dear Babe,

  I know you're lawyer said your divorce would be final, but don't you believe him. Divorces ain't never final. They can give you a hundred pieces of paper that say your single, but being married don't just go away because of a piece of paper, especially if you have kids. And I should know. My husband can still drive me crazy even though we've been divorced for fifteen years and hes been dead for ten. If I end up still being married to him when I get to heaven, I may just turn around and walk right back out.

  LILY

  The next comment came from one of Ali's regulars, a widowed longtime fan from California, who wrote cheery little notes every other day or so. Over the months, Ali had come to think of the woman as a friend, despite the fact that they had never met in person.

  Dear Babe,

  I know this is a tough time for you. I just wanted you to know my thoughts and prayers are with you.

  VELMA T IN LAGUNA

  Then there was Fred.

  What happened to "Whosoever God has joined together let no man put asunder"? No wonder the world is going to hell in a handbasket. First women wanted the Equal Rights Amendment and now they don't even want to bother with having husbands. And did you ever give any thought as to how you treated your husband and what might have driven him into the arms of another woman? I'm glad I only have sons and no daughters.

  FRED

  So am I, Ali thought. She decided not to post Fred's comment. Then she changed her mind. She suspected there were a lot of people in the world who shared his opinion and regarded independent women as a direct threat to their manhood and to their very existence. Maybe that was something cutlooseblog needed to bring up as a topic of discussion.

  Dear Babe,

  My husband did the same thing, married his little cutie two days after our divorce. It didn't last. Two months later he was back, knocking on my door because she'd thrown him out and begging me to take him back, which I did. He stayed for three more years after that then he left again and now I don't know where he is. But I know you're smarter than I am, so if your cheating husband asks you to take him back, whatever you do, don't.

  WISER NOW

  Ali's phone rang. She recognized the numberthe Flagstaff branch of the YWCA. "Hi, Andrea," Ali said.

  Andrea was Andrea Rogers. A year ago, Andrea had been second in command in what was essentially a two-woman nonprofit spearheaded by Ali's girlhood best friend, Reenie Bernard. Reenie had been the outgoing, fund-raising brains of the outfit, while Andrea had functioned as office manager, keeping the place running smoothly in Reenie's absence. After Reenie's tragic murder, it had been Andrea who had tracked down Reenie's personal effects and, for the benefit of Reenie's orphaned children, rescued them from the thrift shop where they'd been shipped by Reenie's less-than-grief-stricken husband.

  For Andrea, that one act of kindness on behalf of Reenie's kids had been the beginning of a new sense of self-confidence and independence. The Flagstaff YWCA had been so much Reenie Bernard's baby that, in the initial aftermath of her murder, there had been serious talk of shutting the place down, but Andrea in particular had been determined that Reenie's dream wouldn't perish with her. Over a period of several months, Andrea had managed to keep the doors open while Ali worked to convince the board of directors that, with a little assistance and encouragement from them, Andrea could be groomed to take over the executive director's position.

  Her official promotion had happened three months ago. The board had hired a new assistant for Andrea, but Andrea had yet to catch on to the fact that she no longer needed to answer the phone herselfwhich she did most of the time.

  Andrea was a plugger. She was dependable. She didn't have the finesse or the vision of a Reenie Bernard. What she had instead was an
absolute devotion to her murdered boss and unbridled enthusiasm about carrying Reenie's life's work forward. One way or another, Andrea managed to get things done.

  "Is it over then?" Andrea asked.

  "It' being the divorce?" Ali asked.

  "Of course, the divorce," Andrea returned. "What else would I be asking about?"

  "I'm beginning to wonder if my divorce will ever be over," Ali replied and went on to repeat the gory details one more time.

  "But what if you're not home in time for the board meeting next Friday?" Andrea asked, as a hint of her old reticence crept into her voice. "I've never handled one of those by myself. I've always had you there to backstop me."

  "I'll do what I can to be home by then," Ali said. "But if I'm not, you'll be fine. You know more about what's going on at the YWCA than anyone. You'll be able to handle it."

  "I hope so," Andrea said, but she didn't sound convinced.

  Ali was talking on her cell phone. It surprised her when the room phone began to ring. "Sorry, Andrea," Ali said. "I need to take that."

  "Ms. Reynolds?" a woman's voice asked.

  "Yes."

  "My name is Detective Carolyn Little," she said. "I'm with the LAPD's Missing Persons Unit. Mr. Ted Grantham said you were staying at the Westwood, and I took the liberty of calling."

  "About?" Ali asked.

  "About your husband."

  "My soon-to-be-former husband," Ali corrected.

  "Are you aware he's missing?"

  "I know he failed to show up in court this morning for our divorce hearing," Ali answered. "That's all I know."

  "He's been reported missing by one April Gaddis."

  "His fiancee," Ali supplied.

  "Yes," Detective Little answered. "She did mention that she and Mr. Grayson are engaged. It seems he went to a bachelor party last evening and never came home."

  Ali felt like mentioning that for Paul to declare himself a bachelor prior to his divorce being finalized was a bit like putting the cart before the horse, but Detective Little didn't sound like she had much of a sense of humor.

  "When was the last time you saw your husband?" Detective Little asked.

  "That would be Friday, March eleventh of this year," Ali answered at once.

  There was a slight pause. "March eleventh? That's a long time agosix months, but you still remember the exact date?"

  "And the exact time," Ali responded. "I had just lost my job. I came home, expecting some sympathy from my husband, but in our house, you find sympathy in the dictionary between shit' and syphilis.' He took off with his girlfriend bright and early the next morning before I even woke up."

  The "shit' and syphilis'" reference was one of her father's more colorful expressions, one that was guaranteed to send Bob Larson's wife into a spasm. Even Carolyn Little chuckled a little at that, so the woman wasn't entirely devoid of humor.

  "This same girlfriend?" the detective added. "The fiancee?"

  "Yes," Ali agreed. "That would be the onethe same one who's expecting his baby."

  "And you came to town when?"

  "Last night," Ali said. "I drove over from Sedona yesterday afternoon. I got a late start. It was almost two in the morning before I finished checking in."

  "And you're here until?"

  "Paul and I have another court date scheduled for next week."

  "On Thursday," Little said. Obviously she had already acquired the information from Ted Grantham. "And you'll be staying at the Westwood? And is there another number in case I need to reach you again?"

  It had been six months since Ali had seen Paul Grayson, and she didn't see why the Missing Persons Unit would need to speak to her again, but she gave the detective her cell phone number all the same.

  As Ali ended the call with Detective Little, she was already groping for the television remote. Within minutes of turning on the set she located a news tease from Annette Carrera, Ali Reynolds's blond, blue-eyed, surgically enhanced news anchor successor. The promo was already in progress when Ali tuned in: " amp;network executive who disappeared from his bachelor party last night. We'll have the story for you live on the evening news."

  Carrera! Ali had to give credit to whoever had dreamed up that name. It was calculated to be high-toned enough to appeal to L.A.'s Porsche-craving yuppies, but it also sounded vaguely Hispanicif you didn't look too closely at the blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. In Ali's not-unbiased opinion, Annette was far too young and far too perky. Her hair looked as if she had stuck her finger in an electrical outlet and then moussed the resulting hairdo into a froth of permanent peakslike whipped cream beaten to a turn.

  Disgusted at the idea of having to wait another two hours to glean any additional details, Ali reached for her computer, intent on surfing the Net to track down a breaking-news Web site. As she touched the keyboard, though, she heard a new-mail alert. She paused long enough to read the new message.

  Dear Babe,

  I just saw a news blurb on your old channel. I've gone back to watching them even though I hate that new Annette person. Anyway, it said a man named Paul Grayson, some network bigwig, is missing. I seem to remember that was your husband's name. So is this your Paul Grayson or is it just someone with the same name?

  VELMA T IN LAGUNA

  No matter who he is, he isn't my Paul Grayson, Ali thought, but she sent Velma an immediate response.

  Dear Velma,

  Thanks for bringing this to my attention. The missing man most likely is "my" Paul Grayson. Once I have more details on the situation, I'll try to let you know.

  BABE

  CHAPTER 3

  For the next while, Ali surfed the Net. Her years in L.A. had taught her that Southern California news outlets had an insatiable appetite for anything involving the entertainment industrymovies or television. Paul Grayson was high enough up the network food chain that it wasn't long before Ali found what she was looking for, even though it offered little more information than she had gleaned from the earlier news promo.

  NBC EXEC MISSING

  Paul Grayson, long considered NBC's West Coast go-to guy, has gone missing after an early and abrupt departure from his own bachelor party at the stylish Pink Swan on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. His red Porsche Carrera was found stripped and abandoned in an apartment parking lot in Banning early this afternoon.

  There it was again. Everybody seemed free to refer to Paul as a bachelor, despite the inconvenient fact that he was still legally marriedto Ali. And what exactly was this "stylish" Pink Swan? Probably some cheesy strip joint or pole-dancing outfit. Whatever it was, the name sounded suitably sleazy. The next paragraph, however, shook her.

  A spokesman for LAPD's Missing Persons Unit said they have reason to believe that Mr. Grayson has been the victim of foul play.

  "Foul play." Ali repeated the words aloud. The very possibility that Paul had been victimized made Ali's earlier conversation with Detective Little seem much more ominous.

  Jake Maxwell, who co-hosted the bachelor party, said the guest of honor departed early on in the proceedings. "Somewhere around ten or so, Paul went outside to take a phone call and didn't come back. Everyone was having a good time. It was a while before anyone noticed that he hadn't returned."

  Because everyone was too blasted to notice, Ali thought. The news item ended. For several long minutes afterward, Ali wondered what, if anything, she should do. Finally, however, it seemed reasonable to let her divorce attorney know that Paul had now been declared a missing person. Ali picked up her cell phone and dialed Helga Myerhoff's number.

  "What's up?" Helga asked.

  "I thought you should know Paul didn't just miss his court appearance this morning," Ali told her attorney. "He disappeared from what they're calling his bachelor party' last night. There's some suspicion that foul play may be involved. His Carrera was found abandoned in an apartment house parking lot in Banning this afternoon."

  Helga was all business. "How did you find this out?"

 
"Part of it I learned just now from reading a breaking-news Web site. The rest of it, though, came from a phone call from Detective Carolyn Little of the LAPD Missing Persons Unit."

  "Why did she call you?" Helga asked. "And, beyond that, how did she even know to call you?"

  "Since I hadn't seen Paul in more than six months, I thought it was odd that she'd be asking me for information, but Ted Grantham evidently told the detective I was in town and where I was staying."

  Ali heard a slight rustling on the phone and could picture Helga standing behind her desk and squaring her shoulders, bristling to her diminutive but tough-as-nails five foot two. "What exactly did this detective say? And what's her name again?"

  "Detective Carolyn Little, LAPD Missing Persons. She asked when I had arrived, why I was here, where I was staying, when did I last see Paul. All the usual stuff, I guess."

  "Did she mention the possibility that you might be under any kind of suspicion?"

  The severity of Helga's tone put Ali on edge and made her wonder if perhaps Detective Little's questions weren't quite so "usual" after all.

  "Me?" Ali demanded, dumbfounded. "Why on earth would I be a suspect?"

  "Has Paul changed his will?" Helga asked.

  "I have no idea about that," Ali said. "We're getting a divorce, remember? I've rewritten my will so Chris is my primary beneficiary in case anything happens to me. I would assume Paul has done the same thing in favor of April and her baby."

  "Not necessarily," Helga mused. "In my experience, men often put off handling those pesky little details."

  "What are you saying?" Ali asked.

  "Let's assume the worst," Helga said. "Let's say Paul Grayson turns up dead, a victim of some kind of foul play. If you and he aren't divorcedand you're notand if, by some chance, his will hasn't been rewritten, it's likely you'll make out far better as a widow than you would have as a divorcee. From an investigative point of view and considering the dollar amounts involved, that might well put you at the top of the suspect list in a murder-for-profit scheme."