The reading terminal market was a huge, bustling market located at Twelfth and Market streets in Center City, just a block or so from city hall. Opened in 1892, it was home to more than eighty vendors and covered nearly two acres.
The task force had learned that Alhambra LLC was a company established exclusively for the production of The Palace. The Alhambra was a famous palace in Spain. Quite often, production companies form a separate enterprise to handle payroll, permits, and liability insurance for the duration of the shoot. Quite often they take a name or a phrase from the film and name the company office for it. It allows the production office to open without a lot of hassles from would-be actors and paparazzi.
By the time Byrne and Jessica reached the corner of Twelfth and Market, a number of large semitrucks had already parked there. The film crew was setting up to shoot a second-unit sequence inside. The detectives were only there for a few seconds when a man approached them. They were expected.
"Are you Detective Balzano?"
"Yes," Jessica said. She held up her badge. "This is my partner, Detective Byrne."
The man was in his late thirties. He wore a stylish navy blazer, white shirt, khakis. He had an air of competence about him, if not secretive- ness. Narrow-set eyes, light brown hair, eastern European features. He carried a black leather binder and two-way radio.
"Nice to meet you," the man said. "Welcome to the set of The Palace." He extended his hand. "My name is Seth Goldman." THEY SAT AT a coffee bar inside the market. The myriad aromas wreaked havoc with Jessica's willpower. Chinese food, Indian food, Italian food, seafood, Termini's bakery. She had eaten a peach yogurt and banana for lunch. Yum. It was supposed to last her until dinner.
"What can I say?" Seth said. "We're all terribly shaken by the news."
"What was Ms. Halliwell's position?"
"She was production manager."
"Were you very close to her?" Jessica asked.
"Not in the social sense," Seth said. "But we were working on our second film together, and during a shoot you work very closely, sometimes spending sixteen, eighteen hours a day together. You eat meals together, you travel in cars and on planes."
"Were you ever romantically involved with her?" Byrne asked.
Seth smiled, sadly. Apropos of the tragic occasion, Jessica thought. "No," he said. "Nothing like that."
"Ian Whitestone is your employer?"
"That's correct."
"Was there ever any kind of romantic involvement between Ms. Halli- well and Mr. Whitestone?"
Jessica saw the slightest tic. It was quickly covered, but it was a tell. Whatever Seth Goldman was about to say wasn't going to be the complete truth.
"Mr. Whitestone is a happily married man."
Hardly answers the question, Jessica thought. "Now, we may be nearly three thousand miles from Hollywood, Mr. Goldman, but we've heard that sometimes folks from that town have been known to sleep with folks other than their spouse. Hell, it's probably even happened out here in Amish country once or twice."
Seth smiled. "If Erin and Ian ever had a relationship other than professional, I was not aware of it."
I'll take that as a yes, Jessica thought. "When was the last time you saw Erin?"
"Let's see. I believe it was three or four days ago."
"On the set?"
"At the hotel."
"Which hotel?"
"The Park Hyatt."
"She was staying at the hotel?"
"No," Seth said. "Ian maintains a suite there when he's shooting in town."
Jessica made a few notes. One of them was to remind herself to chat with some of the hotel personnel about whether or not they had seen Erin Halliwell and Ian Whitestone in a compromising position.
"Do you recall what time that was?"
Seth thought about this for a few moments. "We had a shot in South Philly that afternoon. I left the hotel at maybe four o'clock. So it was probably right around that time."
"Did you see her with anybody?" Jessica asked.
"No."
"And you haven't seen her since?"
"No."
"Did she take a few days off?"
"It was my understanding she called in sick."
"You spoke with her?"
"No," Seth said. "I believe she sent a text message to Mr. White- stone."
Jessica wondered if it was Erin Halliwell or her killer who sent the text message. She made a note to have Ms. Halliwell's cell phone dusted.
"What is your exact position in this company?" Byrne asked.
"I'm Mr. Whitestone's personal assistant."
"What sort of things does a personal assistant do?"
"Well, my job is everything from keeping Ian on schedule, to helping him with creative decisions, to scheduling his day, to driving him to and from the set. It can entail just about anything."
"How does a person get a job like this?" Byrne asked.
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"I mean, do you have an agent? Do you apply through industry want ads?"
"Mr. Whitestone and I met a number of years ago. We share a passion for film. He asked me to join his team and I was thrilled to do so. I love my job, Detective."
"Do you know a woman named Faith Chandler?" Byrne asked.
It was a planned shift, an abrupt change. It clearly caught the man off guard. He recovered quickly. "No," Seth said. "The name doesn't ring a bell."
"How about Stephanie Chandler?"
"No. I can't say I know her, either."
Jessica took out a nine-by-twelve envelope, extracted a photograph, pushed it along the counter. It was an enlargement of the photograph from Stephanie Chandler's desk at work, the picture of Stephanie and Faith in front of the Wilma Theater. Stephanie's crime scene photo would come next, if needed. "This is Stephanie on the left; her mother, Faith, on the right," Jessica said. "Does it help?"
Seth picked up the photograph, studied it. "No," he repeated. "Sorry."
"Stephanie Chandler was also murdered," Jessica said. "Faith Chandler is clinging to life in the hospital."
"Oh my." Seth put his hand to his heart momentarily. Jessica didn't buy the gesture. From the look on Byrne's face, neither did he. Hollywood shock.
"And you are absolutely certain you've never met either of them?" Byrne asked.
Seth looked at the photo again. He feigned deeper scrutiny. "No. We've never met."
"Could you excuse me for a second?" Jessica asked.
"Of course," Seth said.
Jessica slid off her stool, took out her cell phone. She took a few steps away from the counter. She dialed a number. In an instant, Seth Goldman's phone rang.
"I've got to take this," he said. He took out his phone, looked at the caller ID. And knew. He slowly raised his eyes and met Jessica's eyes. Jessica clicked off.
"Mr. Goldman," Byrne began. "Can you explain why Faith Chandler-a woman you've never met, a woman who just happens to be the mother of a homicide victim, a homicide victim who just happened to visit the set of a film your company is producing-called your cell phone twenty times the other day?"
Seth took a moment to compose his answer. "You must understand, in the film business there are a lot people who will do just about anything to get into the movies."
"You're not exactly a receptionist, Mr. Goldman," Byrne said. "I would think there would be a number of layers between you and the front door."
"There are," Seth said. "But there are some very determined, very clever people out there. Consider this. A call went out for extras on the set piece we're shooting soon. Huge, very complicated shot at the Thirtieth Street train station. The call was for one hundred fifty extras. We had more than two thousand people show up. Besides, we have a dozen phones allocated for this shoot. I don't always have this particular number."
"And you're saying that you do not recall ever having spoken to this woman?" Byrne asked.
"No."
"We'll need a list of the names of the people who may have had this particular phone."
"Yes, of course," Seth said. "But I hope you don't think anyone connected with the production company had anything to do with these… these…"
"When can we expect the list?" Byrne asked.
Seth's jaw muscles began to work. It was clear that this man was used to giving orders, not taking them. "I'll try and get it to you later today."
"That would be fine," Byrne said. "And we'll also need to talk to Mr. Whitestone."
"When?"
"Today."
Seth reacted as if he were a cardinal and they had requested an impromptu audience with the pope. "I'm afraid that's not possible."
Byrne leaned forward. He got to within a foot or so of Seth Goldman's face. Seth Goldman began to fidget.
"Have Mr. Whitestone call us," Byrne said. "Today."