“When people complain, he says sue me. Some do, but most don’t.”

“Where does Rudy get the money for legal work?”

“The son of a bitch is smart. Ten years ago, right after the group broke up, Rudy went to law school. One of those nighttime rip-off deals where none of the students ever pass the bar. Guess what?”

“He passed the bar.”

“He specialized in intellectual property. He knows the ins and outs. Let me tell you something, Lieutenant, it’s hard to get a judge to even listen to your case. Ninety-nine percent of these cases get thrown out on the first round. Primo let Rudy have a free ride for years just because it wasn’t worth it.”

“So what changed his mind?”

“Rudy put out a retrospective CD of the Doodoo Sluts without giving Primo, Liam, and Ryan—the other guys in the band—any money whatsoever. The three of them got together and sued. It stopped the release of the CD—at least temporarily—and so far, no one has made a penny except Rudy.”

“So what would happen if all three members died? Would Rudy get all the profits, or would it go to the estates of the members?”

“I have no idea.” She paused and smoked her cigarette. “Rudy is always suing someone or someone is suing him. It’s a way of life for him. Still, I don’t see him as having anything to do with Primo’s death.”

Another pause.

“Although I’m not quite sure that I buy the carjacking gone wrong thing.” She shook her head and regarded Decker’s eyes. “You don’t buy it, either. That’s why you’re here.”

“I’m just gathering information. Why don’t you buy it?”

“The death seemed calculated. I saw the interview tape of the punk…I guess he’s one of the punks. The kid sounded as if he couldn’t plan a fart after eating beans.”

“Do you remember the name of the interviewee you saw?”

“No. He was black.”

“Travis Martel.”

“Yeah, that’s it.” Marilyn finished her cigarette and lit another. “But what do I know? In the meantime, I’m careful. If it wasn’t those jackasses, then maybe it was something more personal. So then maybe I should be looking over my shoulder.”

“Anyone specifically in mind?”

“No, and that’s why I’m nervous. The recording business attracts a whole lot of psychos. Some even have talent. It’s all marketing these days. What you sound like is irrelevant. It’s how you present.”

“I’m sure that’s true. How did Rudy meet Primo?”

“I don’t really know. I came into Primo’s life long after the split of the Doodoo Sluts. We met at AA. I’ve been sober for over five years. Primo, so far as I know, had been sober for a little longer, but who knows?”

“You think that Primo might have slipped up?”