Page 15 of A Winter of Discontent for Henry Milch
“I don’t think so. I mean, maybe somewhere there’s another one. Who are you?”
“I’m Mooch Milch. I’m working for?—”
“I’m sorry, what did you say your name was? Moo-moo?”
I really needed to give up on that nickname. “Henry. Henry Milch. I’m working for an agency investigating the fall Roberta LaCross took at Three Friends winery. You were with her that day?”
“Yeah, I was.”
“You and Roberta are friends?”
“We are. Yeah.”
I reminded myself to ask open-ended questions. “How did you become friends?”
“You think it’s weird, don’t you? Because Bobbie’s older. We play trivia together at Main Street Café. We’re on a team together called the Boomers. Most of the team are baby boomers. Except me and Bobbie, I’m a millennial and she’s… gosh what comes before boomers?”
“Got me,” I said, trying to smile. “And how do you know Patty Gauthier?”
“Trivia. She’s an actual boomer.”
“So, what is Roberta like?”
That got me a frown. “It’s so weird that you keep calling her Roberta. She’s Bobbie. Everyone calls her Bobbie. Everyone who knows her. I mean, she’s in Main Street Café most nights.”
“I’m from Los Angeles.”
“I guess that explains the outfit.”
I almost asked what was wrong with my outfit. I was wearing my cheap blue puffer jacket, rubberized winter boots, lavenderleg warmers (yes, I know no one has worn leg warmers since the year I was born, but I found them at a thrift shop, and theyarewarm), my lime green sweater—which I’d spot cleaned, and a black-and-white piano key scarf.
“Do you play the piano?”
“No, I just thought it was a cool scarf.” I’d been asked that question a half dozen times, I was going to have to find another scarf or start piano lessons.
“What is Rob… Bobbie like?”
“Bobbie is thebest. Such a character. So much fun to be with! The stories she tells. She’s had a really incredible life. I mean, yeah, she repeats her stories a lot and that annoys some people, but the stories don’t always turn out the same, so they never annoy me. I mean, she’s had a hard life. Those ex-husbands, I’d feel sorry for her if she wasn’t so funny all the time, you know?”
“Tell me what happened the day you went to Three Friends. It was Patty Gauthier’s fiftieth birthday?”
“It was. There were supposed to be a lot more of us. But, well… Patty is someone who speaks her mind. I think it’s refreshing, but some people think it’s just being a bitch. Actually, it was embarrassing that almost no one came. Patty didn’t deserve that.”
“Did you guys get drunk?”
“I didn’t.”
“Did Bobbie?”
“Bobbie’s a lightweight.”
“You said she’s in Main Street Café most nights. She’s not drinking?”
“Well, I mean, she is… Honestly, I think someone gives her a ride home most of the time.”
“Right before she fell, was Bobbie slurring her words?”
“Oh, I mean, not really.”
