Part 17 (1/2)

Home: the Beverly Comstock. Work: Ceders-Sinai Medical Center.

Los Angeles.

”We've finally got our break. We've got a first-cla.s.s lead, anyway,” Kyle said. ”The Gentleman could be this doctor. This creep, as she calls him.”

Kate looked at me, then at Kyle. She had told both of us that Casanova might be a doctor.

”Anything else in Lieberman's notes?” I asked Kyle.

”Not that we've been able to find so far,” Kyle said. ”Unfortunately, we can't ask Ms. Lieberman about Dr. William Rudolph, or why she made the note in her computer. Let me tell you two new theories that are making the rounds with our profilers out on the West Coast,” Kyle went on. ”Are you ready for a little outrageous mind trip, my friend? Some profiler speculation?”

”I'm ready. Let's hear the latest and greatest theories from FBI West.”

”The first theory is that he's sending the diary entries to himself. himself. That he's Casanova That he's Casanova and and the Gentleman Caller. He could be the Gentleman Caller. He could be both both killers, Alex. They each specialize in 'perfect' crimes. There are other similarities, too. Maybe he's a split personality. FBI West, as you call it, would like Dr. McTiernan to fly out to Los Angeles right away. They'd like to talk to her.” killers, Alex. They each specialize in 'perfect' crimes. There are other similarities, too. Maybe he's a split personality. FBI West, as you call it, would like Dr. McTiernan to fly out to Los Angeles right away. They'd like to talk to her.”

I didn't like the first West Coast theory too much myself, but I couldn't completely discount it. ”What's the other theory from the wild, wild West?” I asked Kyle.

”The other theory,” he said, ”is that there are two men. But that they aren't just communicating, they're competing. competing. This could be a scary compet.i.tion, Alex. This could all be a scary game they've invented.” This could be a scary compet.i.tion, Alex. This could all be a scary game they've invented.”

Part Three

The Gentleman Caller

Chapter 60.

HE HAD been a Southern gentleman.

A gentleman scholar.

Now he was the very finest gentleman in Los Angeles. Always a gentleman, though. A hearts-and-flowers kind of guy.

An orangish-red sun had begun its long, slow s.h.i.+mmy and slide toward the Pacific Ocean. Dr. William Rudolph thought it looked visually stunning as he strolled at a leisurely pace along Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.

The Gentleman Caller was ”shopping” that afternoon, absorbing all the sights and sounds, the hectic flash-and-cash of his surroundings.

The street scene reminded him of something one of the hard-boiled detective writers, maybe Raymond Chandler, had written: ”California, the department store.” ”California, the department store.” The description still worked pretty d.a.m.n well. The description still worked pretty d.a.m.n well.

Most of the attractive women he observed were in their early and mid-twenties. They had just come from the stultifying workaday world of the ad agencies, money managers, and law firms in the entertainment district around Century Boulevard. Several of them wore high heels, platforms, clinging spandex miniskirts, here and there a form-fitting Rollo suit.

He listened to the casually s.e.xy rustle of crushed silk, the martial click-click click-click of designer shoes, the sultry of designer shoes, the sultry scuff scuff of cowboy boots that cost more than Wyatt Earp had earned in a lifetime. of cowboy boots that cost more than Wyatt Earp had earned in a lifetime.

He was getting hot and a little frenzied. Nicely Nicely frenzied. Life in California was good. It frenzied. Life in California was good. It was was the department store of his dreams. the department store of his dreams.

This was the best part: the foreplay before he made his final selection. The Los Angeles police were still stumped and baffled by him. Maybe one day they would figure it all out, but probably not. He was simply too good at this. He was was Jekyll and Hyde for this age. Jekyll and Hyde for this age.

As he strolled between La Brea and Fairfax, he breathed in the scents of musk and heavy floral perfumes, of chamomile- and lemon-scented hair. The leather handbags and skirts also had a distinct scent.

It was all a big tease, but he adored adored it. It was so ironic that these lovely California foxes were teasing and provoking it. It was so ironic that these lovely California foxes were teasing and provoking him him of all people. of all people.

He was the small, adorable, fluffy-haired boy loose in the candy store, wasn't he? Now which forbidden sweets should he choose this afternoon?

That little twit in red heels, no stockings? That poor man's Juliette Binoche? The provocateuse in the French-vanilla-and-black harlequin-print suit?

Several of the women actually gave Dr. Will Rudolph approving glances as they wandered in and out of their favorite shops. Exit I, Leathers and Treasures, La Luz de Jesus.

He was strikingly handsome, even by strict Hollywood standards. He resembled the singer Bono from the Irish rock group U2. Actually, he looked the way Bono would if he had chosen to become a successful doctor in Dublin or Cork, or right here in Los Angeles.

And that was one of the Gentleman's most private secrets: The women almost always chose him. The women almost always chose him.

Will Rudolph wandered into Nativity, which was one of the currently hot A-rated shops on Melrose. Nativity was the the place to buy a designer bustier, a mink-lined leather jacket, an ”antique” Hamilton wrist.w.a.tch. place to buy a designer bustier, a mink-lined leather jacket, an ”antique” Hamilton wrist.w.a.tch.

As he watched the supple young bodies in the busy store, he was thinking of Hollywood's A parties, its A restaurants, even its A stores. The city was completely hung up on its own pecking order.

He understood status perfectly! Yes, he did. Dr. Will Rudolph was the most powerful man in Los Angeles. Dr. Will Rudolph was the most powerful man in Los Angeles.

He reveled in the secure feeling it gave him, the rea.s.suring front-page news stories that told him he truly existed, that he wasn't a twisted figment of his own imagination. The Gentleman was in control of an entire city, and an influential city at that.

He strolled near an irresistible blond woman all deckedout in twentysomething finery.

She was idly looking at Incan jewelry, seemingly bored with the whole deal: her life. life. She was by far the most striking woman inside Nativity, but that wasn't what attracted him to her. She was by far the most striking woman inside Nativity, but that wasn't what attracted him to her.

She was absolutely untouchable. untouchable. She sent off a clear signal, even in a pricey store filled mostly with other attractive twentysomething females. She sent off a clear signal, even in a pricey store filled mostly with other attractive twentysomething females. I'm untouchable. Don't even think about it. You're unworthy, no matter who you are. I'm untouchable. Don't even think about it. You're unworthy, no matter who you are.

He felt thunder roar through his chest. He wanted to scream out inside the loud, crowded boutique: I can have you. I can!

You have no idea-but I'm the Gentleman Caller.

The blond woman had a full and arrogant mouth. She understood that no lipstick or eyeshadow was necessary for her. She was slender and narrow-waisted. Elegant in her own southern California way. She wore a faded cotton vest, wrap skirt, and color-blocked moccasins. Her tan was even and perfect, healthy-looking.

She finally glanced his way. A glancing blow, A glancing blow, Dr. Will Rudolph thought. Dr. Will Rudolph thought.

Lord, what eyes. He wanted them all to himself. He wanted to roll them through his fingers, carry them around for a good-luck charm.

What she she saw was a tall and slender, interesting-looking man in his early thirties. He had broad shoulders, and a build like an athlete, or even a dancer. His sun-lightened brown curls were tied back in a ponytail. He had Irish-boy blue eyes. Will Rudolph also wore a slightly wrinkled white medical jacket over his very traditional Oxford blue s.h.i.+rt and hospital-approved striped rep's tie. He had on expensive Doctor Martens boots-indestructible footwear. He seemed saw was a tall and slender, interesting-looking man in his early thirties. He had broad shoulders, and a build like an athlete, or even a dancer. His sun-lightened brown curls were tied back in a ponytail. He had Irish-boy blue eyes. Will Rudolph also wore a slightly wrinkled white medical jacket over his very traditional Oxford blue s.h.i.+rt and hospital-approved striped rep's tie. He had on expensive Doctor Martens boots-indestructible footwear. He seemed so sure so sure of himself. of himself.

She spoke first. She chose him, didn't she? She chose him, didn't she? Her blue eyes were calm and deep, untroubled, very s.e.xy in their confidence. She played with one of her gold-plated earrings. ”Was it something I didn't say?” Her blue eyes were calm and deep, untroubled, very s.e.xy in their confidence. She played with one of her gold-plated earrings. ”Was it something I didn't say?”

He started to laugh, genuinely delighted that she had an adult sense of humor about the dating charade. This was going to be a fun night, This was going to be a fun night, he thought. He knew it. he thought. He knew it.