Part 41 (1/2)

”Men always think the woman asked for it.”

”But the report of rape must be challenged at some point, if there's going to be a fair trial. And when it comes to that kind of interrogation, women can be more brutal than men, especially to other women.”

Jeannie found that hard to believe and wondered whether Mish was simply defending her male colleagues to an outsider.

When they ran out of things to talk about, Jeannie fell into a reverie, wondering what the future held for her. She could not get used to the idea that she might not continue to be a scientist for the rest of her life. In her dream of the future she was a famous old woman, gray haired and cantankerous but world renowned for her work, and students were told, ”We did not understand human criminal behavior until the publication of Jeannie Ferrami's revolutionary book in the year 2000.” But now that would not happen. She needed a new fantasy.

They arrived at La Guardia a few minutes after eight o'clock and took a battered yellow New York taxi into the city. The cab had busted springs, and it bounced and rattled across Queens and through the Midtown Tunnel into Manhattan. Jeannie would have been uncomfortable in a Cadillac: she was on her way to see the man who had attacked her in her car, and her stomach felt like a cauldron of hot acid.

Wayne Stattner's address turned out to be a downtown loft building just south of Houston Street. It was a sunny Sat.u.r.day morning and already there were young people on the streets, shopping for bagels and drinking cappuccino in the sidewalk cafes and looking in the windows of art galleries.

A detective from the first precinct was waiting for them, double-parked outside the building in a tan Ford Escort with a dented rear door. He shook hands and grumpily introduced himself as Herb Reitz. Jeannie guessed that baby-sitting out-of-town detectives was a ch.o.r.e.

Mish said: ”We appreciate your coming out on a Sat.u.r.day to help us.” She gave him a warm, flirtatious smile.

He mellowed a little. ”No problem.”

”Any time you need help in Baltimore I want you to call me personally.”

”I sure will.”

Jeannie wanted to say, ”For Christ's sake let's get on with it!”

They went into the building and took a slow freight elevator to the top. ”One apartment on each floor,” Herb said. ”This is an affluent suspect. What did he do?”

”Rape,” Mish said.

The elevator stopped. The door opened directly onto another door, so that they could not get out until the apartment door was opened. Mish rang the bell. There was a long silence. Herb held open the elevator doors. Jeannie prayed Wayne would not have gone out of town for the weekend; she could not stand the anticlimax. Mish rang again and kept her finger on the b.u.t.ton.

At last a voice came from within. ”Who the f.u.c.k is it?”

It was him. The voice made Jeannie go cold with horror.

Herb said: ”The police, that's who the f.u.c.k it is. Now open the door.”

The tone changed. ”Please hold your ID up to the gla.s.s panel in front of you.”

Herb showed his detective's s.h.i.+eld to the panel.

”Okay, just a minute.”

This is it, Jeannie thought. Now I'm going to see him.

The door was opened by a tousled, barefoot young man in a faded black terrycloth bathrobe.

Jeannie stared at him, feeling disoriented.

He was Steve's double-except that he had black hair.

Herb said: ”Wayne Stattner?”

”Yes.”

He must have dyed it, she thought. He must have dyed it yesterday or Thursday night.

”I'm Detective Herb Reitz from the first precinct.”

”I'm always keen to cooperate with the police, Herb,” said Wayne. He glanced at Mish and Jeannie. Jeannie saw no flicker of recognition in his face. ”Won't you all come in?”

They stepped inside. The windowless lobby was painted black with three red doors. In a corner stood a human skeleton of the type used in medical schools, but this one was gagged with a red scarf and had steel police handcuffs on its bony wrists.

Wayne led them through one of the red doors into a big, high-ceilinged loft. Black velvet curtains were drawn across the windows, and the place was lit by low lamps. On one wall was a full-size n.a.z.i flag. A collection of whips stood in an umbrella stand, displayed under a spotlight. A large oil painting of a crucifixion rested on an artist's easel; looking closer, Jeannie saw that the naked figure being crucified was not Christ, but a voluptuous woman with long blond hair. She shuddered with disgust.

This was the home of a s.a.d.i.s.t: that could not have been more obvious if he had put a sign out.

Herb was staring around in amazement. ”What do you do for a living, Mr. Stattner?”

”I own two nightclubs here in New York. Frankly, that's why I'm so keen to cooperate with the police. I have to keep my hands spotlessly clean, for business purposes.”

Herb clicked his fingers. ”Of course, Wayne Stattner. I read about you in New York New York magazine. 'Manhattan's Young Millionaires.' I should have recognized the name.” magazine. 'Manhattan's Young Millionaires.' I should have recognized the name.”

”Won't you sit down?”

Jeannie headed for a seat, then saw it was an electric chair of the type used for executions. She did a double take, grimaced, and sat elsewhere.

Herb said: ”This is Sergeant Mich.e.l.le Delaware of the Baltimore City Police.”

”Baltimore?” said Wayne, showing surprise. Jeannie was watching his face for signs of fear, but he seemed to be a good actor. ”They have crime in Baltimore?” he said sarcastically.

Jeannie said: ”Your hair's dyed, isn't it?”

Mish flashed her a look of annoyance: Jeannie was supposed to observe, not interrogate the suspect.

However, Wayne did not mind the question. ”Smart of you to notice.”

I was right, Jeannie thought jubilantly. It is him. She looked at his hands and remembered them tearing her clothes. You've had it, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d, she thought.

”When did you dye it?” she asked.

”When I was fifteen,” he said.

Liar.

”Black has been fas.h.i.+onable ever since I can remember.”

You hair was fair on Thursday, when you pushed your big hands up my skirt, and on Sunday, when you raped my friend Lisa in the gym at JFU. hands up my skirt, and on Sunday, when you raped my friend Lisa in the gym at JFU.

But why was he lying? Did he know they had a fair-haired suspect?