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10

They picked up Rosalie Waggener at 4:00 that afternoon and took her to the squadroom. They told her they were not charging her with anything, but that they had reasonable grounds to believe she had information pertinent to their investigation, and would appreciate her answering a few questions. Rosalie said she would answer any questions they wanted to ask, but not without a lawyer present. They explained again that she was not being charged with anything, and when she insisted on a lawyer, they explained that they could force her to testify before a grand jury, but they did not want to go to all that trouble since she was not being charged with anything.

Reluctantly, Rosalie agreed to answer their questions.

“According to your passport,” Carella said, “you entered West Germany through the Bremen airport on July twenty-fifth, is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” Rosalie said.

“And you returned to the United States on July twenty-seventh, is that also correct?”

“Yes,” Rosalie said.

“You told us you were visiting your relatives in Zeven.”

“That’s right.”

“We want to know the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of your relatives in Zeven,” Carella said.

“Why?”

“Because we’re going to check with the German police to make sure they exist.”

“They exist,” Rosalie said.

“Then give us their names.”

“I don’t have to.”

“That’s right, you don’t have to. Not here, you don’t. Before a grand jury, you do. It’s up to you.”

“Will the police call them? The German police?”

“Yes, that’s what we’ll request.”

“Why?”

“To make sure you were with them.”

“I was.”

“Then what are their names?”

“They’re very old people. I don’t want them bothered by the police. Anyway, what’s this got to do with your investigation? You said I had information that might...”

“That’s right.”

“What information?”

“Do you know a man named Roger Grimm?”

“No.”

“Did you visit Bremerhaven while you were in West Germany?”

“No.”

“Are you familiar with a firm called Bachmann Speditionsfirma in Bremerhaven?”

“No.”

“Why’d you go see Alfred Chase this afternoon?”

“Who said I...?”

“I followed you there,” Hawes said. “5361 Marlowe Avenue. Chase is in Apartment 45.”

“Did you go there or not?” Ollie asked.

“I went there.”

“Why?”

“Mr. Chase had some correspondence he wanted to answer. I told you, I do part-time secretarial work for...”

“Why didn’t you answer it at the office?”

“The office is closed on Saturdays.”

“I was there this morning,” Ollie said. “It was open.”

“Well, I guess Mr. Chase didn’t feel like going in today. I’m not the boss, you know. If they ask me to go up to Riverhead, I go.” Rosalie shrugged. “I’m not the boss.”

“Who is the boss?”

“They’re three partners.”

“I thought Hemmings was your boyfriend.”

“He is. But I work for the company. That has nothing to do with it. Oscar has nothing to do with it. I mean, if one of the bosses asks me to do something, I have to do it. It’s a job. If your boss asks you to do something, you do it, don’t you?”

“I’m not engaged to my boss,” Ollie said dryly.

“All I’m trying to say is it’s a job like any other job. I do what they ask me to do.”

“What do they ask you to do? Besides taking dictation and typing letters?”

“Secretarial work. All kinds of secretarial work.”

“Did they ask you to go to Germany?”

“No, I went there to visit my relatives.”

“What are their names?” Carella asked again.

“I’ll give you their names if you promise not to bother them.”

“I can’t promise that. I intend to place a transatlantic call the minute you give me the information.”

“Why? What the hell’s so important about my relatives?”

“We’re trying to find out why you went to Germany, Miss Waggener.”

“Did Diamondback Development send you there?”

“No.”

“Did Roger Grimm?”

“I never heard of Roger Grimm.”

“Did you take money to Germany?”

“Money? What do you mean? Of course, I took money.”

“How much?”

“Enough for expenses. In traveler’s checks.”

“How much?”

“I forget. A little more than a thousand, I think.”

“Did you spend it all?”

“No, not all of it.”

“Then you’ve still got traveler’s checks you didn’t cash, is that right?”

“Well... yes, I suppose so. Maybe I did spend all of it.”

“Did you or didn’t you?”

“Yes, I spent all of it.”

“A minute ago you said you didn’t spend all of it.”

“I was mistaken.”

“Then you don’t have any uncashed traveler’s checks.”

“That’s right, I don’t.”

“Where’d you buy the traveler’s checks?”

“At a bank.”

“Which bank?”

“I forget. One of the banks downtown.”

“When did you buy them?”

“A few days before I left.”

“That would be...” Carella picked up the desk calendar and studied it. “You left on July twenty-fifth, which was a Thursday, so you bought the checks sometime before then, right?”

“Yes.”

“Sometime that week?”

“Yes.”

“That would have been either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, right? July twenty-second, — third, or — fourth. Is that when you bought them, Miss Waggener?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of traveler’s checks?”

“American Express.”

“You won’t mind if we call American Express, will you?”

“Why do you want to call them?”

“To find out about the checks.”

“It was only a thousand dollars or so, what’s so important about that? Everybody uses traveler’s checks. I don’t see what’s so...”

“Some people use cash,” Hawes said.

“Yes, I suppose so,” Rosalie said.

“Did you take any cash with you?” Carella asked. “In addition to the traveler’s checks?”

“A little, I guess. I really don’t remember.”

“How much?” Ollie asked.

“Just a little. A hundred dollars or so.”

“And that’s all you took to Germany, right? A thousand dollars in traveler’s checks...”

“Well, a thousand more or less. I don’t remember the exact amount.”

“Well, let’s say a thousand, okay? A thousand in traveler’s checks and about a hundred in cash.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Okay, let’s call American Express,” Ollie said.

“They probably won’t have a record,” Rosalie said quickly.

“Why not?”

“Because... I don’t remember whether they were American Express checks or some other kind.”

“What other kind do you think they might have been?”

“I don’t remember. I just asked for traveler’s checks. I can’t really remember which kind they gave me.”

“There aren’t too many companies issuing traveler’s checks in this city,” Carella said. “If you don’t mind, we’ll call them all.”

“I...”

“Yes?” Carella said.

“Actually, I took cash,” she said.

“Then why’d you lie about it?”

“Because I wasn’t sure how much cash you’re allowed to take out of the country. I thought it might be illegal or something. I’m not familiar with the law.”

“How much money did you take out?”

“I told you. A little more than a thousand.”

“In cash.”

“Yes.”

“You’re sure it was in cash. A minute ago you said it was in traveler’s checks, but now you’re saying it was cash. Are you sure about that?”

“Oh yes, I’m sure.”

“And you’re also sure about the amount.”

“The amount?”

“Yes. A thousand dollars, is that right?”

“More or less.”

“Which?”

“What?”

“Which was it? Was it more than a thousand, or less than a thousand?”

“More.”

“How much more?”

“Oh, twelve hundred, thirteen hundred, something like that.”

“Where’d you get the money?”

“I had it. I saved it.”

“Where’d you save it?”

“I kept it in the apartment.”

“You didn’t keep it in a bank?”

“No.”

“You figured it was safe to leave thirteen hundred dollars in an apartment in Diamondback?” Ollie asked incredulously.

“Yes. I’ve never been robbed. I’ve been living there for almost three months, and I’ve never been robbed. I figured it was safe.”

“Where’d you live before then?”

“Downtown. In the Quarter.”

“Where’d you meet Oscar Hemmings?”

“At a party, I think.”

“When?”

“Oh, six, seven months ago.”

“How long have you been engaged?”

“Oh, four or five months.”

“You got engaged before you moved into the apartment on Saint Sebastian?”

“Yes.”

“Who paid to have the apartment redone?”

“Oscar.”

“Oscar personally? Or Diamondback Development?”

“Diamondback Development, I think. That’s their business, you know. Buying these old buildings and fixing them up.”

“Oh, have all the apartments in that building been fixed up?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“But not the outside of the building.”

“No, not the outside.”

“Why’s that?”

“Gee, I don’t know,” Rosalie said. “Maybe they didn’t want to spend the extra money. To fix up the outside, I mean.”

“Who else lives in that building?” Hawes asked.

“Lots of people.”

“Know any of them?”

“I don’t have much to do with my neighbors,” Rosalie said.

“You say you met Oscar six or seven months ago. Where was that? In Diamondback, or down in the Quarter?”

“Well, actually, I met him in Vegas.”

“Vegas? What were you doing there?”

“I used to go there weekends. When I was living on the Coast.”

“Oh, did you live in California?” Hawes asked.

“Yes. I was born in California. I only came here recently. After I met Oscar.”

“What kind of work did you do on the Coast?” Ollie asked.

“Secretarial.”

“Full or part time?”

“Well, part time mostly.”

“Who’d you work for?”

“Lots of different companies.”

“And you used to go to Las Vegas every weekend, is that right?”

“Well, not every weekend.”

“Just some weekends.”

“Yes, just some.”

“And that’s where you met Oscar Hemmings.”

“Yes.”

“At a party there, right?”

“Yes, at a party.”

“And then you came East and started working for Diamondback Development.”

“Yes.”

“And living with Oscar.”

“Yes. After we got engaged.”

“In a building renovated by Diamondback Development.”

“Yes.”

“Are you a hooker, Miss Waggener?” Hawes asked.

“No. Oh, no.”

“Ever been arrested, Miss Waggener?”

“No.”

“Sure about that?”

“Well, minor things.”

“Like what?”

“Traffic violations.”

“Here or in California?”

“California.”

“Where’d you live out there?”

“In LA.”

“Would you mind if we called the Los Angeles Police Department to find out whether or not you were ever arrested for anything more serious than a traffic violation?”

“I don’t see any reason for you to do that.”

“Why not?”

“I may decide to go back to California one day. I don’t want the police there to have me listed as somebody questionable.”

“Questionable?”

“Well, somebody you were asking questions about.”

“You don’t want us to call the German police, you don’t want us to call the LA police, you don’t want us to call American Express, or any of the other traveler’s checks companies...”

“I took cash with me, I told you that.”

“That’s a lot of people you don’t want us to call, Miss Waggener.”

“You said I’m not being charged with anything. Okay, so why should I allow you to pry into my personal life?”

“We’re going to call Los Angeles, anyway. We’re also going to call Las Vegas.”

“Why?”

“To see if you’ve got an arrest record.”

“Okay, okay,” Rosalie said.

“We can call?”

“No, you don’t have to call.”

“You want to tell us about it?”

“I was arrested once for prostitution on the Coast.”

“Uh-huh,” Hawes said.

“You still hooking?” Ollie asked.

“No.”

“What’s that fancy building on St. Sebastian? It’s a whorehouse, ain’t it?”

“Gee, I couldn’t tell you. It’s where I live.”

“Is Oscar Hemmings a pimp?”

“No. Oh, no,” Rosalie said.

“We’re going to visit that building again, you know,” Carella said. “To find out who else is living there.”

“Well, they’re just ordinary tenants,” Rosalie said.

“Like you?” Ollie asked.

“I haven’t had any trouble with the police since that time in LA,” Rosalie said.

“That only means you haven’t been caught lately,” Ollie said.

“Well,” Rosalie said, and shrugged. “Is it okay if I smoke?”

“Sure,” Ollie said, and then held a lighted match to the cigarette she took from her handbag.

“What do you know about Diamondback Development?” Carella asked.

“Oh, not much.”

“Who put up the money to form the company, would you know that?”

“No, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t know that.”

“Was it Oscar Hemmings?”

“I really couldn’t say.”

“You want to tell us why you really went to visit Chase?”

“I already told you. To do some letters for him.”

“Let’s drop the secretarial crap, okay?” Ollie said.

“That’s what I am,” Rosalie said flatly. “A secretary. I’ve got no record in this city, and you can’t prove I’m anything but a secretary.”

“Unless we catch you screwing a sailor,” Ollie said.

“I don’t screw sailors,” Rosalie said. “Not even on the Coast, I didn’t screw sailors.”

“What do you screw?” Ollie asked. “Niggers?”

“Will you please cut that out?” Carella said.

“Cut what out?” Ollie asked.

“Anyway, my private life is none of your business,” Rosalie said.

“Unless you do it for money.”

“Everybody does everything for money,” Rosalie answered.

“Who gave you the money you took to Germany?” Carella asked.

“I told you. I saved it.”

“Are you going to tell us the names of your relatives?”

“No.”

“Then we’re going to have to get a subpoena requiring you to testify before the grand jury. Let me explain this fully to you, Miss Waggener. We’re investigating an arson, and we have good cause to believe that Diamondback Development was somehow involved with it. We have enough evidence right this minute to arrest Robinson Worthy...”

“Then arrest him,” Rosalie said.

“...and charge him with complicity in the crime of arson, in which case the grand jury would subpoena you to testify as a witness.”

“A witness to what? Arson? You’re out of your mind.”

“If you tell us what you know, you can save yourself a lot of trouble later. What do you say?”

“I’ve told you everything I know.”

“Let me tell you what the grand jury’s going to ask, okay?”

“Sure.”

“They’re going to inform you, first of all, that the man whose factory was burned down is named Roger Grimm. They’re also going to inform you that he was doing business with a packing firm called Bachmann Speditionsfirma in Bremerhaven, and that Bachmann acknowledged receiving payment for his services on July twenty-sixth, a day after you arrived in Bremen, which is about fifty kilometers from Bremerhaven. They are then going to ask you, under oath, whether or not you delivered any amount of cash to Bachmann on the date mentioned in his letter. If you refuse to answer...”

“Why would I refuse? I never heard of Erhard Bachmann, and I never delivered any money to him.”

“Then how do you know his full name?” Carella said instantly.

“What?” Rosalie said.

“How do you know it’s Erhard Bachmann?”

“Erhard’s a common German name,” Rosalie said.

“So’s Fritz,” Ollie said.

“I... I don’t know how I happened to... to guess it.”

“Maybe she’s in this deeper than we figured,” Ollie said, in an apparent confidential aside to Carella.

“Maybe so,” Carella said. “You think we can charge both Worthy and her?”

“I don’t see why not,” Hawes said.

“Charge me with what?” Rosalie said.

“Arson. Accessory to the crime of arson.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with burning down Grimm’s warehouse,” Rosalie said. “All I did...”

“Yeah, what?” Ollie said.

“I took the money to Germany.”

“What money?”

“The money Alfie gave me.”

“Who’s Alfie? Are you talking about Chase?”

“Yes.”

“You took money from Chase and delivered it to Bachmann?”

“Yes.”

“Cash?”

“Yes.”

“How much?”

Rosalie hesitated.

“How much, goddamnit!” Ollie shouted.

“Half a million dollars,” Rosalie said.

“For what? What was Chase buying?”

“I don’t know. I only had instructions to deliver the money.”

“Whose money was it? Chase’s or Diamondback Development’s?”

“I don’t know.”

“Let’s put it another way, Miss Waggener. Did Oscar Hemmings or Robinson Worthy know about your trip to Germany?”

“No.”

“They did not know you went to Germany with five hundred thousand dollars that Chase gave you?”

“That’s right.”

“I thought you were living with Hemmings.”

“I am. I told him I was going to the Coast, to visit my mother.”

“Why’d you lie to him?”

“Because he... he can get mean sometimes. He... beats me sometimes.”

“What’s with you and Chase?” Ollie asked.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? And he handed you five hundred grand to take to Germany for him? Come off it, sweetie!”

“All right, we... we have a thing.”

“Does Hemmings know about this ‘thing’?”

“Of course not.”

“You’re fooling around with Chase behind Hemmings’s back, is that right?”

“We’re not fooling around, we’re in love.”

“Oh, forgive me,” Ollie said, bowing from the waist. “I didn’t realize it was love. Please do forgive me.”

“Why didn’t you tell Hemmings you were going to Germany?” Carella asked.

“Alfie asked me not to.”

“Was it Alfie’s own money you took to Germany?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, if Alfie asked you not to tell his partners about the trip to Germany...”

“That’s right.”

“Then it must have been his own money, wouldn’t you say? Unless he stole it from the company.”

“Alfie is not a thief!”

“Then it was his own money, right?”

“I guess so.”

“Yes or no?”

“Yes.”

“He told you it was his own money?”

“Yes, he told me.”

“Where’d he get that kind of money?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why’d he give it to Erhard Bachmann?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know anything about the deal with Bachmann?”

“Nothing.”

“Has it got something to do with little wooden animals?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why’d you double-cross Hemmings?” Hawes asked.

“I didn’t!” Rosalie said indignantly. “Alfie offered me something better, that’s all.”

“Better than marriage?”

“Marriage? What are you talking about?”

“You said you and Hemmings were engaged.”

“No,” Rosalie said. “I work for him, pure and simple. I’m a whore, okay? I’m part of a stable, okay? And I’m sick of it. Which is why I threw in with Alfie.”

“How many girls in the stable?” Ollie asked.

“About thirty.”

“All in that building on Saint Sebastian?”

“No. There’re only twelve of us there. Oscar’s got two other places, I don’t know exactly where.”

“Who’s on the take?” Ollie asked.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Who’s the cop being paid off? You can’t have a steady stream of Johns marching into a building without somebody noticing. Now, who’s being paid off?”

“It’s not a steady stream,” Rosalie said. “It’s a very high-priced operation.”

“How much do you get?”

“Two, three hundred a night.”

“And you say Alfie offered you a better deal?”

“Not that kind of deal. Not prostitution. He promised he’d talk to Oscar and get me out of the life. He said if I stuck with him there’d be lots of money for both of us in the future.”

“Money?” Ollie said. “My, my. And here I thought it was only love.”

“Money, too,” Rosalie said.

“How much money?”

“Alfie said there’d be millions. He said he’d be a millionaire.”

“Where’d Alfie get the five hundred grand he sent to Germany?” Ollie asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Is he in on the whorehouse operation?”

“No. That’s Oscar’s alone.”

“Is Oscar the moneyman behind Diamondback Development?”

“I think so. I don’t know. I really don’t know too much about the company’s finances.”

“Are they buying those buildings to convert into whore-houses?”

“I really don’t know.”

“But you said they’re not into that end of it. That’s Oscar’s alone.”

“That’s right.”

“So what are they into?”

“I don’t know.”

“What’s Alfie’s business with Erhard Bachmann?”

“I don’t know.”

“Was Bachmann expecting you when you got to Germany?”

“Yes. But I used a phony name. Alfie told me to use a phony name.”

“What did Bachmann say when you gave him the money?”

“He said ‘Danke sehr.’ ”

That was the end of their little chat with Rosalie Waggener. They figured, by that time, that she had either told them all she knew or all she was willing to tell. They thanked her very much (in English), and asked her to wait in the room down the hall. From what they could gather, Chase and Grimm seemed to be equal partners in the little-wooden-animal business. Without Worthy and Hemmings knowing about it, Chase had paid $500,000 of his own money to Grimm’s packer in Germany, and Grimm (before his devastating warehouse fire) had been ready to pay another $500,000 for the cargo when it reached America. According to Grimm’s own estimate, the resale value of the cargo was one million dollars. The three cops investigating the case knew very little about high-level business transactions involving astronomical figures. They knew only that tangled are the webs we weave when first we practice to deceive, and they further knew that nobody invests a million bucks hoping merely to break even.

It looked like time for a little game of poker.