Let Me Call You Sweetheart

54

At four o’clock, Joe Palumbo received delivery of an Express Mail package with the return address of Wayne Stevens in Oakland, California. He immediately slit it open and eagerly reached inside for the two stacks of snapshots held together with rubber bands. A note was clipped to one of them.

It read:

Dear Mr. Palumbo,

The full impact of Susie’s death hit me only after I began putting these photos together for you. I am so sorry. Susie was not an easy child to raise. I think these pictures tell the story. My daughters were very attractive from the time they were infants. Susie was not. As the girls grew up, that led to intense jealousy and unhappiness on Susie’s part.

Susie’s mother, my wife, had great difficulty watching her stepdaughters enjoy their teen years while her own child was so desperately insecure and basically friendless. I’m afraid the situation caused a great deal of friction in our home. I think I always entertained the hope that a mature and well-adjusted Susie would show up at the door one day and have a wonderful reunion with us. She had many gifts that she did not appreciate.

But for now, I hope these pictures will help.

Sincerely,

Wayne Stevens

Twenty minutes later, Joe went into Kerry’s office. He dropped the snapshots on her desk. “Just in case you think Susie-sorry, I mean Suzanne-became a beauty because of a new hairdo,” he commented.

At five o’clock, Kerry phoned Dr. Smith’s office. He had already left for the day. Anticipating that, she next asked, “Is Mrs. Carpenter available?”

When Kate Carpenter came to the phone, Kerry said, “Mrs.

Carpenter, how long have you been with Dr. Smith?”

“Four years, Ms. McGrath. Why are you asking?”

“Well, from something you said, I had an idea that you had been with him longer than that.”

“No.”

“Because I wanted to know if you were there when Dr. Smith either operated on his daughter, Suzanne, or had a colleague operate on her. I can tell you what she looked like. In your office I saw two patients and asked their names. Barbara Tompkins and Pamela Worth are both dead ringers for Dr. Smith’s daughter, at least as she looked after extensive plastic surgery, not as she was born.”

She heard the woman gasp. “I didn’t know Dr. Smith had a daughter,” Mrs. Carpenter said.

“She died nearly eleven years ago, murdered, as the jury decided, by her husband. He is still in prison and continues to protest his innocence. Dr. Smith was the principal witness against him.”

“Ms. McGrath,” Mrs. Carpenter said, “I feel terribly disloyal to the doctor, but I think it’s very important that you speak to Barbara Tompkins immediately. Let me give you her number.” Then the nurse explained about the frightened woman’s call.

“Dr. Smith is stalking Barbara Tompkins!” Kerry said, as her mind raced with the possibilities of what such an action might mean.

“Well, following her, anyhow,” Mrs. Carpenter said defensively.

“I have both her numbers, home and office.”

Kerry took them. “Mrs. Carpenter, I must talk to Dr. Smith and I doubt very much that he will agree to see me. Is he going to be in tomorrow?”

“Yes, but he has a very full schedule. He won’t be done until sometime after four o’clock.”

“I’ll be there then, but don’t tell him I’m coming.” A question occurred to Kerry. “ Does Dr. Smith own a car?”

“Oh, yes. His home is in Washington Mews. He lives in a converted carriage house and it has a garage, so it’s easy for him to keep one.”

“What kind of car does he drive?”

“The same one he’s always driven. A four-door Mercedes sedan.”

Kerry gripped the phone. “What color is it?”

“Black.”

“You say ‘always driven.’ You mean he always selects a black Mercedes sedan?”

“I mean he drives the same one he’s driven for at least twelve years. I know, because I’ve heard him talking about it to one of his patients who happens to be a Mercedes executive.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Carpenter.” As Kerry returned the receiver to its cradle, Joe Palumbo reappeared. “Hey, Kerry, was Skip Reardon’s mother in here to see you?”

“Yes.”

“Our Leader saw and recognized her. He was rushing out to a meeting with the governor. He wants to know what the hell she was doing in here asking for you.”