Skin Deep

35

When Steve returned, he hit the play button again. On the monitor, Neil had entered with two coffees and donuts. He said nothing about Pendergast’s request for a lawyer. Instead, he stood sipping and glaring down at him, waiting for him to break the tension. And he did.

“Look, I don’t want to leave the wrong impression. I didn’t mention being at her place because I knew how it’d look.”

Either he had dismissed the lawyer option in hopes of winning Neil’s approval or deep down he felt he deserved the punishment. What he did not know was that as soon as a request for legal counsel was made, the interrogation was legally over; and the only way to continue was for the witness to reinitiate it. Pendergast had done that, and Neil was off the hook.

“I hear what you’re saying, Earl.” Neil now sat across from him again. It was well into the second hour. “Let me ask you a question. What kind of car do you drive?”

“A Porsche.”

Neil looked at his notes. “A red 2006 Boxter, Mass plates 919 WMD. Well, I have news for you,” he said with wide gotcha eyes. “A witness out walking his dog saw your car down the street from Terry’s apartment. It’s a hot set of wheels he hadn’t seen there before.”

“That can’t be. I was in my apartment and didn’t leave until the next day.”

“We have no verification of that. And we’ve got a sworn affidavit you were on Payson Road.”

“I’m telling you I was home.”

“No, you weren’t home, Professor. You were at Terry Farina’s where you drank half a bottle of white wine, tried to fuck her, but something went wrong—you couldn’t get it up or whatever, so you killed her.”

For a terrible moment, Steve felt as if Neil were interrogating him.

Pendergast began to stand up. “I’ve had enough of this.”

Before he could take a step Neil stabbed his finger in Pendergast’s face. “You walk out of here and that tells me you’ve got something to hide. Sit your ass down and tell me what went on up there.”

Pendergast stood staring at Neil, probably wondering why if they had his DNA and a witness they didn’t arrest him. He lowered himself into the chair. Again he protested that he was home nursing a headache. But under Neil’s coercion, mental exhaustion crossed with medication to turn that protest into mush. His voice weakened and the fight waned, which only encouraged Neil to slam away that once a liar always a liar, that he suffered from pathological denial, which was why he didn’t remember actually killing Terry. He reviewed his sexual offenses and all the adult Web sites, showing him downloaded images, including men engaged with underage girls. It was less a review than a stoning.

Pendergast denied interest in child porn, but under threat of a charge Neil got what he was after. “I really feel bad about all that,” he said, trying not to break down.

“It’s okay, Earl. I understand.”

“I’ve got problems I’m trying to deal with. I don’t like some of the things I’ve done. I’ve hurt women.”

“How’ve you hurt them, Earl?”

“Led them on then broke things off. I’d like to find someone and settle down, but I can’t. It’s a curse.”

Neil patted Pendergast’s shoulder. “I understand, pal. Really. Lots of guys are like that.” He purred with false compassion as tears rolled down Pendergast’s face.

“I know what my problem is. I’m looking for someone to fill a void.”

“An old girlfriend?”

Pendergast shook his head and didn’t elaborate.

“It’s okay, guy. It’s okay.”

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I don’t like what I’ve done.”

Neil handed him a box of Kleenex then produced photos of Terry naked at the pole and laid them out on the table. “Look, Earl, I’m going to tell you something you can take to the bank. Right now I’m the best friend you have in the world. Okay? You’ve made some mistakes—we all do. But at this point I just want you to know that I’m here to help you from making worse mistakes that could send you to prison for the rest of your life. Okay?”

Pendergast nodded.

“Good.”

Neil was putting Pendergast in a long yes mood, creating a mind-set where he’d be less likely to lie. Four hours had passed, and Pendergast only wanted to get it over with, no matter what. Neil asked about his medications and Pendergast named antidepressants and tranquilizers, which Neil latched onto with claims that known side effects included violent fits and retrograde amnesia. “Let’s talk about the last night you were with her—last Saturday. You went over to her apartment for a little visit….” And he trailed off to let Pendergast fill in the blank.

Pendergast snapped alert. “I wasn’t at her house last Saturday.”

“Then tell me about the other time.”

“I told you. We went out to eat, then to the Regatta Bar. And I took her home.”

“Then what?”

“Then she asked me up for a glass of wine. And we talked about her application.”

“White wine. Which you’d brought, right?”

“Yes.”

“Did you bring anything else with you? A gift or anything? Flowers or a pair of stockings?”

Pendergast shook his head.

“How many glasses of wine did you have?”

“I don’t know. Maybe two.”

“There was only half a bottle of Pinot Gris found.”

“Maybe it was three. I don’t remember.”

“Did she drink the white wine also?”

He thought for a moment. “I think she had red.”

“And how many did she have?”

“I don’t recall. Maybe two.”

“Good. I like how it’s coming back to you. Then you began to make out on the couch, but that wasn’t very comfortable so you went into the bedroom.”

“No, we didn’t go into the bedroom.”

“Did you have sex?”

“No.”

“You mean you didn’t even get a kiss for all you did?”

Pendergast glared at Neil for a long moment. “Yeah, I guess.”

“You mean you made out.”

“A little.”

“A little? Why didn’t you go all the way? You had that gorgeous woman with the flaming red hair and hot bod. Mean you couldn’t get it up?”

“We didn’t have any condoms.”

“Ah, so you would have, but you didn’t want to take the chance, right?”

Pendergast nodded.

“Because she was a stripper.”

“Yeah.”

“But she wanted to have sex.”

“Yes.”

Neil pinched the bridge of his nose as if trying to squeeze back the possibilities. “It’s all coming back.” Neil seemed crazed all of a sudden. “Did you initiate it or did she?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Then maybe I can help you. You began to make a lot of kissy-face and you nuzzled your face into that thick red hair and stroked her breasts, which fired her up and she began to rub your bulge, right?” Neil’s face was bright red.

“I want to go.”

“You’re not going anywhere. You’re going to tell me what you did.”

“I-I’m tired. I don’t remember.”

“Sure, you’re tired and forgot stuff. I wasn’t there or anything, but let me guess. She then got up and went into her little routine, peeled off her dress like she was at the pole. Stripped down to her bra and thong and fancy black stockings that made your eyeballs smoke, right?”

Pendergast shook his head, too afraid to leave with Neil pacing like a leopard, narrating.

“Then she peeled off her stockings one by one and dangled them at you, right?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “And you know what I think?

I think you killed her but it wasn’t your fault. Really. You know why? Because she made you do it. I think it was really an accident.”

“No,” Pendergast pleaded.

“Yes. And it’s because she wanted to make you bad.” He snapped up a photo of her wearing only black stockings. “The thing is, Earl, Terry Farina was nothing but a little tramp. She preyed on men like you and me for money. And that’s what it was all about, money. You and a thousand other guys got suckered into laying down good money to watch her strip. But she went too far and tried to recruit you, told you you could have the real thing, right? I mean look at her.” And he spread the photos while Pendergast gaped without expression.

“I know what you like: pretty women, clean women. What normal guy doesn’t? But not the scullery maid even if she’s got gorgeous red hair. You were looking for Ms. Right, not her, because she was bad.” Neil nudged his shoulder. “Right?”

Pendergast nodded.

“You bet. She was dirty and she tried to make you dirty, and you got mad. And you know what? Maybe she got what she deserved.”

Pendergast grunted.

“Thing is, women like that get you to drop your defenses, make you act against your better judgment—create illusions and denial. It happens to me. Happens to everybody. Do something dumb and you repress it from your memory. It’s perfectly human. You’re a college professor, I needn’t tell you.”

Pendergast nodded weakly, not knowing where Neil was going.

“And that’s what happened. She was a licensed exhibitionist, probably turned tricks on the side. We’re talking your basic whore who played on men’s weaknesses, and she lured you into the bedroom.”

Up to this point, Neil had been pacing in front of Pendergast. But he circled behind him. “And there she was lying naked on the bed humping the air, teasing and taunting you. Then something went wrong. Maybe she said something that rubbed you wrong—an insult about your manhood. You were a little high from the wine and meds and she just wouldn’t let up, maybe riding your ass, playing the desperate whore. Then before you knew it, something snapped.” With that Neil produced a black stocking from his back pocket and twisted it around Pendergast’s neck.

For an instant Steve thought Neil would strangle him to death. But just as quickly he let go and pressed his face to Pendergast, who was gasping and massaging his throat. “That’s what you did. You blanked out and strangled her with that black stocking.”

“N-n-no.” He cowered from Neil, rubbing his neck.

“Yes. Yes. Yes.” And he grabbed Pendergast by his shirt and lifted him into the air. “You fucking little worm. You killed her because she was bad and wanted to make you bad.”

Pendergast shook his head. “No.”

“Fuck no!” And Neil stormed out of the room. A minute later he returned with two officers. “You’re under arrest. Take him away.”

“For what?”

“For the murder of Terry Farina. Read him his Miranda and get him the fuck out of here.”

The video came to an abrupt end.

Steve stared at the blank screen for several seconds as a rat uncurled in his gut.