Skin Deep

45

Steve lay in bed and stared up into the black.

In the Middle Ages, people believed in the bifurcated soul. Unable to explain the mechanism of dreams, they were convinced that when someone slept, a spiritual double—a doppelganger—separated itself to go roaming on its own, oftentimes wandering into the world to do mischief. It was the same folk mind that created legends of werewolves, vampires, and other shape-shifters—monstrous doubles that acted out dark passions. But this was the twenty-first century, and nobody believed in doppelgangers. Yet, was it not possible that given the right combination of chemicals and psychic makeup he could have left that pub and under some brute autopilot driven to 123 Payson Road, rung the doorbell, followed her up those stairs, and taken a stocking to her?

That, like Dr. Jekyll, he had created his own evil twin?

At around two A.M., Steve was still rolling around in the sheets. So he got up and took two tabs of Ativan that knocked him into a black hole where he remained like dead until his alarm startled him at seven thirty. He took a shower and made a pot of strong coffee to flush the muck out of his brain. He was getting dressed in the bedroom when he heard his PDA ringing.

It sat on the night table. He stared at it while it jangled, the pull of his Glock in the bureau drawer. The horse between two haystacks, as his mother used to say. He paused. On the fourth ring he reached for the PDA. The caller ID had a North Shore number that he didn’t recognize.

“Lieutenant Markarian?”

“Speaking.”

“This is Alice Dion from the Kingsbury Club. I’m sorry to bother you so early at this hour, but I was wondering if we could talk.”

“Okay.”

“I saw the story about the suspect you’ve got, the English professor? So it’s probably nothing and maybe just a waste of your time.”

“Go ahead.”

“Well, it’s been bothering me ever since last week. And, God forbid, that I want to cause any trouble or anything like that, especially since you made an arrest.”

“I understand.”

“But I don’t want to do this over the phone.”

“Okay,” he said, thinking, You’re wasting both our time, lady. “Maybe you can just give me some idea what it’s about.”

“One of Terry’s clients. I think it was more than a professional relationship.”

“Uh-huh.”

“But the thing is you already made an arrest, so it’s probably nothing….”

And you’re right. But he said, “Let me get the file with the client list.”

“I don’t think you’ll need that.”

After a long pause, he heard her say, “It’s Neil French.”

“Neil French?”

“Yes. But you may already know they were involved, right? I’m not telling you anything you already don’t know, am I? I mean, I don’t want to get anybody in trouble or anything.”

“Sergeant French has made us aware that he and Terry were friends.”

“I didn’t know. From what I could tell, they kept their relationship pretty quiet.”

Steve felt his brain suddenly take focus. “What are you saying?”

“It’s not just me. Michelle San Marco, another trainer, she knows more about it than I do because she and Terry talked a lot. I think maybe you should talk to her, too.”

“Okay.” He jotted down the address and telephone numbers she recited.

“I don’t mean to impose on you, but we’re wondering if we can do this pretty soon? I’ll be free after eleven this morning.”

“I’ll meet you then.”

“That would be great.” She hedged again. “It’s just that I don’t want to cause any problems.”

“What kind of problem?”

“I’m kind of nervous telling you this because he’s a police officer and you’ve already made an arrest, but you said if I knew of any personal relations she had to let you know.”

She was worried about repercussions from Neil, possibly from a perceived notion of “blue wall” damage control specialists who might make her regret calling. “You did the right thing.”

More silence of the open line. Then she said, “Except that…”

“Except what?”

“Well, it’s just that I think he’s got something of a temper.”

“Uh-huh…”

He could hear her hemming and hawing. “It probably means nothing, but I…well…they had a fight one day at the club. I didn’t even know they were seeing each other.”

“And…?”

“And…well, they had some words inside then went out to the parking lot. I couldn’t hear what they said, but I could see them through the window, and it got pretty heated because he said something she didn’t like and she slapped him in the face. Then he grabbed her by the neck and pushed her against a car. If someone hadn’t pulled in I don’t know what would have happened. He took off and she came in crying, didn’t say anything, just got her things and left.”

“When was this?”

“About two months ago. Just before he quit coming to the club.”

“Have you seen him or talked to him recently?”

“Just to say hello at the funeral. All I’m saying is that they were friends, which is what you asked.”

“I’m sure that it’s nothing more than what it seems.” They agreed on a place to meet and she said she would bring Michelle. “In the meantime I think it’s best to say nothing to anyone else.”

“No, of course.”

When he hung up he stared blankly at the photo of Terry Farina in the file on his lap.

Jesus!