Chapter 43

BETH PUT A NOTE on my desk when she came in.

“Read this,” she said.

Your husband had betrayed me.

For this you both shall die.


“Your husband has seen this?”

“Yes. He said it was a hoax and not to worry.”

“But you are worried.”

“I’m terrified. For both of us. Who would send such a thing?”

“I’ll talk with him,” I said.

“I promised my husband I would say nothing to anyone,” Beth said.

“Except Estelle,” I said. “And Gary. And me.”

Estelle sat beside Beth across the desk from me and said nothing. The loyal, self-effacing friend.

“I’m frightened,” Beth said. “I have to confide in someone. Estelle and Gary both urged me to see you.”

I nodded.

“Why does your husband not want you to tell anyone?”

“I don’t know. Since that time in his office, when you were there with those black men, he’s changed. He’s very curt with me.”

“So I cannot discuss this with him,” I said.

“No,” she said. “I promised him.”

“Promised him not to let him know you told anyone?”

“What’s the difference,” Beth said. “Will you help me?”

“Why not just leave him,” I said. “Get out of town.”

“And do what?” Beth said. “I’m thirty-four years old, and my only skill is undressing and lying on my back. Besides, that wouldn’t protect him.”

“Does he give you much money?” I said.

“He monitors every dime.”

“So what about my fee?”

“Fee?”

“Yeah, I do this for a living,” I said.

“I… But my life, our life, is in danger,” Beth said.

“Can’t you help her?” Estelle said. “Maybe we can find a way to pay you.”

“Tell me more about the danger,” I said.

“I don’t know more,” she said. “I know Chet does a lot of business with people he’s never introduced me to. I know many of them are dangerous. And I know Chet is very… his word is cute… in his business practices.”

“Boo and Zel still around?”

“They’re taking care of Chet.”

“Why not stay with Chet?”

“I can’t stand to be with him like that all the time.”

“And he’s provided you no security?” I said.

“No. He doesn’t seem to love me anymore.”

“Hard to imagine,” I said. “So you stay with him for the money. Why’s he stay with you?”

“Sex.”

“Well, as long as there’s a bond,” I said. “What would you want me to do?”

“Can’t you provide security?”

“For no fee?” I said. “Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week? For how long?”

“I… I don’t know,” she said.

I sat. The two women sat. I didn’t like the story. Didn’t mean it wasn’t true. But I didn’t like it.

“I need to think about this,” I said.

“And what do I do while you’re thinking?” Beth said.

“We’ll go to a hotel,” I said. “I’ll register, and you’ll stay there. I’ll see that you’re safe in the room. Room service, whatever. Estelle can stay with you if she wants to. When I go, you lock the door. And you don’t open it for anybody until I come by for you in the morning… and we’ll go from there.”

“Will you stay with me?” Beth said.

“No.”

“We could have an awfully good time if you did,” Beth said.

“No,” I said. “We couldn’t.”

Beth stood up suddenly.

“Oh, go to hell,” she said.

She turned and stalked out of my office. Estelle looked at me and shrugged and went after Beth.

I continued to sit at my desk. It was not clear to me what had just happened. On the other hand, it often wasn’t, and I’d gotten used to it.


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