“Neither do I,” Rob told him “Just remember I’ll be here. If anything extreme starts to happen, I’ll know.”
“I hope nothing does.”
“You really don’t want to do this, do you?”
“No way, Paul.”
“We could talk to Dale and tell him we’ve both decided against it.”
“But we still need to find out who tortured Mr. Winton to death. And we have to do our best not to let the other members find out what we’re doing.”
“Unfortunately,” Paul answered, “one of them already knows.”
“Mr. Yamaguchi.”
“But of all of the members, I’d trust him the most not to let anyone else know.”
“I agree. But what about Christos? You think he’ll tell anyone?”
“No, I don’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Don’t you think it would work against him?”
“In what way?”
Paul pulled open the door. “It would certainly reveal that he was near the gym. And that would reinforce the fact that he could be the killer.”
“I suppose.”
“All right, Rob. I’d better go hide.”
Rob felt a stab of fear. Even though Paul had assured him that Bill was a gentle man, who know what he might try before Paul had a chance to intervene. And if it became necessary for Paul to reveal himself, then another member would realize what was going on. If Bill told the others, that, of course, would bring an end to the investigation.
They’d decided that Rob would wait outside till Bill appeared and then pretend he’d just arrived too. So Rob backed away a few steps from the door and waited. About ten minutes later Bill arrived.
“Early, eh?” he asked Rob.
“Hello, Bill. How are you?”
“I’m fine but can’t help thinking about poor Harvey.”
“Me too.”
“About who could do such a thing and why.”
“I know.”
“I suppose we might as well go on in.”
“Okay.”
Bill opened the door and gave Rob a smile. “Go ahead,” he said and locked the door behind them. The two of them headed toward the locker area.
“Might as well get undressed,” Bill said. “though I’m not really much in the mood.”
“Oh?”
“The thing with Harvey hit me hard.”
“I understand.”
“I’m not sure you do.”
Both men undressed in front of a locker. As they talked, they folded their clothes and placed them inside on the top shelf. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you know, I’m pretty much into the same sort of thing that Harvey was.”
Rob frowned.
“What I mean is that although the techniques differ quite a bit, we’re both have a reputation of causing pain. Now Harvey is dead, and I understand he was tortured to death using the same ‘toys,’ the same sort of things he used on others…only much more to the extreme.”
“I still don’t follow what you mean, Bill.”
“Isn’t it pretty obvious?” Bill gave Rob a strange look. “Don’t you see that if this wasn’t just a one-time thing… Maybe I’m being paranoid, but suppose Harvey’s killing was only the first.”
“You mean the person who—”
“This could be the first of a number of killings.”
“A serial killer, you mean.”
“Exactly. And…”
“I see. You think that if that’s true—that Mr. Winton’s murder was only the first—you might well be the next victim.”
“Stands to reason, doesn’t it?”
“I’m sorry, Bill. I hadn’t thought of that.”
“You know, I almost called and cancelled tonight. Since I’m afraid—scared out of my mind is more like it—I worried that the killer might show up tonight and try to kill me.”
“But you changed your mind.”
“I did. And I’ll tell you why. There are two of us, and I don’t think the killer would want to face two of us at a time. And anyhow, doesn’t it stand to reason that he’d want to torture me to death. So he probably wouldn’t bring a weapon—a gun, I mean. And if that were the case, it would be difficult as hell, if not impossible, for him to tie up both of us at once.”
“You’re right.”
“Anyhow,” Bill said. “I brought my bag of tricks.” He laughed. “My bag of special toys, but you know what? I don’t feel like… You know what I mean.”
“That you don’t want to have sex?”
“Please understand. It’s not you. Hell, who wouldn’t want to squeeze every second of pleasure from fucking and sucking and playing with dildos.” He gave Rob an intense look. “Of course, not everyone’s into that sort of thing.”
“Really?” Rob kidded while feeling a big sense of relief.
“I’m glad you understand, and that you’re not upset.”
“To tell the truth, Bill, I feel the same way…even though you certainly are the sort of man to spawn a lot of fantasies.” Rob had to admit he was attracted to the man, whose chest was covered in blond fur.
“Thanks for that, at least. So we might as well get dressed again, mightn’t we?”
Rob nodded. “Fine by me.” He pulled his clothing from the top shelf and then turned back to the other man. “Do you have any ideas who the killer might be?”
Bill was just stepping into his jockey shorts. “I don’t. Oh, of course, I’ve considered who it might be. There is a former member who had a grudge against Harvey, but I can’t see his doing anything like what the killer did. I’m sure he’s the sort of person who would never consider anything like that.”
Rob realized Bill must be talking about Plimpton. “No one else?”
“Maybe one of the former employees. The boys, I mean. But I doubt it.”
“Why is that?”
“One of them did become enraged at being fired. But I really doubt he’d ever do something like this. He was much more a ‘receiver’ than a ‘taker,’ if you know what I mean.
“More a bottom, in other words. But don’t you think being fired could have made him so angry—”
“But to sustain that anger, to hold such a grudge for such a long time… No, I can’t believe it.”
“Okay, Bill. Sorry things didn’t work out.”
“There’s always the next time,” Bill said as he continued to dress.
“That certainly seemed to eliminate Bill as a suspect,” Rob commented after Bill had gone.
“Or he could have been playing a game.”
“Maybe you’re right. Is he that good an actor?”
“That’s what we’re going to have to determine, isn’t it?”
Chapter 10
Rob had gotten a couple of beers from the refrigerator and given one to Paul. Both now sat in the living room shortly after the—thank goodness—aborted sex scene with Bill. It was early yet, only a little after eight.
“Do you think it was an act with Bill?” Rob asked.
“Hard to say. Maybe he carried things a little too far when he said he wasn’t interested in sex. But I’m certainly glad he wasn’t.”
“I was too…and, like you, surprised. But I’m not sure it wasn’t an act either. Bill didn’t across to me at the meeting like someone who’d react the way he did.”
“To Harvey’s death?”
“Yes.”
“Well, it could have hit him hard, just like he said. I mean, as you know, we all build facades. We present one sort of face in a particular situation and another face under different circumstances. Like I certainly was a different person when I stood before my literature classes than I am in front of you.”
“I certainly hope so!”
“Walked into that one, didn’t I?”
“Anyhow, we really don’t know about Bill, do we?”
“Whether to suspect him or not? I guess we don’t.”
“I wish this whole thing was over.
I really don’t want to meet with any of the other members. At the gym, I mean.”
“You don’t have to, you know.”
“I do have the contract.”
“That’s true. But does it mean anything now? Dale knows the situation. Once this is over with, I’m sure he’ll want us to leave.”
“Well, I certainly hope we find the killer soon. Not merely for selfish reasons but to make sure he can’t harm any other members.”
“You think he’ll try again?”
“I certainly wouldn’t doubt it.”
“Well, nothing we can do about it now.”
Ten minutes later the two of them were snuggling together in bed.
Suddenly, someone knocked at the door.
Rob glanced at the clock on the bedside stand. It was already after 1:30 a.m.“Who on earth could that be? I can’t imagine anyone coming around this late.”
“One of the club members?”
“I’ll go see,” Rob said.
“Maybe you shouldn’t?”
“You think it might be the killer.”
“Don’t know,” Paul answered. “Who is it?” he called. There was no answer. “Who’s there?” There were no sounds except for the usual night noises of the city—horns blowing, the sound of a siren, someone yelling.
“I don’t think anyone’s there,” Rob said, “but I’m going to check.”
“Just a minute.” Paul reached for his pants and pulled out a hand gun. Unfamiliar with firearms, Rob had no idea what it was.
“Where did that come from?”
“I took it along tonight to the gym just as a precaution.”
“I didn’t even know you had a gun or knew how to shoot one.”
“Oh, yeah, I know how to use it all right. We’ll talk about it later, okay?”
“Sure.”
“Let me go to the door. There’s less danger that way.”
“I’m coming too.”
“Please stay behind me, Rob. I don’t want you to get hurt.” Paul stepped to the door and threw it open, apparently to catch the person by surprise. There was no one there.
“Look, Paul.” Rob saw a piece of paper sticking out the top of his mailbox. He pulled it out and unfolded it. It was written on cheap typing paper in block letters.
Think you’re pretty smart, don’t you, Dr. Barton? Well, maybe you’re not quite as smart as you think. Guess who!
“I can’t believe someone would do this.”
“It’s obviously the one who murdered Harvey.”
“It has to be, but it’s like the person is now taunting us.”
“Well, me, at least.”
“You know what. Maybe we’re jumping to conclusions.”
“What do you mean?”
“The note doesn’t say anything about the murder.”
Paul frowned. “But it has to be that.”
There’s nothing else you can think of that might make someone write such a note?”
“Nothing at all, Rob. It has to be connected with our investigation of Harvey’s death.”
“But how would anyone know that—besides Dale.”
“Kenta knows…but he’s completely trustworthy, I’m sure. He wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“I agree.” He paused. “Do you think Mr. Carlton could have told anyone?”
“Hmm. I doubt it, but he may have been so upset by the whole thing that he did.”
“But who?” Rob asked.
“Why don’t we call him and see,” Paul said.
“Of course.”
Both of them went inside where Paul picked up the receiver to the land line. In a moment Carlton answered. “Who is it?”
“Hi, Dale; it’s Paul. I’m at Rob’s place, and I’m going to put this on speaker phone so both of us can hear you, okay?”
“No problem.”
Paul told him about getting the note and what it said.
“It has to be the man who murdered Harvey.”
“Rob and I think so too. The problem is, who would know what we’re doing? The only one I know of is Kenta. And I’m sure he wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“How else would they find out?”
“I don’t mean to upset you, Dale. But you wouldn’t have mentioned to anyone, would you?”
Rob and Paul each took a seat.
“No, I certainly wouldn’t— Wait a minute and let me think. You know, maybe I did tell someone.”
“Who?” Rob asked.
“I don’t know. As I’m sure you surmised, I was extremely upset about Harvey’s murder.” Again, he paused. “And after I went home that night, I called the other members to tell them what had happened. And… The thing is, I don’t know exactly what I said. My emotions were totally out of control. So I may have inadvertently mentioned that you two were going to investigate.”
“Who might you have told?”
“Oh, God, I don’t remember. I don’t even remember if I actually did tell anyone. You know how it is. When you’re upset…” Carlton sighed. “It might have been any one of them?”
“Or more than one?” Paul asked, his voice gentle.
“I suppose so,” Carlton answered, “though I doubt it.”
“Any idea who would have done this? Left the note, I mean.”
“Well, it has to be one of the members,” Carlton answered.
“Any idea who?”
“No, but I suppose it could be any of them,” Carlton answered.
“Who, for instance, Mr. Carlson?” Rob asked.
“We haven’t considered Bill Cooper,” Carlton said.
“Quiet man,” Paul said. “Part of the group, and yet not part of the group?”
“What do you mean?” Rob asked.
“He’s very quiet,” Carlton answered. “Doesn’t talk much ever. Like he’s holding back for some reason.”
“But he’s part of the trio who engages in bondage and other fetishes,” Rob said.
“From what I hear,” Paul said, “it’s mostly pretend with him.”
“Make believe,” Carlton said. “It’s a fantasy, that’s all. When it comes right down to it, he really doesn’t participate in the torture.”
“Not at all?” Rob asked.
“From what I understand,” Carlton said, “Ramsey participates, at least to a degree, but the one who’s the leader, the one who by far is most aggressive, is Clyde Smithton.”
“The child psychologist,” Rob said.
“That’s right,” Carlton answered. He glanced at Rob and then at Paul. “Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but very often mental health people go into the field because of their own problems.”
“Had a friend who said just that,” Paul answered. “She was married to a psychoanalyst who finally committed suicide.”
“Sounds pretty strange to me,” Rob said.
“She told me that nearly all of the psychiatrists and psychologists she knew had a lot of problems,” Paul said. “Of course, that was just her experience or maybe a faulty memory.”
“Of course, the third member of the trio is Victor Ramsey.”
“He seemed pretty threatening the night of the meeting,” Rob said.
“Who knows?” Carlton answers. “Maybe he’s playing a role. Maybe he’s taken on this persona.”
“Any idea how much he participates with Smithton and Cooper?”
“In the bondage and whippings?” Paul asked.
Rob nodded.
“Often at the meetings he and the other two usually refuse to do anything to the…”
“Go ahead and say it, Paul,” Rob told him. “I won’t be offended. You mean the boy.”
“The employee,” Paul continued.
“Does that prove anything?” Rob asked.
“Probably not,” Paul answered. “Anyone we’ve missed?”
“Other than the fact that even though Bill doesn’t participate, he supposedly becomes very stimulated just watching. Or so I hear.”
“What about Christos or Ron? He turned to
Rob. “Ron’s the one who wanted to become an actor.
“I’m convinced it isn’t Christos,” Rob said. No one is that good an actor to have his face drain of color like his did when we told him about Harvey,” Rob said.
“I agree, but I think maybe we should talk with him again anyway,” Paul said.
“If you think he’s innocent, why waste time on him?” Carlton asked.
“Well…” It was Rob. “He was at the gym the night Harvey died.
“But he told you why,” Carlton said.
“My thought is that he may have seen something, something we didn’t.”
“Was he here that long?” Carlton asked.
“What do you mean?”
“To see who murdered Harvey?”
“Doubtful,” Paul said, “but we don’t know how long the murderer hung around. In here or possibly outside.”
“Why?”
“Voyeuristic?”
“What do you mean by that?” Carlton asked.
“He may have gotten extra kicks from either watching or waiting till someone discovered Harvey’s body,” Paul said.
“Could someone be that sick?” Rob asked.
“At any rate,” Paul said, “we’ll call Christos and talk to him about it. Maybe it’s something prosaic. Something he was hardly aware he saw. All we can do is try.”
“Whatever it takes,” Carlton said. “We have to stop this man.”
Chapter 11
“You want to see me again?” Christos asked when Rob called him.
“It’s not because we still suspect you of the murder,” Rob said. “We want to ask some questions that might stir your memory.” The land line was on speaker phone.
“Like what?” He sounded wary.
“Let’s wait till tomorrow…that is, if you can meet us.”
“I have a day off.”
“That mean you’re okay with this?”
“I suppose, though I don’t see why we can’t talk on the phone.” Suddenly, he laughed. “Here I am talking about using the phone when that’s what got me into trouble in the first place.”
“Sorry about that,” Rob said.
“What happened happened.” He sighed. “Where do you want to meet? When?”
“Up to you.”
The Old Men's Sex Club Murders Page 6