'Tell me about the night Adam died.'
Paul took a deep breath. 'He set us up beautifully.'
I know all about that. What happened after he caught you and Carol in| bed?'
Paul Duncan rubbed his eyes with his palms. 'He went berserk. He started calling Carol names. Awful names. We tried to talk to him, but what could we say? After a while he told her he wanted a divorce and ran out.'
'What did you do then?'
'I went home.'
'Did you stop on the way?'
'No.'
'Anybody who can confirm you were home?'
'I live alone.'
'Anybody who can confirm you were home?' Myron repeated.
'No, dammit. That's why Carol and I didn't tell anyone. We know how it would look.'
'Not good,' Myron agreed.
'I didn't kill him. I wronged him. I was a terrible friend. But I didn'tkill him.'
Myron gave a small shoulder shrug. 'You seem like a pretty good candidate, Paul. You lied about the night of his murder. You were having a long-term affair with his wife, a wife who could marry you only if her husband died. He confronted you two in his bed on the night of the murder. His missing daughter was the only person who knew aboutthe the secret liaison. Her photograph appears in a magazine published by your source. No, Paul, I'd say it looks pretty goddamn shitty.'
'I had nothing to do with any of that.'
'What did you do with Kathy's pictures?'
'I gave them to Adam, of course.'
'Did you keep any for yourself? Maybe as a little souvenir?'
'Of course not!'
'And you never saw any of the pictures again?'
'Never.'
'Yet somehow Kathy's picture ended up in a porno mag.'
Paul nodded slowly.
'A porno mag published by your buddy Fred Nickler.'
Another nod.
'So now comes the big question, Paul: How did Kathy's picture end up in Nickler's magazine?'
Using both arms for leverage Paul Duncan stood. He moved to the television and flicked it off. The junior dancers faded away. The dog did not move. Paul studied the blank screen for a while and then said, 'It's going to sound crazy.'
I'm listening.'
'Adam arranged it. He put Kathy's picture in that magazine.'
Myron waited. His spine began to tingle.
'I don't understand it, either,' Paul continued. 'Nickler called me yesterday. He was all upset, said you were nosing around and realizing something was up. I had no idea what he was talking about. Then he explained it to me. Adam had told Nickler to put that picture in his magazine. You see, Adam had met Nickler when we were trying to find the photographer's studio. So Adam went back to him, pretended he was still working on a case with me. He told Nickler to put Kathy's picture in Gary Grady's ad. He also told him not to say anything if anybody asked about it except to give out Gary's alias and address.'
'Enough clues,' Myron said, 'so someone would find Grady.'
'It seems so, yes.'
'Did Nickler tell you why he placed the picture only in Nips?'
'No. I can call and ask him, if you'd like.'
Myron shook his head. 'Not necessary.'
'That's all I know. I can't for the life of me figure out what Adam was doing. Maybe he wanted to set up Grady. Or maybe he just snapped. But the truth is, I have no idea why Adam would put his own daughter's picture in that magazine.'
Myron rose. He had a very good idea why.
Win gazed into the mirror. Despite the fact that the hour was closing in on midnight, his evening was just beginning. He patted his hair, smiled at his reflection, and said, 'God, I am handsome.'
Myron grunted.
'Are you going to call Jessica?' Win asked.
'I want to go over it again.'
'Now?'
'Now.'
'And make my nubile lass wait?'
'She'll survive.'
'You don't understand. This girl is very special to me.'
'What's her last name?'
Win thought a moment, shrugged. 'Okay, what do you wish to revive 'I've told you everything I know,' Myron said. 'I want to know how; you see it.'
Win turned away from the antique mirror. His Central Park WE apartment had been a gift from his grandfather. It was huge, worth millions, and decorated like Versailles. Myron was afraid to touch anything. He was sitting in an antique chair with wooden arms digging into his ribs.
'Do you mind if I break the case down into three separate entities?' he said.
'Whatever you want.'
'Fine. Then let us begin. Entity one: Kathy Culver's disappearance.
During her senior year of high school, Kathy's personality changed for reasons her mother has now revealed to you. Kathy then sought to hurt her mother with promiscuity. Ergo the lewd photographs, which Kathy showed to Carol. But Kathy Culver did not see the danger in her actions. She took it for granted that she could just end it whenever she so desired. But that was not the case. When she wanted to stop - when she met Christian, it seemed she could not just backslide out.'
Myron nodded.
'Enter Mr Junior Horton. He decided to cash inand persue Kathy Culver through blackmail. Kathy agreed to pay him in exchange for silence and photographs. On the night in question Mr Horton called Kathy at her sorority house. She agreed to meet him in the locker room. Once there, she was gang-raped by Junior Horton and several cohorts.'
Win stopped and moved toward a decanter. 'Care for a little cognac?'
'No, thanks.'
He poured some into a snifter. 'The rape bent her past the breaking point,' he continued. 'She snapped. She suddenly craved redemption and justice above all else. So she headed immediately to Dean Gordon's office to report the attack. Dean Gordon had been her employer, and she probably considered him a friend. She told him what had happened to her in the locker room. His reaction was either superfluous or detrimental to her resolve. Take your pick.'
'Probably detrimental,' Myron added.
'Yes, probably detrimental. Either way, Kathy left Dean Gordon's house disheartened. She walked around the campus in a sort of catatonic daze, I imagine. Ricky Lane approached her. He apologized and gave her the panties - that is, evidence of the crime against her. After that - who knows?
We slam into a big brick wall. The only thing we know for sure is that the panties were found on top of a waste bin several days later. Are there any questions so far?'
Myron shook his head.
'Then let's move on to Entity two: Adam Culver's involvement. Sometime after Kathy disappears, her father finds the lewd photographs of his little princess in the attic. We know that they were hidden there by Carol Culver. But Adam, I am sure, did not realize that. He would have naturally assumed that Kathy had hidden them there. He would also have naturally assumed that the pictures were connected to his daughter's disappearance.'
'Logical,' Myron agreed.
'Yes, quite.' Win twirled his cognac, studying the color. 'Adam Culver then enlists the aid of Paul Duncan in his investigation. They track down the photographs' place of origin with the help of Fred Nickler. They also find out about Gary Grady. They continue their investigation, but nothing new develops. Paul wants to give up. Adam is desperate - so desperate that he tries to draw out the assailant in a most unorthodox manner.'
Win paused, considering. 'Here,' he said, 'is where it gets very interesting.
We know Adam Culver had the photographs. We know he arranged to have them put in a pornographic magazine. I find it significant that the picture was placed only in Nips magazine.'
Myron leaned forward. They were on the same wavelength. 'The magazine with the smallest - almost nonexistent - circulation.'
That fact disturbed you from the beginning,' Win said.
Myron nodded. 'Someone didn't want that magazine seen by a lot of People.'
'Like her father.'
'Right.'
'And,' Win continued, 'we know that Ad
am Culver liked to frequent the casinos of Atlantic City. He might have met your friend Blackjack during one of his visits or at least heard his name. He could have hired someone else to forge his daughter's handwriting. He probably had a tape with her voice from an old answering machine. Ergo, Adam Culver set the whole thing up. He sent out the magazine to everyone who might have been involved in Kathy's disappearance. Her fiance, for one. People in the picture, like Junior Horton.'
'Why did he send one to his wife?' Myron asked.
'I don't know.'
'And Dean Gordon?'
'Perhaps the dean was in one of those attic photographs. Or perhaps Adam found out about Kathy's visit to the dean's house that night. Most likely Adam was merely considering every possibility. But it's not really that' relevant to the case. What is relevant, however, is the question of why Adam did not once again enlist the help of Paul Duncan.'
'Because,' Myron said, 'Adam found out that Paul was sleeping withhis wife.'
Win nodded. 'Paul was no longer a friend or trustworthy. Adam was now on his own. He sent the package to Sir Blackjack, making sure it would never be traced back to him. Then Adam set up his second little operation, the one on his wife and Paul. He walked in on them, ran out,; was killed.'
'So who murdered him?' Myron said.
Win put down the snifter on a harpsichord from the seventeenth century.
He steepled his fingers, bouncing them gently off one another. 'There are two strong possibilities,' he said. 'First, Paul Duncan. We cannot dismiss him. He had motive and opportunity. Second, Adam wanted to wind up the killer, that much is clear. But perhaps the magazine stirred up more trouble than he'd anticipated.'
'Except for one thing,' Myron interjected. 'The magazines hadn'tbeen sent out yet. Adam was dead two days before Blackjack mailed them.'
'So perhaps someone discovered what Adam was up to before they were mailed?'
'Otto Burke?'
Win shrugged.
'But Otto has no connection to Kathy Culver,' Myron said.
'None that we are aware of. Which leads us to Entity three: unknowns. A major unknown, as I see it, is Nancy Serat. We can assume that she gave Adam Culver valuable information. But we do not know who killed her. Or what she meant when she told Christian it was time for sisters to reunite. And we especially do not know why Kathy Culver's hair was found on her dead body.'
Win rechecked his hair. Perfect. He smiled, winked, did everything but kiss his own reflection. 'We also have no explanation for Adam Culver's cabin in the woods. He could have become desperate enough to grab suspects and do his own interrogations. Or he could have been seeking retribution for all in the wicked photographs. On someone like Gary Grady.
Or Junior Horton. But for some reason my mind cannot fully accept either of these rationales.'
Myron nodded. It didn't feel right to him either.
'And so now we've reached the final unknown. The most significant unknown of all: Miss Kathy Culver herself. Is she alive? Is she behind all this? Is she involved in any way at all?'
Win picked the snifter off the harpsichord. He took a sip of cognac, let it roll around his tongue, swallowed. 'The end.'
They both sat in silence. Myron churned the facts through his head yet again. None of them changed. Win studied his face.
'This was all a mental exercise,' Win said. 'A test drive, as it were.'
Myron said nothing.
'You know what happened. You knew before I said a word.'
Myron handed Win the telephone. 'Cancel your date. We have a lot of work to do.'
The memorial service.
Myron slipped in late and ducked behind a pillar. He was in desperate need of a shower, a shave, a nap. And he looked it.
He spotted Jessica in the front pew. She sat on one side of her mother with Edward on the other. All three were crying.
The priest delivered the standard death spiel like an actor who knew his lines too well. Nothing new or original was said. There was no coffin, or well-dressed corpse in peaceful repose. The priest seemed bothered by this, by the absence of his customary prop. He kept motioning down cue, only to draw back when he realized that there was nothing in front of him.
Myron stayed out of sight. The church was crowded. Paul Duncan sat in the second row, directly behind Carol. Every once in a while Paul put his hand on her shoulder, but he'd never leave it there for long.
Appearances. Christian was next to him, head lowered in prayer. Otto Burke and Larry Hanson were a few rows back. Good PR move. The pr would undoubtedly be made aware of Otto Burke's heartfelt concern for! players' personal plights. Again, appearances.
Win was near the back. To his right sat Sally Li. Her face looked drawnas if she could use a cigarette. Myron had spoken to her late last night. She had done the test. It had come out as he'd suspected.
Dean Gordon and his wife Madelaine were off to the left. Dean looked grim. Madelaine Gordon looked good in black. Myron recognized a few other faces in the crowd, but he couldn't put a name or place to them. It didn't matter.
The priest made a few last comments about the hereafter, God's will, reuniting with the beloved in Heaven. Jessica's sob racked her whole body.
No one put an arm around her. No one comforted her. She looked frail. Myron felt a lump rise in his throat.
Here we go.
When the ceremony ended, Myron did not hesitate. He ran purposively down the aisle. Jessica ran toward him without hesitating.
They hugged, both closing their eyes. The mourners turned away and began to head for the exit. Win kept close to Otto Burke, Larry Hanson, and Dean Gordon.
Jessica finally released her grip. 'Where were you?' she asked.
Myron swallowed. He nodded to Paul Duncan, shook hands with Edward and Christian, lightly kissed Carol on the cheek.
'I don't know how to say this,' Myron said.
'What's the matter?'
He looked her straight in the eye. 'I found Kathy. She's alive.'
The group went silent.
Jessica opened her mouth, closed it.
'I'm meeting her tonight,' Myron said.
Jessica finally found her voice. 'I don't understand.'
'It's a long story. But she's alive. I'll bring her home to you tonight.'
Jessica looked at Carol. Carol looked back. Everyone looked at everyone else.
'I'll go with you,' Jessica said.
'You can't.'
'Like hell I can't.'
'I promised her,' Myron said. 'Just me. Alone. She's scared.'
'Of what?'
'Of the person who tried to kill her.'
'Who?'
Myron shook his head. 'She wouldn't tell me. Not on the phone.' He took hold of Jessica's hand. It was cold and stiff. Like marble. 'I'll bring her right in to the house. I promise. We'll all talk then. But we can't risk scaring her off.'
Jessica shook her head. She looked lost. 'Where are you meeting her?'
'It's in the woods.'
'What woods?' Jessica pulled back a little. 'You're not making any sense.'
'I can't tell you, Jess. I promised her. Kathy said it's the spot where shewas left for dead. She wants to show me where it happened.'
More silence.
Paul Duncan said, 'Dear God.'
Carol practically fainted into his arms.
'Where has she been?' Jessica asked.
I only know bits and pieces from my investigation. She spent most of the time recovering from her injuries. She also spent some time in the Caribean.
An island called Curacao. I picked up her trail from an entry in St Mary Hospital's registry. On the night she vanished, she was found unconscious in the middle of a road. She gave her name as >>Catherine Pierce.'
Carol gasped. 'Pierce? That's my maiden name.'
I don't know all the details yet. She was hit over the head.
The blow cracked her skull. The assailant thought she was dead. But she wasn't. He buried her in the woods. She woke up an
d managed to dig herself out. It's a miracle she survived.'
Jessica's eyes filled with tears. 'She's alive?'
'Yes.'
'You're sure?'
'Yes.'
Jessica hugged her mother then. Edward joined in. Christian and Paul watched dumbfounded. Myron turned toward the door. Win was standing there. His nod was almost imperceptible.
Myron parked his car on the dirt road. He was alone. The car's clock read 8:30 p.m. He grabbed his flashlight and headed toward the meeting spot.
The brush was thick. Several branches whipped across his face. He listened for other sounds. Crickets hummed away. Nothing else. The The flashlight sliced through the heavy darkness, carving a path for him to (follow. Myron heard his feet crunch on twigs and leaves. His mouth felt bone-dry. It always felt that way at moments like this.
He was getting close now, no more than twenty or thirty yards away.
'Kathy?' he called out.
No answer.
'It's Myron, Kathy. I'm alone.'
No reply. But then Myron heard a shuffling from in front of him. Someone came into view. A head. A head of long blond hair.
'It's okay,' Myron said gently. 'I'm here alone.'
She stepped toward him tentatively. Her right hand shaded her eyes from the flashlight's harsh glare.
Myron pointed the beam away. 'It's all right,' he said.
She continued to move toward him, a dim silhouette. Her steps were slow, plodding, like a B-movie monster come to life.
'It's okay,' Myron said again. 'No one is going to hurt you.'
'I wish that were true.'
The voice had not come from her. It had come from behind him. Myron closed his eyes. His shoulders slumped. 'Hello, Christian.' (Don't move, Mr Bolitar. Put your hands up.'
Why bother?'
'What?'
'You're going to kill us. Just like you tried to kill Kathy. Just like you did her father and Nancy.'
I never meant to hurt anybody,' he said.
But you did.'
Christian cocked the gun. 'Hands up. Now.'
Myron raised his hands slowly. 'Kathy opened up to you that night.; told you everything - every sordid detail of her past. She wanted to clean the slate.'
Deal Breaker (1995) Page 27