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'Feverishly?'

Myron nodded.

'In the meantime,' Win said, 'what did you learn from the photographer?'

Myron filled him in on the meeting with Lucy.

'So who bought the nude pictures?' Win asked.

'A name springs to mind,' Myron said.

'Who?'

'Adam Culver.'

'Kathy's father?'

Myron nodded. 'Think about it. The buyer was in his fifties. He wanted all copies and all negatives on the spot. He left nothing to chance.'

'The father protecting the daughter?'

'It makes sense,' Myron said.

'But Kathy was missing for over a year. How did Adam Culver suddenly learn about the photographs?'

'Maybe he knew about them all along.'

'Then why did he wait so long to buy them?'

Myron shrugged. 'We'll know more tomorrow. I'm going to send Esperanza over to the studio with a picture of Adam, see if Lucy recognizes him.'

Win took another bite of his salad. 'It's a rather strange development.'

'Yes.'

'But' - Win stopped to finish chewing - 'here is something else you may not have considered: If Adam Culver purchased all the pictures and negatives in order to protect his daughter, how did her photograph end up in the magazine?'

Myron had considered that. He just didn't have an answer.

The waitress put down the check. Myron picked up the tab for both of them. The total was $8.50. Mr Magnanimous. They drove uptown. Win lived in the San Remo building overlooking Central Park West. Very fancy address. They were on Seventy-second Street when the car phone rang.

Myron looked at his multicolored Swatch. A gift from Esperanza.

Past midnight.

'Rather late for a call to your car,' Win noted.

Myron picked up the phone. 'Hello?'

The voice came fast. 'Bolitar, it's Jake Courter. Get your ass down to St Barnabas Hospital in Livingston right away.'

'What happened?'

'Just get down here. Now.'

27

'We got the call around eleven-thirty,' Jake said, ushering Myron through the lobby of St Barnabas. Jake's face was set, his eyes red and puffy. They hurried past the circular visitors' desk and waited for an elevator.

'Is Jessica okay?' Myron asked.

'She is going to be fine,' he said. Then he added, 'Wish I could say the same about Nancy Serat.'

'What happened?'

'She was garroted with a wire.' The elevator arrived. Jake pressed the button for the fifth floor. 'When no one answered the door, Jessica let herself in through the back. The killer must have still been there. He knocked her over the head and ran. When she came to, she called us. I'd say she's pretty lucky the perp didn't waste her.'

The elevator opened with a ding. 'What room is she in?' Myron asked.

'Five fifteen.'

Myron sprinted down the corridor. He turned the corner. Jessica was in the bed, her face ashen. A doctor stood next to her, preparing a needle. Jake came up behind Myron but stayed in the doorway.

Her voice was wobbly. 'Myron?'

'I'm here,' he said, taking her hand. She looked small and frail and alone. I won't leave.'

The doctor pricked her with the needle. 'You need your rest,' he said.

'I'm fine,' Jessica insisted weakly. I want to get out of here.'

'We think it's best if you stay overnight for observation.'

'But-'

Listen to him, Jess,' Myron interrupted. 'There's nothing we can do tonight.'

The drug began to take effect. Her eyes fluttered back. 'Nancy…'

'It's okay,' Myron soothed.

'Her face was blue…'

'Shhh.'

Jessica slipped into unconsciousness. Myron looked up at the doctor. Is she going to be okay?'

143

'She'll be fine. I think the shock of what she saw was worse than the blow to her head.'

Jake put his hand on Myron's shoulder. 'Come on, I'll buy you a cup of coffee.'

'I want to stay.'

'You can come back later. Right now we need to talk.'

Myron gazed down at Jessica. She was deep in sleep.

'She'll be out for a while,' the doctor assured him.

They walked down the corridor silently and took the elevator back to the lobby. The place had that hospital smell - the unique combo of something antiseptic and the hospital food. Win had parked the car and was now sitting in the waiting area. He stood when he saw them.

'That your friend Win?' Jake asked, motioning with his chin. 'The one P.T. told me about?'

'Yes.'

'Tell him to stay here. I want to talk to you alone.'

Myron signaled to Win. Win nodded, sat back down, picked up a newspaper, crossed his legs. Jake looked him over for a minute. 'He as crazy as P.T. says?'

'Pretty much.'

'Come on.'

They grabbed coffee and found a table in the corner. 'The crime scene unit is going over Nancy's house now. They'll beep me if they find anything.'

'So what do you know so far?' Myron asked.

'Not much. Nancy spent the last few days in Cancun - a graduation present from her parents.'

'Have they been told?'

He shook his head. I'm going over there right after we talk.'

Silence. Jake broke it. 'So how did Jessica get involved in this?'

'She wanted me to look into her father's murder. She didn't buy the fact that he was killed in a botched robbery.'

Jake nodded. 'She thought her old man's murder had something to do with her sister.'

'Yes.'

'I figured as much. I got the file in the car.'

Myron sat up. 'Adam Culver's homicide file?'

'Hey, I ain't an idiot, Bolitar. You start investigating after eighteen months. Why? Had to be the father's murder. You saw a connection. But I gotta be honest. I don't see it. No connections in that file at all. A few inconsistencies maybe. But no connection.'

'What sort of inconsistencies?' Myron asked.

'Adam Culver was supposed to be in Denver when he was killed. At a medical examiners' conference at the Hyatt Regency. But he never showed, missed his morning flight.'

344

'Does the file say why?'

'Adam didn't feel well. A reasonable explanation.'

'Who told them that?'

'His wife.'

Pause. 'What else?'

'Nothing else. The crime scene - a quiet street - was unremarkable. He was stabbed through the heart.'

'What was he doing out?'

'The wife said he went out to buy some groceries.'

Myron chewed that one over for a moment. 'Odd thing to do,' he said, 'when you're not feeling well.'

'Yeah, that's easy for us to say, sitting here like this. But the cops were concentrating on finding a mugger. No one really gave a shit about a missed flight or what it might mean.'

'Any witnesses to the murder?'

'None. The file is pretty bare-bone.' Jake leaned forward and tried to stare Myron down. Myron did not look away. 'Now,' Jake said slowly, 'you start talking to me. And don't give me no "I don't want no one hurt" crap. Too late for that now. Why are you really involved in all this?'

'I told you. Jessica.'

Jake leaned farther forward until their faces were only inches apart. 'Stop jerking me around,' he hissed. 'I ain't blind. I can see Jessica Culver is great tail. But don't start giving me this bullshit that you just decided to drop everything and help on a whim. You ain't that hard up.'

'There was also Christian to consider,' Myron said.

'What about him?'

'He's my top client. He was still upset about his fiancee's disappearance.'