Hooked

by Polly Iyer

  “What did you do that for?” Benny said.

  Eileen made another move for Benny’s dick, but he caught her hand. “I’m pissed, Benny. You betrayed me. And with her.” She snapped her head in Tawny’s direction. “Let me explain something. You see, I like what we have. I like my two houses, my tennis club on the island, the Lexus SUV, and I like all the money I spend on restaurants and clothes and shoes and jewelry and all the things that keep me beautiful. And I only have to fuck you to get them. So if you think I’d let some little whore like Serena Marshall screw up all that because she heard Colin blackmailing a client over the phone, you’re nuttier than I think you are.”

  “You…you killed Serena?”

  “She came to me, like she would her own mother. You remember, don’t you, honey? I trained her. She trusted me. She wanted to turn Colin in to the cops. She didn’t realize if she turned Colin in, she was turning us in too. I couldn’t let that happen now, could I?”

  “Jesus.”

  “Please, sweetheart,” Eileen said. “I told you. The Lord’s name? It offends me.”

  “You killed that poor girl, and you’re not offended?”

  Now it dawned on Tawny what she couldn’t remember Monday night. Tessa started to ask Tawny if she’d read the newspaper, but she didn’t finish because Darlene stopped her. Was it about Sarah Marshall’s investigation? She’d been so nervous, she couldn’t think straight. It could have been the proof she needed with a little more coaxing, only now it was too late. Benny was prattling on, acting as though he’d been a harmless bystander when, in fact, he enabled everything that happened by being purposely ignorant.

  “Why didn’t you tell me, Eileen? I could have talked to her―right after I fired Colin.”

  “You didn’t fire me after you found out about Martell,” Colin said. “And you know why? Because this place would go under without me.”

  “I should have fired you, and it looks like this place is going under anyway, doesn’t it?”

  “Stop it, you two,” Eileen said. “Don’t you see, Benny, we didn’t want you to know what Colin was doing.”

  “You knew?”

  “Of course. It’s a very lucrative deal, especially when we target men who go to all the clubs. I’ve kept up with some of the girls who tell me things. Kind of a Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Business was off, Benny. The bad economy hurt, and Versace is expensive.” Eileen got up, wriggled in her tight dress, and flipped her mane of bleached hair at Tawny. “Besides, those guys never knew who was turning the screws, but they wouldn’t talk anyway because they didn’t want their wives to know. ’Course, most of them kept their peckers in their pants after they paid up. A few didn’t, and they were fair game for another phone call. But there are always others. We were careful who we chose.” She glowered at Colin. “Except when shit-for-brains over there decided to go after Martell without consulting me. I could have told him the fat man wasn’t a good choice.”

  Colin appeared visibly ashamed.

  “But we took care of that,” Eileen continued. “Actually, it was brilliant. We pinned both Cindi’s and Serena’s murders on Martell. Two birdies with one big stone. Should have done Melody, too, but the woman disappeared. Locked her apartment and took off. That’s a pity. She’s the one who could put us all in prison.”

  “I don’t believe this,” Benny said, apparently forgetting his sore dick. “You’re all crazy. You can’t kill off people, Eileen. You just can’t.”

  “I did it for us, Benny.”

  Tawny listened as Eileen unloaded everything, sealing Tawny’s fate. She’d be one more prostitute, dead at the hands of some nutcase avenging his twisted history. But at least now, she couldn’t be lumped in with the other two women.

  A chime sounded from the closet. Tawny’s phone.

  “Whose is that?” Colin said.

  Tawny acted like she didn’t hear because she knew who it was.

  “It’s coming from the closet,” Colin said. He opened the door and removed Tawny’s satchel and dug the phone out of an inner pocket. He checked the readout. “Private number. Who is it, Ms. Dell?”

  “How do I know? You’ve got the phone.”

  “Answer it,” Eileen said.

  “No.”

  Eileen thrust the phone at her. “Answer it. If you don’t, I will.”

  Perfect! “Go ahead.”

  “Reggie,” Eileen said, her gaze never leaving Tawny.

  Reggie put two fingers on either side of Tawny’s neck and pressed. She thought she was going to pass out.

  “Answer the phone,” Reggie said.

  Eileen was right at her ear. Tawny took the phone and opened it. “Hello.”

  “Are you all right?”

  Eileen nodded at Reggie, and he increased the pressure on Tawny’s neck. His fingers felt like ice picks sticking in her. She gasped. “Yes, I’m…I’m all right.”

  “Martell was murdered yesterday, and witnesses put you at the scene. But that’s not what I’m worried about. There’s a black guy—”

  “I’m all right. Don’t worry. Gotta go.” And she snapped the phone shut.

  “Bitch,” Eileen said. “She cut him off. Who was that?”

  “A friend.”

  “He sounded like a cop.” Eileen said.

  “A cop! Your friend is a cop? What did I ever do to you? I paid you more money than I ever paid anyone, and you called the cops?” Benny was pulling on his boxers, and he shrieked, “Ouch!” when they touched the raw blister. “Jesus. I’m ruined forever, out of commission.”

  “Enough with your cock,” Colin said. “Knowing you, it’ll be back in action by tomorrow.”

  “More money?” Eileen said. “You paid this scrawny bitch more money than anyone?”

  Tawny was getting pissed. They weren’t going to let her go, so what difference did it make. “Because I’m worth it, Eileen. Like Dane Phillips preferred me over you. That’s just a fact. There were others who said the same thing. Good thing you lassoed Benny when you did, because your days were numbered. Why, even your boobs are falling. That’s the end, when a girl’s boobs forsake her. Poor Eileen. And what did you wind up with? That.” She pointed at Benny, limping and moaning. “He’s probably had more women than the two of us together have had men. Pitiful.”

  Eileen went rigid and Tawny thought for the third time she was going to hit her. Then, Eileen deflated, and her eyes filled with tears. “That’s not true. I had plenty of good years left. And my tits are still where they always were, isn’t that right, Benny?”

  “Right now I don’t give a shit about your tits. And, Colin, Eileen paid you with my money. And this is what you both do for me? Kill my girls?”

  Eileen put on a little girl voice and puckered her lips. “Only Serena, baby. I was protecting you.”

  “And what about Dirk Hansen? Did you give Reggie the order to do him, too?”

  “If they ever found Cindi’s body, the police would have zeroed in on him. And he would have told them all about Upper Eighties. He was another loose end we couldn’t let unravel.”

  Benny collapsed on the bed, grimacing as he grabbed his crotch. The whole scenario reminded Tawny of a screwball black comedy, only it wasn’t funny because she was the next hooker the cops would find in the harbor. Did Walsh have any idea what was going on? Is that what he was trying to tell her? If so, then where the hell was he?

  “Anyone scheduled for later, Colin?” Benny asked.

  “No. You were our last customer.”

  Benny’s evil eye at Colin would have stopped a charging bull at Pamplona. Tawny was beginning to wonder how Upper Eighties could be so successful with this bunch of dingbats at the helm. But so far no one had been able to pin anything on them, so they must be doing something right.

  “What do you want to do with her?” Colin said, switching his questions from Eileen to Benny and back to Eileen. “She can identify Reggie at Martell’s. We can’t let her go.”

  “Sure you can,” Tawny said. “Why would
I talk? Do you think I want the police to know that Rick Martell was my accountant? They might delve deeper into my finances and find my offshore account.”

  “Should we ask Mr. Russo?” Reggie said. “He should know what to do.”

  At the mention of Mario Russo’s name, Tawny stiffened. Why would Mario know anything about this? Reggie killed his accountant. Unless…

  “You mean Mario Russo, the mobster?” Tawny asked.

  Eileen turned to Colin. “When are you going to teach Reggie to keep his mouth shut?” A smile curled her lips as she transferred her gaze to Tawny. “Now we have to get rid of her, not that it will break my heart.”

  “Maybe you should call Mario Russo,” Tawny said.

  “Maybe Mario Russo doesn’t need to be called.” Everyone turned to the door of the bedroom, where Mario stood, wearing a gray silk suit, black turtleneck, and a lethal expression.

  “I like your doorman, Benny. When I said my name he’d have given me the keys to Fort Knox, if he had them.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Trouble

  “Tawny’s in trouble,” Linc said. “She cut me off before I could finish.”

  “Maybe she was in the middle of something.”

  “I don’t think so. The phone wasn’t next to her mouth. It was pulled away, I could tell. Someone was listening.”

  “Call it in. The 19th will be there in a hurry.”

  Should he? If he did and they killed her in a panic, he’d never forgive himself. If he didn’t, they might kill her anyway, and he’d never forgive himself.

  Linc shifted his focus out the car window. “Traffic’s moving now. Once we’re off the bridge, we’ll be there within a few minutes.”

  A tow truck had come from the other side and moved one of the wrecks from the far lane. Dennis put on his flashers, and cars shifted and repositioned until he could squeeze through. “This has to be the upside for all the shit cops take.”

  Dennis’s words barely registered. Linc’s thoughts were on Tawny. Why hadn’t she called as soon as something went wrong? Maybe it was his overactive imagination. Maybe she was in the middle of something and she couldn’t talk. He checked his watch. It was after eleven. Her appointment was at ten. He opened his cell and dialed her again. The phone went to voicemail. She’d definitely answer if she could.

  “Tawny’s in over her head,” Linc said. “She can identify this Reggie fellow as a possible murder suspect. They won’t let her go.”

  “We don’t have a warrant, but we have probable cause. And she’s a material witness.”

  “Yes, she is. If I have to arrest her to get her out of there, I will. We’ll see how Cooper reacts.” Linc’s cell rang. It was Harry.

  “Sorry, Linc. I couldn’t take your call earlier. This is the first chance I’ve had. Mario Russo tried to give my guys the slip tonight, but they had backup. Want to guess where he went?”

  Linc’s gut twisted. “Shit.”

  “Yup. Cooper’s.”

  “We’re on our way.”

  “Have you talked to the Dell woman?”

  A stab of irritation hit Linc at Harry’s derogatory tone in reference to Tawny. He let it pass. “Briefly. She cut me off when I tried to warn her she might be in danger.”

  “Does she know about Martell?”

  “No.”

  “I don’t like that Russo is there, but before you get all bent out of shape, he could―” Harry paused.

  “He could what?” Linc asked.

  “Be her appointment.” Harry said it but sounded like he didn’t want to.

  That was one of many thoughts about Tawny that Linc had put out of his mind. Thinking of her with Russo tonight turned his stomach. Reality was rearing its ugly head. Tawny had warned him, and he didn’t listen. And he wouldn’t listen now either.

  “Was he alone, or did he have one of his goons with him?” Linc asked.

  “He could have ordered someone to meet him there. I have two men there. One out front, one out back,” Harry said. “They’ll keep me posted.”

  “Where’s the guy out front parked?”

  “He’s in a Ford Escape, parked a few doors east of Cooper’s place on the other side. Name’s Clauson. Russo’s car’s up the street. There’s an exit in back, but the only way in or out is an alley a few buildings down.”

  Linc chastised himself for not knowing about the back exit. But how could he have known Martell would be murdered? Did Tawny even see Reggie Cart at the scene?

  “What are you planning?” Harry asked.

  Linc thought about the possibilities. “I can’t barrel in there as much as I’d like to. Not without a warrant. I need time to check it out.”

  “Um, yeah, okay. Keep me informed. Be careful.”

  “I’ll keep in touch.” Linc called another member of their division, Roland Steele, and gave him the address of Cooper’s place and how to access the back entrance. “Stop anyone suspicious from leaving. We’re on our way.” He sucked in a few deep breaths, avoiding eye contact with Dennis.

  The traffic was steady on FDR Drive. Dennis took the 61st Street exit, and before Linc knew it, they were parked within spying distance of the townhouse nicknamed Upper Eighties. Heavy drapes covered the windows, leaving the place dark and ominous.

  They saw the Escape and approached on the driver side. Clauson expected them and said he’d be ready if they needed him for backup, but his job was to stay on Russo. They traded cell numbers.

  Linc and Dennis crossed the street. They climbed the steps and Linc rang the bell.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Capo di Tutti

  Tawny wasn’t sure what was happening. Mario leaned against the door, confident and relaxed. Why is he here?

  Mario shook his head in a dismissive gesture. “You people are the biggest group of fuck-ups I’ve ever come across, and I’ve dealt with some first-class morons.”

  Tawny had never heard this coldness in Mario’s voice before. Rather than say anything, she slunk into the boudoir chair in the corner and crossed her legs, trying to appear as calm as the crime boss. She doubted she’d pulled it off, considering the twitches of fear rattling her insides. Her worst nightmare had come to pass. Every person in the room wanted to kill her, and she had no way out. Despite Linc’s assurances of her safety, who’d really care about another dead hooker?

  “Tawny, Tawny,” Mario said in a tone that conveyed not only weariness but disappointment. “You retire and then you show up here with the almost believable story that the IRS discovered your off-shore account. Yeah, the IRS found out, but not until the feds clued them in. That’s over their heads these days. Even a man like me, captivated by your beautiful body, had to be a little suspicious.”

  At that, Eileen snorted. Russo glared at her, obviously annoyed at being interrupted, and she slunk into the corner.

  “So I put a man on you to be sure. And wouldn’t you know? Who comes calling at your place? A good-looking NYPD cop by the name of Lincoln Walsh. Did a check on him too. Not the kind of cop who blackmails pros to sleep with him, though I’ve known a few of those. Then, as if he’s not enough, you have lunch today with a federal agent at a noodle shop in Lincoln Center. Your kind of woman isn’t his thing either. So I ask myself—what’s she up to? And I came up with one conclusion. You’re working undercover for the cops.”

  “That’s not true, I—”

  “I knew there was something hinky about that bitch,” Eileen interrupted. “Look at her, sitting there like she’s better than the rest of us.” A quick glance at Russo. “Not better than you, Mario. Everyone else, though.”

  Now Benny snorted.

  Mario ignored Eileen, his focus riveted on Tawny. The thumping in Tawny’s chest reminded her of the timpani at the end of a symphony. Ba-boom, ba-boom. She could scarcely think for all the noise. She had to make an effort to clear her name, or she’d die in this chair.

  “It’s not what it seems, Mario.” She spoke with the calm assurance of someone who’d
done nothing wrong. “They had me between a rock and a hard place. The IRS found an offshore account, like I told you. The girl they fished out of the harbor called Walsh and mentioned Benny’s name, but that was hardly proof she worked here or that Benny had anything to do with her death. They gave me a choice. Prison or come here to find out whether Cooper killed her or had her killed. That’s all. You were never in the picture.”

  Mario looked weak and tired, his face expressionless. Tawny needed to convince him she hadn’t betrayed him, but more was going on here, and she couldn’t figure out what. Why would Mario care about Benny and a dead hooker?

  “Wait, wait!” Benny cried, facing Tawny. He flailed his arms in all directions, settling an accusing finger on her. “You came here to get proof I killed Serena? Why you…you Benedict Arnold. Traitor, that’s what you are. A goddamn traitor.” He spun around to Mario. “And I, the world’s biggest schmuck, thought I was giving you a present. The most beautiful woman in my establishment, and you knew each other all along.” He slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. “Schmuck. That’s what I am. An A-number-one schmuck.”

  No kidding, Tawny thought.

  Eileen chimed in, directing her question to Mario. “You knew Tawny before Monday? Had a long-running affair with her?”

  Mario shifted his gaze to Eileen. His eyes were cold and narrow. For the first time Tawny saw the side of him she’d only heard about.

  “Did you think you were my one and only, Eileen? I hope I never gave you that impression. You were one of many. Only Tawny was special, which is why this is so…upsetting.”

  Eileen huffed and puffed and executed a series of Miriam Makeba-like tongue clicks.

  “Wait, wait!” Benny said again. “You fucked my wife? When was this, Eileen?”

  “Before we were married, sweetheart. Before you chose me to be the mother of your children. Then I never saw Mario again, did I, Mario?”

  “That’s right, Benny. She married you and took herself off the market. Now,” Mario said, turning his attention back to Tawny, “you were saying.”