'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 Adam 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?'
