young actors and actresses as clerical workers and receptionists.”
“And paralegals.”
“I was never a paralegal. I worked reception desk and switchboard. Until, as you said, Marty took me away from all that. He was very nice to me, he took an interest in my career, he took me to lunch at the Pretenders and introduced me to people. And he said it was hard enough for a young person to get a foot in the door of the New York theater without having to hold down a full-time job at the same time. Which is the absolute truth, believe me.”
“I’m sure you’re right.”
“And he said he’d like to pay my rent and give me enough money every month so that I could get by. It wouldn’t be the lap of luxury, but it would keep me going while I found out whether I had a chance to make it in the theater.”
“And all you had to do in return was go to bed with him.”
“I was already doing that.”
“Oh.”
“He’s an attractive man, Bernie. Tall and slender, flowing gray hair, very distinguished. Wonderful manners. He kind of swept me off my feet. When he made a pass at me, I was too honored to think about refusing.” She lowered her eyes, gnawed at a thumbnail. “Even if I was sort of involved at the time.”
“With Borden Stoppelgard,” I guessed.
“Ughhh,” she said. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Evidently.”
“Borden Stoppelgard is pond scum, Bernie. You get warts from touching people like Borden Stoppelgard.”
“I’m sorry I mentioned him.”
“So am I. Marty thinks Borden is a joke. He has to put up with him because he’s married to Borden’s big sister. I only met Borden once, and believe me, that was enough.”
“When was that?”
“Sometime in June. I was in a showcase presentation of an early P. J. Barry play. You know how that works, don’t you? Nobody gets paid, but you can try to get people to come and see your work. Agents and people like that. Of course, ninety percent of the audience consists of the friends and relatives of the different members of the cast. But it’s good experience, especially if the plays any good, and this one was excellent.”
“And Marty brought the whole family?”
“He brought his wife,” she said, “and he brought Borden and his wife. He gets a block of four patron tickets to every production at this particular theater, because he’s one of their angels.” She started to look away, then met my eyes. “That may have had something to do with my getting the part,” she said levelly.
“Oh.”
“I had dinner with the four of them after the show, along with a couple of other members of the cast. So I had a chance to form an opinion of Borden, and I already told you what it was.”
“Pond scum, I think you said.”
“I was giving him the benefit of the doubt. It would be just my luck to sound off like this and then have him turn out to be your best friend, but of course he’s not, is he? He’s your landlord.”
“Right, and pond scum’s the nicest thing anybody ever said about him. You said you were involved with somebody besides Gilmartin.”
“I was,” she said. “But I broke it off.”
“When you started sleeping with Marty.”
“No.”
“When he started paying your rent.”
“A little later than that, actually.”
“When?”
“This past Monday.”
“Oh.”
“Or was it Tuesday? No, it was Monday night. I threw his keys at him and I stormed out the door. It was a great exit, but I should have held on to the keys. Bernie, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Did you take Marty’s cards? Look, in case you’re afraid I’m wearing a wire, don’t answer out loud. Blink once for yes and twice for no.”
“I don’t care if you’re wearing a wire,” I said. “The answer’s no. No one else has believed me, so I hardly expect you to, but that’s the answer.”
“I believe you.”
“You do?”
“I never thought you took them in the first place. I had a pretty good idea who took them the minute Marty mentioned they were gone, and before your name even came up. I think Luke took them.”
“Good old Luke.”
“I can’t believe this. You know Luke?”
“Nope. Never heard of him. But I can probably guess who he is. Your boyfriend, right?”
“Not since Monday.”
“That’s when you threw the keys in his face.”
“Actually I threw them across the room.”
“Tell me about Luke,” I suggested.
“I don’t know where to start. He’s an actor. He came to New York fresh out of