“Jesus Christ.”
“Now,
“I don’t know. He said he’d be there. I knew he’d be there. I wanted to just walk in and see him. I didn’t want to give him a chance to work on me on the phone.”
“Work on you? How?”
“I haven’t spoken to him since I was fired. I had no idea what he’d say.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
“What question?”
“How would he work on you?”
“Oh, he had a way about him.”
“Really? Did you two have a relationship?”
She bristled. “That’s what you asked me the first time I was in your office.”
“Yeah, and it didn’t matter that much then.”
“I wouldn’t call it a relationship. We went out a few times.”
“Shit.”
“Why is it so important?”
“I don’t know if it is. On the other hand, I don’t know if it isn’t. But it’s the type of thing the cops can dig up and make you look bad.”
“How?”
“They’ll smear you with it. Like it or not, there are some jury members who would just as soon convict you for going to bed with him as for killing him. So, anyway, you didn’t call?”
“No.”
“What did you do?”
“I went out, got a cab and went down.”
Steve grimaced. “A cab?”
“I was upset. I didn’t want to take the subway.”
“Why were you upset?”
“Because he called.”
“Why would that upset you?”
“I don’t know. It just did.”
“There’s nothing about this message you’re not telling me?”
“No, it was just the fact that he called.”
“Anyway, you took a cab?”
“Yes.”
“Cab driver get a good look at you?”
“I don’t know.”
“How did you pay him?”
“What do you mean, how did I pay him?”
“I mean what size bill.”
“A ten, I think.”
“You think?”
“No, it was a ten.”
“What was the fare?”
“Six something.”
“Six what?”
“I don’t remember. Yes, I do. It was six twenty-five.”
“Then you must have got change.”
“Yes, I did.”
“How much?”
“Let me see. I told him to keep seven-fifty.”
“So you got two fifty back?”
“That’s right.”
“You tipped him a buck twenty-five?”
“Yes.”
“You remember him handing the two fifty back?”
“Not really. I remember taking it, shoving it in my purse.”
“But you don’t recall his face, him looking at you when he handed you the money?”
“No, I don’t. I really wasn’t paying attention.”
“But you do remember taking the money and putting it in your purse?”
“Yes.”
“He didn’t hand you a receipt, did he?”
Her eyes widened.
Steve groaned. “Oh, don’t tell me.”
She put up her hand. “No, no. He didn’t. I’m sure he didn’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you asked me to get a receipt. For the other taxi ride. I got it, put it in my purse. I’d have remembered if there was another receipt already there.”
“So,” Steve said. “The receipt you got for the second ride-how much was that for?”
“Six seventy-five.”
“Oh yeah? Faster meter?”
“Yeah, I guess. No, I remember now. The cab had the fifty cent surcharge-for after dark. That was the difference.”
“Is that right?” Steve said.
“Yeah. That’s right.”
Steve leaned back, cocked his head. “You recall last night in my office? I asked you about finding the body, you told me you took the subway down.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Oh yes you did,” Steve said. “I remember because I was particularly relieved.”
“Maybe so, but I didn’t say that.”
“Oh no? Don’t you remember how we talked about you walked from Seventh Avenue so you must have passed by the window of the music store?”
Amy frowned.
“Beginning to refresh your recollection?” Steve said sarcastically. “Or was that a lie too?”
“It’s not a lie,” Amy said. “I walked from Seventh Avenue.”
“Oh?”
“Because 47th Street’s one-way west. I wasn’t going to have him go all the way around the block. So I paid him off at 47th and Seventh. And walked from Seventh Avenue, just like I said.”
“So the only lie you told was about taking the subway.”
“I never said I took the subway. I may have said I walked from Seventh Avenue, but I’m sure I never mentioned the subway.”
“Fine,” Steve said. “The second cab you took-the one you got the receipt for-he let you out at 47th and Seventh too?”
“No, of course not. You told me to give him the address and go right to the door.”
“Oh.”
“Well, didn’t you? Wasn’t that the whole point?”
“Yes, it was.”
“There you are.”
“Did that cab have to take you around the block?”
