'Some do.'
'What happens then?'
'He lets them walk away, unless they're going to cause trouble. Jon can be pretty rough on girls who get out of line.'
'Is the DA going to put on a parade of women who'll testify that Dupre beat them?'
Baron shrugged.
'How bad does it get?'
'It's in the reports. Besides, they're all whores. I would have clobbered them on cross.'
'How does Dupre get clients?'
'The usual way. Some of the concierges at the better hotels are in his pocket. He doesn't pay them up front, except maybe with a free sample of the goodies.' Baron flashed Amanda a knowing smile, and she wondered how often he'd sampled the goodies. 'The real money is in the cut they make on every customer they refer. He has the same deal with the bartenders at the strip clubs.
'Of course, the best advertising is word of mouth, but Jon also runs ads in the singles magazines. You know, 'Spend a night with your fantasy girl.' He runs this disclaimer, 'Legal inquiries only,' but there's a nude or two in the ads in a sexy pose that's worth a thousand words. Most of the time, the customers want to date the girls in the ad. Of course, they're models, a come-on. Dupre has a girl named Ally Bennett working the phones. She diverts them. She's really special. Just listening to her is like getting laid.'
'Is she a business partner?'
'Jon doesn't have a partner. And, if he did, it wouldn't be a woman. He has no use for women. He despises them. I'm surprised that he's willing to have a woman represent him.'
Amanda smiled but said nothing.
'So what's his relationship with Ally Bennett?'
'She's his go-between. She fields the calls, sends out the girls, and collects the money.'
'He must trust her.'
Baron shrugged. 'As much as he trusts anyone. Ally also handles some of Jon's heavy hitters.'
'Like?'
'Now there we're getting into attorney-client confidences. Jon will tell you if he wants to. You'd be surprised at some of the names.'
'What's this costing the customer?'
'There's a three-hundred dollar call-out fee just to get the girl to the room. Jon made it high to cut out the penny-ante trade. Once the girl arrives, there's a fee schedule for lap dances or artistic posing. When that's done, the girl will ask about a tip. That's a cue for the customer to spell out what he really wants. That brings another fee schedule into play.'
'It sounds like it can get pretty steep.'
'It is. I told you, Jon's operation is strictly high-end. There's more money that way and less trouble. The cops are going to think twice before hassling a state senator or a circuit court judge, which means that there's less chance of feeling heat. And, if some crusader does make a bust, what have the cops got? Jon has Ally record all of the incoming calls, and there she is, telling Mr. Judge that Exotic Escort girls don't do the nasty for money.'
'What about the girls? They can testify.'
'Sure, but they don't. If they're busted, Jon pays the girl's legal fees, and the penalties for prostitution aren't stiff enough so the girls will turn.'
'So how did the DA make a case against Dupre?'
'Lori Andrews. She was a single mother and the cops threatened to take her kid away.'
'She was murdered, right?'
'Yeah, that was tragic,' Baron said without real emotion. 'When she didn't show for Jon's trial, the state had to dismiss. Of course, after what happened with Wendell, Kerrigan probably won't need much testimony to get a death sentence in this case. Then again, you might get a jury composed of people who hate lawyers. My suggestion: Tell a lot of lawyer jokes during jury selection and choose the folks who laugh the loudest.'
Chapter Eighteen.
Tim Kerrigan heard shoes tapping rapidly on the marble floor of the Multnomah County Courthouse, and someone called his name. He turned and saw J. D. Hunter, the FBI agent he'd met at Senator Travis's cabin, walking toward him.
'Your office said you'd be here,' Hunter said. 'I'm glad I caught you.'
'I just finished arguing a motion.'
'Did you win?'
'It was a push.'
'You have time for coffee? It's almost three. Coffee-break time where I come from.'
'Thanks for the invite, but I'm up to my neck in work and I've got to get back to my office.'
