years ago; is there anyone in who’s been around that long? I see. This is Lieutenant Bacchetti of the New York City Police Department; could I have his home address and number?” He scribbled it down and hung up. “The original partners sold out a few years ago and retired. O’Sullivan is still alive; he lives in the East Seventies; let’s go see him.”
Daniel O’Sullivan was a big, bluff Irish-American in his late seventies, with snow-white hair and a florid complexion, who still wore his weight well. He seemed glad to have visitors. He showed them into a spacious, beautifully furnished apartment that took up a whole floor of a brownstone, offered them a drink, and, when they declined, fixed one for himself.
“It’s not often I get visited by the police,” he said, settling in a big armchair. “What can I do for you?”
“Mr. O’Sullivan,” Dino said, “do you remember Herbert Mitteldorfer?”
“Herbie? How could I forget him? He was the only one of my employees – that I know of – who ever murdered somebody.”
“Can you tell us what Mitteldorfer’s job was in your firm?”
“Sure; he was my top accountant.”
“Could you describe his duties? Did he do corporate work?”
O’Sullivan shook his big head. “No, no; we weren’t an ordinary accounting firm. We were personal managers to theater people – actors, producers, set designers – people at the top of their fields. We paid their bills, invested their money, got them bank loans and mortgages, sometimes loaned them money, when they had lean years.”
“And what part did Mitteldorfer take in the business?”
“Herbie did a little of everything. He started with us as a simple bookkeeper; but he was so good, so bright, that soon he was taking an active part in managing our clients’ accounts. By the time of the, ah, unfortunate incident, he was practically running the firm. My partner and I were thinking of retirement by then, and we’d expected to sell out to him. As it was, after he was arrested, we had to put our plans on hold. It took several years before we got two other men trained to do what Herbie did, and, finally, we sold out to them.”
Stone spoke up. “Did Mitteldorfer have any personal wealth?”
“His wife did,” O’Sullivan replied. “She was from a meat-packing family out of Chicago – not filthy rich, but she had some assets, which Herbie managed brilliantly. At the time of her death, I believe, together they may have had two, three million in assets, or so Herbie told me. The lawyers would have made a pretty good dent in that, but I’m sure that when he went to jail, he still had some money put away. Plus, there was a very nice apartment on lower Park Avenue that her family gave them as a wedding present. I believe that was sold.”
“But,” Stone said, “having murdered his wife, he wouldn’t have been able to inherit her wealth.”
“It had all been in Herbie’s name for years,” O’Sullivan said. “He made sure of that.”
“Do you remember another employee named Eloise Enzberg?”
“Sure, I do. Eloise was with us for better than twenty years, longer than Herbie. She was our office manager, the best-organized person you ever saw. Day in, day out, she made the place work. If you gave her a job to do, she’d handle it better than anybody, and she
“Do you know what sort of relationship Mitteldorfer and Enzberg had?” Stone asked.
“Well,” O’Sullivan said, smiling, “she was sweet on Herbie, she really was. When he was charged with his wife’s murder, she refused to believe it. She was in court every day, took him things in jail – books, fruit. But you have to understand, women
“Mitteldorfer was released from prison a few days ago,” Dino said, “and this morning, Eloise Enzberg’s body was found in the East River, her throat cut.”
O’Sullivan’s face fell. “Well, I’m really sorry to hear that. She was a very nice lady.” He thought for a moment. “And Herbie’s out? Do you think there’s a connection?”
“Do you think Herbert Mitteldorfer could have killed Eloise Enzberg, Mr. O’Sullivan?” Stone asked.
“Of course not,” O’Sullivan scoffed. “That could never have happened. Herbie wouldn’t have done that.” He looked thoughtful. “Of course,” he said, “that’s what we all said when Herbie murdered his wife.”
26
HOWARD MENZIES LEFT HIS APARTMENT building at the stroke of 9:00 A.M., dressed in his most conservative suit, unconsciously fingering his rather recently grown Van Dyke beard.
The doorman greeted him warmly, “And how are you and Mrs. Menzies today?” he asked.
“I’m very well, Jeff, but I’m afraid Mrs. Menzies was taken ill last night while visiting a friend, and she spent the night over there. I’m just on my way to see her now.”
“I hope she’s better,” Jeff said. “Would you like a taxi?”
“No, I think I’ll walk,” Menzies replied. “Oh, by the way, some men will deliver some boxes this morning and will be doing some installations. Please let them into my apartment.”
“Of course, sir.”
He strolled over to Fifth Avenue and walked briskly down the west side of the street, taking in Central Park. At Fifty-ninth Street, he walked into the Plaza Hotel, was given a table by the window in the Edwardian Room, and ate an enormous breakfast. Thus fortified, he crossed Fifth Avenue and entered the Bergdorf Goodman Men’s Store, just as it opened, marveling at the handsome new shops, which had not existed when he had last been in the city. He stopped in the Charvet shop and bought a dozen shirts and neckties, taking one of each with him and sending the others. He took the elevator upstairs and after touring the clothing shops, walked into the Oxxford shop and bought four suits, noting with pleasure that a size thirty-eight still fit him perfectly. Only the trouser lengths needed altering. He requested that one suit be made ready to wear immediately, then walked around the store for half an hour while the work was done, making other purchases. When he returned to the Oxxford shop, he went into a changing room and got into his new suit, shirt, tie, and shoes, instructing that his old clothing be discarded. Finally, he bought a new hat and, on the way out, his eye was caught by an antique ebony walking stick with a silver handle.
Swinging his new stick, he crossed Fifth Avenue and, feeling quite the boulevardier, strolled west on Fifty- seventh Street until he came to the address his researches on the internet had provided. He took the elevator to the top floor and emerged into a comfortable, if anonymous waiting room. He gave his name to the receptionist and was conducted to another room, where he was seated in a barber’s chair.
Two hours later he emerged, having been fitted with a small, very becoming hairpiece – one that matched his gray hair perfectly and cleverly showed a lot of forehead, making it seem all the more real. Now fully equipped, he found a photography shop and had two passport photos taken. Finally, he visited a service that specialized in the quick obtaining of visas and passports and left them with his photos, his completed passport application, his name- change documents, and a fee. He was promised his new passport the following day.
He walked back to Fifth Avenue, then downtown, and entered the Cartier store, where, after a careful viewing of their merchandise, he bought a gold Tank Francais wristwatch with the matching bracelet. Wearing his new jewelry, he continued his jaunt, shopping as he went. He bought new luggage at T. Anthony on Park Avenue and pajamas at Sulka; he bought soap and toiletries at Caswell-Massey on Lexington and ordered stationery and calling cards from Dempsey & Carroll. He finished up at the Mercedes-Benz dealership on Park Avenue.
He stood for a moment and gazed at a silver S600 sedan, revolving slowly on a turntable.
“May I help you, sir?” a salesman asked, covertly noting the customer’s fine clothing.
“I believe,” Menzies said, pointing with his stick, “that is the car with the V-12 engine, is it not?”
“It is, indeed, sir. The world’s finest automobile, in fact.”
“And how much is it?”
The salesman quoted the price. “Plus sales tax, gas-guzzler tax, and luxury tax,” he said.
