key and a slip of paper that informed me Kenny had called.
There was a number where I could reach him.
I called it from my room. 'Ah, Matthew,' he said. 'How nice of you to call.'
'What's the problem?'
'There is no problem. I'm just busy enjoying a day off. It was that or go to jail, and I'm none too fond of jails. I'm sure they would bring back unpleasant memories.'
'I don't follow you.'
'Am I being terribly oblique? I talked to the good Lieutenant Koehler, just as you suggested. Sinthia's is scheduled to be raided sometime this evening.
Forewarned is forearmed, to coin a phrase, so I took the precaution of engaging one of my bartenders to mind the store this afternoon and evening.'
'Does he know what's coming?'
'I'm not diabolical, Matthew. He knows he'll be locked up. He also knows that he'll be bailed out in nothing flat and charges will be dropped in short order.
And he knows he'll be fifty dollars richer for the experience. Personally, I wouldn't suffer the indignity of an arrest for ten times that sum, but different strokes for different folks, to coin another phrase. Your Lieutenant Koehler was most cooperative, I might add, except he wanted a hundred dollars instead of the fifty you suggested. I don't suppose I ought to have tried bargaining with him?'
'Probably not.'
'That's what I thought. Well, if it works out, the price is a pittance. I hope you don't mind that I mentioned your name?'
'Not at all.'
'It seemed to afford me a certain degree of entr‚e. But it leaves me owing you a favor, and I'm delighted to be able to discharge my obligation forthwith.'
'You got a line on Richie Vanderpoel?'
'I did indeed. I devoted quite a few hours to asking pertinent questions at an after-hours place. The one on Houston Street?'
'I don't know it.'
'Quite my favorite blind pig. I'll take you there some night if you'd like.'
'We'll see. What did you find out?'
'Ah, let me see. What did I find out? I talked to three gentlemen who were willing to remember taking our bright-eyed boy home for milk and cookies. I also talked to a few others who I would happily swear did the same, but their memories were clouded, sad to say. It seems I was quite right in thinking that he hadn't been hustling a buck. He never asked anyone for money, and one chap said he'd tried to press a few bob on Richie for cabfare home and the lad wouldn't take it. Sterling character, wouldn't you say?'
'I would.'
'And all too rare in this day and age. That's it in the hard-fact department.
The rest is impressions, but I gather that's what you're most interested in.'
'Yes.'
'Well, it seems Richard wasn't terribly sexy.'
'Huh?'
He sighed. 'The dear boy didn't like it much and wasn't terribly good at it. I gather it wasn't just a matter of nerves, although he does seem to have been a nervous and apprehensive sort. It was more a matter of being uncomfortable with the whole thing and getting blessed little pleasure out of sex itself.
And he retreated from intimacy. He'd perform the dirty deed willingly enough, but he didn't want to have his hand held or his shoulder stroked. That's not unheard of, you know. There's a species of faggot that craves the sex but can't stand the closeness. All their friends are doomed to stay strangers. But he didn't seem to enjoy the sex all that much, either.'
'Interesting.'
'I thought you'd say so. Also, once it was over, Richie was ever so anxious to be on his way. Not the sort to stay the night. Didn't even care to linger for coffee and brandy. Just wham-bam-thank-you-sir.
And no interest in a repeat performance at a later date. One chap really wanted to see the boy again, not because the sex was good, as it wasn't, but because he was intrigued. Thought he might pierce that grim exterior given another opportunity. Richie would have none of it. Didn't even want to speak to anyone once he'd shared a pillow with him.'
'These three men-'
'No names, Matthew. I has me code of ethics, I does.'
'I'm not interested in their names. I just wondered if they ran to type.'
'In what way?'
'Age. Are they all about the same age?'
'More or less.'
