‘Why?’
Lorraine took her time to outline the reasons before she told him that she was sure Janklow was the man who had attacked her. It didn’t sink in for a while. Then he looked up.
‘You wanna say that again?’
‘I said, I think he was the man who attacked me, the man that I bit a chunk out of his neck.’
He leaned back, partly in disbelief, then got out his cigarettes and stuck one in his mouth. He stared fixedly around the restaurant, feeling as if the floor was opening up, and inhaled deeply. ‘You stupid bitch.’
‘I’m sorry, I was scared to come forward. I picked him up—’
‘Sweet Jesus.’ Rooney shook his head.
‘He attacked me with a claw hammer. I’m sure it was Steven Janklow.’
‘You seen him face to face? Or, more to the point, has he seen you?’
‘No, I’ve held off facing him, I don’t want to tip him off.’
Lorraine’s order was placed in front of her. Rooney waited until the waiter had moved off before he leaned towards her. ‘Say it is him — say he’s the guy that attacked you. You can identify him...’
She had picked up her fork but put it down again. ‘I identify him, he denies it, he walks. It’s just the word of an ex-hooker, ex-drunkard against a fine, upstanding citizen, right? All he’s got to say is he wasn’t anywhere near the street I was picked up in and I got to admit I was picking him up for a few bucks. It wasn’t his car, it was Hastings’s car and Hastings’s body was in the trunk. Now who’s gonna believe who?’
Rooney drained his beer and beckoned the waiter to bring another.
Lorraine messed around with the food on her plate, then pushed it away. ‘I think he’s a transvestite.’
Rooney ran his hands through his hair. ‘What?’
‘I think Janklow’s a transvestite.’
‘Think? I need more than you fucking thinking, I need evidence, I need facts. Jesus Christ, Lorraine, you know how crazy this all sounds?’ He put his head in his hands. The more she told him, the worse it all sounded. ‘You think the guy that hit on you was Steven Janklow, right? You also think Steven Janklow is a transvestite. Is there anything else you might have just glossed over — that maybe he has two heads?’
‘Back off me. All the dead women have a similar look, similar age.’
‘What about Holly?’
‘I think she’s the mistake. Because of the last one, Didi.’
Lorraine explained that she thought the killer was trying to pick up Nula or Didi on the night Holly was murdered. She told him how they had both seen a car, had both seen Holly run across the road to a punter. Her pimp Curtis saw her — but maybe the john was trying to pick up Didi or Nula. Once he’d got Holly he had to get rid of her. Maybe he panicked.
Rooney argued that it didn’t make sense. Why didn’t he just kick her out, if he’d got the wrong one? His head throbbed and he still couldn’t believe how she’d held out on him like this.
Lorraine banged the table. ‘Wait a minute! The wrong one. What if they were all the wrong ones? What if he was looking specifically for Didi all along? They’re all the same age, all dyed or bleached blondes, but he can’t find the one he’s looking for, the main one.’
‘Are you trying to tell me that this guy clubs seven women to death because he’s looking for one, and we forget Norman Hastings? Did he think he was one as well? This is dumb, Lorraine. You lost your touch, sweetheart. We’re looking at someone who’s bumped off these women over five years, and he’s doing it because of mistaken identity? Nuts!’
Lorraine twiddled her fork. ‘Okay, let’s try something else. Let’s go through every victim, including Hastings. He was a drag artist, right? He used to park his car at S and A years after he was doing any business with them but he knew Janklow. Maybe he found out something?’
Rooney delved in his pocket for his wallet. ‘Maybe I’m wasting my time. I got to go take a leak.’
‘But listen to me, there’s every type of tool and hammer at the S and A. Can’t someone check there? Match them? What if the hammers came from there?’
Rooney jabbed the air with his finger. ‘Stay away from that place, is that understood? From now on you don’t go anywhere near it. I’ll have the place looked over again — in fact, I’ll do it personally — but you stay well away.’ He squinted at the bill and looked up at her. ‘I’ll check out what I think fit.’
‘The Vice Squad, can you check that for me? See what Janklow was picked up for?’
‘For you? Who in chrissakes do you think is runnin’ this show? I’ll take it from here. If you wanna press charges for assault—’
She leaned back. ‘You know I won’t do that but if you get more evidence, then I can be used as a lever. We let him confront me, let him know I’m alive and can identify him, and then see what he does. Use me to catch him. I’m willing.’
Rooney hauled his bulk out of the booth. ‘Lemme think on it.’
She followed him as he headed for the restroom. ‘Bill, he used a hammer on me. It’s him.’
He whipped round. ‘I could have you for withholding evidence. I only paid you to get out on the streets to talk to the hookers, so back off. I’ll contact you when I need you.’
‘I need a few dollars, I’m flat broke.’
‘Not my problem,’ he said as he pushed open the restroom door, and let it swing closed.
When he came out of the restaurant she was waiting by his patrol car. She gave that strange, lopsided smile and he relaxed slightly. Although he was loath to admit it, she had pushed the investigation further — had even supplied him with a suspect.
‘Lemme see what I come up with — but you do nothing until you hear from me, okay? Here’s a few bucks, go home, wait for me to call. If it’s Janklow, leave him to me.’
She took the money and watched him drive off. She checked the time — just after two thirty. As she walked to the bus stop she was thinking over everything she had said to Rooney. She had been clutching at straws, but what if she was right? What if there was a connection between Didi and Janklow? She hailed a taxi and, instead of returning home, told the driver to take her to Nula’s place.
Chapter 15
Nula didn’t answer the door. Lorraine waited for almost an hour and then went home. There she hung about in case Rooney called but when it got to after six, she decided he’d got cold feet. ‘I guess he mulled it all over and decided against it.’
Rosie wondered what they should do next. Without Rooney she was worried it could be dangerous to try to see Janklow again. Lorraine grabbed her purse.
‘Where are you going?’ Rosie asked nervously.
‘You stay put so I can call Rooney back if he makes contact.’
‘Don’t you need me with you?’
‘I’d prefer it if you stayed put in case he calls. I’ve got to keep him sweet, ’cos if I don’t the old bastard is quite likely to get me arrested.’
Rosie sat moodily in front of the TV. She didn’t even say goodbye as Lorraine let herself out. So much for partnership — all she’d been doing was sitting waiting for Lorraine in the apartment. When she heard the rental car starting up Rosie shot to the window as fast as her bulk allowed her. She pushed up the window and was about to yell after Lorraine but it was too late, she was already at the corner.
It had been so long since Lorraine had driven that her knees were shaking but she talked herself down, hoping she wouldn’t get pulled over.
The lights were on in Nula’s apartment. Lorraine sighed with relief, locked the car and headed into the apartment block. She rang the bell and waited. Nula’s voice asked who it was but Lorraine rang again, afraid if she said her name that Nula wouldn’t let her in. She kept her hand on the bell, and eventually Nula peered out, the chain still on.