"Whatever you think is best, Rachel," she'd replied.
But instead of calling later with the happy news that Alexis was about to be charged, Rachman said there was going to be a slight delay. Karp and some troll of an assistant DA named Kipman apparently had some sort of problem with the case. "They want me to cross a few more t's and dot some i's. It's no big deal. We'll file next week."
"I don't understand," Ryder complained, trying not to sound hysterical. This wasn't the way the plan was supposed to go. "You promised."
"Don't worry," Rachman assured her. "We have him by the balls. Karp and Kipman are like all men; they just don't want to believe that sexual assault is at epidemic levels in this country, much of it acquaintance rape, such as in your case. So I have to go twice as far just to get them to budge. But I'll get them there."
"What if Alexis…I mean Michalik, comes after me?" Ryder said. "You know he said he was going to hurt me."
"He contacted you?" Rachman asked.
"Yes…no…I mean, this was after he did it. He said if I went to the police, he was going to find me and hurt me," Ryder said.
"Was that in the police report?" Rachman said. "I don't remember the threat, although I suppose the nature of the crime implies that there is a threat of retaliation later."
Ryder cursed herself. She didn't want to make Rachman suspicious. "I thought I told the first officers. Maybe I forgot to tell the detective. I still don't remember everything clearly or who I told what… I think there's some lingering effect of the drugs."
"Sure, sure, completely understandable," Rachman said. "We just are going to have to be patient. Maybe conduct, or reconduct, a few interviews to make sure there are no holes for a defense attorney to exploit."
Ryder had said she understood and hung up. On Friday night, when there was still no word from Rachman, she'd decided to go see Vanders and make sure he got his story straight. After he'd repeated it verbatim a half-dozen times without a glitch, she'd gone to bed with him after taking another roofie, which had made the experience bearable.
In the morning, however, she woke up in a foul mood. She felt fat, bloated, and got out of bed to look at herself in the mirror. Not seeing the imperfections she had imagined, she smiled…until Vanders came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her while he pressed his groin against her backside.
"Ted, what did I just tell you about taking liberties," she said, looking at him in the mirror. She expected him to back off.
However, Ted's lust had emboldened him. He figured she owed him big and that it was time he had a little more say in their relationship. After all, he'd done everything she'd said, to the letter-well, except the part about screwing her again in the morning while she was still passed out. He'd had to reuse one of the rubbers, but it had been worth it. And it didn't matter; he could expose her plans.
"Maybe you should be a little more cooperative if you want me to keep being a good boy. Sometimes you aren't very nice to me," he said, pouting.
Ryder, who'd tensed when he touched her, relaxed and let his hands continue to roam over her body. She reached behind and started to fondle him. He groaned…and then screamed when she pulled his balls as hard as she could. She'd whirled around with her scissors in her hand and placed them as if she intended to turn him into a eunuch.
Vanders cried again when he felt the pinch of the blades as they cut into his skin. "I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it. You're nice. Please, don't," he begged. He felt like passing out but was afraid of what she'd do if he did.
"You little piece of shit," she snarled. "You ever threaten me again and I'll cut your fucking balls off and cram them down your throat." She squeezed the scissors a bit more. "We clear?"
"Yes, yes, yes, yes," he yipped, nodding his head rapidly. "Please, let go."
"Well, okay then, Teddy," she said, smiling sweetly as she eased up on the scissors. "Just remember, not only would I find a way to get to you and your little nuts if you went to the police, but do you think they're not going to care that you lied to them just so you could get laid? They'll put you in prison where you'll get laid every night by some big, hairy hillbilly."
Ryder withdrew the scissors, which she waved in front of one of his weepy eyeballs. She had a sudden urge to plunge it in but figured that might be tough to explain.
"There, there, Teddy," she said, lifting his trembling chin with the point of the scissors. "Just be a good boy…no more threats…and I might even throw you a bone from time to time."
Five minutes later, she walked out of the apartment. Stopping to fix her makeup, she noticed a shadow move away from behind the door across the hall. Nosy neighbors, she thought. I'm going to have to be more careful and disguise my face when I visit Ted the Idiot.
Just thinking about him and his threat as she walked out to her car pissed her off. Just another guy trying to fuck her over. Well, someday Ted Vanders and his balls might have a fatal meeting with a certain pair of scissors. She laughed at the thought of Ted's face as she dangled his nut sack in front of his eyes. Now that would be funny.
Ted wasn't laughing, however, as he inspected his wounded nut sack with a mirror in the bathroom. Jeez, he thought, I better never tell her about the condom breaking or she really will cut them off.
15
One of the great things about jogging down a New York sidewalk accompanied by a 150-pound dog, Marlene thought, is that the crowd scatters like a school of herring when a barracuda shows up. Some of the fish did the New York shuffle, which was to look straight ahead at nothing and everything while skirting dog and owner without breaking stride. Others darted to the side and stood there staring at the dog as if it were some strange creature from another planet.
For his part, Gilgamesh cruised along indifferent to the people-except that his enormous brown eyes seemed to click on each for a moment, assess the danger to his owner, and then move on to the next. He was happy just letting his teacup-size nose take in all the wonderful, to a dog, smells and being on a walk with Marlene. Occasionally a brave soul would stretch out a hand to give him a scratch, which he accepted without reaction, although on a word from Marlene he would have removed the appendage about up to the elbow.
Marlene's route took her to an apartment building on the East Side, actually not far from Ariadne Stupenagel's loft. She was on her way to the Michaliks'. She'd called that morning and told Helena that she wanted to drop by and talk to her and Alexis.
"I want to take my dog for a run; then I'll drop him off and be over," Marlene said.
"Oh, bring your puppy, too," Helena replied. "I love dogs and had to leave my schnauzer at home when I came to the United States."
"Well, he's considerably bigger than any puppy or schnauzer you've probably met."
"Doesn't matter. Please, I insist. I would like to meet your dog."
Marlene agreed. She was proud of her dog and knew that Gilgamesh would enjoy the longer outing. She regretted forgetting to ask Helena if she owned a cat. As well trained as Gilgamesh was-he'd hold his ground if a bomb was going off next to him-there was one small flaw in his nature and it was that he loved cats. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
"Nice doggy," said a voice behind her.
Marlene and Gilgamesh turned, the latter emitting a deep, low rumble that was not quite a growl but a warning to stay back. Caught us both by surprise and that takes some doing, Marlene thought, as she sized up the stranger she saw.