Baptism in Blood(84)
“I’ve seen pictures of it. It’s infamous in a way, Gregor. The old man went down there and built this enormous thing, and in those days nobody he’d ever heard of lived anywhere around. People couldn’t figure out what he was doing.”
“I’ll bet they still don’t know. Do you know anything about Zhondra Meyer? Does she have a reputation?”
“What kind of reputation?” Bennis asked. “I mean, for God’s sake, Gregor, the woman’s sex life has been in every tabloid and magazine for decades. It’s not as if she were making herself out to be a virgin.”
“That wasn’t the kind of reputation I mean. I don’t know if I can explain it. She seems very imperious. In spite of all the rhetoric about patriarchy and revolution, if I had to describe her to somebody, I’d say she was very much like one of those robber baron matriarchs. A will of iron. The unshakeable conviction that any way she does anything is the right way to do it.”
“I don’t think the robber baron matriarchs had that much self-confidence,” Bennis said. “I seem to remember they were always social climbing, until it finally occurred to them that they had more money than anybody else and they could do what they wanted to do. But I know what you mean. I’ve met women like that.”
“But not Zhondra Meyer. You haven’t heard anything like that about her on the grapevine?”
“Gregor, for God’s sake. I’ve been off that particular grapevine for years. I don’t hang around with debutantes anymore. I live on Cavanaugh Street and write fantasy novels.”
“I wish I had someone on some grapevine somewhere,” Gregor said. “I hate these things where I’m trying to figure out people I don’t know and can’t get a handle on. It’s like bouncing around in the dark, playing ghost.”
There was a pause on the line while Bennis lit another cigarette. Gregor heard the flare of the match.
“I thought you had this all sewn up before you left,” she said. “I thought you said the mother had killed the baby, or her husband or her boyfriend had, and it was just a matter of waiting until somebody confessed to it.”
“I still think that sometimes.”
“So what’s the matter? Did you meet her and decide that she was just too wonderful to be guilty?”
“I haven’t met her.”
“What?” Bennis was astonished. “How can you not have met her? Won’t her lawyer let you talk to her?”
“I haven’t asked to talk to her.”
“But why not? For God’s sake, Gregor, under the circumstances, I’d think that was the first thing you would do. I mean, she’s the one they’ve arrested.”
“Actually,” Gregor said, “they haven’t arrested her. They have her in protective custody. It’s a little fuzzy, just what’s going on around here with that. And it isn’t as if I’ve never seen her. She was on that talk show. You taped it for me.”
“She was on that talk show by satellite hookup from jail.” Bennis sounded something worse than exasperated. “Gregor, are you all right? What are you doing down there?”
Gregor Demarkian sighed. “At the moment, I’m sitting in the middle of David Sandler’s living room, running up my AT&T calling-card bill. How’s everything up there? Is Tibor coming out of his slump?”
“Tibor’s fine. Tibor’s always been fine. It’s you I’m worried about. You haven’t been yourself lately, to be original about it.”
“I’ve never been anybody but myself,” Gregor said. “Really. I’ve been fine. I am fine. I’m just a little tired. I miss Cavanaugh Street.”
“Well, that’s healthy enough.”
“Maybe I’m past this sort of thing, Bennis. Maybe I ought to give up murders and write my memoirs.”
“Maybe you ought to see a doctor as soon as you get home. Gregor, what’s going on with you these days?”
“I’ve got to go now,” Gregor said. “That’s David’s car pulling into the garage. I’ve been a terrible guest ever since I got here. I’d better make some time to talk to him.”
“You’re trying to get out of having to talk to me,” Bennis said.
“I’ve got to go now,” Gregor insisted. “Right away. Really. I’ll call you in a couple of days.”
“I’ll make that appointment with the doctor for you myself.”
“I’ll talk to you in a couple of days,” Gregor said again. “Say hello to Tibor for me. And Donna. And Lida, too, if she’s gotten home by now. Say hello to everybody.”