Sleight of Hand

CHAPTER Thirty-Nine

Nikolai Orlansky put up Gregor Karpinski’s bail as a reward for beating up Barry Lester. A few nights after getting out of jail, Gregor showered, shaved, and dressed in his flashiest clothes. Then he headed for The Scene in College Park, Maryland, a nightclub owned by Orlansky that catered to the students at the University of Maryland. Orlansky used it to launder money, and Gregor worked as a bouncer at the club on the weekends. During the week, he tried his luck with the college girls who frequented the bar. Nikolai gave Gregor permission to screw these girls as long as the sex was consensual. Nikolai did not want the club getting any bad publicity, so rape and roofies were a no-no. Gregor followed Orlansky’s rules scrupulously, ever since he had been forced to watch Nikolai use a scalpel, pliers, and a power drill on a colleague who had raped a coed he had picked up at the club. The girl had been paid off, the incident had been hushed up, and the fish off the coast had been treated to a multi-course meal.

When Gregor got to the club he headed for a booth on a platform elevated above the main floor that was reserved for members of Orlansky’s crew. The booth gave its occupants a good view of the dance floor and bar so they could spot trouble before it went too far. It was also a good place to scope out p-ssy. Gregor started up the stairs to join his friends when his cell phone vibrated.

“Yeah,” he said.

“Meet me in the parking lot. I’m in the back row by the fence.”

Gregor wondered what Charlie Benedict wanted from him, but he had made out okay whenever Nikolai told him to do something for the lawyer.

Gregor looked for Benedict’s Mercedes in the back of the lot, but he didn’t see it. Then the headlights on a dull-brown Ford came on, blinked twice, then went dead. Gregor walked to the driver’s side. The window was rolled down and Benedict was sitting behind the wheel, wearing a hooded sweatshirt. He grinned.

“Good to see you’re out, Gregor. Hop in.”

Benedict reached across and opened the passenger door. Gregor walked around the car and sat down beside the lawyer. He was curious about the car and the way Benedict was dressed, but he knew better than to ask questions.

“You did great with Lester,” Benedict said. “I told Nikolai that.”

Gregor wasn’t big on idle chatter so he held his tongue. The lawyer would tell him what he wanted when he was ready. Sure enough, Benedict cut to the chase.

“I’ve got a job for you. Are you interested in some easy money?”

“I must hear what you want me to do.”

“I need you to talk to someone, a woman. She’s been asking questions about Barry Lester. I want you to convince her to stop.”

“Nikolai is okay with this?” Gregor asked. Nikolai had made it very clear that members of his crew did not freelance unless they had his permission.

“Of course,” Benedict lied. After his meeting with Tiffany Starr he realized that he would have to act quickly, and there had not been enough time to clear with Orlansky what he wanted done.

“How bad you want the woman hurt?”

“Rough her up enough to scare her. Get sexual. You know, cop a feel, put your hand between her legs and rub a little. Do enough so she gets the idea. Wear a ski mask, black. I want her to fear you. I want you to tell her you’ll come back if she doesn’t back off. Get it?”

“Yes, I see what you want.”

Benedict handed Gregor an envelope stuffed with cash. Gregor noticed that the lawyer was wearing gloves. It was dark but he thought he saw specks of blood on the leather between the thumb and forefinger.

“So, we’re good?” Benedict asked when Gregor was done counting the money.

“Yes, we are good.”

“Okay, the woman’s name and phone number are in the envelope. You make sure she keeps her nose out of the Blair case.”

“How fast do you want me to do this?”

“I need it yesterday, Gregor. She’s already forced me to do something I didn’t want to do.”

Gregor nodded and got out of the car. He looked at his watch and sighed. If he did this tonight he would not have time to get laid, but Benedict said it couldn’t wait. Gregor went to his car, where he would have some privacy. He turned on an untraceable cell phone he used when he was making drug deals for Nikolai and dialed the number Loren Parkhurst had given to Tiffany Starr.