Brazen Virtue

thanks,” Ed answered before Ben could accept. “You know Kathleen Breezewood was murdered.”
    “I read it in the paper. Horrible.” She sat behind the desk again and folded her hands on a neat pink blotter. “I only met her once, when she came in to interview, but I feel very close to all my employees. She was popular. In fact Desiree—I’m sorry, I’m afraid we get into the habit of thinking of them as their alter egos—Kathleen was one of my most popular. She had such a soothing voice. That’s very important in this business.”
    “Did Kathleen complain about any of her callers?” Ed flipped over a page in his notebook. “Did anyone make her uneasy, threaten her?”
    “No. Kathleen was very particular about the kind of calls she would take. She was a very conservative woman, and we respected that. We have one or two who handle the more … unusual fantasies. Excuse me,” she said as her phone rang.
    “Fantasy, Incorporated.” With the efficiency of a veteran receptionist, she had a pen in hand. “Yes, of course. I’ll be happy to see if Louisa’s available. I’ll need the number of a major credit card. Yes? And the expiration date. Now the number where you can be reached. If Louisa isn’t available, do you have another preference? Yes, I’ll see to it. Thank you.”

    After hanging up the phone, Eileen sent Ben and Ed an apologetic smile. “I’ll just be another minute. He’s a regular so it simplifies things.” She pushed a few buttons on her keyboard, then picked up her phone again. “Louisa? Yes, it’s Eileen. I’m fine, thanks. Mr. Dunnigan would like to talk to you. Yes, the usual number. You have it? That’s it. You’re welcome. ’Bye now.” After replacing the receiver, she folded her hands again. “Sorry for the interruption.”
    “You get many like that?” Ben asked. “Callbacks, regulars?”
    “Oh yes. There are a lot of lonely people, sexually frustrated people. In today’s climate, there are more who prefer the safety and anonymity of a phone call over the risks of singles’ bars.” She settled back and crossed her legs under the desk. “We’re all aware of the rise in sexually transmitted diseases. The life-styles of the sixties and seventies have had to alter greatly in the latter half of the eighties. Fantasy calls are just one alternative.”
    “Yeah.” Ed imagined she could take that routine on Donahue with some success. In fact, he didn’t disagree with her but was simply more interested in murder than in philosophy or mores. “Did Kathleen have a lot of regulars?”
    “As I said, she was popular. Several clients have called for her in the last couple of days. They’ve been very disappointed when I told them she was no longer with us.”
    “Has anyone not called her who should have?”
    Eileen paused to think this through, then again turned to her computer and put it to work. “No. I’m aware you’d have to question anyone connected with Kathleen. But you see, the men who call here only know of Desiree. She was a voice, faceless, or we’ll say with whatever face they chose for her. We’re very careful here, for legal reasons as well as professional ones. The women have no last names, they aren’t permitted to give out their private home telephone numbers to any of the clients or to see them, ever. Anonymity is part of the illusion as well as part of the protection. None of the clients has any way to contact a woman except through the office telephone numbers.”
    “Who has access to your files?”

    “Myself, my husband, and his sister. This is a family business,” she explained as the phone began to ring again. “My sister-in-law is working her way through college and mans the phones in the evenings. One minute.”
    She handled the next call with the same routine. Ed glanced at his watch. Twelve-fifteen. Obviously phone sex was a popular lunchtime activity. Then he wondered if the funeral was over and Grace was home alone.
    “I’m sorry,” she said again. “Before you ask, our files are confidential. None of us discusses our clients or employees with outsiders. It’s business, gentlemen, but not the kind we chat about over cocktails. We’re very careful to keep things legitimate and well within the law. Our women aren’t whores. They don’t sell their bodies, but conversation. Our employees are screened, carefully screened, and if they break any of our rules, they’re fired. We’re aware that there are some businesses