Hooked

second-degree murder for the assisted suicide of a terminally ill patient. It wasn’t the first time he’d crossed a legal medical line, but it was the only instance the prosecution could prove. He’d shown no remorse, and after his sentence, stated unequivocally that he’d do it again. He served four years in federal prison before his lawyers got him off on appeal. During his time there, two inmates died of suspicious circumstances. Both were terminally ill, but again, no one could prove Max had anything to do with their deaths.
    Benny made his acquaintance through the friend of a friend, and whenever there was a problem with one of his girls or a client, Max came to the rescue. Since he couldn’t practice legally, the money he made illegally kept him and his family clothed and fed. Benny was generous in exchange for Max’s services. Very generous.
    “You know, Benny, I parked my ethics a long time ago. Your patron with the heart attack should have proved that.”
    “Personally, my friend, I think you’re one of the few doctors I’ve known who has any ethics at all. I believe in ending the suffering of people who choose that road. It’s humane.” Benny poured Max a shot of Remy Martin and handed it to him. “I’ve got a dead girl in the other room.” He watched Max to see his reaction. There was none. “A four-hundred-fifty-pound client who’s a heart attack waiting to happen got a hair up his crack and went postal.”
    “What did he do?”
    “Crushed her, I think. I’ll have to wait for Melody to tell us what happened.” Benny didn’t want to tell Max he had a video of the murder. “Maybe he was high on drugs or something, I don’t know. He hot-footed it out of here before we knew anything was wrong.” Benny poured himself another scotch, clicked glasses with Max, and both downed their drinks in one swallow. Benny hated to guzzle good scotch, but he needed the jolt. “Nothing you can do at this point. She’s definitely dead.”
    “Take me there. I’ll examine the body.”
    Benny led Max up the stairs. The ex-doctor felt Cindi’s rib cage, then checked her over. “I’m guessing, but I’d say she suffocated. From the frayed costume and the bruising, I’d say she had a good spanking before he finished her off.”
    “Damn! The guy never did anything like that before. Never got rough. Just a big, fat pussycat who liked pussy.”
    “Pussycat, my ass. More like a man-eating tiger,” Max said. “What are you going to do?”
    Benny ran a hand through his thick hair. “What can I do? The girl they found in the harbor was one of mine. If they connect Cindi to me, they’ll think I had something to do with her murder.”
    “Did you?”
    “No,” Benny said. “I didn’t. But who’d believe me? Two girls?” He glanced at Cindi. “Colin’s friend will get rid of the body. Maybe the cops will think there’s a serial killer taking out prostitutes. It’s happened before. I can’t jeopardize everything I’ve worked for.”
    “And Melody?” Max cocked his head, searching Benny’s face. “Maybe she won’t remember what happened. Concussions can do that.”
    “I’m not that lucky. Lately the stars have been out of alignment for me. Shit happens, but this is a farcockteh downpour. Besides, she was friends with this girl. She’ll ask what happened to her. I’ll have to tell her the truth.”
    “You’ll pay her off?”
    Benny snorted. “Big time.”
    “And the killer?”
    “That’s the real problem,” Benny said. “He’s the accountant for the Russo Family.”
    “ Oy vey .”
    “You got that right.”
    * * * * *
    R emoving Cindi’s body would have to wait until later. Too many clients lingered in the building. Benny and Colin had a hard enough time moving Melody to Benny’s apartment without anyone seeing. The two men used the interim to watch the video of what happened in room twenty. Max had been right. Rick Martell viciously spanked his imaginary baby sister, then mounted her and bounced as if he were on a trampoline. He pushed Melody out of the way when she tried to stop him. She hit her head on the dresser and fell to the floor. From the film, Cindi looked dead long before he stopped. When he grasped what he’d done, he tried to revive her, but it was too late. Martell turned as white as the fine Italian linens on the bed. He got up, dressed haphazardly, and walked out the door as if he was in a daze.
    Colin coughed. “Jesus, I’m no shrink, but it looked like