Lethal Legacy Read Free Page B

off?”
    “I don’t know what he did. I don’t remember.”
    I expected her to be a difficult interview after
the experience the cops had when they got to the building. But I hadn’t thought
she would stonewall me once she opened the door.
    “You don’t remember?”
    “I was unconscious the entire time that man was
here, Ms. Cooper.” Tina lifted her head and looked at me. “He pushed his way in
and threw me down. He put a cloth over my mouth and I couldn’t breathe any
longer. I just felt dizzy and watched the room turn upside down. I thought I
was going to die. I don’t have any idea what he did after that.”
    Now I had even more reason to be concerned, and
greater need not to express it.
    “How are you feeling?”
    “I’ve told you already. I’d like to go to sleep.”
    “Do you know what he drugged you with?”
    Tina rested her head on the back of the chair and
snapped at me. “Now how could I possibly tell you that?”
    “I didn’t think you’d be able to. That’s my point.
All the more reason to let the doctors examine you, have them test your blood.
You’ve undoubtedly still got something in your system.”
    “I don’t want anyone else coming in here—can you
understand that?”
    “I’d like to take you to the emergency room.
There’s an excellent hospital less than ten blocks away.”
    Tina Barr started to cry again. There was a box of
tissues on a desk behind her chair. I crossed the room to get a handful of
them, glancing around for any obvious signs of a disturbance. Bookcases lined
the walls. End tables, like the desk, were cluttered with a messy array of
papers and journals.
    “Why don’t you take a minute to compose yourself?”
    I handed her the tissues and reached out to stand
the waste-basket upright. There was a large rag in it, and as I leaned over, it
smelled sickeningly sweet. I used a tissue to remove the cloth from the basket
and put it in the pocket of my jeans.
    “Would you like some water, Tina?”
    “I’m too nauseous to drink. I’m very thirsty, but
I doubt I can hold anything down.”
    I retraced my steps to the loveseat. I could get
more facts later. I wanted to talk to her about medical treatment. “I just have
a couple more questions, okay? When you regained consciousness, were you still
here, on the floor?”
    She searched out another spot in the dark pattern
of the cheap Oriental rug and stared at it. “I was on my bed, Ms. Cooper. I was
naked. Completely naked. There was some kind of tape over my mouth, and my
hands were tied to the headboard with a pair of my stockings. Loose knots, they
were. I was able to work them off easily.”
    “While the man was still here?”
    “No,” she said, breathing deeply. “I came around
just a few minutes before he left. I could hear him in this room, so I just
played dead and didn’t move till the door shut.”
    “Tina, you’ve got to see a doctor.” I was on the
edge of the seat cushion, pleading with her to let me take her to Mount Sinai
Hospital. “They’ve got a wonderful advocacy program for victims of violence. I
just have to call ahead and someone knowledgeable about the process will be
with you through the entire exam.”
    “I told you before I wasn’t raped.” Tina got to
her feet and steadied herself before she started walking toward the back of the
apartment. “I’m going to be sick.”
    I stood up to follow her. “Let me—”
    “Please don’t come inside. I’d like some privacy.”
    A door slammed and I couldn’t hear anything until
the toilet flushed and water ran in the sink. The dozens of questions I had
would be answered, I knew, when she was made comfortable and felt safe. I
needed to get her to the ER as fast as possible. Once crime scene investigators
had access to her bedroom, the trace evidence on the linens and clothing might
tell us more about what occurred than Tina Barr could.
    About ten minutes later, Tina emerged from what
must have been her bedroom and bath area. She was