'You can see,' Holmes went on, 'exactly as I told you. Your $2,000 and my $2,000. You run the place we lease, and you keep 75 per cent of the profits. I keep 25 per cent for my share. Can you see that?'

'I'm not good at reading contracts. I'm sure I can trust you.' She handed the contract back. 'Why don't you hold on to it until we're ready to sign.'

He slipped the contract back in his pocket. 'We can sign right after dinner, when we get back to my place. How's that?'

'I look forward to it,' Avis said, watching the waiter as he removed her soup plate and then replaced it with an elegantly presented Terrapin a la Maryland.

After dinner, Avis waited for Dr Holmes to reclaim his hat and cape, and then she accompanied him outside to the corner of Monroe and State Streets. When the Packard was brought around, Holmes helped Avis into the front seat and took his own seat behind the wheel.

Avis patted the front seat. 'This is really living in style.' Holmes smiled. 'There is more, much more, where this came from.'

Neither spoke much on the long drive back to the Castle. One thing Avis said, that Holmes would remember, was, 'It's so good to get out of the Everleigh Club. I mean, the sisters were nice to me, and the Club was comfortable, but it gets tiresome sleeping with so many different men but no one who's special. It'll be marvellous sleeping with one man who cares for you.' She cast him a sidelong glance. 'You do care for me, don't you, Herman?' 'More than you can know.'

Once they had entered the Castle, Holmes took Avis's jacket and hung it up. Then he led her into his office, and found the contract again. 'Let's sign this right now and get business over with. I'll affix my signature and then you do the same.'

He signed and waited for her to sign. Retrieving the contract, Holmes said, 'Why don't I make out my check for $2,000 so that you can see I'm putting up a sum equal to yours.'

'Not necessary,' said Avis, unfastening her purse. 'You can have my part right now, if you wish. Actually, I don't like carrying around that much cash. You can put up your amount when we've found the house to lease and the furniture.'

He accepted her wad of bills. 'Very well.' He placed the money in a desk drawer and came to his feet. 'Enough of business for tonight. Time for a little pleasure and a celebration.' As she rose, he put his arm around her waist and guided her out of his office towards the staircase that led to his master bedroom.

A flickering gas-lighted sconce kept the bedroom romantically shadowed.

Holmes turned to Avis. 'We should get to know each other intimately.'

'I'm for that.'

He reached out. 'Let me undress you.'

'Not necessary. I can manage faster. You undress yourself. You've seen me naked, but I've never seen you. I can't wait.'

She undressed with agility, quicker than he was able to, and faced him in the nude while he shed his last article of clothing.

Avis inspected his brawny body. 'Not bad, not bad at all,' she said quietly.

'Then let's do something about it,' he said. 'Let's not waste time.'

She rolled on to the bed and in seconds he was beside her.

She peered down the length of his body. 'That's a very big erection. You're not going to hurt me, are you?'

'I'm going to be very sweet and gentle.'

'Herman, let me feel it, let me hold it.'

'My pleasure.'

She reached down and taking his erection in one hand, artfully caressed it.

'Herman,' she said at last, 'let's -'

She let go, fell back, lifted her knees and spread her legs apart.

Although she was partially lost in shadows, he could recall the way she looked when he had last examined her at the Everleigh Club. The thought stimulated him even more, and with no hesitation he drove into her.

She gave a squeak of pain, and tried to pull back, but it would be her only movement in what followed.

He pumped vigorously, but she lay inert, not giving anything back. She just lay there on her back and let him do the moving.

He tried to get her to rotate her soft ass, but she just remained there unmoving, passive.

The Everleighs must have had complaints about this one, he decided.

He had expected more, far more, from one so experienced, but she was simply no good at it, satisfied to be an object, a passive taker, giving nothing in return.

He continued to be surprised and disappointed as he pumped away. Because of her sexy appearance and seductive come-on approach, he had anticipated a prolonged relationship with her. Maybe a few months, anyway. He had her money and he would have her every night. But now he didn't want her every night. The money was enough. He vetoed the prolonged relationship. He would get rid of her as quickly as possible.

The thought of getting rid of her was the first peak he enjoyed in this one-sided coupling.

He drove away harder and harder, until he was ready to explode. Then, with a mighty heave, he did explode.

She sighed, and after a while she opened her eyes as he rolled off her.

'Hey, that felt good,' she said.

'I hope so,' he said. 'It did for me.'

He knew that he would have to endure ten or fifteen minutes of pillow talk, and patiently he did. Then, getting off the bed, he pretended to examine himself, and said over his shoulder, 'Avis, I have a little blood on me. You may be bleeding down there.'

'I never have – except when I have my monthly, and I'm not due.'

'I think you did this time. I'd better have a look at you.'

'Oh, do I have to get up? It's so cosy here. I feel fine. A little sleepy, maybe, that's all.'

Holmes had stepped into his trousers. 'This'll be no more than a minute or two. I've got to see where your bleeding is coming from. Come on, let's go to my examining room.'

Avis sat up and stretched. 'If you insist.'

'I do.'

'Should I put on my nightgown?'

'No. I can examine you as you are. Then you can sleep. Come along, Avis.'

Dutifully, she left the bed, trailed him down the stairs, and followed him to a sliding door. He pressed a button to open the door and stepped into his secret chamber, beckoning her to follow him.

She came inside and surveyed the vast room. 'What a weird room.'

'I think patients prefer absolute privacy when they're being examined by a doctor.'

'Yes, that makes sense.'

Holmes signalled her to the examining-table at the centre of the room. 'Lie down here on your back. I'll go and get my instruments.'

She was climbing on to the table as he left the room.

Delaying not a moment, he secured the sliding door. Then he rushed to his office, hurried to the control panel, and moved the top lever.

Gas would now be entering the chamber.

He sat down at his desk and leafed through several magazines. Presently he rose, shut off the gas and moved a second lever to release the gas from the room. He returned to his magazines, and, leisurely smoking his pipe, began to feel good. He had got rid of the dead-ass whore. He had her $2,000 in cash. If the other girls at the Everleigh Club were as dumb as she, he would make a fortune in a few months.

He considered his watch. It was time to clear out the corpse.

Briskly, Holmes made for the sliding door, released it and it slid sideways.

Entering the chamber, he sniffed the air. He could detect only the slightest odour of gas. He marched straight to the examination table. The blob of flesh was still there, and on its back. Earlier he had thought her beautiful. Now, with eyes shut and mouth open, she

looked repulsive. He felt for her pulse, then listened to her heart.

Dead as dead could be.

He moved over to the first trap door and yanked off the top. He returned to the table, pushed his hands and arms under her, and lifted her free.

She was small and easy to handle. He positioned the corpse over the trap, settled it on the greased chute, and let it go. Wobbling, the body disappeared from sight.