'We don't have detectives,' said Pinkerton. 'We have trained investigators we call operatives.'

'No matter what you call them, they're detectives, aren't they?'

Pinkerton appeared pained. 'All right, if you insist.' He brought what resembled a ledger in front of him, opened it, and dipped his pen in ink. 'Give me the facts first, omitting nothing. On the phone you spoke of a problem concerning the disappearances of some of your employees. Do you want to expand on that?'

'We retain thirty young girls at the Everleigh Club to entertain our guests. In a normal year, I might lose one of them, at the most two, to marriage, homesickness, a desire to change jobs. Just now I have lost three of my best girls in a row, all within a period of two weeks. Each one simply upped and left, vanished into thin air. It gives me the uneasy feeling that someone took Fanny, Avis, and Greta away from me to destroy our Club.'

'Can you give me the girls' full names?'

Minna recited the full names: Fanny Spenser, Avis Kaufman, Greta Ryan. 'All under twenty-two, and pretty.'

'Please describe each one in detail,' Pinkerton said, as he entered the names in his ledger.

Minna described Fanny, Avis, and Greta as best she could.

Pinkerton continued to write. He glanced up. 'Would anyone you know have had contact with these three, someone who might have an idea of their plans or what they had on their minds?'

'The other girls, of course. I have my valet, Edmund, questioning them right now. I'm afraid that won't lead to anything fruitful. The girls are usually close-mouthed about what they know of each other. They'd be especially close-mouthed in a matter like this, about three of them who walked out on us.'

'I see,' said Pinkerton. 'Can you think of anyone else who had contact with these girls who might be more forthcoming?'

'Not really, except – well, there's our physician, who visits all the girls once a week and speaks to them intimately and regularly. He might have some clues.'

'His name?'

'Dr Herman H. Holmes. He knew them all. He could possibly be helpful.'

'How would I locate him?'

Minna gave Holmes's address to Pinkerton. 'Do you want his telephone number?'

'No. I think I'll just look in on him without an appointment. Let's find out if he knows what Fanny, Avis, and Greta had in mind.'

'When are you going to see Dr Holmes?'

'Immediately. Today. I'll do it personally. This is a fascinating mystery. I'll look into it right after you leave, Miss Ever-leigh, and then I'll report to you. Perhaps we'll get to the bottom of this or perhaps we won't. But we'll try.'

Dr Herman Holmes lusted for this girl. No longer sexually, but in anticipation of carving up her ample body.

Greta had moved in a few hours ago. He had taken her on a tour of his three-storey offices and home. She had been dazzled by its comfort and size.

As he left her at her bedroom, she said with awe, 'This is going to be my home too?'

'Yours and mine from this day on,' promised Holmes.

'Did you mean what you said about maybe marrying me?'

Holmes smiled. 'I'm a bachelor. I've studiously avoided marriage until I was sure I'd found the right woman.' He met her eyes. 'I think I've found her at last.'

'I'm so happy!' Greta exclaimed, melting into his arms.

He held her briefly, whispering, 'I'll try to see that you're always happy.' Parting from her, he added, 'I can't wait to make love to you again. You go into your room and undress. Have a leisurely bath. Then put on the silk robe you'll find inside and join me downstairs. I'll be waiting for you.'

A half-hour later, when he heard her descending the staircase, Holmes left his office to meet her.

She giggled when she saw him in his underwear.

Tightening the belt of her purple silk robe, she said, 'Looks like you have something special in mind, Herman.'

'I do, my pet.'

'Where do we go?'

'To a place where we can have complete privacy.' He took her arm. 'Come along.'

He brought her to the closed entrance to his airtight room. He pressed a button. The door slid open.

'How clever!' she exclaimed. 'I've never seen anything like that.'

He nodded. 'As I told you, I want to ensure our complete privacy. Actually, this is my examination room.'

She was in the room, surveying it. 'Cosy enough, but not a window.'

'Nobody to pry,' said Holmes. 'Take off your robe and hoist yourself on the examination table.'

She did as directed. He watched her, hypnotized by the lushness of her alabaster body.

'What are we going to do?' she asked. 'Are we going to do what we did this morning?'

'If you don't mind.'

'Don't mind? I love it.'

She spread her legs as he knelt on a step. She grasped his head and brought him closer.

She closed her eyes and arched her back as he licked her vulva.

At first, she began to moan. As he continued, she wanted to scream, then repressed the impulse. 'Can… can anyone hear me?'

He lifted his head slightly. 'We're alone.'

He ducked down to pleasure her again, and now she screamed lustily.

This excited him. His mouth pressed harder, his tongue probed deeper.

Suddenly, she shook, lifting herself with such force that she almost threw him to the floor. This time he was sure of her orgasm, a noisy and prolonged one.

When it was done, she sank down, breathless, gradually opening her eyes to find him.

'That was something,' she said. 'What about you, Herman?'

'I'm ready when you are,' he said. He stood up over her, stripped off his underwear. His penis was hard as a rod.

She took it expertly in her hands, pulled it to her mouth, and then closed her lips around it.

Blinking down at the nape of her neck, he knew that she was a marvel, but what was most marvellous about her was the back of her neck. He was glad that she could enjoy herself so much before losing her head.

The thoughts of her head, her neck, excited him even more. As she went on, he tried desperately to contain himself. It was impossible. The witch was relentless.

Then he came and came.

When he was limp, she toyed with him, laughing, 'You had a good time, didn't you, Herman?'

'I'll never forget it.'

'Neither will I,' she said.

Holmes pulled free of her, and snatched up his underwear. 'I'll be right back.'

'Where are you going, Herman?'

'Just want to freshen up. I'll be right back. You'll find a towel on the end of the table. You can tidy up too.'

He went off through the open sliding door, and pushed the button to shut it.

Before it closed, he heard Greta's voice calling out, 'Hey, why are you closing the door?'

'Never mind,' he called back. 'I'll be with you shortly.'

The door slid shut.

Pleased, Holmes went to his office, pulled on his union suit, his shirt and trousers, then his stockings and shoes. He knotted his tie. Then he started for the row of levers, prepared to turn on the gas.

He was halfway to the lever when he thought he heard the front doorbell ring. He halted, listened again, and heard the bell ring more distinctly.

Holmes detoured out of his office and headed for the foyer, wondering who the unexpected visitor could be at this hour. He still had much to do after he turned on the gas. There would be great joy in cutting up Greta's plumpish body. Definitely orgasmic.

He put his hand on the knob of the front door and pulled it wide.

The doorway was filled by a huge middle-aged man with plastered hair, a full moustache, an expensive suit, and carrying a cane.

He had a calling-card in his free hand, and he offered it to Holmes. 'I am William A. Pinkerton, supervisor of the Chicago branch of Pinkerton's National Detective Agency,' the man announced. 'I'm here at the instigation of Miss Minna Ever-leigh, your employer, who feels you may give me some help in a matter I'm investigating.'