Finally, Calazo stuffed Bellsey's handkerchief into the man's mouth. He watched closely to make certain his color wasn't changing. Then, when he was satisfied Bellsey was breathing through his nose, he went into the bathroom, got a glass of water, brought it back, and threw it into Bellsey's face. it took about three minutes and another glass of water before Ronald roused. He looked around him dazedly with glazed eyes -Good morning, glory," Detective Calazo; said cheerily.

"Got a little headache, have you?"

He felt around on Bellsey's scalp and found the welt behind the left ear. Bellsey winced when he touched it.

"No blood," Calazo said, displaying his fingertips.

"See?"

Bellsey was choking on the handkerchief, trying to spit it out.

"We got some ground rules here," the detective said.

"The gag comes out if you promise not to scream. One scream and the gag goes back in. No one's going to notice one scream in a joint like this.

Got it? You want the gag out?"

Bellsey nodded. Calazo pulled out the handkerchief. Bellsey licked his gums and lips, then looked down at his taped arms. He flapped his hands a few times. He tested the tape around his chest, then his legs. He looked up at Calazo standing over him, softly smacking his sap into the palm of one hand.

"Who the fuck're you?" Bellsey demanded hoarsely.

"The Scarlet Pimpernel," Calazo said.

"Didn't you recognize me?"

"How much you want?"

"Not much," the detective said.

"Just a little information.

Bellsey strained against his bonds. Then, when he realized that was futile, he began to rock back and forth on the chair.

"Stop that," Calazo said.

"Fuck you," Bellsey said, gasping.

The detective brought the sap thudding down on the back of the man's right hand. Bellsey opened his mouth to shriek, and Calazo jammed the wadded handkerchief back in his mouth.

"No screams," he said coldly.

"Remember our agreement?

Gonna keep quiet?"

Bellsey sat a moment, breathing deeply. Finally he nodded.

Calazo pulled out the gag.

"You better kill me," Bellsey said.

"Because if you don't, when I get loose I'm going to kill you."

"Nah," Ben Calazo said, "I don't think so. Because I'm going to hurt you-I mean really hurt you, just like you've hurt so many other people.

And you're never going to be the same again. After you get hurt bad, your whole life changes, believe me."

Something in Bellsey's eyes altered. Doubt, fear-whatever-shallowed their depths.

"Why do you want to hurt me?"

"That's easy. I don't like you."

"What'd I ever do to you?"

"What'd those four guys you stomped ever do to you?"

"What four guys?"

Calazo brought the sap down again on the back of Bellsey's left hand.

The man's head jerked back, his eyes closed, his mouth opened wide. But he didn't scream.

"The hand…" Calazo said.

"A lot of little chicken bones in there. Mess up your hands and you're in deep trouble. Even after lots of operations they never do work right again. Now tell me about the four guys."

"What four-" Bellsey started, but when he saw his captor raise the sap again, he said hastily, "All right, all right! I got into some hassles.

Street fights-you know? They were fair fights."

"Sure they were," Calazo said.

"Like that detective you took outside the Tail of the Whale. A kidney punch from behind. Then you gave him a boot. That was fair."

Bellsey stared at him.

"Jesus Christ," he gasped, "you're a cop!"

Calazo brought the bludgeon down on the back of Bellsey's right hand: a swift, hard blow. They both heard something snap. Bellsey's eyes glazed over.

"You did it-right?" the detective said.

"The four guys near your hangouts and the cop outside the Tail of the Whale.

All your work-correct?"

Ronald Bellsey nodded slowly, looking down at his reddened hands.

"Sure you did," Calazo said genially.

"A tough guy like you, it had to be.

It's fun slugging people, isn't it? I'm having fun."

"Let me go," Bellsey begged.

"I admitted it, didn't I? Let me loose."

"Oh, we got a way to go yet, Ronald," Calazo said cheerfully.

"You're not hurting enough."

"God almighty, what more do you want? I swear, I get out of here, I'm going to cut off your schlong and shove it down your throat."

Calazo brought the sap down again on the back of Bellsey's right hand.

The man passed out, and the detective brought more water to throw in his face.

"Keep it up, sonny boy," he said when Bellsey was conscious again.

"I'd just as soon pound your hands to mush.

You're not going to do much fighting with broken hands, are you? Maybe they'll fit you with a couple of hooks."

"You're a cop," Bellsey said aggrievedly.

"You can't do this.

"But I am doing it-right? Get a good look at me so you can pick me out of a lineup. The trouble with you tough guys is that you never figure to meet anyone tougher. Well, Ronald, you've just met one. Before I'm through with you, you're going to be crying and pissing your pants.

Meanwhile, let's get to the sixty-four-dollar question: Where were you the night your shrink was killed?"

"Oh, my God, is that what this is all about? I was home all night. I already told the cops that. My wife was there. She says the same thing."

"What'd you do at home all night? Read the Bible,-do crossword puzzles, count the walls?"

"I watched television."

"Yeah? What did you watch?"

"That's easy. We got cable, and I remember from nine to eleven there was a special on Home Box: Fifty, Years of Great Fights, 1930-1980. It was films from all the big fights, mostly heavyweights. I watched that."

Calazo looked at him thoughtfully.

"I saw that show that night, Good stuff. But you could have chilled your shrink and checked TV Guide just to give yourself an alibi."

"You fucker," Bellsey said in a croaky voice, "I really did--" But Calazo snapped the sap down on the back of Bellsey's left hand, and the bound man writhed with pain. Tears came to his eyes.

"See," the detective said, "you're crying already. Don't call me names, Ronald; it's a nasty habit."

Calazo stood there, staring steadily down at his captive.

Bellsey's hands had ballooned into puffs of raw meat. They lay limply on the arms of the chair, already beginning to show ruptured blood vessels and discolored skin.

"I wish I didn't believe you," Calazo said.

"I really wish I thought you were lying so I could keep it up for a while. I hate to say it, but I think you're telling the truth."

"I am, I am! What reason would I have to kill Ellerbee?

The guy was my doctor, for Christ's sake!"

"Uh-huh. But you hurt five other guys for no reason, didn't you? Well, before I walk off into the sunset, let me tell you a couple of things.

Betty Lee had nothing to do with this. I told her if she didn't, she'd be in the clink. You understand that?"

Bellsey nodded frantically.

"If I find out you've been leaning on her," Calazo continued, "I'm going to come looking for you. And then it won't be only your hands; it'll be your thick skull. You got that?"

Bellsey nodded again, wearily this time.

"And if you want to come looking for me, I'll make it easy for you: The name is Detective Benjamin Calazo, and Midtown North will tell you where to find me. Just you and me, one on one. I'll blow your fucking head off and wait right there for them to come and take me away. Do you believe that?"

Ronald Bellsey looked up at him fearfully.

"You're crazy," he said in a faltering voice.

"That's me," Calazo said.

"Nutty as a fruitcake."

With two swift, crushing blows, he slammed the sap against Bellsey's hands with all his strength. There was a sound like a wooden strawberry box crumpling. Bellsey's eyes rolled up into his skull and he passed out again. The stench of urine filled the air. The front of Bellsey's pants stained dark.