“And you think that’s evidence that he killed Hanson and Carol Roberts?”
“Someone tried to kill me,” repeated Judd insistently.
McGreavy shook his head. “It won’t work, Doctor.”
“What won’t work?” asked Judd.
“Did you really expect me to start beating the bushes for some mythical killer while you take the heat off yourself?” His voice was suddenly hard. “Did you know your receptionist was pregnant?”
Judd closed his eyes and let his head sink back on the pillow. So that was what Carol had wanted to speak to him about. He had half-guessed. And now McGreavy would think…He opened his eyes. “No,” he said wearily. “I didn’t.”
Judd’s head began pounding again. The pain was returning. He swallowed to fight off the nausea that engulfed him. He wanted to ring for the nurse, but he was damned if he would give McGreavy the satisfaction.
“I went through the records at City Hall,” said McGreavy. “What would you say if I told you that your cute little pregnant receptionist had been a hooker before she went to work for you?” The pounding in Judd’s head was becoming steadily worse. “Were you aware f that, Dr. Stevens? You don’t have to answer. I’ll answer for you. You knew it because you picked her up in night court four years ago, when she was arrested on a charge of soliciting. Now isn’t it a little far-out for a respectable doctor to hire a hooker as a receptionist in a high-class office?”
“No one is born a hooker,” said Judd. “I was trying to help a sixteen-year-old child have a chance at life.”
“And get yourself a little free black tail on the side?”
“You dirty-minded bastard!”
McGreavy smiled without mirth. “Where did you take Carol after you found her in night court?”
“To my apartment.”
“And she slept there?”
“Yes.”
McGreavy grinned. “You’re a beauty! You picked up a good-looking young whore in night court and took her to your apartment to spend the night. What were you looking for—a chess partner? If you really didn’t sleep with her, there’s a damn good chance you’re a homosexual. And guess who that ties you in with? Right. John Hanson. If you did sleep with Carol, then the chances are pretty good that you continued sleeping with her until you finally got her knocked up. And you have the gall to lie there and tell me some cock-and-bull story about a hit-and-run maniac who’s going around murdering people?” McGreavy turned and strode out of the room, his face red with anger.
The pounding in Judd’s head had turned to a throbbing agony.
Angeli was watching him, worried. “You all right?”
“You’ve got to help me,” Judd said. “Someone is trying to kill me.” It sounded like a threnody in his ears.
“Who’d have a motive for killing you, Doctor?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you have any enemies?”
“No.”
“Have you been sleeping with anyone’s wife or girl friend?”
Judd shook his head and instantly regretted the motion.
“Is there any money in your family—relatives who might want to get you out of the way?”
“No.”
Angeli sighed. “OK. So there’s no motive for anyone wanting to murder you. What about your patients? I think you’d better give us a list so we can check them out.”
“I can’t do that.”
“All I’m asking for is their names.”
“I’m sorry.” It was an effort to speak. “If I were a dentist or a chiropodist I’d give it to you. But don’t you see? These people have problems. Most of them serious problems. If you started questioning them, you’d not only shatter them; you’d destroy their confidence in me. I wouldn’t be able to treat them any more. I can’t give you that list.” He lay back on the pillow, exhausted.
Angeli looked at him quietly, then asked, “What do you call a man who thinks that everyone’s out to kill him?”
“A paranoiac,” said Judd. He saw the look on Angeli’s face. “You don’t think I’m…?”
“Put yourself in my place,” Angeli said. “If I were in that bed right now, talking like you, and you were my doctor, what would you think?”
Judd closed his eyes against the stabs of pain in his head. He heard Angeli’s voice continue. “McGreavy’s waiting for me.”