His flight was stacked in a holding pattern over Kennedy for almost two hours, to the dismay of most of Dorn’s fellow passengers, at least one of whom seemed to hold the stewardesses personally accountable. Dorn was unbothered by the delay. He had allowed for it.
A telephone conversation:
“Hello, Mr. Tompkins?”
“No, this is Emil Karnofsky. Did you wish to speak with Mr. Tomkins?”
“I’d like to speak to Mr. William Tompkins, yes.”
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Tompkins is not in now. I expect him in about two hours, perhaps sooner. If you would care to—”
“Do you have a number where he can be reached?”
“May I ask who is calling?”
“This is Sgt. Bernard Cleary attached to the 47th police precinct in Astoria.”
“Oh, I hope nothing’s—”
“Do you have a number where Mr. Tompkins can be reached?”
“Yes, I do. Excuse me a moment. Yes. Sergeant?”
“Yes.”
“The number is 868...”
Another telephone conversation: “Hello?”
“Mr. William Tompkins, please.”
“Right. Just a minute. Bill? Take your time, it’s a man.”
“Hello?”
“Is this William Tompkins? Mr. Tompkins, this is Sgt. Bernard Cleary...”
Another telephone conversation: “Hello?”
“Mr. Karnofsky, this is—”
“Yes, Bill, I was waiting for you to call. It’s your mother?”
“They just called me. They—”
“Are you all right, Bill?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be all right. She—”
“Take your time, Bill.”
“Someone broke in and beat her real bad, Mr. Karnofsky. Some crazy man. A woman like that, a sweet woman like that, to break into her house and beat her—”
“Is she all right?”
“They got her down at the hospital. They don’t know, you know, how she’s... how she’s gonna—”
“Go straight there, Bill. Take the car. Unless you don’t think you should drive.”
“No cab’s going to Astoria at this hour. I’m all right now, Mr. Karnofsky. And driving calms me. I relax myself driving whereas I worry when someone else drives me.”
“Go ahead, then. And don’t worry about me. I want you to stay with your mother as long as she needs you, as long as you feel you want to be with her.”
“You’re a good man, Mr. Karnofsky. You are good to me.”
“Oh, now.”
“I don’t like to leave you, Mr. Karnofsky.”
“Am I a child afraid of the dark? I can take my own shot, I can turn off my own lights, and in the morning I can make my own breakfast. And if I have anywhere to go tomorrow or the next day or as long as it takes, Bill, I can call downtown, and they will send me a car and a driver. Now go to your mother and stop wasting your time talking to an old man...”
Another telephone conversation:
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Rebecca Warriner?”
“Yes.”
“Rebecca, my name is Milton Burdett. Howard Kleinman said I ought to give you a call.”
“Howard Kleinman.”
“From Kansas City?”
“I guess so.”
“He may have just said Howard, I don’t—”
“Yeah, right. Be cool on the phone, right?”
“Oh.”
“It’s okay. Did you, uh, you wanted to come up?”
“I would like that.”
“You know the address?”
“Yes, I have it.”
“Give me your name again, because the doorman will have to announce you.”
“Milton Burdett. With two T’s.”
“He’s not going to spell it, Milton.”
“Oh, of course. There won’t be any trouble with the doorman, will there? Howard — I didn’t know about a doorman.”
“Not the way I tip, there won’t be, Milton. You come right up. I’m glad you called, I was lonely.”
Dorn rode the elevator to the fourteenth floor. He rang the bell of Apartment 14-D, and the door was opened almost immediately by a tall girl with very long black hair. She was wearing skintight black slacks and a yellow sweater. She had large breasts.
She said, “Milton? Come in, let’s get acquainted. Do I call you Milton or Milt?”
“Milton,” Dorn said. “I don’t have much time.”
“Oh, that’s a shame. I thought we could have a good long time together.”
Dorn found it remarkable that she could invest the words with such sincerity.
“I have... a special thing,” he said.
“Uh-huh.”
He drew a pair of fifty-dollar bills from his wallet and handed them to her. She reached out for the money, then drew her hand back.
“I don’t take beatings,” she said. “Except with a cloth belt that I have. Or being tied up, I don’t do that.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to do anything like that.”
“Well, maybe you could tell me in front what it is you want me to do.”
“In front?”
“Now, I mean.”
“Oh. I understand. I would like you to take off all your clothing.”
“So far we’re in business. And?”
“And I want you to do jumping jacks.”
“Huh?”
“Jumping jacks,” he said happily. “Have you never done jumping jacks?” He stood with his feet together and his hands at his sides, then sprang, and flung his arms up so that he wound up with his feet spread and his hands touching above his head. He returned to the original posture, then repeated the whole process. “Jumping jacks.”
“Oh, sure. Jumping jacks. We used to do that in an exercise class.”
“Then you’ll do them?”
“I suppose. What’ll you be doing while I’m doing jumping jacks?”
“I will sit in that chair,” he said, “and I will watch you.”
“That’s it?” He nodded. “Groovy,” she said, taking the money. “You’re nice, Milton.”
“And don’t talk while you do the jumping jacks.”
“Anything you say.”
He seated himself in the chair. It was quite comfortable. The whole apartment was tastefully furnished. She undressed quickly. He beamed at her. She began doing jumping jacks. He watched her as attentively as he possibly could. Much of his flight time had been devoted to determining what he would ask her to do. It had to be something that involved no disrobing on his part, and no physical contact.
She went on doing jumping jacks and he watched her breasts bounce heroically. After a few moments he stiffened, then slumped in the chair. Eyes closed he said, “You can stop now.”
“That was quick.”
“Usually I can last longer.”
“It’s a compliment to my excitingness. You’re very sweet, Milton. You want a Coke or something?”
“I have to go.”
“Uh-huh. You come and see me next time you’re in town, okay? That was lots of fun.”
“And good exercise.”
“Oh, it certainly was. Keeps me in shape. ‘Bye, now.”
He walked toward the elevator. When her door closed he doubled back and walked down four flights of stairs. He knocked softly on the door of Apartment 10-H. There was no response. He knocked again, somewhat louder. There was still no response.
He put his ear to the door and listened very carefully. He heard nothing.
There were four locks on the door of Apartment 10-H. One of them took him 30 seconds. The others were somewhat easier. After he had picked the fourth and last lock, he put on his gloves again and wiped the door where he might have touched it. He listened again, very carefully, and let himself inside.