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That earned a chuckle. William Dexter had an easy smile. “I work seventy hours a week. I train for marathons about ten hours a week. If you factor in sleep and eating, that gives me eight to fifteen minutes a day to chat with people. A former colleague gave me the number of The Girlfriend Experience. It was easy. I’d make a call. Stacy would meet me wherever I told her. She looked fabulous. And it cost me less than maintaining a girlfriend in Manhattan.” He gave a little shrug.
That answer had an important element in it. I said, “You met Stacy from a referral? Do you know if that was common?”
“Stacy told me it was the only way she got clients. It was a tight circle of people. That’s why I felt comfortable with her.”
I nodded as I wrote a couple of notes in my pad. “Did Stacy say anything else about The Girlfriend Experience?”
“She said something about one girl kinda running the whole thing. But each girl developed her own client list.”
Sounded like Allie Pritz had been completely open with us. I took a moment before I hit Dexter with a tougher question. I said, “Can you tell me where you were on the first or second of this month?”
“Ahh, so Iama suspect. Or at least a person of interest.”
“C’mon, as a lawyer, you must know we need to clear up a lot of things before we can charge the right person.” I was about to go into more explanation when he held up his hands.
“I get it. And I’m not interested in screwing up a homicide investigation. I can’t imagine anyone who would.”
“Then you might be surprised.”
He started rifling through his side desk drawers. After a few seconds, Dexter plopped a folder onto the desk. When he opened it, I could see printouts of airline tickets, a hotel bill, and some taxi receipts. Everything checked out.
Dexter said, “I was in Dallas at an arbitration hearing from the first to the fifth of the month. Ever been to Dallas?”
“Once, on a case. I do kinda like the Cowboys.”
That made him groan. “I’m a Giants fan. It’s tough lately. At least it’s not as bad as being a Jets fan.”
I was ready to give him a zinger about his Jets comment when I heard a piano. It took me a moment to realize it was my ringtone. I looked up at the attorney, who nodded for me to take a call, which was from a number I didn’t recognize. I said, “Mike Bennett.”
“Detective, it’s Michelle Finnegan.”
I knew the secretary from the Wolfson Academy wouldn’t be calling me just to chat. I turned slightly, like it would keep the attorney from hearing anything, and said, “What’s up, Michelle?”
“I wanted to give you a heads-up that we just heard Jaden Banning overdosed. He’s done it a few times before. He left the academy without telling anyone last night and took an Uber back to his parents’ apartment in the city. They found him this morning, unresponsive. The family’s at Glendale General.”
“Thanks, Michelle. I appreciate it. Call me if you hear anything else. This could be important.” I excused myself with William Dexter. It seemed like it was okay with him that I was leaving. He was already studying documents.
Chapter71
I CALLED TERRIHernandez to meet me at the hospital. I felt a little creepy rushing to a hospital to see if a family was distraught enough to talk to me. I didn’t really want to impose myself on anyone during a stressful time like this. But I intended to be available in case someonewantedto talk.
As I made my way uptown, Michelle Finnegan rang again.
She said, “Okay, I have a little more information. Jaden Banning told one of his dorm mates he needed to get away for a little while. He found some OxyContin at his parents’ apartment. They didn’t even realize he was at home until the morning, when they found him unconscious on the couch.”
“Why did they go all the way up to Glendale? There are several hospitals closer to their apartment.” Glendale General was on Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattanville, near West Harlem.
Michellesaid, “I overheard the headmaster talking with one of the administrators. Apparently, the Bannings have been to the same hospital for the same reason a couple of times before. He said they use Glendale because it’s easier to keep things quiet. And they’re known to offer personalized service.”
I had to think about that for a moment. What kind of parent is so concerned about the family’s reputation and social standing that they would drive past hospitals with an unconscious child in the car? I would say it made me revise my view of Mr. Banning, but my impression was already pretty negative.
I asked Michelle, “Is Jaden in trouble for sneaking out? Will they kick him out of the academy?”
“I sincerely doubt that. Parents pay a premium for the school to put up with this kind of foolishness. I see it all the time. And it doesn’t help the students in any way. Like Jaden. He was sort of a known druggie. I think this was just a cry for help. He’s troubled.”
I believed her. Jaden Banningwastroubled. That’s what was bothering me. I thanked Michelle and concentrated on driving. I picked up speed and cut over to Amsterdam Avenue. I used my blue light and siren, rare for me.
I had to slow down a little bit because of traffic as I approached Holy Name on my left. At almost any other time I wouldn’t have thought twice about pulling over and going in to talk with my grandfather or check on the kids. Today was no ordinary day. I had to get to that hospital fast.
