“This is going to sound real weird … . For this service—it’s called an escort service. But it isn’t like what you think. I mean, we don’t do it. It’s like a scam. Or a partial scam. You call up and ask for a girl, and they tell you this is not a sex service. No prostitution. And the guy always says, sure. He thinks, they just got to say that. And they tell you—the girl—where to go. And you get there. And the first thing you say, is, you know, this is not a sex service. You can look. You can talk to me. I can talk to you. I’ll get undressed. And you can do whatever you want without touching me. Or we can go out somewhere. Or I can tell you what to do. You know, some guys—that’s what they really want. But this is not a sex service. And they’re kinda mad, because they didn’t believe it. But you already got their credit card number. So usually they complain but then they find a way to … have fun. Like I said, weird, isn’t it? Some even call back. If they like us.”

A gust of wind blew a newspaper page across the sidewalk. An elderly woman pushing a stroller approached them. Addis said nothing until she passed by.

“No prostitution, then?”

“Not at all. I swear. But I’ve seen some strange shit.”

“And Allison?”

“We sometimes worked together. Like sometimes you get a call for a twofer. Mainly out-of-towners. Lots of foreigners, diplomats. One night the two of us drove around in a limo with these Arab guys. We were naked, except for the fur coats they had us wear. We didn’t get to keep the coats. It was good money, and without having to …”

“Was she out on a job that night?”

“Don’t know. Maybe, I guess. She worked more than I did. She didn’t always tell me what she was up to. But she never mentioned that reporter guy before. It could’ve been a job. But there’s just no way she could’ve known, that she could’ve been involved … .”

She was crying. Her lips were trembling.

“She called that day. But I was out and didn’t get the message until late. I tried to call her, but she was already …”

Her body heaved with the sobs.

“Okay, okay,” Addis said and put a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s go sit down somewhere.”

She told him that she lived a few blocks away.

“Let’s go there,” he said.

He searched his pockets for a tissue. He found none. As they walked, she calmed down. He asked whether she had told anyone else. She had not. She was afraid.

“And the’rents would go ape-shit,” she explained.

“So then why are you—?”