Free The Ties That Bind by Warren Adler

of privilege and power. Having
lived in Washington most of her life, Fiona was aware of the mores of the black
hierarchy that had dominated black society in Washington for more than a
hundred years.
    This was a group more class conscious and tightly
controlled than any society of privilege anywhere. Dominated by their own
inter-connections and well-forged old family links, they were elitist, educated
and successful. Fiona was certain that Gail had been a debutante in a
"coming out" event that was one of the great seasonal traditions of
this proud, prestigious, super-achieving and self-segregated group.
    It was also a society known for its religious fervor and
strict moralistic traditions. Church was part of its culture. It was only
natural that Gail might reject the notion that Phyla Herbert knew her
assailant. In an odd way Phyla might be, despite the racial difference, one of
Gail's crowd.
    "I'm not saying it's not possible," Gail said.
"Anything is possible." She shook her head. "What you're also
saying is that she was predisposed to participate in this disgusting
perversion."
    "It happens," Fiona said. "We all have our
vulnerabilities." Had she gone too far? Was she actually trying to create
the impression that there was a kind of normality in such a practice? Perhaps
even justify her own past participation?
    "I wonder," Gail said, with a smile to take the
sting out of her rejection of Fiona's theory.
    "When it comes to sex," Fiona said boldly,
returning the smile, "people have their dirty little secrets."
    Gail shrugged, leaving Fiona with the impression that Gail probably
did not have any dirty little sex secrets.
    Fiona sensed the Eggplant watching this byplay, his head
swiveling from one to the other as if he were watching a tennis match. He was
surprisingly quiet and intent.
    "We've certainly seen enough of it in this
business," he said. "Hard to figure how people get their
jollies."
    Gail frowned and shrugged and made no comment. But Fiona
was not yet willing to let go of the subject.
    "On the other hand, if she had just met this person,
hadn't known him before, he might have sensed in her such a
predisposition," Fiona said.
    "You think that's possible?"
    "Birds of a feather," Fiona said.
    "Out of my realm of experience," Gail admitted.
It seemed to signal a kind of retreat.
    "There's still other scenarios," Fiona said cautiously,
aware of her deliberate manipulation. "Take this one. Phyla is out with
some silver-tongued, awesomely important man, who can truly help her career.
She's bright, ambitious, perhaps 'All About Eve' ambitious. She consents
to go to bed with the man. Maybe is even more aggressive than that. She invites
the man to go to bed with her. She consents to go along with his ... with his
brand of kink. It gets out of hand. Voila."
    "I don't know," Gail said, shaking her head.
"It seems ... well ... considering her education and class ... culturally
out of sync."
    There it was, Fiona decided. The heart of Gail's reticence.
It was still too early in their relationship to have any real insight about
Gail Prentiss. But Fiona felt she had come a long way in only one day. She
realized, too, that she would have to be extremely guarded in providing any
sisterly revelations, especially of the kind that had been filling her mind all
day.
    Fiona noted that the Eggplant had nodded his head after
Gail had made her point. It was clear that he was deeply impressed by her and
Fiona was certain that the racial kinship was a source of pride to him in a
father-daughter sort of way. It struck her then that, despite the physical
awesomeness of Gail Prentiss, she seemed to radiate a tenderness and warmth
that was often absent in upwardly mobile career cops, black or white. It was a
surprise to her that the Eggplant's attitude toward her also seemed warmer, as
if he felt more comfortable with her than with most women, including Fiona.
    Yet despite her own kindly feelings about Gail, Fiona did
sense in herself a twinge of