It was just as well.
On a return trip from Morocco Larry took Helena out to dinner and spent the night at her apartment.
In the morning he drove to the airport to check out his plane. He had lunch with Paul Metaxas.
“ You look like you hit the jackpot,” Metaxas said.“ Can you spare a piece for me?”“ My boy,” Larry grinned,“ you couldn’ t handle them. It takes a master.”
They had a pleasant lunch and then Larry drove back into town to pick up Helena, who was to be on his flight.
He knocked at the door of her apartment and after a long while, Helena slowly opened it. She was naked. Larry stared at her, not recognizing her. Her face and body were a mass of ugly bruises and puffy swellings. Her eyes were slits of pain. She had been beaten up by a professional.
“ Christ!” Larry exclaimed.“ What happened?”
Helena opened her mouth and Larry saw that three of her upper front teeth had been knocked out.“ T— two men,” she chattered.“ They came in as soon as you 1— left.”
“ Didn’ t you call the police?” Larry demanded, horrified.
“ Th— they said they would kill me if I told anyone. They meant it, L— Larry.” She stood there in shock, holding onto the door for support.
“ Did they rob you?”“ N— no. They f— forced their way in and raped me and then they— they beat me up.”“ Get some clothes on,” he ordered.“ I’ m taking you to the hospital.”“ I can’ t g— go out with my face like this,” she said.
And of course she was right. Larry telephoned a doctor who was a friend of his and arranged for him to come over.
“ I’ m sorry I can’ t stay,” Larry told Helena.“ I have to fly Demiris out in half an hour. I’ ll see you as soon as I return.”
But he never saw her again. When Larry returned two days later, the apartment was empty, and the landlady told him that the young lady had moved and had left no forwarding address. Even then Larry had no suspicion of the truth. It was not until several nights later when he was making love to Noelle that he had an inkling of what had happened.“ You’ re so goddamn fantastic,” he said.“ I’ ve never known anybody like you.”
“ Do I give you everything you want?” she asked.“ Yes,” he moaned,“ Oh, Christ, yes.” Noelle stopped what she was doing.“ Then don’ t ever sleep with another woman,”