Mortal Fear by Greg Iles Read Free Book Online

blind-draft clients were paying regularly but not logging onto the system. There were about fifty, enough to make me think I might be paranoid. And enough for the company to decide not to investigate. But then I remembered that victims three and four had talked to this Strobekker guy a lot. So I started watching for him. Then I started printing out his exchanges. I also asked about him in private e-mail. Thats how I came up with the names of the first and second victims. And while I was doing that, he was setting up and killing five and six. He was also talking to at least twenty other women during this period as well.
    Doesnt the company try to contact people when their accounts drop to zero? Mayeux asks. In case it was just an oversight?
    No. Its understood by both parties that if a blind-draft account has insufficient funds for even a single payment, the company assumes the client no longer desires its services, and access is immediately terminated.
    I dont buy that, says Mayeuxs partner. I dont believe any company would kiss off that kind of bread without making sure the client wanted to quit.
    How can I explain this to them? Jan Krislov is the soleowner of EROS. And whether you believe it or not, shes not in it for the money.
    Oh, I believe it, mutters Baxter.
    Then why does she charge so damn much for the service? Mayeuxs partner asks doggedly.
    A faint smile crosses Arthur Lenzs patrician face. This alone draws all eyes to him. The high fee functions as a crude screening system, he says softly. Correct, Mr. Cole?
    What kind of screening system? asks Mayeuxs partner.
    Lenz answers for me. By charging an exorbitant rate, Ms. Krislov ensures that her on-line environment is accessible only to those who have attained a certain position in life.
    Flawed system, says Mayeux. It assumes rich people arent assholes.
    I said it was crude, Lenz admits. But I imagine it works fairly well.
    It works perfectly, I say, unable to keep the admiration out of my voice. Because there are other constraints on membership.
    Curiosity flares in Lenzs eyes. Such as?
    EROS is open to any woman who can pay the fee, but any man who wants to join has to submit a writing sample for evaluation.
    Who evaluates the sample?
    Jan Krislov.
    What are the criteria?
    Unable to resist, I point at Mayeuxs partner. He wouldnt make the cut.
    Mayeux lays an arm across his partners chest and asks, How many people belong to this thing?
    Five thousand. Half of them male, half female. The numerical relation is strictly maintained.
    Gays allowed? Lenz asks.
    Encouraged. And contained within that ratio.
    Mayeux shakes his head. Youre telling us this Krislov woman has personally evaluated twenty-five hundred writing samples from men writing about sex?
    Personally approved twenty-five hundred samples.Shes evaluated a lot more than that. Theres a waiting list of twenty-eight hundred men at this moment.
    So Jan Krislov sits up at night reading her own personal Penthouse letters, Baxter says in a gloating voice. I know some senators wholl eat that up.
    Probably beats watching Leno, pipes up the local FBI agent. For a woman, I mean, he adds hastily.
    Dr. Lenz leans forward in his chair. I doubt these samples are as crude as you assume. Are they, Mr. Cole?
    No. There are some gifted people on EROS.
    Mayeuxs partner snorts.
    To wit, Karin Wheat, says Lenz.
    One more thing, I add. Not all the men on EROS are wealthy. Certain men have submitted writing samples that impressed Ms. Krislov so much that she gives them access free of charge. Sort of a scholarship program. She says it improves the overall experience for the women.
    The secretary nods her head in a gesture I read as Right on, girl .
    Id be very interested in studying some of these on-line exchanges, Lenz says. You have some in that briefcase?
    Yes.
    Baxter asks, Does anything stand out in your mind that these women had in common?
    I pause for a moment. Most of them spent a lot of time in Level Twomy level. Their