Kiss the Girls

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion gender discrimination, sexual violence, rape, graphic violence, illness, death, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and cursing.

As the Gentleman Caller strolls Melrose Avenue, he thinks of Raymond Chandler’s quip that compares Los Angeles to a department store. The Gentleman Caller admires himself and the women he sees. He’s mastered the city and confounded the police. He feels like the main character in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He spots a blonde woman, and they flirt. He tells her he’s from North Carolina.

Cross and two FBI agents—John Asaro and Raymond Cosgrove—monitor Rudolph and the blonde woman. He points toward his car, but the blonde woman rejects him and gets into a Mercedes where she kisses her girlfriend. Cross and the agents hear Rudolph expressing his desire to vivisect both women.

The FBI isn’t working with the LAPD, and the FBI keeps Kate at a Los Angeles hotel in case they need her. Cross doesn’t tell Kate anything about Rudolph because he doesn’t want to create “bias.” He returns to his hotel room, wishing that Kate would knock on his door as if they were in a thrilling, romantic movie.