The Hookergram

A sordid tale grows in Manhattan.

By Tracy Quan

  • Pages 1 2

Oct 28, 1999 | Oct. 28, 1999

Thursday, September 9

Is it safe to do business with Eileen Wong these days? That's the question on every girl's lips. After Eileen told Jasmine about being interrogated by Tom Winters, it took less than a week for the story to mushroom ... This morning, Liane -- who rarely has any reason to call me -- rang up around 11.

"Suzy, this is just between us ladies," she began in her delicate but matronly voice. Like most madams of a certain age, Liane is always cautioning younger women about the perils of gossip -- but I doubt she ever follows her own advice. "Is it true about your friend, Eileen?"

"Is what true?" I ventured.

"About her illness. I've heard that the FBI questioned her -- well, you don't have to reveal anything if it's too personal ... but I understand that she gave them a list of girls' names!"

Liane was under the impression that Eileen was dying and -- to prevent some feds from telling the entire Wong family about her sordid past (before she entered the hereafter) -- she had turned into a world-class tattler.

"How on earth did Eileen manage to get into so much trouble?" Liane was saying. "Was she using a lot of drugs? This is highly unusual."

"It was the IRS, not the FBI," I replied, "and that's not how it happened." But I felt ridiculous recounting a story I'd heard secondhand, even if I am infinitely closer to the source than Liane will ever be. "Eileen was in the pink of health last time I saw her -- but you should ask her if you want all the facts."

"You're quite right, dear. I'm sure it's all a huge misunderstanding. One should never listen to gossip."

I've been avoiding Eileen ever since I heard about the interrogation -- from Jasmine -- but now I feel like a craven fool. Eileen sits by her phone in her apartment, seeing her clients, shunned by half the girls she knows -- unaware of the gossip that grows wilder by the hour.

Later

Finally decided to take Eileen to lunch. "I don't do lunch," she said abruptly, and hung up on me. So much for my efforts -- too little too late?

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