Identity Games

The action begins in New York City with Peter Moldavyanni honing an exit strategy from his identity as "e;Marty Rosenblatt,"e; a personal assistant and lover to high-profile lawyer/philanthropist Hiram Feinstein. Peter has no sooner completed the illegal transfer of $440,000 of Hiram's funds to secret offshore accounts when Hiram returns from London. He discovers the shocking fact that Peter has charged thousands on a credit card in Hiram's name. Peter escapes to locate a new victim... Main character Justin Walters is a graphic designer/painter living in the artistic community of New Hope, Pennsylvania. A typical creative personality, Justin is easily influenced, financially nave, and tends to go into denial in the face of impending trouble. A designer of corporate trade show graphics and painter of popular male nudes, he finds himself needing some help to pay the rent and other expenses. He advertises online for a roommate and Peter, using his new identity as "e;Russ Peterson,"e; answers the ad. He tells Justin he is a magazine writer and broker for the sale of large coin collections. Russ quickly wins Justin's confidence. Justin's older lover Robert, a highly educated New York psychologist and TV producer, urges Justin to do a background check. Justin ignores the advice. One day, Justin goes into Russ's room to deliver a phone message from a guy named Whipper, and upon entering he discovers Russ with a huge amount of cash on his bed. Russ convinces Justin he has just sold a large coin collection and was paid in cash. He cons Justin into hiding the cash temporarily, but the arrangement continues for months. Justin is afraid to tell Robert, and also finds himself trying to resist Russ's physical advances. Although Robert suspects something is not quite right about Russ, when Russ offers to take care of both Justin's and Robert's cats while they're away on a gay cruise to Alaska, they accede to the idea and have keys to both residences made for Russ. Robert and Justin proceed to make cruise excursion plans with their Long Island friends David, an actor, and Carl, a queen. Russ admires Justin's talent for graphic design, remarking that he would make a great forger. Justin rejects Russ's suggestion that they become "e;partners,"e; but Russ tricks him into a sexual encounter that far exceeds Justin's tolerance. Justin climaxes after an unexpected spanking and runs from the room, horrified that he has been unfaithful to Robert. He avoids a repeat encounter, but Russ now holds something over Justin's head, and is as excited about the psychological control as the sex. We come to know Russ as a brilliant con artist who employs mind games to control and manipulate his victims. He prefers a personal brand of identity game-play, and chooses gay, often wealthy victims he can easily conquer in bed while stealing their assets. He also employs such anonymous identity theft methods as Internet phishing and pharming scams and hotel key and credit card skimming. We learn that, for Russ, there is a strange and thrilling parallel between the control he gains over individual victims and the bedroom mind games. To Russ, all identity games are all about mind control. Justin begins having hideously surreal nightmares, dreams rife with symbolism about the hidden cash and his sexual encounter with Russ. The dreams interfere with his creative work. One evening while out to dinner with Robert and Justin, Russ helps Robert with his online Fidelity investment account. The restaurant's piano player recognizes Russ, but addresses him as "e;Marty"e; and recalls a New York charitable event of Hiram's at which he'd performed, but Russ manages to wiggle out of being discovered and discredited. A new character is introduced when Justin runs into the elderly, and comically exasperating, neighborhood busybody Mrs. Berkenstein-an old lady with a fondness for the gay boys in the neighborhood-who fires a series of embarrassing questions at Justin about Russ, assuming they are involved in an affair. Events take a sinister turn when the astonished Justin discovers a gun in Russ's glove compartment. He confronts Russ about it but Russ defends his right to carry a weapon for protection. An argument ensues in which Justin voices concerns about the hidden money and various trust issues. Russ surprises Justin by removing the money from its hiding place in his studio. Trust restored, Justin and Robert accept Russ's offer of a lift to the airport for their cruise. On the plane to Seattle, Justin finally reveals the hidden cash story to Robert. Robert does a background check, but is unable to find anything on a "e;Russ Peterson."e; When they arrive at the cruise ship terminal, they discover to their dismay that Justin has somehow lost their tickets and passports. Denied embarkation, they must return to New Hope, their much-anticipated vacation ruined. Back home, Justin and Robert discover Russ has le ...