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He heard A
Robert turned to see her in the bedroom doorway in her little bra and panties. He said, "Not with all you have at stake. There ain't any way you'll blow it. But you know John Rau could come at you again, pull that Columbo shit. You think you're off the hook, he comes back and says, `Oh, by the way, you not sleeping with that colored fella, are you?' "
She came toward Robert in her undies. "I'll tell him oh, once in a while, to change my luck. Shall we?"
"Baby, just another few minutes. De
"I thought you two broke up."
"I haven't seen him except on TV, but we talked on the phone. Go
"He lights himself?"
"Charlie lights him. They run a line from a battery up there to a squib, a baggie with black powder in it. Charlie pushes the switch and De
They watched De
"Jump!" And De
Robert said, "Man."
A
De
Billy Darwin, bent over and walking with a cane, Carla helping him, came around behind the tank where De
It was right after the shooting and he had come back through the woods with Robert, De
Billy Darwin and Carla left and Charlie said the TV lady was here tonight, without her crew. "I imagine you'd like to see her. She said to tell you she's in the bar. But let me mention, Vernice's fixing a late supper for you. She's hoping you come right home after this. You don't, you'll miss a fine spread and Vernice'll be hurt, but what do you care?"
De
"You're a big boy," Charlie said. "You don't want to talk to her, you say you have to go home and eat."
De
In a short black skirt and some kind of lightcolored blouse. She said, "I couldn't come yesterday, I was at the funeral parlor."
"I looked for you."
"I wanted to but-you know, there things have to be done."
He said, "Do you have a car?" and saw her smile because she had asked him that.
"I do now. I have two, but don't know where one of 'em is."
"Can we go somewhere?"
"I won't take you home. There's still too much of Arlen in the house." She said, "Did you want to get something to eat," her voice slowing down, "or go to a bar, or a motel?"
"I know where we can go," De
They did. They turned on music and took their clothes off and just let loose being a man and a woman who couldn't keep their hands off each other. They made love and had vodka drinks and calamari. Loretta said, "Sunday was the best day of my life. I don't mean-you know, Arlen dying. I mean from the time you came in the tent to wash my back. I'm amazed I asked you to do it, but I'm so glad I did. I can live offa that one the rest of my life. Even with it being so hot in there. Now I have another one-whatever this day is, Wednesday? I'm go
De
She said, "Oh, God, I hope so. Did you burn yourself out there?"
"I never do."
"God, you're a daredevil and you're fun. You aren't the least bit stuck on yourself."
He said, "I saw you standing in that black skirt and I knew it was you."
She said, "It's old."
"I love your legs. I love your body."
"How about my head?"
"I love your head. Are you hungry?"
They had room-service crawfish etouffee De
"I was pla
"Tomorrow's the funeral. I have to leave here early." She said, "I hate to come right out and ask, but am I go
She fascinated him. He said, "Of course."
"You're not ru
"This is my last week, but I'm pretty sure I'll be here the rest of the summer. My boss has come to respect what I do."