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said with heavy sarcasm as I turned around to face her. She reached out and tweaked one of my still exposed nipples. I checked my watch. Twenty-three minutes since the cameras started rolling. Good. That meant the last five minutes weren’t recorded for posterity and Grandpa Holloway. “Want to tell me what was going on here? Other than the obvious?”
    I started to put my sweater back on.
    “Ah, don’t do that,” said Danny. “You’ve still got nice tits. I deserve some compensation for my time and effort. You can also leave your jeans unzipped. Particularly if you’re wearing your crocodile underwear.”
    “No, tasteful pale lavender.” But I did own a pair of underpants with a gaping gator’s snout you know where. I do have an incurable sophomoric streak in me. I zipped up my jeans. “Can I wash my face?”
    “Yes, you may, although I think it rather rude that you didn’t give Ms. Holloway a chance.”
    “She didn’t need to,” I called from the bathroom as I splashed very cold water on my face. Not that I like cold water. It just takes an ice age or two for the water to get warm.
    “You turned down oral sex? I don’t believe it.”
    “Believe it,” I said as I took the cameras out of their hiding places.
    “Karen gets pictures of Harry and you get pictures of Karen.”
    “Fair is fair.”
    “Stupid is stupid,” Danny replied. “Those black curls of yours are going to end up floating in the mighty Mississippi yet.”
    “Good thing I know how to swim. I’m going to drop these off for Grandpa Holloway and then get out of this mess. Maybe I’ll be celibate for a while.”
    “Right. I’ll give it ten minutes. Anyway I can talk you out of this?”
    “Celibacy? I don’t know. Make me an offer,” I said, ignoring her real question.
    “No, you can be celibate. You’d better be if you plan to go sticking your unprotected nose into an organized drug-running hive. Karen and/or Harry are more than willing to sell to them. They’d be fools not to. And you’re a fool for getting into this.”
    “A very brief appearance, believe me. The film to Grandpa Holloway and I’m gone.”
    “When?”
    “No time like the present. I’ll drop it off this evening.”
    “Call me in the morning,” Danny answered, “if you can. No, call me tonight when you get back. Oh, and put your shirt back on. I’m going home now. Elly’s waiting for me.”
    “Not a quick one for old times’ sake?”
    “No, I’m a married woman.”
    “Even if, as you seem to think, this is my last night on this earth?” My body still had a few things undone that it wanted done to it.
    “Then you had better set your affairs in order, not have flings with old flames.”
    “Thanks, Dan, for your sage advice.”
    “Not that you’re not tempting,” she sighed, deliberately staring at my breasts. She leaned over and kissed the left one, her favorite (don’t ask me why), and then left. Left me high and…certainly not dry. I put my shirt back on and figured it was time to go meet Grandpa Holloway.
    For no good reason, I decided to change clothes. Basic black seemed appropriate. Black turtleneck, black jeans, and a black jean jacket, but red earrings. I had to look like the kind of person who would take those kinds of pictures.
    I walked to my car, my dismal Datsun. I keep telling myself to put a sign on it saying, “Do Not Tow. This car is not a derelict.” I consulted my road maps. Going at my usual speed, I should get there around eight. I had to get gas. Damn, that meant visibly spending money on this thing. Intellectually, I knew I’d use the same amount of gas in any case, but I didn’t like pulling the money out of my wallet and watching it disappear.

Chapter 5

    One Hundred Oaks Plantation wasn’t hard to find. It had a big wrought-iron sign and the kind of bombastic brick gate that said, “Hi, we’re rich. Are you sure you should be entering here?”
    Drop the film off and get out of here, I told myself as I drove up