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〃Honey； they're never great。〃 Miss Lee laughed。 Baby Doll dabbed at her liberally applied pinky…orange lipstick； hoisted her heavy breasts so that they rode high and round in the D…cups of her red sequined halter top； and ducked onstage as Tommy botched the lead…in to her first song。
Miss Lee walked down a short shabby corridor to the dressing room。 The heels of her boots dug into the bare concrete floor and sent bolts of agony up her calves。 Boots were more fortable than the pumps most girls wore； since they gave her ankles some support； but at the end of a shift she could still feel every step she had taken on those four…inch spikes。
She tugged them off as soon as she hit the dressing room； collected the sweaty dollars stuffed into her garter and her G…string； peeled off both； and dove into her bag for street clothes。 An oversize black Ministry shirt； a pair of cutoffs； and her Converse All…Stars； one black； one purple； safety…pinned and scribbled upon； she had another pair just like it at home。 After six hours on high heels； there was nothing more forting than shoving your sore toes into a pair of soft； sloppy sneakers。
She stopped by the DJ booth to tip out…don't spend it all in one place； Tommy； sniffle snort…and cut through the club。 A blubbery redneck she'd table…danced for earlier tried to wave her over； but she stared right through him and kept heading for the door。 Once she was done； she was done。
Just outside the door she stopped； whipped off the platinum wig； and stuffed it into her bag。 Her hair underneath was black； buzzed nearly to the scalp except for wispy bangs that fell over her face and a few long skinny braids sprouting here and there。 One of her small ears was pierced with thirteen silver hoops beginning at the lobe and curling gracefully up around the delicate rim。 From the other dangled a single cross with a tiny ruby…eyed skull at its juncture。
She ran her hand through her buzz cut and breathed in the twilight air of the French Quarter and let Miss Lee go for another night。 She was Eddy Sung now； and her evenings were her own。
The gas lamps were just beginning to e on； their soft yellow glow flickering on every corner。 She thought of stopping off for a beer and a dozen oysters on the half…shell somewhere。 The salty； briny flavor of them always drove the taste of a day's false smiles out of her mouth。 But no； she decided； she would go home and check her mail and her messages； and then maybe she would call Zachary and see if he wanted to go eat oysters。 They were supposed to be an aphrodisiac； maybe they'd work on him。
Ha。 She should be so lucky。
Eddy allowed herself a rueful little laugh and set off through the Quarter for home。
Chapter Five
Zach was already throwing the last of his movable belongings into his car when Eddy arrived。 She had run all the way from her apartment on St。 Philip after hearing his message on her answering machine； and her face was flushed and sweaty； her breath ing in harsh shallow gasps。
But Zach looked worse。 His green eyes had a feverish sheen。 Beneath a ridiculous black bad…cowboy hat she hadn't seen before； his peaked pale face was nearly luminescent in the gaslit gloom of little Rue Madison。 He crammed a box of papers into the back seat of his Mustang； turned to grab another box； and saw Eddy。 His face froze。 For an instant he looked terrified。 Then he stumbled toward her and threw his arms around her。 Her heart broke a little； but Eddy was used to this； it happened every time she saw Zach。
〃They got you？〃
He nodded。 The words I told you so hung in the air； but she would not dream of speaking them。
〃How bad？〃
〃The warning said They know who you are； They know where you are。 I don't think They really know where I am yet or They'd be here。 But They could be finding out right now。 They could show up anytime。〃
Eddy glanced nervously back toward Chartres Street。 Except for an occasional ripple of street jazz or burst of drunken laughter； all was quiet。
〃I'm taking the incriminating stuff with me。 The puters； my disks； my notebooks。 The place will be clean if you want to move in。 If They show up and want to search； let 'em search。 They won't find a damn thing。〃 He looked proud； defiant； exhausted。 Eddy reached up to touch her fingertips to his perspiring face。 Her heart was not just breaking but imploding。 He was all but gone。
〃e sleep at my place tonight；〃 she said。 〃No one can find you there。 Leave in the morning； with some rest。〃
He didn't even hesitate。 〃I want to get as good a start as possible。 If I go now I'll have the cover of the night。〃
The cover of the night。 To Zach this was some big adventure。 He was scared； yes…but more than that； he was excited。 She could hear it in the tremor of his voice； see it in the blaze of his eyes。 He was like a racehorse getting ready to run； elegant nostrils flaring； velvet flanks bunching and tensing。
She had thought perhaps one last night together 。 。 。 But she knew what it would have been like。 They would have stayed up drinking and smoking pot and talking until dawn； maybe whipped up a batch of cayenne popcorn and watched a weird movie or two。 And that would have been it。 Zach didn't mind if she leaned against his shoulder； didn't mind a casual touch of the hand or ruffling of his unruly hair。 But anything more obvious on her part… like the couple of times she'd leaned over and kissed him full on the lips…would be met with 〃I can't； Ed； I just can't。〃 And if she asked why； she would get the infuriating answer； 〃Because I like you。〃
It wasn't as if Zach were celibate or gay； either。 She had seen him pick up scores of people at the clubs and bars they both frequented； and the ratio was only slightly in favor of cute young males。 He always seemed to go for the good…looking and the empty…headed； preferably drunk； ideally with some absent girlfriend or boyfriend to absorb the aftershock。 He had only one inflexible rule： they had to have a place to fuck。 He would not take them back to his sanctuary of an apartment； would not share his nest with his bimbos。 Maybe he was embarrassed for his puter to see them。
The next day…or night…he would brush them off； not in an especially cruel way； but in a manner that left no doubt that they had been nothing but caprices。 It was； Eddy thought； as if Zach considered sex a biological need on the order of going to the bathroom： you didn't form an emotional bond with every toilet you took a crap in； and when you were done； you flushed and walked away… feeling better； to be sure； but not really thinking about what you'd just done。
It raised Eddy's blood pressure； and frustrated her； and made her crazy。 Any other friend or potential lover with such an attitude would have been long since trashed。 But Zachary was so sweet； so smart； so cool otherwise that this seemed an aberration； a flaw or handicap he could not be blamed for； like a strawberry birthmark or a missing finger。 She supposed part of it was the hell he had watched his parents put each other through； and the hell he had endured at their hands。 And she kept hoping part of it could be blamed on his age； almost any ch