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ign spots for a man named Dick Artemus； who was planning to run for the governorship of Florida。 Palmer Stoat had acpanied Artemus to Atlanta； and sat beside him while the 〃Vote for Dick〃 mercials were screened。 Desie was there to prevent Andrew from offending Artemus （whom he abhorred） and thereby pissing away a 175；000 production contract。
In the studio Stoat began flirting with Desie； until she made it plain she was spoken for。 Stoat apologized convincingly and didn't say another word； although he hardly took his eyes off her all afternoon。 Desie never did figure out how he learned so quickly of her breakup with Andrew Beck； but Palmer wasted no time with phone calls； flowers and first…class plane tickets。 Initially Desie put him off but in the end he wore her down with his slick enthusiasm…she had always been a sucker for pampering and flattery； and Palmer was a virtuoso。 Desie's parents seemed to adore him （which should have been a warning signal） and urged her to give the nice young gentleman a fair chance。 Only later； when she'd married Palmer and moved away to Fort Lauderdale； did it occur to Desie that her folks had been trying to nudge her out of the house。 （Two days after the wedding； her father brought in a team of carpenters to convert her bedroom into a gym。）
She couldn't deny that Stoat treated her well： the Beemer； the canal…front house off Las Olas； all the shopping she could stand。 And while the physical relationship between Desie and her husband wasn't acrobatic or fiery； it was mostly pleasurable。 Morphologically； Palmer was a bit doughy for Desie's taste； but at least he didn't look like a damn Christmas tree when he took off his clothes。 Not one of Palmer's pallid body parts was pierced； pinned or spangled； which was a treat for his new bride。 It was nice； if not exactly rapturous； to make love without fear of puncture or abrasion。
Desie felt so liberated that on their honeymoon night in Tortola she was able to remain aroused…and not dissolve into giggles…when Palmer panted into her ear： 〃e on； baby； light my candle。〃
〃Fire；〃 she whispered gently。
〃What？〃
〃It's 'fire；' honey。 The song goes； 'e on； baby； light my fire。' 〃
〃No way。 I saw that fella do a show down at Dinner Key before he croaked…〃
〃Palmer；〃 Desie said； changing the subject； 〃can I get on top now？〃
It was three months before he brought the Polaroid camera into bed。 Desie went along but she didn't approve…the flash was annoying； as were Palmer's stage directions。 Moreover； the snapshots came out so blurry and shabbily posed that she couldn't understand how her husband found them titillating。 Did that make him a weirdo？ After being with Andrew Beck； nothing short of a medieval mace and chain…mail suit would have seemed kinky to Desie。
She did； however； draw the line at cigars。 Palmer wanted her to try one in the bedroom； before and possibly during sex。
〃No chance；〃 Desie said。
〃It's that goddamn Bill Clinton； isn't it？ Him and his twisted bimbos； they've given the whole cigar scene a bad name。 Honest； Des； all I want you to do is smoke one。〃
〃The answer is no； and it's got nothing to do with the president。〃
〃Then what？〃 Palmer Stoat rattled off the names of several cigar…puffing movie starlets。 〃e on；〃 he pleaded； 〃it's a very erotic look。〃
〃It's a very stupid look。 Not to mention the nausea that goes with it。〃
〃Oh； Desie； please。〃
〃They cause cancer； you know；〃 she said。 〃Tumors in the soft palate。 You find that erotic； Palmer？〃
He never again mentioned cigar sex。 But now： rhinoceros horns。 Desie was appalled。 Killing one was bad enough； but this！
Admittedly； she and Palmer hadn't been making love so often。 Desie knew why she wasn't feeling amorous…she wasn't happy with herself or the marriage； wasn't even certain she still liked her husband all that much。 And she was aware he seemed to have lost interest； as well。 Maybe he kept girlfriends in Tallahassee and Washington； or maybe he didn't。 Maybe he was being truthful when he said that the only reason he'd purchased the black…market rhino powder was to rekindle their romance。
Desie didn't know what to do。 Materially she had secured a good fortable life； she was scared to think of starting over。 But the emptiness in her heart was scary； too； scarier by the day。 She didn't view herself as one of those wives who could accept a marital chill as inevitable； pretend it wasn't there； distract themselves with spas and overseas travel and home…improvement projects。
Or perhaps she could。 To Desie； being alone sounded less appealing than being in a not…so…torrid marriage。 Some of her friends had it worse； they had husbands who didn't give a shit。 At least Palmer was trying； or appearing to try。 His hope for a two…day erection was either endearing or idiotic； depending on his true motives。
In any case； Desie was so infuriated by the way he ridiculed her kidnap story that she ordered him to sleep in one of the guest rooms。
〃I'll find you a shrink。 The best in town；〃 Palmer Stoat told her。 〃Please； Des。 You're just a little confused。〃
〃I prefer to stay confused；〃 she said； 〃for now。〃 Firmly she closed the bedroom door in his face。
All of a sudden McGuinn quit eating and became lethargic。 At first Twilly didn't know why。 Then he found the lint…covered cluster of antibiotic pills on the car floor； beneath the backseat。 All this time the dog had been pretending to swallow…scarfing down the roast beef envelopes while somehow concealing the chalky tablets under his tongue。 Then； when Twilly wasn't looking； he'd spit them out。
So the stubborn mutt probably has a post…op infection； Twilly thought。 From the phone book he picked a nearby veterinarian's office。 There the receptionist took out a clipboard and asked him some questions。
〃Name of the pet？〃
Twilly told her。
〃Breed？〃
〃Labrador retriever。〃
〃Age？〃
〃Five；〃 Twilly guessed。
〃Weight？〃
〃One twenty。 Maybe heavier。〃
〃Is he neutered？〃
〃Check for yourself。〃
〃No thanks；〃 the receptionist said。
〃See？ Balls。〃
〃Why don't you have him lie down again。 Mr。 Spree。〃
〃Down； boy；〃 Twilly said obediently。
〃Would you like us to go ahead and neuter him？〃
〃I'm not the one you should be asking；〃 said Twilly。
〃We've got a special this month on cats and dogs；〃 the receptionist told him。 〃You get a twenty…five…dollar rebate from the Humane Society。〃
〃Is that twenty…five per testicle？〃
〃No； Mr。 Spree。〃
Twilly sensed the Lab gazing up at him。 〃Cats and dogs only？〃
〃That's right。〃
〃Too bad。〃
The receptionist ignored his last remark。 A tall frizzy…haired woman in a pink lab coat came out to collect McGuinn。 Twilly followed her to an examination room and together they hoisted the dog onto a stainless…steel table。 In came the veterinarian； a slightly built fellow in his sixties。 He had a reddish gray mustache and wore thick…rimmed eyeglasses； and he didn't say much。 He listened to McGuinn's heartbeat； palpated his abdomen and examined the sutures。
Without looking up； the doctor asked； 〃What was the reason for the surgery？〃
Twilly said； 〃I don't know。〃 Desie had promised to tell him； but never did。
〃I don't understand。 Isn't this your