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〃I don't know and I don't care。 Understand？〃
The younger cop bent to stroke McGuinn's neck。 〃If I stop your truck again；〃 he said to Twilly； 〃and there's two dead dogs inside。 I'm going to shoot your ass。 Law or no law。〃
〃Your candor is appreciated；〃 Twilly said。
After the policemen left； he drove south along A1A to Fort Lauderdale； where he parked across from Bahia Mar。 He hoisted the steamer trunk out of his truck and； walking backward； dragged it along the sand。 He stopped behind the Yankee Clipper Hotel and dug for more than an hour with his bare hands。 No one stopped to ask what he was doing but around the steamer trunk a small crowd of curious tourists gathered； many of them Europeans。 They acted as if they anticipated entertainment； a magic act； perhaps； or a busker！ Twilly opened the lid to show them what was inside before he covered it up with sand。 Afterward one of the tourists； a slight gray…bearded man； stepped up to the fresh grave and said a prayer in Danish。 Soon he was joined by the others； each murmuring reverently in their native tongue。 Twilly was deeply moved。 He hugged the Dane； and then each of the other tourists one by one。 Then he stripped off his clothes and dove into the ocean。 When he got out of the water； he was alone on the beach。
He picked up Desie on Federal Highway； at the south end of the New River Tunnel。 〃A really super idea；〃 she remarked when she got in the truck。 〃They think I'm a hooker； standing out here on the corner。 I had a dozen guys stop and ask how much for a blow job。〃
〃What did you tell them？〃
〃Very funny。〃
〃Well；〃 said Twilly； 〃you don't look like a hooker。〃
〃Aw； what a sweet thing to say。〃
〃Aren't we the sarcastic one？〃
〃Sorry；〃 Desie said； 〃but I had a shitty day。 And a fairly shitty night； too； e to think of it。 Where's my dog？〃
〃Someplace safe。〃
〃No more games； Twilly。 Please。〃
〃I had to be sure you came alone。〃
〃Another vote of confidence。 What're you staring at？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Blue jeans； sandals and a Donna Karan pullover…is that what streetwalkers are wearing these days？〃
Twilly said； 〃You look great。 That's what I'm staring at。〃
〃Well； don't。〃 Self…consciously she pulled her hair back into a ponytail； tucking it into a blue elastic band。 This gave Twilly quite a lovely angle on her neck。
〃What's in the shopping bag； Mrs。 Stoat？〃
When she showed him； he broke into a grin。 It was a paperback edition of The Dreadful Lemon Sky； a box of Tic Tacs； a jumbo bag of Liv…A…Snaps and a pact disc called Back From Rio； a solo album by Roger McGuinn； the dog's namesake。
Twilly slipped the CD into his dashboard stereo。 〃This is an extremely nice surprise。 Thank you。〃
〃Wele。〃
〃What's the matter？〃
〃Nothing。〃 Desie sniffled。 〃Everything。〃 She was biting her lower lip。
〃I'll shut up now；〃 said Twilly。 But they weren't even halfway to Miami Beach when he noticed her left foot tapping in time to the music。 Twilly thought： She'll be all right。 And it was nice with her sitting beside him again。
He'd reserved two ocean…view rooms at the Delano。 Desie was incredulous。 〃The dog gets his own？〃 she asked in the elevator。
〃The dog snores；〃 Twilly explained； 〃and also farts。〃
〃How'd you sneak him past the front desk？〃
〃Kate Moss is staying here。〃
〃Go on；〃 Desie said。
〃She and her actor boyfriend。 What's his name…Johnny Damon？〃
〃Johnny Depp。〃
〃Right；〃 Twilly said。 〃This is Johnny's dog。 Johnny doesn't go anywhere without him。 Johnny and the dog are inseparable。〃
〃And they went for that？〃
〃Seemed to。〃
〃Lord；〃 said Desie。
The elevator was lit in red but the rooms were done entirely in white； top to bottom。 McGuinn was so excited to see Desie that he dribbled pee on the alabaster tile。 She took a white towel from the white bathroom and got on her knees to wipe up McGuinn's piddle。 The dog thought she wanted to play…he flattened to a half crouch and began to bark uproariously。
〃Hush！〃 Desie said； but she was soon laughing and rolling around on the floor with the dog。 She noticed that the surgical staples had been removed from his belly。
〃He's doing fine；〃 said Twilly。
〃Is he taking his pills？〃
〃No problemo。〃
〃Roast beef？〃
〃No； he got hip to that。 Now we're doing pork chops。〃
Desie went to the minibar； which was also white。 She was reaching for a Diet Coke when she noticed it…a plastic Baggie。 She picked it up； recognized what was inside and hastily put it back； between the table wafers and the Toblerone chocolate bar。 With a gasp she said； 〃My God； Twilly。〃
He plopped down helplessly on the corner of the bed。 McGuinn trotted to the other side of the room and tentatively positioned himself by the door。
〃Where did it e from？〃 Desie asked。
〃Same place as the ear。〃
Desie closed the door of the minibar。
〃Don't worry；〃 Twilly said； 〃I didn't kill anything。 He was dead when I found him。〃
〃On the road？〃 Desie spoke so softly that Twilly could barely hear her。 〃Did you find him on the road？〃
〃Yep。〃
Her eyes cut back toward the minibar。 〃What a weird coincidence； huh？ Another black Lab。〃
〃No coincidence。 I was looking for one。 I drove all over creation。〃
Desie sighed。 〃That's what I was afraid of。〃
〃Well； what the hell was I supposed to do？〃 Twilly rose from the bed and began to pace。 〃And it worked； didn't it？ The Great White Hunter fell for it。〃
〃Yes； he did。〃
〃Right； so don't give me that what…a…poor…sick…soul…you…are look。 The animal was already dead； OK？ He didn't need the ear anymore！〃
Desie motioned him to sit down。 She joined him on the bed and said； 〃Calm down； for heaven's sake。 I'm surprised is all。 I'm not being judgmental。〃
〃Good。〃
〃It's just 。。。 I thought the ear was enough。 I mean； I thought it worked like a charm。 Governor Dick did what you wanted； didn't he？ He vetoed the Shearwater bridge。〃
〃Well； speaking from experience； it never hurts〃…Twilly shooting to his feet again…〃it never hurts to add an exclamation point。〃
〃All right。〃
〃So there's no ambiguity； no confusion whatsoever。〃
Desie said； 〃I understand。〃
〃Excellent。 Now； we'll need a cigar box。〃
〃OK。〃
〃A special cigar box；〃 Twilly said。 〃Are you going to help me or not？〃
〃Would you please chill out？ Of course I'll help。 But first…〃
〃What？〃
〃First； I think I know somebody；〃 Desie said； turning toward the door； 〃who needs a nice long w…a…l…k 。。。 〃
McGuinn's ebony ears shot up and his tail began flogging the tile。
12
〃I spoke to the governor。〃
Jesus； that wasn't what Palmer Stoat wanted to hear from Robert Clapley； not while Stoat was tied to a bar stool； trussed up with an electrical cord in his own kitchen； the maid off for the day and a blond stranger with a stubby…barreled gun standing over him。
And Robert Clapley pacing back and forth； saying things such as： 〃Palmer； you are a fuckweasel of the lowest order。 Is that not true？〃
This； less than two hours after Stoat had phoned Clapley to break the news about the governor's intention to veto the Shearwater Island bridge appropriation。 Stoat； laying it off on Willie Vasquez…Washington…that sneaky spade/spic/redskin！…Stoat claiming it was Willie backing out of the dea