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immediate concern to McGuinn； who was fast asleep and chasing seagulls by the surf。
Twilly Spree said： 〃I can't believe you blindfolded him。〃
Desie tugged the sheet to her chin。 〃He's Palmer's dog。 I'm sorry； but I feel funny about this。〃
She moved closer； and Twilly slipped an arm around her。 He said； 〃I guess this means we have to be extra quiet； too。〃
〃We have to be quiet； anyway。 Mrs。 Stinson is in the next room；〃 Desie said。
Mrs。 Stinson was the proprietress of Toad Island's only bed…and…breakfast。 She stiffly had declared a no…dogs policy； and was in the process of turning them away when Twilly had produced a one…hundred…dollar bill and offered it as a 〃pet surcharge。〃 Not only did Mrs。 Stinson rent them the nicest room in the house but she brought McGuinn his own platter of beef Stroganoff。
Twilly said； 〃Mrs。 Stinson is downstairs watching wrestling on Pay…Per…View。〃
〃We should be quiet； just the same；〃 said Desie。 〃Now I think you ought to kiss me。〃
〃Look at the dog。〃
〃I don't want to look at the dog。〃
〃A purple bandanna。〃
〃It's mauve；〃 Desie said。
Twilly was trying not to laugh。
〃You're making fun of me；〃 said Desie。
〃No； I'm not。 I think you're fantastic。 I think I could search a thousand years and not find another woman who felt guilty about fooling around in front of her husband's dog。〃
〃They're very intuitive； animals are。 So would you please stop？〃
〃I'm not laughing。 But just look at him；〃 Twilly said。 〃If only we had a camera。〃
〃That's it。〃 Desie reached over and turned off the lamp。 Then she climbed on top of Twilly； lifted his hands and placed them on her breasts。 〃Now； you listen；〃 she said； keeping her voice low。 〃You told me you wanted to make love。〃
〃I do。〃 McGuinn looked outrageous。 It was all Twilly could do not to crack up。
Desie said； 〃Did you notice I'm in my birthday suit？〃
〃Yup。〃
〃And what am I doing？〃
〃Straddling me？〃
〃That's correct。 And are those your hands on my boobs？〃
〃They are。〃
〃And did you happen to notice；〃 Desie said； 〃where my hand is？〃
〃I most certainly did。〃
〃So can we please get on with this；〃 she said； 〃because it's one of the big unanswered questions about this whole deal； about me running off with you； Twilly…this subject。〃
〃The sex？〃
Desie sighed。 〃Right。 The sex。 Thank God I don't have to spell everything out。〃 She squeezed him playfully under the covers。
He smiled up at her。 〃Nothing like a little pressure the first time out。〃
〃Oh； you can handle it。〃 Desie； squeezing him harder。 〃You can definitely handle it。〃
〃Hey！ Watch those fingernails。〃
〃Hush；〃 she said； and kissed him on the mouth。
They were not so quiet； and not so still。 Afterward； Desie rolled off and put her head next to Twilly's on Mrs。 Stinson's handmade linen pillowcases。 Desie could tell by the frequent rise and fall of his chest that he wasn't drowsy； he was wired。 She switched on the lamp and he burst out laughing。
〃Now what？〃 She snapped upright and saw McGuinn sitting wide…awake at the foot of the bed。 His tail was bebopping and his ears were cocked and he looked like the happiest creature in the whole world； even with a ludicrous mauve blindfold。
Twilly whispered： 〃Dear God； we've traumatized him for life。〃
Desie broke into a giggle。 Twilly removed the bandanna from the dog and put out the light。 In the darkness he was soothed by the soft syncopations of their breathing； Desie's and McGuinn's； but he didn't fall asleep。 At dawn he rose and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt。 Desie stirred when she heard him murmur： 〃Time for a walk。〃
She propped herself on one elbow。 〃e back to bed。 He doesn't need a walk。〃
〃Not him。 Me。〃
She sat up； the sheet falling away from her breasts。 〃Where you going？〃
〃The bridge；〃 said Twilly。
〃Why？〃
〃You ing？〃
〃It's nippy out； Twilly。 And I'm beat。〃
He turned to McGuinn。 〃Well； how about you？〃
The dog was up in an instant； spinning euphorically at Twilly's feet。 A walk…was he kidding？ Did he even have to ask？
Krimmler had worked nineteen years for Roger Roothaus。 He had been hired because of his reputation as a relentless prick。 When Krimmler was on…site； construction moved along swiftly because Krimmler whipped it along。 The faster a project got pleted； the less money it cost the developer； and the more profit and glory accrued to the engineering firm of Roothaus and Son。 Krimmler abhorred sloth and delay； and would let nothing…including； on occasion； the law…stand in the path of his bulldozers。 Unless otherwise instructed by Roger Roothaus personally； Krimmler began each day with the mission of flattening； burying or excavating something substantial。 Nothing gladdened his soul so much as the sharp crack of an oak tree toppling under a steel blade。 Nothing fogged him in gloom so much as the sight of earth…moving machinery sitting idle。
Krimmler's antipathy toward nature was traceable to one seminal event： At age six； while attending a Lutheran church picnic； he'd been bitten on the scrotum by a wild chipmunk。 The incident was not unprovoked…Krimmler's mischievous older brother had snatched the frightened animal from a log and dropped it down Krimmler's corduroy trousers…and the bite itself had barely drawn blood。 Nevertheless； Krimmler was traumatized to such a degree that he became phobic about the outdoors and all creatures dwelling there。 In his imagination every uncut tree loomed as a musky； mysterious hideout for savage scrotum…nipping chipmunks； not to mention snakes and raccoons and spiders and bobcats 。。。 even bats！
Young Krimmler felt truly safe only in the city； shielded by concrete and steel and glass。 It was the fort drawn there…in the cool sterile shadows of skyscrapers…that propelled him toward a career in engineering。 Krimmler proved ideally suited to work for land developers； each new mall and subdivision and high…rise and warehouse park bringing him that much closer to his secret fantasy of a world without trees； without wilderness； a world of bricks and pavement and perfect order； a world； in short； without chipmunks。 It was inevitable Krimmler would end up in Florida； where developers and bankers bought the politicians who ran the government。 The state was urbanizing itself faster than any other place on the planet； faster than any other place in the history of man。 Each day 450 acres of wild forest disappeared beneath bulldozers across Florida； and Krimmler was pleased to be on the forefront； proud to be doing his part。
Early on； Roger Roothaus had recognized the value of placing such a zealot on…site as a project supervisor。 So long as a single sapling remained upright； Krimmler was impatient； irascible and darkly obsessed。 The construction foremen hated him because he never let up； and would accept none of the standard excuses for delay。 To Krimmler； a lightning storm was no reason to shut down and run for shelter； but rather a splendid opportunity to perform unauthorized land clearing； later to be blamed on the violent weather。 He would permit nothing to waylay the machines； which he regarded with the same paternal fondness that George Patton had felt for his tanks。
Krimmler regarded each new con