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s worth twice as much as the trailer where he lived。 He took no special steps to protect or conceal the cameras because virtually all his trailer…park neighbors owned free…running pit bulldogs； canine psychopaths that no burglar dared to challenge。
For some reason the neighbors' dogs never bothered Catherine。 Decker was printing film when she dropped by。 As soon as he let her in the door； she wrinkled her nose。 〃Yuk！ Hypo。〃 She knew the smell of the fixer。
〃I'll be done in a second；〃 he said； and slipped back into the darkroom。 He wondered what was up。 He wondered where James was。 James was the chiropractor she had married less than two weeks after the divorce。
The day Catherine had married Dr。 James was also the day Decker had clobbered the burglar。 Catherine had always felt guilty； as if she'd lighted the fuse。 She'd written him two or three times a month when he was at Apalachee； once she'd even mailed a Polaroid of herself in a black bra and panties。 Somehow it got by the prison censor。 〃For old times；〃 she'd printed on the back of the snapshot； as a joke。 Decker was sure Dr。 James had no idea。 Years after the marriage Catherine still called or stopped by； but only at night and never on weekends。 Decker always felt good for a little while afterward。
He washed a couple of eight…by…tens and hung the prints from a clothesline strung across the darkroom。 He could have turned on the overheads without harm to the photographs； but he preferred to work in the red glow of the safelight。 Catherine tapped twice and came in； shutting the door quickly。 She knew the routine。
〃Where's the mister？〃 Decker asked。
〃Tampa；〃 Catherine said。 〃Big convention。 Every other weekend is a big convention。 What've we got here？〃 She stood on her toes and studied the prints。 〃Who's the weight…lifter？〃
〃Fireman out on ninety…percent disability。〃
〃So what's he doing hulking out at Vie Tanny？〃
〃That's what the insurance pany wants to know；〃 Decker said。
〃Pretty dull stuff； Rage。〃 Sometimes she called him Rage instead of R。 J。 It was a pet name that had something to do with his temper。 Decker didn't mind it； ing from Catherine。
〃I've got a good one cooking；〃 he said。
〃Yeah？ Like what？〃
She looked great in the warm red light。 Catherine was a knockout。 Was； is； always will be。 An expensive knockout。
〃I'm investigating a professional fisherman；〃 Decker said； 〃for cheating in tournaments。 Allegedly。〃
〃e on； Rage。〃
〃I'm serious。〃
Catherine folded her arms and gave him a motherly look。 〃Why don't you ask the paper for your old job back？〃
〃Because the paper won't pay me a hundred large to go fishing。〃
Catherine said； 〃Wow。〃
She smelled wonderful。 She knew Decker liked a certain perfume so she always wore it for him…what was the name？ He couldn't remember。 Something fashionably neurotic。 pulsion； that was it。 A scent that probably wouldn't appeal to Dr。 James； at least Decker hoped not。 He wondered if Catherine was still on the same four…ounce bottle he'd bought for her birthday three years ago。
Decker tweezered another black…and…white of the goldbrick fireman out of the fixer and rinsed it down。
〃No pictures of fish？〃 Catherine asked。
〃Not yet。〃
〃Somebody is really gonna pay you a hundred thousand？〃
〃Well； at least fifty。 That's if I get what he wants。〃
She said； 〃What are you going to do with all that money？〃
〃Try to buy you back。〃
Catherine's laugh died in her throat。 She looked hurt。 〃That's not really funny； R。J。〃
〃I guess not。〃
〃You didn't mean it； did you？〃
〃No； I didn't mean it。〃
〃You've got a nasty streak。〃
〃I was beaten as a child；〃 Decker said。
〃Can we get out of here？ I'm getting high on your darn chemicals。〃
Decker took her to a barbecue joint on South Dixie Highway。 Catherine ordered half a chicken and iced tea； he had beer and ribs。 They talked about a thousand little things； and Decker thought about how much fun it was to be with her； still。 It wasn't a sad feeling； just wistful； he knew it would go away。 The best feelings always did。
〃Have you thought about New York？〃 Catherine asked。
The free…lance speech。 Decker knew it by heart。
〃Look at Foley。 He had a cover shot on Sports Illustrated last summer；〃 she said。
Foley was another photographer who'd quit the newspaper and gone free…lance。
〃Hale Irwin；〃 Decker said derisively。
〃What？〃
〃That was Foley's big picture。 A golfer。 A fucking golfer； Catherine。 That's not what I want to do； follow a bunch of Izod shirts around a hot golf course all day for one stupid picture。〃
Catherine said； 〃It was just an example； Rage。 Foley's had plenty of business since he moved to New York。 And not just golfers； so don't give me that pissed…off look。〃
〃He's a good shooter。〃
〃But you're better； by a mile。〃 She reached across the table and pinched his arm gently。 〃Hey； it doesn't have to be heavy…duty。 No Salvadors； no murders； no dead girls in Cadillacs。 Just stick to the soft stuff； Rage； you've earned it。〃
Decker guessed it was about time for the all…that…wasted…talent routine。
Catherine came through。 〃I just hate to see you wasting all your talent；〃 she said。 〃Snooping around like a thief； taking pictures of 。。。 〃
〃Guys who cheat insurance panies。〃
〃Yeah。〃
Decker said； 〃Maybe you're right。〃
〃Will you think about New York？〃
〃Take some of these ribs； I can't eat 'em all。〃
〃No； thanks； I'm fall。〃
〃So tell me about the quack。〃
〃Stop it；〃 Catherine said。 〃James's patients are wild about him。 He's very generous with his time。〃
〃And the spine…cracking business is good。〃
〃Good； but it could be better；〃 Catherine said。 〃James is talking about moving。〃
Decker grinned。 〃Let me guess where。〃
Catherine reddened。 〃His brother's got a practice on Long Island。 It's going gangbusters； James says。〃
〃No shit？〃
〃Don't look so cocky； R。J。 This has nothing to do with you。〃
〃So you wouldn't e see me；〃 Decker said。 〃I mean； if I were to move to New York and you somehow wound up on Long Island； you wouldn't drop by and chat？〃
Catherine wiped her hands on a napkin。 〃Jesus； I don't know。〃 Her voice was different now； the airy confidence gone。 〃I don't know what I've done； R。J。 Sometimes I wonder。 James is special and I realize how lucky I am； but still 。。。 The man irons his socks； did I tell you that？〃
Decker nodded。 〃You called me from your honeymoon to tell me that。〃 From Honolulu she'd called。
〃Yeah； well。〃
〃That's okay；〃 Decker said。 〃I didn't mind。〃 It was better than losing her pletely。 He would miss her if the sock…ironing chiropractor whisked her away to New York。
〃You know the hell of it？〃 Catherine said。 〃My back's still killing me。〃
Decker's telephone was ringing when he returned to the trailer。 The man on the other end didn't need to identify himself。
〃Hello； Miami。〃
〃Hey； captain。〃 Decker was surprised。 Skink would do anything to avoid the phone。
〃The Armadillo is dead；〃 said Skink。
Decker figured Skink was talking about his supper。
〃You listening？〃 Skink said。
〃The armadillo。〃
〃Yeah； your little pal from the newspaper。〃
〃Ott？〃
〃Officially he's only missing。 Unofficially he's dead。 You better get up