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〃Thank you。 That helps a lot。〃 She smiled again； beautiful white teeth framed by lips that。。。 Toad looked at his novel a while； couldn't get interested； then scanned the airline magazine from the seat pocket。 Her skirt had inched up； revealing her knees。 He obliquely examined her hands。 Nails painted and trimmed； fingers long and slim。 God！ He caught her glancing at him and they both grinned nervously and looked away。 He turned the overhead air vent full on and glued his face to the window。
They were somewhere over Montana and Toad was deep into Vonnegut's vision of humans evolving into seals in the millennia to e when Rita spoke again。 〃Toad；〃 she said softly。
〃Yeah；〃 She was looking straight into his eyes。
〃Why can't you and I be friends？〃
He was thunderstruck。 〃Uh。。。 aren't we？〃
〃You know what I mean。〃
Toad Tarkington glanced around desperately。 No one was apparently paying any attention。 Those eyes were looking straight at him。 Just what does she mean？ There are friends and there are friends。 He had been floating along footloose and free and…whap！…suddenly here he was； smack in the middle of one of those delicious ambiguities that women work so hard to snare men in。 For the first time he noticed that her right eye was brown and her left was hazel； a brownish green。 Why not just tell her the truth？ One good reason； of course； is that truth rarely works with women。 Ah。。。 the hell with it！ Pay the money and see all the cards。
He leaned into the aura of her。 〃Because I like you too much to ever just be your friend； Rita Moravia。 You are a beautiful woman and…〃 He reached up and smoothed the makeup in the caked buildup near her right ear。 Then he lightly kissed her cheek。 〃That's why。〃
Those eyes were inches from his。 〃I thought you didn't like me。〃
〃I like you too damn much。〃
Her hands closed around his。 〃Do you really mean that？〃
He mumbled something inane。
Her lips glided into his。 Her tongue was warm and slippery and the breath from her nostrils hot upon his cheek。 Her hair brushed softly against his forehead。 When she broke away he was breathing heavily。 She had a trace of moisture on her upper lip。 Out of the corner of his eye Toad saw the woman in the aisle seat scowling at them。 〃Rita。。。〃
She glanced over her left shoulder； then back at Toad。 She straightened in her seat while holding tightly to his hand with her right。 She gave the woman beside her a frozen smile。 She gripped his hand fiercely。
〃Will you excuse us？〃 she said； and stood； still holding his hand as she moved past the knees that guarded the aisle； dragging Toad along in her wake。
She marched aft； past the kitchen and the stews loading the lunch cart； and got behind a girl in jeans waiting for the rest rooms。 She turned and flashed Toad a nervous smile； then stood nonchalantly； still gripping his hand with hers。 He squeezed and got a quick grin over her shoulder。
They made room for a woman who came out of one lavatory and then stood between the little doors shoulder to shoulder。 A boy of eleven or twelve joined them。 He examined their uniforms like they were dummies in a store window。 Rita studiously ignored the inspection； but Toad gave him a friendly wink。 Meanwhile the stews maneuvered the luncheon cart into the aisle。
When the other lavatory door opened and the occupant was clear； Rita stepped in and pulled Toad along。 〃Better get your mom to help you too；〃 Toad told the wide…eyed boy。 As he got the door closed。 Rita slammed the lock over and wrapped herself around him。
When they finally broke for air； she whispered； 〃I really thought you didn't like me。〃
〃Fool。〃
〃I wanted you to like me so much； but you were so distant； as if you didn't care at all。〃 Her arms were locked behind his back； crushing them together。 With his hands against the side of her head； he eased her head back。 Her lipstick was smeared。 He kissed her again； slowly and deeply。
Matilda Jackson peered through the peephole in the door。 A man。 〃Luis Camacho； Mrs。 Jackson。 We met yesterday。 Don't you remember？〃
Oh yes。 One of the FBI agents。 She unfastened the chain lock and shot the dead bolt。 When she opened the door； he said in a low voice； barely audible； 〃Special Agent Camacho； Mrs。 Jackson。 May I e in？〃
〃Please。〃 She looked across the street at the crack house。 No one in sight； though Lord knows； the lookout was probably watching out the window。 Sometimes she caught a glimpse of him。 She shut the door quickly。
Now he produced his credentials。 〃I have a few follow…up questions and…〃
〃Let's talk in the kitchen。〃 She led the way。 〃Would you like a cup of coffee？〃
〃That would be nice。〃
The kitchen was warmer than the living room； and well lit。 This was her favorite room in the house。 Charlie had enjoyed sitting here watching her cook； the smell of baking things heavy in the air。
Camacho sat at the table and waited until she had poured coffee for both of them and sat down across from him。 〃Perhaps we can go over the whole thing again； if you don't mind？〃
〃Oh； not at all。〃 She explained again about the crack house； about Mandy and Mrs。 Blue and the dudes who delivered the crack and picked up the money。 He led her into the events of last Friday night； the photos and the man who left the cigarette pack in the iron post two doors up the street。 〃So you never saw anyone reach into that post？〃
〃No。 I didn't。 God； I didn't even think about that。 If I had thought that somebody was going to e along any second and look for that thing I probably wouldn't have gone out there and gotten it。 No。 I know I shouldn't have done it； but I just wasn't thinking。〃
〃We're pleased that you did。 It's concerned citizens like you that enable law enforcement to function。 When the time es； and it's months…even years…away； would you be willing to testify？〃
〃Well。。。〃 Those dopers； if they knew who she was。。。
〃We'll need your testimony to get the photos introduced as evidence。〃
〃I'll。。。〃 She swallowed hard。 She would be risking her life。 〃I'll think about… Can't you do it without me？ You don't know what you're asking。〃
〃We'll try； Mrs。 Jackson。 We won't ask unless we really need you。〃 He sipped his coffee。 〃How long has the crack house been there？〃
〃Three； maybe four months。 I called the police…〃
〃Have you been watching the place since it opened？〃
〃Yes； on and off。 You know how it is。 I just look over there occasionally。 Try and keep an eye on what's going on。〃
〃Have you seen the black men there before？〃
〃Oh yes。〃 She thought about it。 〃At least a dozen times； I guess； I think they e almost every day to collect the money and such； but a lot of times I miss them。 They don't e at the same time every day。 And sometimes I think they skip a day。〃
〃Have they seen you watching？〃
〃I don't think so。 My God； I hope not。〃 She sat back and smoothed her hair。 〃I've tried to stay out of sight。。。 I've seen them so often。。。〃
〃How about the man who put the cigarette pack in the hollow fence post？ Have you seen him before？〃
She thought about it。 〃I…I don't think so。 But really； I just can't remember。〃
〃Have you ever seen anyone retrieve anything from the post？〃
〃Well； I…I just can't remember。 Maybe I