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〃No； and I don't want one； either。 Why don't you just let me suck you off？ I'm very good at it； I really am。〃 She licked her lips and smiled。 〃I'll give you an around the world…〃
〃You can blow me next time； after I've put it up your ass。〃
〃I can't； Hoke；〃 she said。 〃I've got hemorrhoids； it would hurt too much。 Hemorrhoids go with floral designing。 I'm on my feet all day； every day； and I've sure got them。 If you don't believe me…〃
〃That's okay。 I believe you。〃
Hoke got off the bed； put on his shorts； and started toward the bathroom。
〃Where're you going？〃
〃To the bathroom。 I'll just be a minute。〃
Hoke closed the bathroom door and slid open the mirrored door to the medicine cabinet。 There was a bottle of Dexedrine； some Bufferin； a half…dozen bars of bath…size Camay soap； dental floss； four packets of tomato…flavored Kato （potassium chloride for oral solution）； a bottle of peroxide； a four…ounce bottle of iodine； seven unused Bic razors； a half…tube of family…sized； mint…flavored Close…up toothpaste； and an empty plastic bottle that had once contained Breck shampoo。 On the tank top of the toilet there was an opened tube of K…Y jelly； a box of tampons； and a small leather kit of tools for taking care of finger and toenails。
Hoke rummaged around in the small plastic wastebasket beside the toilet。 There were used Kleenex tissues； some honey…colored hairballs； a cardboard tube from a used toilet paper roll； and at the bottom of the basket； a tiny ball of blue tinfoil。
Hoke was perspiring heavily。 The smell of Pine…Sol cleaner was strong in the room。 He washed his face and hands； dried them on a dinky； delicately embroidered guest towel and concealed the ball of tinfoil in his hand as he went back into the bedroom。
〃What's the matter； Hoke？〃 Loretta said； sitting up on the edge of the bed。 〃Are you sick？〃
〃No； I'm okay。 I'm just a little nervous is all。 I'll get my cigarettes from my jacket。〃
Hoke went into the hall； then ran to the living room。 Loretta's purse was on the round coffee table in front of the couch。 Hoke rummaged through the purse and found a narrow cardboard box of suppositories； each of them wrapped in blue tinfoil。 There was a typed Ray's Pharmacy label on the cardboard box。
282 454 Dr。 Grossman
One at bedtime。 Mrs。 L。 Hickey。
Nembutal 200 mg。 Sups/
（Renewable； but dr must be called）
Hoke put the suppositories back in the purse and took out Loretta's checkbook。 He glanced at the total in the bank； and then tore a blank deposit slip from the back of the checkbook。 He put the deposit slip and the ball of tinfoil into his leisure jacket pocket； then started back down the hall。 He ran into Loretta at the bedroom door。 She had slipped into a robe。 He hoped she hadn't seen him e out of the living room。
〃Are you sure you're all right； Hoke？〃
〃Yeah； but I could use a beer。〃
〃Lie down。 I'll get you one。〃
Loretta went into the kitchen； and Hoke went into her bedroom。 He lit a cigarette。 His hands were shaking。 He pulled on his socks and was putting on his pants； when she came back into the bedroom with a red can of Tecate beer。 She handed it to him。
〃Look； Hoke； it's no big deal。 So you lost your hard…on； and now you're embarrassed。 You were too anxious； that's all。〃
Hoke opened the can and took a sip of beer。 〃This has happened to me before； Loretta； but this time I've also got a knot in my stomach。 I've 。 。 。 I've had a hard week and I'm keyed up。 I should've taken a nap or something this afternoon。〃
〃Don't get dressed。 Lie down。 Take a nap now。 In an hour or so； you'll be fine。〃 Loretta sat on the edge of the bed and let her robe fall open。 〃e on； baby。 Lie down； and let me hold you。 You'll fall asleep in no time。〃
Hoke took another sip of beer； then dropped the butt of his cigarette into the can。 〃No； not tonight。 I just don't feel right。 I'll call you tomorrow。〃
Hoke sat on the chaise longue and laced his shoes。
〃Don't brood about this； Hoke。 These things happen to men once in a while； but it doesn't mean anything。 We should've taken our time and necked a little in the living room before rushing into bed。 All you've got is an anxiety attack。〃
〃I know。 Next time it'll be different。 But the best thing for me to do now is to go home。〃
Loretta went with him as he retrieved his pistol in the living room。 He knew he had to kiss her good…bye at the doorway； and he managed to do it； but it was the hardest thing he had ever done。 He wasn't positive…not yet…and he still couldn't prove it； but he knew in his heart that after Loretta Hickey had fucked her stepson； she had killed him herself。
He just didn't know why。
Hoke unlocked the door to his suite at 12：40 A。M。 He looked in on his daughters； and they were both asleep。 The girls wore short； white cotton nightgowns； and they had kicked off the sheet。 Sue Ellen； sleeping with her mouth open； was on her back。 Aileen was curled into a knot； hugging an eyeless teddy bear。 In their sleep they looked much younger than they did when they were up and running around。 With her eyes closed； Aileen didn't look too old to be sleeping with a Teddy bear。 Hoke covered the girls with the sheet and left the door open to the sitting room so they would get more cool air from the chuffing air conditioner。
Hoke took the elevator down； stopping and locking the elevator at each floor as he sniffed for cooking smells and listened for the sounds of loud talk and laughter。 But the hotel after midnight was like a mausoleum。
Eddie Cohen had been asleep on a couch in the lobby when Hoke first arrived； but he was awake now； playing a game of Klondike on a burn…scarred card table。 Except for a standing bridge lamp beside the table； and the fluorescent lights above the desk； the lobby was dark。
〃What's the matter； Eddie？ Can't you sleep？〃
〃I slept a little。 Mrs。 Feistinger's on my mind。〃
Eddie gave up his game and gathered his cards together。 He shuffled them three times and offered them to Hoke to cut。 Hoke tapped the top of the deck instead of cutting them； and Eddie laid them out for a new game。
〃Mrs。 Feistinger didn't pick up her paper this morning； or yesterday's either；〃 Eddie said。
〃Shit。 Have you seen her around？〃
Eddie shook his head； looking at his cards。
〃Did you check her room？〃
〃Hell； I've got enough to do around here。 But I thought I'd tell you about it when you came in； and now I have。〃
〃Have we got another one； Eddie？〃
〃How the hell do I know？〃
〃What's her room number？〃
〃Four…oh…four。〃
〃Want to e up with me？〃
〃I can't。〃 Eddie shook his head and put a queen of hearts on a king of spades。 〃I gotta stay here and answer the switchboard。〃
Hoke walked to the elevators。
Mrs。 Feistinger was dead； all right； and she had been dead for a day or two； but the room didn't smell so bad because the air conditioning； on high； was going full blast。 She was in her eighties； and almost bald。 Her blue…tinted wig； plete with ringlets and Mamie Eisenhower bangs； was on a Styrofoam head on the bedside table。 She was wearing a blue flannel nightgown and was covered by a sheet and a multicolored afghan。 Her pale gray eyes stared sightlessly at the cracked ceili