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d Technology； the Washington Hotel； Moniker's； a businessmen's show…girl bar where he picked up his one…night stands； a club called Omega in Georgetown； the restaurants where he took them： Villa D'Este in Alexandria's Old Town； Veneziano and Blue Angel Cafe in Adams Morgan； the private tennis courts in McLean belonging to the senior senator from Texas； the Belle Rive Country Club in Chevy Chase where he golfed with legislators； international bankers； and lobbyists。 Did any of these have a significance other than the one Dominic had wanted his federal tails to see？ Perhaps Margarite held the answer。
Croaker fully expected her first stop to be her stepmother's Georgian mansion in the rolling hills of the Potomac gorse country。 He had been to Renata Loti's house with Margarite and had learned that she was Dominic's mother。 She was also highly connected to the plex machine of the government。 But； to his surprise； Margarite's limo headed into town。
It was early evening； and the lights were already on along the parkway and the Arlington Memorial Bridge。 Clouds had gathered as ominously as the rush…hour traffic； and the smell of incipient ozone was in the air。 A light sooty rain was falling on the shoulders of the State Department joggers as they pounded the concrete footpaths along the bridge。 One heavyset man stood； winded； hands on his knees； bent over； head down。 Poor bastard； Croaker thought； fighting the urge to give him a lift back to the office。 Having had to battle bureaucrats almost all his adult life； Croaker had never had anything but contempt for them； but today he would gladly have changed places with even this oxygen…starved wretch。
He was trying not to think of Bad Clams Leonforte in whose service he now reluctantly toiled like a sinner in the depths of hell。 Bad enough he was working against the woman he loved； now he was in the employ of her archrival； a madman who would like nothing better than to see Margarite and Tony D。 dead。 And he had made it all too clear that he wanted to use Croaker to get that done。
Margarite's driver dropped her bags off at the Hay…Adams； then took her to have drinks at the Washington Hotel with Senator Graves of Indiana。 Fifty minutes later； she met Renata for dinner at a hot new spot on Pennsylvania Avenue。 Hot in D。C。 meant that it was a favorite of the new administration。 Scanning the menu while the women chatted over martinis； Croaker supposed they could run up a bill of over 250。 He gave the cabby a hundred…dollar bill； along with a ten…spot； and sent him off for some fast food。 Fifteen minutes later Croaker was wolfing down something that might have been a double cheeseburger； though he couldn't be sure。 His stomach started to hurt almost immediately。 Nicholas was right； he thought。 How did people eat this crap as a steady diet？ Next time； he vowed to duck into a sushi bar。
Margarite's dinner with her stepmother took just over two hours。 Then she climbed back in the waiting limo and was off。
〃How long you think you'll need me？〃 the cabby said over his shoulder。 〃My shift ends in about an hour。〃
〃Hard to say。〃 Croaker handed him another 100。
〃Thanks。 I'd better tell the dispatcher to phone my wife and tell her to put my dinner in the freezer。〃
They drove through the city； on the limo's tail。 The rain was falling harder now； and the wind had picked up； gusting down the side avenues； shaking； the trees like admonishing fingers。 Croaker was trying to figure ways to nail Bad Clams without finding Margarite smeared all over the New Jersey badlands。 Right now； on that score his mind was a blank。
〃Not the greatest part of town your friend is going to。〃
The cabby's nervous voice broke Croaker's train of thought。 He could see that they were indeed in a sleazy neighborhood that might make the typical tourist think twice about taking a stroll at night。 Honky…tonk bars； neon…fronted strip joints； and cheap restaurants lined the streets； and the sidewalks were filled with hustlers； petty henchmen； whores； and other assorted lowlifes。
Croaker watched as the limo slid to a stop at the curb outside Moniker's； the place Dominic had used for his white…meat pickups。 Margarite went inside。
Now this was interesting； Croaker thought'
〃What d'you think your classy broad is doing at this dump？〃
Croaker wanted to know that himself。 〃Wait here；〃 he said as he got out。 Inside the club he found a pay phone outside the coatroom and； using the credit card Lillehammer had given him； dialed a number。 He hoped that Looking…Glass； the American clandestine espionage organization Lillehammer had worked for； was still operating。 Since the death of Leon Waxman； its director； it could have been dismantled。 He was still using the large advance on expenses Lillehammer had given him last year； but it would help to be able to continue to tap into the agency's extensive resources。
The number rang twice before being answered。 Croaker gave the voice the coded ID Lillehammer had provided him with last year； praying it hadn't been discontinued。 The ID was his passport inside Looking…Glass； it had the highest classification。 When the voice acknowledged the ID； he breathed a sigh of relief。 He was instructed to punch in the last four digits imprinted on his card； then he waited while a series of relays shunted his call through God only knew what federal catabs。
At length； he could hear a series of double rings。 A female voice answered with a simple 〃Yes。〃
Looking…Glass was still in business。
Croaker then told the voice what he wanted： a trace on the limo's license plate。
〃Forty…five minutes；〃 the female voice said。
〃I need it in twenty。〃
〃It's after hours；〃 the voice plained。
〃Just do it。〃 He hung up； went into the club proper。
Moniker's was pretty much what you'd expect： red and silver wallpaper； colored spots bristling off mirrored globes that had seemed old…fashioned even in the seventies； a stench of cigar smoke and sweat。 Harsh and jarring rock spit out of banks of speakers hung from the ceiling by black cables。 Lurex…wrapped dancers with long legs and top…heavy chests spent ten heavy…breathing minutes on a long stage running across the width of the room。 It was mirrored so nothing was left to the imagination。 Without the essential mystery； Croaker thought； there wasn't an ounce of eroticism in the place。 But the babes； without a hair on their sleek bodies； knew their business； and there was a good goggle…eyed crowd bellied up to the stage shooting whiskey and beers at an astonishing pace。
A hostess who jiggled more than a bowl of Jell…O came up to him； and Croaker opened the federal badge in her face。 She seemed unimpressed … maybe she'd seen too many of his kind in her time … but at least she didn't push the watered…down drinks on him。
He described Margarite。 〃Sorry。〃 Her smile was as inviting as Medusa's。 〃Nobody like that's e in here tonight。〃
Croaker leaned toward her and leering obscenely at her； said； 〃How'd you like me to rip off those false eyelashes one at a time？〃
〃Shit。〃 All the same； she pointed the way backstage。 She seemed disappointed she hadn't been able to snow him like the horny marks at the bar。
The music pulsed and moaned；