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ngers； and I had reached Lexington Avenue where I had another cup of coffee in a side…street deli just to get out of it。
The counterman used to work for Woody and he couldn't give me a lead at all。 It was nearly my last straw until I remembered how close I was to that crazy pad in the new building just a few blocks away； and finished the coffee and picked up a pack of butts at the cashier's desk while I paid my bill。 There was somebody else who knew the people I was looking for。
The doorman flipped a fingertip to his cap and said； 〃Afternoon； sir。〃
〃Your partner still courting？〃
〃He'll never learn。 Last night he got engaged。 I do double shifts and don't get any sleep； but I'm sure making the bucks。 Just wait until he starts buying furniture。〃
〃Miss Anders in？〃
〃Sure。 Different girl； that。 Something happened to her。 Real bright…eyed now。 I think maybe she dumped that clown she was going with。 Playboy； no good at all。 Too much money。 Last night she got in at ten； and alone。 You want me to call up； officer？〃
I grinned at him； wishing Pat could have been here。 He would have turned inside out。 To Pat I was always the other side of the fence； with my face always the prime type to get picked up in a general dragnet。
〃Don't bother；〃 I said。 I returned his casual wave and walked to the elevator。
Heidi Anders saw me through the peephole and snapped off the double locks on the door。 It opened a scant three inches on the chain and that pert face with the tousled ash…blonde hair and full…lipped mouth was peering at me with a disguised smile and I said； 'Trick or treat？〃
The door closed and I heard the chain e off。 When it opened again her head was tilted in a funny smile； the upslanted eyes laughing a me。 〃Trick；〃 she said。 Then added； 〃But if you e in； it'll be a treat。〃
〃I'll e in。〃
She let the door open all the way and I walked inside。 I was treated。 Heidi Anders was standing there bare…ass naked； prettier than any centerfold picture in a girlie magazine and no matter how lovely those uniquely rounded breasts were； or how all that ash…blonde hair contrasted； all I could see was that crazy navel with the eyelashes painted around it like an oversexed Cyclops。
〃I just got up；〃 she said。
〃Don't you ever take your makeup off？〃
〃It's part of my personality；〃 she told me。 〃Most men have an immediate reaction。〃 She closed and locked the door behind me。 〃I wish you had。〃
〃I want to wink at it。〃
〃At least that's different。〃 She smiled and walked down the hall； not bothering to take my hat this time。 That wild gait was still there； but naked it had a totally new sway。 I let her get all the way into the living room before I moved。 Then I went in slowly； watching all the corners just to be sure； glad to have been in enough games not to get wiped out at the first charge of the opposition。
She didn't know it； but my hand was hooked over my belt； the palm fortable against the butt of the 。45。 Too many times naked women and death walked side by side。
Heidi had thrown back the draperies and stood there in the cold gray light that brought out the tan marks on the flesh； then turned around slowly to face me。 〃Do I look different； Mike？〃
The navel still watched me。 Crazy eye。 Blind； but crazy and watching。 The lashes were extra long。
〃Different；〃 I said。
〃You did it。 You yelled at me。 Mike。。。you were pretty rough。〃
〃A broad like you shouldn't get hooked on H。 There's too much going for you。〃 I picked a cigarette out of my deck and lit it up。 〃Sorry about yelling at you。〃
〃It wasn't that。〃 She picked up something filmy from the chair and drew it through her hands。 〃I saw your face when I turned you off。 I was lying there all ready and waiting and I turned you off。 That never happened to me before。 I wanted to get laid and I was right there waiting for you and I turned you off。 You yelled。 I felt like。。。you know what I felt like？〃
I nodded。 〃No retractions； kid。〃
〃Good。 We did well； the doctor and I。〃
〃How about Woody Ballinger's goons？〃
For a second I thought I had played it wrong； then she kinked her lips in a tiny smile and her eyes lit up again。 〃I asked around；〃 she said。 〃You were right； you know。〃
I reached up and slipped my hat off casually； and held it in front of me。 〃Will you get dressed？〃
I got that grin again。 〃I asked around about more than Woody Ballinger。〃 Once more I got that provocative； tilt…headed glance。 〃I didn't think you were so sensitive。〃 Then she sway…walked over to me and held out her hand。 〃Can I take your hat？〃
〃Don't be smart…ass；〃 I said。 〃Just make me a drink。〃
〃They were right。〃 She stepped back and looked at me with feigned wide…eyed amazement。 〃They were really right。〃
But she made the drinks； a long cooler for me and a short one for herself； and sat down opposite me in all that colorful nudity and crossed her legs like she was at a tea party in a Pucci dress and let me have the full impact of that little eye in her navel that never blinked and just looked at me with an unrelenting stare。
〃Unfortable？〃 she asked flippantly。
But age has its benefits and experience its knowledge。 I tossed my hat on the couch and grinned at her。 〃Nope。〃
Her smile turned into a mock frown。 〃Damn； I hate you older men。 You have too much control。 How do you do it？〃
〃Science； kitten。〃
〃Impossible。〃
〃See for yourself。〃
〃I do but I don't believe it。 How can I turn you on again？〃
〃By quitting the damn hippie talk and answering some questions。〃
Heidi raised her glass and tasted it； her eyes on mine。 〃One favor deserves another。〃
〃Where's Carl and Sammy？ And Woody？〃
Her glass stopped just short of her mouth。 〃What？〃
〃You heard me。〃
〃But。。。〃
〃I told you to pass the word along。〃
〃Mike。。。I told them what you said。〃
〃No reaction？ No nothing？ You aren't the type of broad they pick up at a bar and not one they leave alone。 Those damn slobs can buy tail or crook a finger and it'll e running out of their stables for them。 You're a class broad and for you they'll give an excuse。 They were both on the make the other night and the way they were pushing they wouldn't just bust out of a date。 Where are they； Heidi？〃
Her fingers were stiff around the glass and she had tucked her lower lip between her teeth； looking at me intently。 〃Mike。。。〃
〃Sammy。。。he。。。well； he wanted to see me again and we； well； we sort of made a date； but he called and said it would have to wait。〃
〃Why； honey？ Girls don't let a guy off the hook that easily。〃
〃Woody wanted him to。。。do something。 He couldn't cancel it。〃
〃Has he called again？〃
She nodded； glanced at her drink； then put it down。 〃Today。 An hour ago； I guess。〃
〃Where was he？〃
〃He didn't say。 All he told me was that he'd see me tonight。 His job would be done then。〃
〃Where'd he call from？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Damn it； think！〃
〃Mike。。。〃
〃Look；〃 I told her。 〃Remember back。 Was he alone？ Quiet？〃
〃No；〃 she said abruptly。 〃It was noisy； wherever he was。 I could hear the tooting。〃
〃Tooting？〃
〃Well； it was like two toots； then wh