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〃Well； I…I just can't remember。 Maybe I saw somebody and didn't pay much attention。 Is it important？〃
〃At this point I don't know。〃
〃Would he be white？〃
〃Probably。〃
She thought about it。 There were so many people； up and down the street； all day long； week in； week out。 Yet not that many were white。 〃I'll have to try and remember。〃
〃Okay。〃 He scooted his chair back and stood。 〃I appreciate your taking the time to talk to me。 Is there anything else you think we should know？〃
〃Oh； I guess not。 But when are you all going to get that crack house closed down？〃
〃We'll talk to the District police。 I hope it's soon。〃
She acpanied him to the door and carefully locked it behind him。 If only they would shut those people down。 Get them out of the neighborhood。
〃I got lipstick all over you；〃 Rita Moravia said； and used a wet paper towel to wipe Toad's face。 This lavatory was certainly not designed for two adults。 He perched on the mode with the top down and she sat on his lap； bumming softly as she worked on his face and he swabbed hers。
He carefully wiped away all the mascara and makeup。 〃You shouldn't use this stuff；〃 he said。 〃You don't need it。〃
〃Why did you get drunk last Friday？〃
〃I wanted you and couldn't have you。〃 He lifted his shoulders and lowered them。 〃It seemed like a good idea at the time。〃
She laid her forehead against his and ran her fingers through his hair…
Someone pounded on the door。
〃Maybe we should get back to our seats；〃 he suggested。
〃I suppose；〃 she murmured； but she didn't move。
More knocking。 〃Hey； in there！〃
Toad helped her to her feet and straightened her uniform。 He ran his hands across her buttocks and hips as he stood。 She kissed him again to the acpaniment of the pounding on the door。
She stepped out first； her head up； still holding his hand。 Three stews stood in the kitchen area staring at them。 Rita Moravia smiled。 〃We're newlyweds；〃 she announced simply； and stepped past。
The women applauded wildly and the passengers joined in。
They parked the cars in the lot outside of Rita's apartment plex and Toad carried her bags in。 He had followed her home from Dulles。 They kissed in the elevator and they kissed in front of the door。 A giggling； happy Rita used her key。
When the door swung open a young woman on the couch in front of the television shrieked。 She had her hair in curlers and was wearing only bra and panties。 Toad got an eyeful of skin as she scurried for the bedroom。
〃Don't mind Harriet；〃 Rita said。 〃I do the same for her on alternate Saturdays when she brings her boyfriend by。〃
Toad grinned and nodded。 He stood in the center of the living room and glanced about while Rita lugged her bags toward the bedroom。 〃Need any help？〃
〃No； I'll manage。 Make yourself fortable。〃 In a moment she called from the bedroom； 〃There's probably Coke in the fridge。〃
Toad sagged fortably into the couch the roommate had recently vacated。 Aha； a remote control for the TV。 He nipped around the dial until he found a basketball game and settled his feet upon the settee。 Knowing women as he did； he knew he had a while to wait。
〃Who's the hunk？〃 Harriet demanded of Rita in the bedroom。
〃A friend。〃
〃What about Ogden？ He's called twice this week wanting to know when you'd be home。 I told him you'd call him this evening。〃 Ogden was an attorney at a large Washington law firm whom Rita had been dating。
Rita opened her suitcase on the bed and began to empty it。 She separated her dirty clothes from the clean ones； working quickly。
〃I'll call Ogden tomorrow。〃
Harriet eased the bedroom door open and peeked at Toad sprawled on the couch。 〃He's a live one； all right。〃 she said after she had eased the door shut again。 〃Navy？〃
〃Yep。〃
Harriet sat cross…legged on her bed。 〃Are you sure about this； Rita？ Ogden's a pretty great guy。 He's athletic； rich parents； good future； madly in…〃
〃He wasn't the one。 I'm sure。〃
Harriet pounced。 〃And this guy？ Is he the one？〃
〃Maybe。〃 Rita removed the pins that held her hair against the back of her head and shook it out。 〃He might be。 He almost got away。〃 She grinned and attacked her hair with a brush。 〃Reeled him in on the plane this afternoon。〃
〃This afternoon？〃
〃And I'm going over to his apartment to spend the night。〃
Harriet flopped back on her bed and pointed her legs at the ceiling； toes extended。 〃Well； no one can say you're just jumping right into bed with him。 My God； you've stifled your hormones and female appetites for an entire afternoon。。。 it's positively Victorian。 This will set the sexual revolution back a hundred years if it gets out。〃 She lowered her legs and propped her head on one arm。 〃Why not let it cool off a quarter of a degree； Rita？ A week。。。〃
Rita Moravia shook her head。
〃You've got it bad； huh？〃
〃Yep。〃
〃Luis；〃 his wife called from the top of the stairs。 〃Harlan is here。〃
〃Send him down。〃
Mrs。 Camacho smiled at her next…door neighbor and said； 〃He's in the basement watching a basketball game。 As usual。〃
〃I thought he might be；〃 Harlan said； smiled and descended the staircase。
〃Hey； Harlan。 Great game。 Boston College and West Virginia。 BCs ahead by a bucket。〃
〃Do you men want a beer？〃 Mrs。 Camacho calling down from the kitchen。
〃Thanks anyway； honey。〃 They heard her close the door at the top of the stairs。
Harlan Albright sank into a chair near Camacho。 He extracted a pack of Marlboros from his pocket and lit one。 〃Catching any spies？〃
〃Got Matilda Jackson's photos back from the lab yesterday afternoon。 She's got one of Vasily Pochinkov； the assistant agricultural whosis at the embassy。 So we've burned him。 I'm trying to get surveillance approved。 And sure enough； Mrs。 Jackson had Franklin's drop message。 The puter guys should decide it's the Pentagon by tomorrow。〃
〃Better tell me all of it。〃 Albright stared at the television as Camacho went through the initial interview with Mrs。 Jackson and her attorney； the lab report； the interview with Mrs。 Jackson today at her house。 When Camacho was finished； Albright lit another cigarette。 〃Is there a crack house across the street？〃
〃Apparently。 One of my men was going to check the D。C。 police mug books。 We'll have names and rap sheets by tomorrow； probably。〃
〃But there's no way to tie this in with the crack gang？〃
〃You know there isn't。〃
〃Did Mrs。 Jackson ever see Franklin？〃 Luis Camacho rubbed his chin thoughtfully。 〃I'm not sure。 She may have and doesn't remember。 She said she'd think about it。〃
〃What do you think？〃
〃How many times has he been to that drop？〃
〃Five。〃
He considered。 〃I think she's probably seen him；〃 he said at last。 〃Whether she could pick him out of a lineup or mug book； I don't know。〃
〃Where will you be if your boss asks you why you haven't tried that； once the Pentagon angle is nailed down？〃
〃I'll look like an inpetent。 I'll have to bring her in to go over the photo books to cover myself。〃
〃When？〃
〃Maybe next week。 Maybe the week after。 They'll want to evaluate。 At first they're going to be interested in Pochinkov。 For a day or two。 Then they'll get interested in Mrs。 Jackson again。〃
〃Pochinkov is a dead end。〃
〃They'l