"In Washington. "
"Close, " she said, and smiled.
He shook his head.
"So that wasn't a threat to make trouble for me? she asked
"No. Of course not. "
"I've never had any trouble... been arrested."
"That's simply a question of time. Maybe it would be good for you. Twenty-four hours in the slam with a dozen girls off the street might make you understand what the hell you're doing to yourself "
"What have we got here, a Marine who used to be a vice detective? With morals?"
"You're so goddamned beautiful! You don't have to fuck every man who comes along!"
"Thank you, " she said, "but I don't fuck every man who comes along. The only reason I fucked you was that I couldn't find a third girl for the job. "
"You're running a string?" he asked, genuinely surprised. The madams of his acquaintance, and he knew half a dozen, were not at all like this girl Most were fat and middle-aged, and all were hard as nails, with cold eyes.
"I'm a photographer, " she said.
"That's a new one.
"You asked"
"Go on. "
"An advertising photographer, nothing special, mostly for catalogs and brochures. The way you get commissions is to be nice to art directors. Then they started asking me if I had friends who might like to earn a little pocket money. Somebody once said that the way to get rich is to identify a need and then fill it. So I provide a service. I have associates. Do we have to keep this UP - ?"
"Pickering's paying for this?"
"Do you have any idea how much housekeeping supplies this hotel uses?
Not to mention how many Foster hotels there are?
Keeping the heir apparent happy is just good business. They take it off their income tax as `client relations.
"But he knows?" he asked, but it was more of a statement.
"Of course he knows. Pick's a very good-looking fellow, but he's not that good-looking. I shouldn't have to tell you this, but there's no such thing as a free lunch.
He shook his head.
"Did you ever hear that you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth?"
Beth asked.
"You're so goddamned beautiful! You shouldn't be doing this! You don't have to do this!"
"There's another rule, " Beth said. "Clients are not supposed to worry about the girls. "
"Fuck you!"
"That's all you're supposed to do, " Beth said. "Let's leave it at that. And this time I won't tell you how much I liked it. " He met her eyes, and then looked quickly away. Beth made him very uncomfortable.
"Have you got a girl back in Saint Louis? Is that it? You're consumed with guilt?"
"No girl back in Saint Louis. No girl anywhere.
"I'm surprised, " she said.
"Why should you be surprised?"
"Because you strike me as a nice guy, " Beth said.
"You know what's really strange?" George said. "I really did like doing it with you. I never liked it so much before.
"I'm pleased.
"So laugh. "
"Sorry. "
"Goddamn you!"
"I really am pleased, " she said. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but every once in a while... it's not just business.
"Am I supposed to believe that?"
"Believe whatever you goddamn please!" Their eyes met.
After a moment she said, "Why not? It's already paid for.
"Just for the hell of it, how much?"
"For the three of us, three hundred dollars.
"You could hire every whore in Saint Louis for three hundred dollars. "
"Come on, " Beth said, making a gesture at his midsection.
"Obviously, you want to.
He'd never wanted to sink himself in any woman half as desperately as he wanted to be in this one again.