changed very little。 The style of the clothes； of course； that was different： he was dressed； as ever； as last year's fashions demanded； he was losing hair too； receding at quite a rate； but apart from that he was the same wisecracking faker he'd always been； laying out a sparkling collection of fabrications for Marty to inspect。 His involvement with the music business； his contacts in L。A。； his plans to open a recording studio in the neighborhood。 〃Done a lot of thinking about you；〃 he said。 〃Wondered how you were getting on。 Meant to visit； but I didn't think you'd thank me for it。〃 He was right。 〃Besides； I'm never here； you know？ So tell me； old son； what are you doing back？〃 〃I came to see Charmaine。〃 〃Oh。〃 He seemed almost to have forgotten who she was。 〃She OK？〃 〃So…so。 You sound as if you're doing well。〃 〃I've had my hassles； you know； but then who hasn't？ I'm all right though； you know。〃 He lowered his voice to the barely audible。 〃The big money's in dope these days。 Not grass； the hard stuff。 I handle cocaine mostly； occasionally the big H。 I don't like to touch it 。 。 。 but I've got expensive tastes。〃 He pulled a 〃what a world this is〃 face； turned to the bar to order more drinks； then talked on； a seamless train of self…inflation and off…color remarks。 After some initial resistance Marty found himself succumbing to him。 His tide of invention was as irresistible as ever。 Only occasionally did he pause to ask a question of his audience； which was fine by Marty。 He had little he wanted to tell。 It had always been that way。 Flynn the rude boy； fast and smooth； Marty the quiet one； the one with all the doubts。 Like alter egos。 Simply being with Flynn again Marty could feel himself flung into sharper relief。
The evening passed very quickly。 People joined Flynn； drank with him； and wandered off again； having been entertained by the court jester for a while。 There were some individuals Marty knew among the traffic of drinkers； and a few unfortable encounters； but it was all easier than he'd expected； smoothed on its way by Flynn's bonhomie。 About ten…fifteen he ducked out for a quarter of an hour…〃Just got to sort out a little business〃…。and came back with a wad of money in his inside pocket； which he immediately began to spend。
〃What you need；〃 he told Marty when they were both awash with drink； 〃what you need is a good woman。 No…〃 he giggled； 〃…no； no； no。 What you need is a bad woman。〃 Marty nodded； his head felt unstable on his neck。 〃You got it in one；〃 he said。
〃Let's go find us a lady； eh？ Shall we do that？〃 〃Suits me。〃 〃I mean； you need pany； man； and so do I。 And I do a bit of that on the side； you know？ I've got a few ladies available。 I'll see you all right。〃 Marty was too drunk to argue。 Besides the thought of a woman…bought or seduced； what the hell did it matter？…was the best idea he'd heard in a long while。 Flynn went away； made a telephone call； and came back leering。
〃No trouble；〃 he said。 〃No trouble at all。 One more drink； then we'll hit the road。〃 Lamblike； Marty followed his lead。 They had one more drink together； then staggered out of The Eclipse and around the corner to Flynn's car； a Volvo that had seen better days。 They drove for five minutes to a house on the estate。 The door was opened by a good…looking black woman。
〃Ursula； this is my friend Marty。 Marty； say hello to Ursula。〃 〃Hello； Ursula。〃 〃Where's the glasses； honey？ Daddy bought a bottle。〃 They drank some more together； and then went upstairs； it was only then that Marty realized Flynn wasn't going to leave。 This was intended to be ménage à trois； like the old days。 His initial disquiet vanished when the girl began to undress for them。 The drink had taken the edge off his inhibitions； and he sat on the bed encouraging her in her strip； dimly aware that Flynn was probably as much entertained by his evident craving as he was by the girl。 Let him watch； Marty thought； it's his party。
In the small； badly lit bedroom Ursula's body looked sculpted from black butter。 In between her full breasts a small gold cross lay； glistening。 Her skin glistened too； each pore was marked with a pinprick of sweat。 Flynn had started to undress as well； and Marty followed suit； stumbling as he pulled off his jeans； unwilling to relinquish the sight of the girl as she sat up on the bed and put her hands to her groin。
What followed was a swift reeducation in the craft of sex。 Like a swimmer who returns to water after years of absence； he soon remembered the strokes。 In the next two hours he gathered fistfuls of memories to take back with him： looking around from Ursula's amused face to see Flynn kneeling at the bottom of the bed sucking her toes； Ursula cooing like a black dove over his erection before devouring it to the root； Flynn licking his hands and grinning； and licking and grinning。 And finally the two of them sharing Ursula； Flynn buried in her backside； making true what； as an eleven…year…old； he had claimed you did with women。
Afterward； they dozed together。 Sometime in the middle of the night Marty stirred to see Flynn dressing； and shrinking away。 Home presumably； wherever home was these days and nights。
24
He woke just before dawn； disoriented for several seconds until he heard Ursula's steady exhalations at his side。 He said goodbye to her as she dozed； and found a cab to take him back to his car。 He was back at the Sanctuary by eight…thirty。 Exhaustion would hit him eventually； and a hangover too； but he knew his body clock well。 There'd be a few hours grace before the debt had to be paid。
Pearl was in the kitchen tidying up after breakfast。 They exchanged a few pleasantries； and he sat down to drink three cups of black coffee； one after the other。 His mouth tasted foul； and Ursula's perfume； which had smelled ambrosial the previous night； was oversweet this morning。 It lingered on his hands and in his hair。
〃Good night？〃 Pearl asked。 He nodded without answering。 〃You'd better get a good breakfast inside you； I won't be able to get you any lunch today。〃 〃Why not？〃 〃Too busy with the dinner party。〃 〃What dinner party？〃 〃Bill will tell you。 He wants to see you。 He's in the library。〃
Toy looked weary； but not as ill as he had when last they'd met。 Maybe he'd seen a doctor in the interim； or taken a holiday。
〃You wanted to speak to me？〃 〃Yes； Marty； Yes。 You enjoy your night on the town？〃 〃Very much。 Thank you for making it possible。〃 〃It wasn't my doing； it was Joe。 You're well liked； Marty。 Lillian tells me even the dogs have taken to you。〃 Toy crossed to the table； opened the cigarette box； and selected a cigarette。 Marty had not seen him smoke before。
〃You won't be seeing Mr。 Whitehead today； there's going to be a little get…together tonight…〃 〃Yes； Pearl told me。〃 〃It's nothing special。 Mr。 Whitehead has dinners for a select few every now and then。 The point is； he likes them to be private gatherings； so you won't be required。〃 This pleased Marty。 At least he could go lie down； catch up on some sleep。
〃Obviously we'd like you to be in the house； should you be needed for any reason； but I think it's unlikely。〃 〃Thank you； sir。〃 〃I think you can call me Bill in private； Marty； I don't see any need for formality any longer。〃 〃OK。〃 〃I mean 。 。 。〃 He stopped to light the cigarette。 〃。 。 。 we're all servants here； aren't we？ In one way or another。〃
By the time he'd showered； thought about a run and discounted the idea as masochistic； then lain down to doze； the first signs of the inevitable hangover were on the way。 There was no cure that he knew of。 The only option was to sleep it off。
He didn't wake until the middle of the afternoon； and only then roused by hunger。 There was no sound in the house。 Downstairs the kitchen was empty； only the buzz of a fly at the window…the first Marty had seen this season…interrupted the glacial calm。 Pearl had obviously finished whatever preparations were required for this evening's dinner party； and gone； perhaps to e back later。 He went to the refrigerator and rifled it for something to quieten his growling belly。 The sandwich he constructed looked like an unmade bed； with sheets of ham tumbling out from its bread bl