e don't get right home； and she ain't getting no more of this good stuff right here；〃 Butler said； stroking the groin of his trousers。
There were a few muzzled mumbles。 The bartender's mouth still worked； getting ready to talk； but before he could speak； Butler turned and walked out into the street； letting the heavy wood and glass door swing shut behind him。
He stopped here on the sidewalk and laughed； a full； roaring laugh that only a trained； intelligent linguist's ear could tell was punctuated by the Loni throat click of anger。
Then Butler turned and walked away down the block。 It didn't feel so oppressively hot anymore。 The heat felt good on his skin。
The second tavern was uneventful； but empty and he found his man in the third saloon he entered。 The man sat in the back； his face cafe au lait light against the dark blue of his crisp tailored gabardine uniform。 Despite the heat； he wore his braided jacket and his braided duck…billed cap； with the gold stringwork across the crown and bill。
The bar was noisy with black sailors and no one looked up when Butler came in or paid any especial attention to the black dude in the light blue suit。 He was twice offered drinks by sailors as he walked the length of the bar and turned them down with what he hoped was a gracious shake of his； head； and finally reached the table where the ship's officer sat； drinking alone； a bottle of Cutty Sark scotch in front of him。
The officer looked up as Butler eased into the seat。
〃Hello； Captain；〃 Butler said。
〃Why； Colonel Butler；〃 the man said。 〃What a pleasure to see you。〃 His tongue was a little thick in his mouth； he had been drinking too much； Butler realized with distaste。 〃It's been a long while。〃
〃Yes；〃 Butler said； 〃but now I have need of your services。〃
The ship's officer smiled softly as he filled his old…fashioned glass to the brim with Cutty Sark。 He sniffed the smoky scotch； lifted it to his mouth； and then began to swallow it smoothly； slowly。
He stopped when the glass was half empty。 〃Why； of course；〃 he said。 〃Same arrangement？〃
Butler nodded。
The same arrangement meant 5；000 in cash for the captain of the Liberian…registered tanker。 At least that was the polite fiction that Butler and the ship's captain maintained。 The full truth was that the 〃same arrangement〃 meant that the captain's wife and mother and children who lived in Busati would continue to live there and not turn up dead in a ditch。 This point had been made clear at Butler's first meeting with the captain ten months before； it had never been raised again since there was no need for it。 The captain remembered。
〃However；〃 Butler added； 〃there will be a slight difference this time。〃 He looked around the room to be sure no one was watching or listening。 The small bar reverberated with the soul…screeching of the jukebox。 Reassured； Butler said； 〃Two women。〃
〃Two？〃 the captain said。
Butler smiled。 〃Two。 But one will not plete the trip。〃
The captain sipped his drink； then smiled again。 〃I see；〃 he said。 〃I see。〃 But he did not see why he should carry two women for the same price he was paid for carrying one。 Yet； neither did he see how he could raise the subject to Butler without risking serious trouble。 Again； he said； 〃I see。〃
〃Good；〃 said Butler。 〃When do you sail？〃
The captain glanced down at his watch。 〃Five o'clock；〃 he said。 〃Just before dawn。〃
〃I'll be there；〃 Butler said。 He rose from the table。
〃Join me in a drink； Colonel？〃 the captain asked。
〃Sorry； no。 I never drink。〃
〃Too bad。 I should think you would。 It makes life so much easier。〃
Butler put his big hand on the table and leaned forward to the officer。 〃You don't understand； Captain。 Nothing could be easier than my life is now。 Or more pleasurable。〃
The captain nodded。 Butler paused a moment； almost challenging a ment； but when none came； he pushed away from the table； turned and left。
Butler's next…stop was a motel on the outskirts of the city； where he rented a room under the name of F。 B。 Williams； producing identification in that name； paying cash and rebuffing efforts by the motel clerk to engage him in conversation。
Butler checked the room。 The door locks satisfied him。 He tossed his small traveling bag on the bed and returned to the car。
For an hour； he cruised the streets of Norfolk； looking for a person。 It had to be a special kind of person。
Finally； he found her。 She was a tall willowy blonde with ashen hair。 She stood on a corner near a traffic light in the time…honored fashion of whores everywhere…ready to cross the street if a police car came along； but willing to stand there forever if the fuzz didn't e； or at least until the right kind of man came along in the right kind of car。
Butler saw her； quickly drove the rented Buick around the block； then timed it so that he rolled up in front of her as the traffic light turned red。
The girl looked at him through the windshield and Butler pressed the button that unlocked the car doors。 The heavy； clicking sound was another universal signal。 The girl came over； leaned on the door and stuck her head inside the open window； carefully glancing into the back seat first。 She was just about the right size and age； Butler guessed。 The coloration looked about right also。
〃Want to party？〃 she said。
〃Sure；〃 Butler said。
〃Go down for 15； straight for 25。〃
〃You go all night？〃 Butler asked。 He thought it odd that the words and phrases of the street came back to him so easily； almost as if they had never left his mind。
〃Naah；〃 the girl said。 〃All night's a bummer。〃
〃Three hundred dollars make it more pleasant？〃 Butler asked； knowing that the figure was outrageous and could have hired the best efforts of any three girls on the block。
〃You got three hundred？〃
Butler nodded。
〃Let's see it。〃
〃Get in and I'll show you。〃
The girl opened the door and slid into the front seat next to Butler。 The light was green and he turned the corner and pulled up into a spot near an all…night bookstand。
Butler reached his wallet from his pocket and took out three one…hundred…dollar bills； making sure that the girl got a look at the remaining fat wad of bills in the wallet。 He held the three up in front of the girl。
〃Payment in advance；〃 she said warily。
〃Two hundred now；〃 he said。 〃You can stash it。 The other hundred after。〃
〃How e you're so eager？〃 she said。
〃Look。 I'm no freak。 No whips； none of that shit。 I just like white women。 If you're good to me； there's another hundred in it that nobody has to know about。〃
She looked at Butler's face again； hard this time； obviously trying to fit him into one of her danger categories of fuzz； freaks and fighters； but he didn't match。 〃Okay；〃 she said； 〃wait here。 I'm going to drop off the two hundred and I'll be right back。〃
Butler nodded。 He wouldn't trust a prostitute out of sight for any reason but money； so he had made a point of showing her all the cash in his wallet and her little brain already was working overtime； he knew； trying to figure out how to get more out of him than the four hundred dollars already promised。 She would be back as soon as she gave the two hundred to her pimp。
Three minutes later she returned and as she slid into the front seat she grabbed him。
〃My name's Thelma；〃 she said。 〃What's yours？〃
〃Simon；〃 he said。 〃I've already got a room。〃 He snapped the door locks shut and drove off。
Ten minutes later； they were in Butler's motel room。 Twenty minutes later； she was tied； gagged； drugged and lying on the floor behind the bed； not visible from the window and out of reach of the telephone。 The last was an unnecessary precaution because she would be out for the rest of the night
Butler looked at her one more time before leaving the room and he was satisfied。 The size was right； the hair coloring about right。 It wouldn't be perfect； it certainly might not fool anyone for too long； but it should do。 It would buy enough time。
He whistled as he drove out through （the hot city into the rolling fox…hunting hills of rich…bitch Virginia。
He drove the road three times before he found the cutoff to the long winding drive that led to the Butler estate。 With his headlights out； and after sitting in the dark for a moment； he could see the main house high up on a hill； two hundred yards from the road。 He decided not to drive up； the roadway was probably hooked up to an alarm。 He cruised slowly down the highway for another hundred yards； found a deep shoulder off the road covered by an overhang of trees； and drove in。
He closed the car up； checked his pockets to make sure he had his materials and then set across the razor…cut lawns of the Butler estate toward the big house on the hill； keeping close to the line of trees at the property's northern end。
As he loped； he glanced at the luminous dial of his wristwatch。 Cutting it close； but still enough time。
The grass oozed up a damp coolness that enveloped him as he moved； and he imagined himself in an earlier day； trudging barefooted along these hills； dressed perhaps in a monkey suit； bringing drinks to Massa on the patio。 When had it happened？ When had he e to hate so？
He moved in a rhythmic trot； his giant athlete's