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Rondeau sighed. “I only had sex with her once. We were sitting here so I could
recuperate.”
“Maybe you can hook up with her again later,” B said, sliding out of the water.
“Yeah, sure,” Rondeau said. “But do you think I really want to look underneath all
those other people to find her?”
“You know,” B said, “you could’ve asked me to get out of the tub, and we could have
gone to a private corner of the yard to talk.”
“Marla prefers direct action,” Rondeau said. “Which is why you’d better start telling her
about Finch.”
“I meant what I said, pretty much,” B said. “Finch is a rich, horny, pushy, generous, nononsense
bear of a guy. He throws parties and trains submissives. He also runs an
independent press, publishes erotica and nonfiction about sex. I’m pretty sure he makes
pornos, too, all kinds, though that’s the shady side of his business, and I think on paper
he doesn’t have anything to do with movies at all.” B glanced around. “I hear he does
stuff for the, ah, specialty market. Really hardcore S&M, the kind that’s only
questionably legal in this country. I’ve heard rumors that he does snuff films, but I think
that’s bullshit, it’s just the kind of thing people say when they hear about somebody
making illicit movies.”
Marla shook her head. “Bowman, we’re not the vice cops. I don’t care if Finch makes
movies of dogs pissing on his mother. You’ve got a streak of extra-perception—what
does that tell you about Finch?”
B shook his head. “I haven’t actually seen him in person in years, not since before…I
became this way. So I don’t know.”
Marla made a disgusted sound. “Maybe this is just coincidence, you being here.
Wasting my time. I think I’m going to have to start beating people up until Finch comes
around to deal with me personally.”
“Wait, you just want to see him?” B said.
“Yes. That’s why we’re here. But I’m tired of waiting.”
“Well, hell,” B said. “I’ll show you up to his room, if you like.”
“Give it your best shot,” Marla said. “If it were me, I’d make sure my room was really
hard to find.”
“Oh, I’ve been there before,” B said. “Back when I was famous. Finch and me and a
couple of other guys had some fun together one night.”
“Lead on,” she said.
“Should I come, too?” Rondeau said.