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harness horses is which end you feed them at. Granted that Paul’s an expert, and if he’s driving in a race himself, he has something to do with how it turns out, but how can he be sure?”
    “He can’t be. But you aren’t betting against the odds, honey, you’re betting against the public. They don’t know anything. All you have to do is fifteen percent better than the public, to beat the tax bite, and you’ll make out OK. Honestly, when you came in I didn’t think I was going to end up giving a lecture.”
    “What about the twin double?” Rourke said carelessly. “I suppose he steers clear of that?”
    “I wish he did! He gets inspirations, like anybody, and so far he hasn’t even come close. Like the last time, when we were drinking tap water instead of Beefeater martinis, that was all because of a twin double. He thought it was in the bag. We hocked things to get in on it. They’re still in hock, I’m sorry to say. Oh, he has the gambling fever. Finish your drink and I’ll give you another before it gets too watery.”
    Rourke looked at his watch. “I have to be going in a minute.”
    “Oh, pooh. I’ve been trying to think what I could tell you about Paul that you could use, if you do the story, and I’ve just had a flash.”
    She brought the pitcher over. She was beginning to wobble, Rourke noticed. He drank up, to be ready with an empty glass. She went off balance all at once, as though a heavy truck had crashed into the side of the trailer. She ended up partly on the couch and partly on Rourke. Somehow she had managed not to spill any martinis.
    “Wow!” she said. “What happened? I don’t have to get off for a minute, do I? Give me time to adjust.”
    “If you’re comfortable,” he said. “The only thing is, these trailers are about six inches apart, and I don’t know what Paul would think if he—”
    “Don’t worry, he really won’t be back. He’s got a deal on the fire. I came over here to give you a drink. Where’s your glass?”
    She put the pitcher on the floor after pouring. He had the martini glass in one hand and nowhere to put the other except on her hip. He could feel the outlines of her bikini beneath the smooth dressing gown. She wriggled a little to settle herself.
    “What I was going to say,” she said comfortably. “About Paul and dames. He’s a good-looking guy. That lovely build. When he comes into the stretch going for a little gap between two sulkies, using his whip and yelling bloody murder, his cap usually off by that time—well, it makes me weak in the knees to think about it. All I have to say is, I’m not the only one. I’m reconciled to the fact. I mean he’d be a hit with the fair sex even if there wasn’t the money angle to it. But they not only want to get in the back seat with him, fast, they want him to whisper the name of some horse in their ear afterward. See what I mean? The public never thinks about that kind of problem. How does it strike you as an angle for the story?”
    “I’ll think about it.”
    She was moving more than necessary, he thought. If he was going to get anything significant out of this girl, he had better hurry up. He tried to think what questions Mike Shayne would ask.
    “Uh—does Paul do any driving for the Domaines any more?”
    “Sometimes. One of their horses won’t behave for anybody else. They aren’t enemies or anything.” She pulled back a little to get his face into focus. “Why are we harping on the Domaines all the time, honey?”
    “I just thought when you were talking about the twin double—why wouldn’t it be a smart idea for a big stable to compare notes with some driver who was theoretically independent? Figure two of the races, and you’d have a headstart.”
    “You can tangle yourself up in knots if you try to be too smart. All you want to do is beat that fifteen percent. You know what I like about you, Tim? Now don’t laugh. No muscles. Most of the guys around here think all they have to