Leon walks up, long faced. "Hey, Leon," Steele says ( Read more... )

Laura is sitting on the ledge of Steele's office window. "Christmas was always one of my favorite holidays," she tells him as he sits at the desk. "It was the one day of in year when everyone seemed to get along with everyone else. Even my mother." They smile. "And my father. He'd always give me a box of parlays ( Read more... )

Laura sighs and goes to close the door. As soon as it's closed, there's another knock. Opening it, she says, "Now listen, you sexist dog ( Read more... )

At the motel, Laura is sitting in the room when there's a knock on the door. She goes to the door. "Yeah?" she asks softly.

"It's me," Steele replies. She opens the door for him. "Hi."

"Hi," she replies, locking the door behind him.

He sits on the bed. "I just left Lester," he tells her. "He's sound asleep."


( Read more... )

Steele approaches another man. "Spare a little chew, there, neighbor?"

The older man takes out his pouch. "Oh, sure. Here, go ahead. I got plenty."

Steele looks at the pouch and then takes some. "Oh, thank you." He stuffs it into his mouth and pretends to enjoy.


( Read more... )

Blankets on a bed start to move and rustle. The blanket is pulled down and we see Mr. Steele, looking groggy and disoriented. He rubs his eyes and face, trying to get his bearings. Suddenly yanking off the covers he gets up, clad only in his briefs. He looks out the window and then moves to the table where he sits and drinks from a cup that is ( Read more... )

"I just thought of that old movie," Laura says ( Read more... )

That night, Steele and Laura are sitting before the fire in his apartment, tossing a stack of copies of "Bedside Babes" into the flames, one at a time. "I suppose you're wondering why I went to Veenhoff in the first place," Laura says.


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Daniel's return to the compound is followed by Laura's arrival in a taxi. She pays the driver and gets out. She watches from the corner of a building as Daniel, carrying a watermelon, is greeted by two men with rifles. He shows them the melon, and they walk away. Laura follows.


( Read more... )

Steele lays down, moaning softly.


( Read more... )