This is our secret, this conversation. Devine glanced down at his hand where he had rubbed off the stains from her car seat.Wills blood?And the gas in the house? That was you? Thats good, he said. The TV folks returning to the building moved much more slowly and looked much less alert than they had rushing out of the building. A few minutes of guys with big, frightening guns was all right but, hell, nobody had even pushed or shoved anyone. Damn. Maybe the anticlimactic ending made for bad TV, but as the night played out I would remember it as a portent. Good night, Mr. Mysterious Whoever You Are. I like you—will you show up as a witness—in case I need you? Mrs. Harlan nodded. babe chat Yeah. Hes good. I like having him drive me places. Makes me feel like a movie star. Inside the house, I went to the living room closet and opened the door. I kept the carbine on two pegs at the rear of the closet, but it wasnt there. But our spurt of humor vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Whats the book value per share with reference to the money the company has invested? In 1954 when I was twenty-one and just graduated, some of the more depraved elements in the quarter decided in a fit of political pique, defiance, and probably despair that they should send a bitter joke to Baton Rouge as their state representative. They sent me. I won handily as a kind of machine candidate and achieved no little notoriety by making a good solemn campaign promise, which was to introduce a bill that would legalize cunnilingus and fellatio between consenting adults. Needless to say (then why say it?) my political career died swiftly and my self-appointed mentor, a kindly, aging former crony of the sainted Huey Long, advised me in all seriousness that,Harvey, the state just aint quite ready for a pussy-eatin bill yet. What kind of board of directors did Mix have? A real prince, huh? How the hell do I know? Jackson, in my position would you know everyone who had served on a jury, everyone who had been a witness in a case? Hes not here. He checked the driving license, glanced at her, handed the license back, and said,Sorry, but weve been instructed to make a check. Down here on business, Mr. Mason? Lets go upstairs, she said. And perhaps you should bring the shotgun..