The powerful animal whined as he tried to nuzzle closer to her and she hugged him tightly. «Ooooohhhhhhh … my baby … baby sweet! I love you!» she whispered, kissing him between the eyes before straightening up. «Now … now that whatever Mr. White's frightening visit meant has passed, I'm going to take that bath, Sultan baby! But before I do, I'm going to mix myself a little gin and tonic. If a girl ever needed a bracer, I think yours truly does. Come on. You can have some Coke and we'll take them into the bathroom.»

Sultan trotted along beside her, brushing against her warm thigh whenever he could, letting her know his excitement with little whimpers when she poured the nose-tickling dark liquid into his bowl.

«I never saw a dog who drinks Coke like you do, baby. No, not here … in the bathroom. Come on,» Carol said, leading the way and sipping at her gin and tonic, her mind still a long way from being empty of Ed White. Yes, as soon as she possibly could, she'd find another place, and hopefully one in a more desirable area. Maybe the struggling movie stars of the thirties and forties thought Westland was the «in» section of Hollywood, but she'd bet her life they wouldn't believe it if they saw it today. The paint-peeled stucco buildings and boarded up store- fronts, to say nothing of the shady-fenced characters, the hippies and obvious prostitutes of all ages moving along its streets would painfully expose to them its degeneration. And it was sad … but God knew, there was no room for anymore sadness inside her. It was time for something uplifting …!