Which were staring right at Natty.

I was formulating apologies when the woman squealed, “Natty?!”

“Hope?” Natty asked. “I thought that was you, darling. Who else has a tush like that?”

I was waiting to see Nate’s head go flying off his skinny neck when Hope smiled and said, “You always knew how to sweet-talk a lady, Natty Silver.”

She threw her arms around him and Natty disappeared into a cloud of breasts and big hair. I was afraid Natty would suffocate but Natty emerged a few seconds later a bit red-faced but with a rake’s smile spread all over his little face.

“Hope,” he said, “meet my friend…”

He didn’t have a clue.

“Neal Carey,” I said.

“Nice to meet you, Neal.”

“A cocktail, Hope?” Nate asked.

“Let me go freshen my face first,” Hope said.

Nate watched her sashay across the floor, then fumbled in his pocket for his wallet. He took it out, found a twenty-dollar bill, handed it to me and said, “Go take in a movie, kid.”

“Huh?”

“Or play the slots or something.”

Nathan winked.

“Huh?” I asked again.

“What, I gotta draw you a picture?”

It took a moment for it to sink in and then I said, “You’re kidding, right?”

And I definitely didn’t want to see a picture.

Nate looked genuinely offended.

“What?” he asked. “You think that because there’s snow on the roof, there’s no fire in the oven?”

“Mr. Silverstein, we have a-”

“I’ll spell it out for you: Get lost.”

“-plane to catch, and-”

“Beat it.”

“-I have to get you back to Palm Desert.”

“I still have the room!” Nate whispered urgently, because Hope was hip-switching back to the bar.

“And don’t you look lovely,” Nate said as Hope slid onto the stool next to him.

“I have to make a quick phone call,” I said.