Sylvia was wearing a full-length fur coat. Fox, I would have guessed. It must have taken about twenty of them to make that coat. She had her dark hair pinned up, and when she took off her coat, we all got to see a little black number that showed off her legs and her perfect shoulders. Goddamn it, that woman had shoulders. And even on a cold night she had to go and wear something like that. She knew that every man in the place was looking at her, but I had a sick feeling that she wouldn’t have taken her coat off at all if I hadn’t been there. She slipped me a quick look that hurt me more than Prudell’s keys.

Edwin gave me a little wave while he ordered up a couple quick drinks. He had that look on his face, that deadpan look he always wore when he was out in public with his wife.

“Tell me something,” Jackie said to nobody in particular. “How does a woman like that end up with a horse’s ass like Edwin Fulton?”

“I think it has something to do with having a lot of money,” Rudy said.

“You mean if I had a million dollars she’d be sitting over here on my lap instead?”

“I don’t know about that,” Rudy said. “Guy as ugly as you, you’d probably need five million.”

They didn’t stay long. One drink and they were gone, just a quick stop to dazzle the locals and then be on their way. She gave me one more glance as Edwin helped her into her coat. Whatever point she had hoped to make had apparently been made.

I kept thinking about her while I played poker. It didn’t help me concentrate on the cards and it didn’t help my mood any, either. Outside the wind really started to pick up. We could hear it rattling the windows.

“November winds are here early,” Jackie said.