do. I want some wide-talent stuff, you know, for the
place. Class."

The girl smiled even wider. Malone was sure her teeth were about to
fall out onto the floor, probably in a neat arrangement that spelled
out _Will You Kiss Me In The Dark Baby_. That would take an awful lot
of teeth, he reflected, but the stripper looked as if she could manage
the job. "I dance and sing," she said. "I could do a dance for you,
but my music is upstairs. You want me to go and get it?"

Palveri shook his head. "How about a song, baby? You mind singing
without a piano?"

"I don't have anything prepared," the girl said, her eyes wide. "I
didn't know this was going to be a special audition. I thought, you
know, just a burlesque audition, so I didn't bring anything."

Palveri sank a little lower in the chair. "O.K., Sweetheart," he said.
"You got a nice shape, you'll fit in the line anyhow. But just sing a
song you know. How about that? If you make it with that, you could get
yourself a featured spot. More dough."

The girl appeared to consider this proposition. "Gee," she said
slowly. "I could do 'God Bless America'. O.K., Mr. Palveri?"

The chunky man sank even deeper toward the floor. "Never mind," he
said. "Go get dressed, tell Tony you got the number five spot in the
line. O.K.?"

"Gee," she said. "Maybe I could work on something and do it for you
some other time, Mr. Palveri?"

He nodded wearily. "Some other time," he said. "Sure."

* * * * *

The girl went off through a door at the left of the club. Malone
threaded his way past tables with chairs piled on top of them until he
came to Palveri's side. The club owner was sitting on a single chair
dragged off the heap that stood on a table next to him. He didn't turn
around. "Mr. Malone," he said, "take another chair, sit down and we'll
talk. O.K.?"

Malone blinked. "How'd you know I was there?" he said. "Much less who
I was?"

"In this business," Palveri said, still without turning, "you learn to
notice things, Mr. Malone. I heard you come in and wait. Who else
would you be?"

Malone took a chair from the pile and set it up next to Palveri's. The
chunky man turned to face him for the first time. Malone took a deep
breath and tried to look hard and tough as he studied the club owner.

Palveri had small, sunken eyes decorated with bluish bags below and
tufted black eyebrows above. The eyes were very cold. The rest of his
face didn't warm th