if you're a man and alive you can't help but look at her that way."
"I assume you are making your way laboriously to the point?"
"Micro and Macro went to bed with anything that twitched, right?"
"Poor choice of words, but yes," said Winnifred.
"They spread themselves around, so everyone seemed content," continued Mallory. "Or at least, none of their ladyfriends made any waves." He smiled. "But I'll bet you four thousand dollars that she started working here a month ago, and once our boys saw her, there were suddenly a lot of lonely ladies in the circus. Lonely, unhappy—and maybe vengeful."
"That presupposes that they actually were able to . . . to . . ." Winnifred searched for an inoffensive word.
"To score with her?" suggested Mallory. "There's an easy way to find out."
"I agree," said Winnifred. "Let's go ask her."
"I'll ask her," said Mallory. "You watch the cat."
"But—"
"It'll be good for me to practice some self-restraint."
"You're not getting off to a very good start," noted Winnifred.
Mallory never took his eyes off the girl. "Just look at her bouncing up and down on that centaur!"
"If you make a comment about how she could bounce up and down like that on you, I'm dissolving our partnership," said Winnifred distastefully.
"I'd never say something like that to you," said Mallory. Then: "But I can think it, can't I?"
"Just go and ask her what you have to ask."
"Right," said Mallory, starting to walk across the arena. When he came to the ring where the centaur was cantering in a circle, he stopped and stood there, admiring the sight.
After a few moments he became aware of a sudden sharp pain in his shin and realized that Felina had just kicked him.
"Goddammit!" he bellowed. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Winnifred sent me over to make sure you were still alive," answered the cat-girl pleasantly. "I'll go tell her you are."
Felina returned to Winnifred as the centaur, startled by Mallory's yell, came to a stop. The girl jumped lightly to the ground before fifty sets of appreciative male eyes, and Mallory walked up to her.
"Excuse me," he said. "I wonder if I might have a word with you."
"All right," she said in the most melodic voice he'd ever heard. "But I should tell you up front that I'm not a doctor."
"I never thought you were," said Mallory, surprised.
"Oh," she said. "I thought you wanted to consult with me about your palsy."
"I don't have any palsy."
"I wouldn't bet on that," she said dubiously. "You're shaking like a leaf."
"I'm just chilly," he lied.
She flashed him a smile. "I've very glad to hear it."
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is John Justin Mallory."
"What a strong, masculine name," she said. Mallory resisted the urge to bay at the moon, which he was sure wasn't out at eleven in the morning. "And I am Circe." She extended her hand. "I'm very pleased to meet you."
He took her hand and had to remind himself that it was attached to the rest of her and that sooner or later he'd have to let go of it, much as he hated the thought.
"How long have you been with Ringling and Bailey circus?" he asked.
"Five weeks next Wednesday," she said. "Why?"
"Just a routine question," he said, wondering how his throat could become so dry in such a short time. "I'm a detective."
"Like Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe?"
"More like John Justin Mallory," he answered. "My clients are Micro and Macro. I believe you know them?"
"Yes, I do," replied Circe. "Such sweet boys. I was wondering what had happened to them. Have they left the show?"
"Temporarily," said Mallory. "I'm afraid I have to ask you a rather delicate question, ma'am," he continued uneasily.
"Circe."
"Circe," he repeated. "This is a little awkward. Did you ever . . . I mean, did they . . . that is . . . ?"
"You want to know if I ever slept with them?" she asked pleasantly.
"Yes."
"They were very unique, you know," she said. "The world's tallest giant and the world's smallest midget. And they had a wonderful sense of humor. Also, no one could mix a drink like Macro. And you should have heard Micro play the nose-flute!"
"I'm sure that's all true," said Mallory. "But I need to know if you—"
"They were very attractive," said Circe.
"So you did sleep with them?"
"I went to bed with them," she said. "I don't think sleeping was ever on the agenda," she added with a giggle.