oth with three young
women, all lovely, all effusive. The topic of the conversation turned
out to be precisely what Pembroke had predicted.

"Well, Louisa, I'd say your only fault is the way you keep wigglin' your
shoulders up 'n' down. Why'n'sha try holdin' 'em straight?"

"I thought it made me look sexy," the redhead said petulantly.

"Just be yourself, gal," Spencer drawled, jabbing her intimately with a
fat elbow, "and you'll qualify."

"Me, me," the blonde with a feather cut was insisting. "What is wrong
with me?"

"You're perfect, sweetheart," he told her, taking her hand.

"Ah, come on," she pleaded. "Everyone tells me I chew gum with my mouth
open. Don't you hate that?"

"Naw, that's part of your charm," Spencer assured her.

"How 'bout me, sugar," asked the girl with the coal black hair.

"Ah, you're perfect, too. You are all perfect. I've never seen such a
collection of dolls as parade around this here city. C'mon, kids--how
'bout another round?"

But the dolls had apparently lost interest in him. They got up one by
one and walked out of the bar. Pembroke took his rum and tonic and moved
over to Spencer's booth.

"Okay if I join you?"

"Sure," said the fat man. "Wonder what the hell got into those babes?"

"You said they were perfect. They know they're not. You've got to be
rough with them in this town," said Pembroke. "That's all they want from
us."

"Mister, you've been doing some thinkin', I can see," said Spencer,
peering at him suspiciously. "Maybe you've figured out where we are."

"Your bet's as good as mine," said Pembroke. "It's not Wellington, and
it's not Brisbane, and it's not Long Beach, and it's not Tahiti. There
are a lot of places it's not. But where the hell it is, you tell me.

"And, by the way," he added, "I hope you like it in Puerto Pacifico.
Because there isn't any place to go from here and there isn't any way to
get there if there were."

"Pardon me, gentlemen, but I'm Joe Valencia, manager of the hotel. I
would be very grateful if you would give me a few minutes of honest
criticism."

"Ah, no, not you, too," groaned Spencer. "Look, Joe, what's the gag?"

"You are newcomers, Mr. Spencer," Valencia explained. "You are therefore
in an excellent position to point out our faults as you see them."

"Well, so what?" demanded Spencer. "I've got more important things to do
than to worry about your troubles. You look okay to me."

"Mr. Valencia," said Pembroke. "I've not