SATAN IS A WOMAN Larry Cole's brother Tad is sent up for life for the murder of a couple fellow hoods. Larry has always looked up to Tad, and knows that if he just had enough money, he could buy him a lawyer that could get him out. When he meets Joan, his new neighbor, Larry gets sidetracked by love. He's crazy with it. But Joan is full of surprises, and she has a plan-to rob the Beach Club. This isn't what Larry has in mind to raise cash, but Joan is persistent. If she didn't have her hooks into him so deep, Larry might be able to say no. Because even Hell is more preferable to what Joan has planned for him. 13 FRENCH STREET "Verne often said you were his best friend, Alex, maybe the only real friend he ever had. Because you disregarded things other men wouldn't put up with. So he never had any real friend, other than you. I'm his wife, yes. But you and me-that's something different again." "Then why did you push me away?" "Because-not all at once." "Petra, this means I'll have to leave. It couldn't possibly go on." She laughed. Then she threw her head back and laughed still harder. She sobered. "You won't go, Alex. I won't let you."