The bright, freshly-painted apartment startles Minnie, and she nosily asks he price of one of the living room chairs.As trench-coated Marlowe drove in his convertible along the Pacific Coast Highway o the designated, isolated rendezvous spot with Marriott crouching down in the back seat, he felt he was being watched ("I was a toad on a wet rock.Joe warned and forbade Cal from loitering around another building closeby that Kate also owned (the separate, more lucrative brothel?): "You""re too young.From his perspective, Charles"" vision blurs as he reels and swoons dizzyingly in front of her.While holding onto her leg and fiddling with her shoe strap, he explains how he is a snake-enthusiast and an ale heir:It""s funny to be even here at your feet talking about beer? You see, I don""t like beer, bock beer, lager beer, or steam beer.[Note: A black man normally wouldn""t be so wealthy, unless he had possibly robbed a white man - the officer""s unspoken suspicions.