suzie , the boring , efficient , middle-aged wife and mother did n't exist any more ; blanche dubois , international spy and woman of mystery , had taken her place and in the dark she smiled and glanced at her hands on the steering wheel , the long sensitive fingers relishing the texture of the plastic casing , scarlet nails glinting in the dark , the palms flexing gently , alert and ready for any emergency ... suzie straightened her spine .