thehomicideskipperthatyearwasacaptaingregorius,atypeofcopperthatisgettingrarerbutbynomeansextinct,thekindthatsolvescrimeswiththebrightlight,thesoftsap,thekicktothekidneys,thekneetothegroin,thefisttothesolarplexus,thenightsticktothebaseofthespine.sixmonthslaterhewasindictedforperjurybeforeagrandjury,bootedwithouttrial,andlaterstampedtodeathbyabigstalliononhisranchinwyoming.

rightnowiwashisrawmeat.hesatbehindhisdeskwithhiscoatoffandhissleevesrolledalmosttohisshoulders.hewasasbaldasabrickandgettingheavyaroundthewaistlikeallhard-muscledmeninmiddleage.hiseyeswerefishgray.hisbignosewasanetworkofburstcapillaries.hewasdrinkingcoffeeandnotquietly.hisbluntstronghandshadhairsthickontheirbacks.grizzledtuftsstuckoutofhisears.hepawedsomethingonhisdeskandlookedatgreen.

greensaid:「allwegotonhimishewon’ttellusnothing,skipper.thephonenumbermakesuslookhimup.he’soutridinganddon’tsaywhere.heknowslennoxprettywellanddon’tsaywhenhesawhimlast.」

「thinkshe’stough,」gregoriussaidindifferently.「wecouldchangethat.」hesaiditasifhedidn’tcareonewayoranother.heprobablydidn’t.nobodywastoughtohim.「pointisthesmellsalotofheadlinesonthisone.can’tblamehim,seeingwhothegirl’soldmanis.iguesswebetterpickthisfellow’snoseforhim.」

helookedatmeasifiwasacigarettestub,oranemptychair.justsomethinginhislineofvision,withoutinterestforhim.

daytonsaidrespectfully:「it’sprettyobviousthathiswholeattitudewasdesignedtocreateasituationwherehecouldrefusetotalk.hequotedlawatusandneedlesmeintosockinghim.iwasoutoflinethere,captain.」

gregoriuseyedhimbleakly.「youmustneedleeasyifthispunkcandoit.whotookthecuffsoff?」

greensaidhedid.「putthembackon,」gregoriussaid.「tight.givehimsomethingtobracehimup.」

greenputthecuffsbackonorstartedto.「behindtheback,」gregoriusbarked.greencuffedmyhandsbehindmyback.iwassittinginahardchair.

「tighter,」gregoriussaid.「makethembite.」

greenmadethemtighter.myhandsstartedtofeelnumb.

gregoriuslookedatmefinally.「youcantalknow.makeitsnappy.」

ididn’tanswerhim.heleanedbackandgrinned.hishandwentoutslowlyforhiscoffeecupandwentaroundit.heleanedforwardalittle.thecupjerkedbutibeatitbygoingsidewaysoutofthechair.ilandedhardonmyshoulder,rolledoverandgotupslowly.myhandswerequitenumbnow.theydidn’tfeelanything.thearmsabovethecuffswerebeginningtoache.

greenhelpedmebackintothechair.thewetsmearofthecoffeewasoverthebackandsomeoftheseat,butmostofitwasonthefloor.

「hedon’tlikecoffee,」gregoriussaid.「he’saswifty.hemovesfast.goodreflexes.」

nobodysaidanything.gregoriuslookedmeoverwithfisheyes.

「inhere,mister,adicklicensedon’tmeananymorethanacallingcard.nowlet’shaveyourstatement,verbalatfirst.we’lltakeitdownlater.makeitcomplete.let’shave,say,afullaccountofyourmovementssincetenlastnight.imeanfull.thisofficeisinvestigatingamurderandtheprimesuspectismissing.youconnectwithhim.guycatcheshiswifecheatingandbeatsherheadtorawfleshandboneandbloodsoakedhair.ouroldfriendthebronzestatuette.notoriginalbutitworks.youthinkanygoddamprivateeyeisgoingtoquotelawatmeoverthis,mister,yougotahellofatoughtimecomingyourway.thereain’tapoliceforceinthecountrycoulddoitsjobwithalawbook.yougotinformationandiwantit.youcouldofsaidnoandicouldofnotbelievedyou.butyoudidn’tevensayno.you’renotdummyinguponme,myfriend.notsixcentsworth.let’sgo.」

「wouldyoutakethecuffsoff,captain?」iasked.「imeanifimadeastatement?」

「imight.makeitshort.」

「ifitoldyouihadn’tseenlennoxwithinthelasttwenty-fourhours,hadn’ttalkedtohimandhadnoideawherehemightbe—wouldthatsatisfyyou,captain?」

「itmight—ifibelievedit.」

「ifitoldyouihadseenhimandwhereandwhen,buthadnoideahehadmurderedanyoneorthatanycrimehadbeencommitted,andfurtherhadnoideawherehemightbeatthismoment,thatwouldn’tsatisfyyouatall,wouldit?」

「withmoredetailimightlisten.thingslikewhere,when,whathelookedlike,whatwastalkedabout,wherehewasheaded.itmightgrowintosomething.」

「withyourtreatment,」isaid.「itwouldprobablygrowintomakingmeanaccessory.」

hisjawmusclesbulged.hiseyesweredirtyice.「so?」

「idon’tknow,」isaid.「ineedlegaladvice.i’dliketoco-operate.howwoulditbeifwehadsomebodyfromthe’sofficehere?」

heletoutashortraucouslaugh.itwasoververysoon.hegotupslowlyandwalkedaroundthedesk.heleaneddownclosetome,onebighandonthewood,andsmiled.thenwithoutchangeofexpressionhehitmeonthesideoftheneckwithafistlikeapieceofiron.

theblowtraveledeightorteninches,nomore.itnearlytookmyheadoff.bileseepedintomymouth.itastedbloodmixedwithit.iheardnothingbutaroaringinmyhead.heleanedovermestillsmiling,hislefthandstillonthedesk.hisvoiceseemedtocomefromalongwayoff.

「iusedtobetoughbuti’mgettingold.youtakeagoodpunch,mister,andthat’sallyougetfromme.wegotboysatthecityjailthatoughttobeworkinginthestockyards.maybewehadn’toughttohavethembecausetheyain’tnicecleanpowderpuffpuncherslikedaytonhere.theydon’thavefourkidsandarosegardenlikegreen.theylivefordifferentamusements.ittakesallkindsandlabor’sscarce.yougotanymorefunnylittleideasaboutwhatyoumightsay,ifyoubotheredtosayit?」

「notwiththecuffson,captain.」ithurteventosaythatmuch.

heleanedfarthertowardsmeandismelledhissweatandthegasofcorruption.thenhestraightenedandwentbackaroundthedeskandplantedhissolidbuttocksinhischair.hepickedupathree-corneredrulerandranhisthumbalongoneedgeasifitwasaknife.helookedatgreen.

「whatareyouwaitingfor,sergeant?」

「orders.」greengroundoutthewordasifhehatedthesoundofhisownvoice.