idugoutthecarbonofmypropertyslipandturneditoverandreceiptedontheoriginal.iputmybelongingsbackinmypockets.therewasamandrapedovertheendofthebookingdeskandasiturnedawayhestraightenedupandspoketome.hewasaboutsixfeetfourinchestallandasthinasawire.

「needaridehome?」

inthebleaklighthelookedyoung-old,tiredandcynical,buthedidn’tlooklikeagrifter.「forhowmuch?」

「forfree.i’mlonniemorganofthejournal.i’mknockingoff.」

「oh,policebeat,」isaid.

「justthisweek.thecityhallismyregularbeat.」

wewalkedoutofthebuildingandfoundhiscarintheparkinglot.ilookedupatthesky.therewerestarsbuttherewastoomuchglare.itwasacoolpleasantnight.ibreatheditin.thenigotintohiscarandhedroveawayfromthere.

「ilivewayoutinlaurelcanyon,」isaid.「justdropmeanywhere.」

「theyrideyouin,」hesaid,「buttheydon’tworryhowyougethome.thiscaseinterestsme,inarepulsivesortofway.」

「itseemsthereisn’tanycase,」isaid.「terrylennoxshothimselfthisafternoon.sotheysay.sotheysay.」

「veryconvenient,」lonniemorgansaid,staringaheadthroughthewindshield.hiscardriftedquietlyalongquietstreets.「ithelpsthembuildtheirwall.」

「whatwall?」

「somebody’sbuildingawallaroundthelennoxcase,marlowe.you’resmartenoughtoseethat,aren’tyou?it’snotgettingthekindofplayitrates,thelefttowntonightforwashington.somekindofconvention.hewalkedoutonthesweetesthunkofpublicityhe’shadinyears.why?」

「nousetoaskme.i’vebeenincoldstorage.」

「becausesomebodymadeitworthhiswhile,that’swhy.idon’tmeananythingcrudelikeawadofdough.somebodypromisedhimsomethingimportanttohimandthere’sonlyonemanconnectedwiththecaseinapositiontodothat.thegirl’sfather.」

ileanedmyheadbackinacornerofthecar.「soundsalittleunlikely,」isaid.「whataboutthepress?harlanpotterownsafewpapers,butwhataboutthecompetition?」

hegavemeabriefamusedglanceandthenconcentratedonhisdriving.「everbeenanewspaperman?」

「no.」

「newspapersareownedandpublishedbyrichmen.richmenallbelongtothesameclub.sure,there’scompetition—hardtoughcompetitionforcirculation,fornewsbeats,forexclusivestories.justsolongasitdoesn’tdamagetheprestigeandprivilegeandpositionoftheowners.ifitdoes,downcomesthelid.thelid,myfriend,isdownonthelennoxcase.thelennoxcase,myfriend,properlybuiltup,couldhavesoldahellofalotofpapers.ithaseverything.thetrialwouldhavedrawnfeaturewritersfromalloverthecountry.butthereain’tgoingtobenotrial.onaccountoflennoxcheckedoutbeforeitcouldgetmoving.likeisaid—veryconvenient—forharlanpotterandhisfamily.」

istraightenedupandgavehimahardstare.

「youcallingthewholethingafix?」