backfromthehighwayatthebottomofsepulvedacanyonweretwosquareyellowgateposts.afive-barredgatehungopenfromoneofthem.overtheentrancewasasignhungonwire:privateroad.noadmittance.theairwaswarmandquietandfullofthetomcatsmellofeucalyptustrees.

iturnedinandfollowedagraveledroadaroundtheshoulderofahill,upagentleslope,overaridgeanddowntheothersideintoashallowvalley.itwashotinthevalley,tenorfifteendegreeshotterthanonthehighway.icouldseenowthatthegraveledroadendedinalooparoundsomegrassedgedwithstonesthathadbeenlimewashed.offtomylefttherewasanemptyswimmingpool,andnothingeverlooksemptierthananemptyswimmingpool.aroundthreesidesofittherewaswhatremainedofalawndottedwithredwoodloungingchairswithbadlyfadedpadsonthem.thepadshadbeenofmanycolors,blue,green,yellow,orange,rustred.theiredgebindingshadcomelooseinspots,thebuttonshadpopped,andthepadswerebloatedwherethishadhappened.onthefourthsidetherewasthehighwirefenceofatenniscourt.thepingboardovertheemptypoollookedknee-sprungandtired.itsmattingcoveringhunginshredsanditsmetalfittingswereflakedwithrust.

icametotheturningloopandstoppedinfrontofaredwoodbuildingwithashakeroofandawidefrontporch.theentrancehaddoublescreendoors.largeblackfliesdozedonthescreens.pathsledoffamongtheevergreenandalwaysdustycaliforniaoaksandamongtheoakstherewererusticcabinsscatteredlooselyoverthesideofthehill,somealmostcompletelyhidden.thoseicouldseehadthatdesolateout-of-seasonlook.theirdoorswereshut,theirwindowswereblankedbydrawncurtainsofmonk’sclothorsomethingonthatorder.youcouldalmostfeelthethickdustontheirsills.

iswitchedofftheignitionandsattherewithmyhandsonthewheellistening.therewasnosound.theplaceseemedtobeasdeadaspharaoh,exceptthatthedoorsbehindthedoublescreenswereopenandsomethingmovedinthedimnessoftheroombeyond.theniheardalightaccuratewhistlingandaman’sfigureshowedagainstthescreen,pusheditopenandstrolleddownthesteps.hewassomethingtosee.

heworeaflatblackgauchohatwiththewovenstrapunderhischin.heworeawhitesilkshirt,spotlesslyclean,openatthethroat,withtightwristletsandloosepuffedsleevesabove.aroundhisneckablackfringedscarfwasknottedunevenlysothatoneendwasshortandtheotherdroppedalmosttohiswaist.heworeawideblacksashandblackpants,skin-tightatthehips,coalblack,andstitchedwithgoldthreaddownthesidetowheretheywereslashedandbelledoutlooselywithgoldbuttonsalongbothsidesoftheslash.onhisfeetheworepatent-leatherdancingpumps.

hestoppedatthefootofthestepsandlookedatme,stillwhistling.hewasaslitheasawhip.hehadthelargestandemptiestsmoke-coloredeyesihadeverseen,underlongsilkylashes.hisfeaturesweredelicateandperfectwithoutbeingweak.hisnosewasstraightandalmostbutnotquitethin,hismouthwasahandsomepout,therewasadimpleinhischin,andhissmallearsnestledgracefullyagainsthishead.hisskinhadthatheavypallorwhichthesunnevertouches.

hestruckanattitudewithhislefthandonahipandhisrightmadeagracefulcurveintheair.

「greetings,」hesaid.「lovelyday,isn’tit?」

「prettyhotinhereforme.」

「ilikeithot.」thestatementwasflatandfinalandclosedthediscussion.whatilikedwasbeneathhisnotice.hesatdownonastep,producedalongfilefromsomewhere,andbegantofilehisfingernails.「youfromthebank?」heaskedwithoutlookingup.

「i’mlookingfordr.verringer.」

hestoppedworkingwiththefileandlookedoffintothewarmdistance.「who’she?」heaskedwithnopossibleinterest.

「heownstheplace.laconicashell,aren’tyou?asifyoudidn’tknow.」

hewentbacktohisfileandfingernails.「yougottoldwrong,sweetie.thebankownstheplace.theydoneforecloseditorit’sinescroworsomething.iforgetthedetails.」

helookedupatmewiththeexpressionofamantowhomdetailsmeannothing.igotoutoftheoldsandleanedagainstthehotdoor,thenimovedawayfromthattowheretherewassomeair.

「whichbankwouldthatbe?」

「youdon’tknow,youdon’tcomefromthere.youdon’tcomefromthere,youdon’thaveanybusinesshere.hitthetrail,sweetie.buzzoffbutfast,」

「ihavetofinddr.verringer.」

「thejoint’snotoperating,sweetie.likeitsaysonthesign,thisisaprivateroad.somegopherforgottolockthegate.」

「youthecaretaker?」

「sortof.don’taskanymorequestions,sweetie.mytemper’snotreliable.」

「whatdoyoudowhenyougetmad—danceatangowithagroundsquirrel?」

hestoodupsuddenlyandgracefully.hesmiledaminute,anemptysmile.「lookslikeigottotossyoubackinyourlittleoldconvertible,」hesaid.

「later.wherewouldifinddr.verringeraboutnow?」

hepocketedhisfileinhisshirtandsomethingelsetookitsplaceinhisrighthand.abriefmotionandhehadafistwithshiningbrassknucklesonit.theskinoverhischeekboneswastighterandtherewasaflamedeepinhislargesmokyeyes.

hestrolledtowardsme.isteppedbacktogetmoreroom.hewentonwhistlingbutthewhistlewashighandshrill.

「wedon’thavetofight,」itoldhim.「wedon’thaveanythingtofightabout.andyoumightsplitthoselovelybritches.」

hewasasquickasaflash.hecameatmewithasmoothleapandhislefthandsnakedoutveryfast.iexpectedajabandmovedmyheadwellenoughbutwhathewantedwasmyrightwristandhegotit.hehadagriptoo.hejerkedmeoffbalanceandthehandwiththebrassknuckscamearoundinaloopingbolopunch.acrackonthebackoftheheadwiththoseandiwouldbeasickman.ifipulledhewouldcatchmeonthesideofthefaceorontheupperarmbelowthepointoftheshoulder.itwouldhavebeenadeadarmoradeadface,whicheverithappenedtobe.inaspotlikethatthereisonlyonethingtodo.

iwentwiththepull.inpassingiblockedhisleftfootfrombehind,grabbedhisshirtandheardittear.somethinghitmeonthebackoftheneck,butitwasn’tthemetal.ispuntotheleftandhewentoversidewaysandlandedcatlikeandwasonhisfeetagainbeforeihadanykindofbalance.hewasgrinningnow.hewasdelightedwitheverything.helovedhiswork.hecameformefast.

astrongbeefyvoiceyelledfromsomewhere:「earl!stopthatatonce!atonce,doyouhearme?」

thegauchoboystopped.therewasasortofsickgrinonhisface.hemadeaquickmotionandthebrassknucksdisappearedintothewidesasharoundthetopofhispants.

iturnedandlookedatasolidchunkofmaninahawaiianshirthurryingtowardsusdownoneofthepathswavinghisarms.hecameupbreathingalittlefast.

「areyoucrazy,earl?」

「don’teversaythat,doc,」earlsaidsoftly.thenhesmiled,turnedaway,andwenttositonthestepsofthehouse.hetookofftheflat-crownedhat,producedacomb,andbegantocombhisthickdarkhairwithanabsentexpression.inasecondortwohestartedtowhistlesoftly.

theheavymanintheloudshirtstoodandlookedatme.istoodandlookedathim.

「what’sgoingonhere?」hegrowled.「whoareyou,sir?」

「name’smarlowe.iwasaskingfordr.verringer.theladyoucallearlwantedtoplaygames.ifigureit’stoohot.」

「iamdr.verringer,」hesaidwithdignity.heturnedhishead.「gointhehouse,earl.」

earlstoodupslowly.hegavedr.verringerathoughtfulstudyinglook,hislargesmokyeyesblankofexpression.thenhewentupthestepsandpulledthescreendooropen.acloudoffliesbuzzedangrilyandthensettledonthescreenagainasthedoorclosed.

「marlowe?」dr.verringergavemehisattentionagain.「andwhatcanidoforyou,mr.marlowe?」

「earlsaysyouareoutofbusinesshere.」

「thatiscorrect.iamjustwaitingforcertainlegalformalitiesbeforemovingout.earlandiarealonehere.」

「i’mdisappointed,」isaid,lookingdisappointed.「ithoughtyouhadamannamedwadestayingwithyou.」

hehoistedacoupleofeyebrowsthatwouldhaveinterestedafullerbrushman.「wade?imightpossiblyknowsomebodyofthatname—it’sacommonenoughname—butwhyshouldhebestayingwithme?」

「takingthecure.」