dr.amosvarleywasaverydifferentproposition.hehadabigoldhouseinabigoldgardenwithbigoldoaktreesshadingit.itwasamassiveframestructurewithelaboratescrollworkalongtheoverhangoftheporchesandthewhiteporchrailingshadturnedandfluteduprightslikethelegsofanold-fashionedgrandpiano.afewfrailelderlypeoplesatinlongchairsontheporcheswithrugstuckedaroundthem.

theentrancedoorsweredoubleandhadstained-glasspanels.thehallinsidewaswideandcoolandtheparquetryfloorwaspolishedandwithoutasinglerug.altadenaisahotplaceinsummer.itispushedbackagainstthehillsandthebreezejumpsclearoverit.eightyyearsagopeopleknewhowtobuildhousesforthisclimate.

anurseincrispwhitetookmycardandafterawaitdr.amosvarleycondescendedtoseeme.hewasabigbald-headedguywithacheerysmile.hislongwhitecoatwasspotless,hewalkednoiselesslyoncreperubbersoles.

「whatcanidoforyou,mr.marlowe?」hehadarichsoftvoicetosoothethepainandcomforttheanxiousheart.doctorishere,thereisnothingtoworryabout,everythingwillbefine.hehadthatbedsidemanner,thick,honeyedlayersofit.hewaswonderful—andhewasastoughasarmorplate.

「doctor,iamlookingforamannamedwade,awell-to-doalcoholicwhohasdisappearedfromhishome.hispasthistorysuggeststhatheisholedupinsomediscreetjointthatcanhandlehimwithskill.myonlyleadisareferencetoadr.v.you’remythirddr.v.andi’mgettingdiscouraged.」

hesmiledbenignly.「onlyyourthird,mr.marlowe?surelytheremustbeahundreddoctorsinandaroundthelosangelesareawhosenamesbeginwithv.」

「sure,butnotmanyofthemwouldhaveroomswithbarredwindows.inoticedafewupstairshere,onthesideofthehouse.」

「oldpeople,」dr.varleysaidsadly,butitwasarichfullsadness.「lonelyoldpeople,depressedandunhappyoldpeople,mr.marlowe.sometimes—」hemadeanexpressivegesturewithhishand,acurvingmotionoutwards,apause,thenagentlefalling,likeadeadleafflutteringtotheground.「idon’ttreatalcoholicshere,」headdedprecisely.「nowifyouwillexcuseme—」

「sorry,doctor.youjusthappenedtobeonourlist.probablyamistake.somethingaboutarun-inwiththenarcoticspeopleacoupleofyearsago.」

「isthatso?」helookedpuzzled,thenthelightbroke.「ah,yes,anassistantiwasunwiseenoughtoemploy.foraveryshorttime.heabusedmyconfidencebadly.yes,indeed.」

「notthewayiheardit,」isaid.「iguessihearditwrong.」

「andhowdidyouhearit,mr.marlowe?」hewasstillgivingmethefulltreatmentwithhissmileandhismellowtones.

「thatyouhadtoturninyournarcoticprescriptionbook.」

thatgottohimalittle.hedidn’tquitescowlbuthepeeledoffafewlayersofthecharm.hisblueeyeshadachillyglint.「andthesourceofthisfantasticinformation?」

「alargedetectiveagencythathasfacilitiesforbuildingfilesonthatsortofthing.」

「acollectionofcheapblackmailers,nodoubt.」

「notcheap,doctor.theirbaserateisahundreddollarsaday.it’srunbyaformercolonelofmilitarypolice.nonickelgrabber,doctor.herateswayup.」