idrovebacktohollywoodfeelinglikeashortlengthofchewedstring.itwastooearlytoeat,andtoohot.iturnedonthefaninmyoffice.itdidn’tmaketheairanycooler,justalittlemorelively.outsideontheboulevardthetrafficbrawledendlessly.insidemyheadthoughtsstucktogetherlikefliesonflypaper.

threeshots,threemisses.allihadbeendoingwasseeingtoomanydoctors.

icalledthewadehome.amexicansortofaccentansweredandsaidthatmrs.wadewasnotathome.iaskedformr.wade.thevoicesaidmr.wadewasnothomeeither.ileftmyname.heseemedtocatchitwithoutanytrouble.hesaidhewasthehouseboy.

icalledgeorgepetersatthecarneorganization.maybeheknewsomemoredoctors.hewasn’tin.ileftaphonynameandarighttelephonenumber.anhourcrawledbylikeasickcockroach.iwasagrainofsandonthedesertofoblivion.iwasatwo-guncowpokefreshoutofbullets.threeshots,threemisses.ihateitwhentheycomeinthrees.youcallonmr.a.nothing.youcallonmr.b.nothing.youcallonmr.c.moreofthesame.aweeklateryoufindoutitshouldhavebeenmr.d.onlyyoudidn’tknowheexistedandbythetimeyoufoundout,theclienthadchangedhismindandkilledtheinvestigation.

drs.vukanichandvarleywerescratched.varleyhadittoorichtofoolwithhoochcases.vukanichwasapunk,ahigh-wireperformerwhohitthemainlineinhisownoffice.thehelpmustknow.atleastsomeofthepatientsmustknow.allittooktofinishhimwasonesoreheadandonetelephonecall.wadewouldn’thavegonewithinblocksofhim,drunkorsober.hemightnotbethebrightestguyintheworld—plentyofsuccessfulpeoplearefarfrommentalgiants—buthecouldn’tbedumbenoughtofoolwithvukanich.

theonlypossiblewasdr.verringer.hehadthespaceandtheseclusion.heprobablyhadthepatience.butsepulvedacanyonwasalongwayfromidlevalley.wherewasthepointofcontact,howdidtheyknoweachother,andifverringerownedthatpropertyandhadabuyerforit,hewashalfwaytobeingprettywellheeled.thatgavemeanidea.icalledamaniknewinatitlecompanytofindoutthestatusoftheproperty.noanswer.thetitlecompanyhadclosedfortheday.

iclosedforthedaytoo,anddroveovertolacienagatorudy’sbar-b-q,gavemynametothemasterofceremonies,andwaitedforthebigmomentonabarstoolwithawhiskeysourinfrontofmeandmarekweber’swaltzmusicinmyears.afterawhileigotinpastthevelvetropeandateoneofrudy’s「world-famous」salisburysteaks,whichishamburgeronaslabofburntwood,ringedwithbrowned-overmashedpotato,supportedbyfriedonionringsandoneofthosemixedupsaladswhichmenwilleatwithcompletedocilityinrestaurants,althoughtheywouldprobablystartyellingiftheirwivestriedtofeedthemoneathome.

afterthatidrovehome.asiopenedthefrontdoorthephonestartedtoring.

「thisiseileenwade,mr.marlowe.youwantedmetocallyou.」

「justtofindoutifanythinghadhappenedatyourend.ihavebeenseeingdoctorsalldayandhavemadenofriends.」

「no,i’msorry.hestillhasn’tshowedup.ican’thelpbeingratheranxious.thenyouhavenothingtotellme,isuppose.」hervoicewaslowanddispirited.

「it’sabigcrowdedcounty,mrs.wade.」

「itwillbefourwholedaystonight.」

「sure,butthat’snottoolong.」

「formeitis.」shewassilentforawhile.「i’vebeendoingalotofthinking,tryingtoremembersomething,」shewenton.「theremustbesomething,somekindofhintormemory.rogertalksagreatdealaboutallsortsofthings.」

「doesthenameverringermeananythingtoyou,mrs.wade?」

「no,i’mafraidnot.shouldit?」

「youmentionedthatmr.wadewasbroughthomeonetimebyatallyoungmandressedinacowboyoutfit.wouldyourecognizethistallyoungmanifyousawhimagain,mrs.wade?」

「isupposeimight,」shesaidhesitantly,「iftheconditionswerethesame.butionlycaughtthemerestglimpseofhim.washisnameverringer?」

「no,mrs.wade.verringerisaheavilybuilt,middle-agedmanwhoruns,ormoreaccuratelyhasrun,somekindofguestranchinsepulvedacanyon.hehasadressedupfancyboynamedearlworkingforhim.andverringercallshimselfadoctor.」

「that’swonderful,」shesaidwarmly.「don’tyoufeelthatyou’reontherighttrack?」

「icouldbewetterthanadrownedkitten.i’llcallyouwheniknow.ijustwantedtomakesurerogerhadn’tcomehomeandthatyouhadn’trecalledanythingdefinite.」

「i’mafraidihaven’tbeenofmuchhelptoyou,」shesaidsadly.「pleasecallmeatanytime.nomatterhowlateitis.」

isaidiwoulddothatandwehungup.itookagunandathree-cellflashlightwithmethistime.thegunwasatoughlittleshort-barreled.32withflat-pointcartridges.dr.verringer’sboyearlmighthaveothertoysthanbrassknuckles.ifhehad,hewasplentygoofyenoughtoplaywiththem.

ihitthehighwayagainanddroveasfastasidared.itwasamoonlessnight,andwouldbegettingdarkbythetimeireachedtheentrancetodr.verringer’sestate.darknesswaswhatineeded.

thegateswerestilllockedwiththechainandpadlock.idroveonpastandparkedwelloffthehighway.therewasstillsomelightunderthetreesbutitwouldn’tlastlong.iclimbedthegateandwentupthesideofthehilllookingforahikingpath.farbackinthevalleyithoughtiheardaquail.amourningdoveexclaimedagainstthemiseriesoflife.therewasn’tanyhikingpathoricouldn’tfindone,soiwentbacktotheroadandwalkedalongtheedgeofthegravel.theeucalyptustreesgavewaytotheoaksandicrossedtheridgeandfarofficouldseeafewlights.ittookmethreequartersofanhourtoworkupbehindtheswimmingpoolandthetenniscourtstoaspotwhereicouldlookdownonthemainbuildingattheendoftheroad.itwaslightedupandicouldhearmusiccomingfromit.andfartheroffinthetreesanothercabinshowedlight.thereweresmalldarkcabinsdottedallovertheplaceinthetrees.iwentalongapathnowandsuddenlyafloodlightwentonatthebackofthemaincabin.istoppeddead.thefloodlightwasnotlookingforanything.itpointedstraightdownandmadeawidepooloflightonthebackporchandthegroundbeyond.thenadoorbangedopenandearlcameout.theniknewiwasintherightplace.

earlwasacowpoketonight,andithadbeenacowpokewhobroughtrogerwadehomethetimebefore.earlwasspinningarope.heworeadarkshirtstitchedwithwhiteandapolka-dotscarfknottedlooselyaroundhisneck.heworeawideleatherbeltwithaloadofsilveronitandapairoftooledleatherholsterswithivory-handledgunsinthem.heworeelegantridingpantsandbootscross-stitchedinwhiteandglisteningnew.onthebackofhisheadwasawhitesombreroandwhatlookedlikeawovensilvercordhanginglooselydownhisshirt,theendsnotfastened.

hestoodtherealoneunderthewhitefloodlight,spinninghisropearoundhim,steppinginandoutofit,anactorwithoutanaudience,atall,slender,handsomedudewranglerputtingonashowallbyhimselfandlovingeveryminuteofit.two-gunearl,theterrorofcochisecounty.hebelongedononeofthoseguestranchesthataresoall-firedhorsythetelephonegirlwearsridingbootstowork.

allatonceheheardasound,orpretendedto.theropedropped,hishandssweptthetwogunsfromtheholsters,andthecrookofhisthumbswasoverthehammersastheycamelevel.hepeeredintothedarkness.ididn’tdaremove.thedamngunscouldbeloaded.butthefloodlighthadblindedhimandhedidn’tseeanything.heslippedhisgunsbackintheholsters,pickeduptheropeandgathereditloosely,wentbackintothehouse.thelightwentoff,andsodidi.

imovedaroundthroughthetreesandgotclosetothesmalllightedcabinontheslope.nosoundcamefromit.ireachedascreenedwindowandlookedin.thelightcamefromalamponanighttablebesideabed.amanlayflatonhisbackinthebed,hisbodyrelaxed,hisarmsinpajamasleevesoutsidethecovers,hiseyeswideopenandstaringattheceiling.helookedbig.hisfacewaspartlyshadowed,buticouldseethathewaspaleandthatheneededashaveandhadneededoneforjustabouttherightlengthoftime.thespreadfingersofhishandslaymotionlessontheoutsideofthebed.helookedasifhehadn’tmovedforhours.

iheardstepscomingalongthepathatthefarsideofthecabin.ascreendoorcreakedandthenthesolidshapeofdr.verringershowedinthedoorway.hewascarryingwhatlookedlikealargeglassoftomatojuice.heswitchedonastandinglamp.hishawaiianshirtgleamedyellowly.themaninthebeddidn’tevenlookathim.

dr.verringerputtheglassdownonthenighttableandpulledachaircloseandsatdown.hereachedforoneofthewristsandfeltapulse.「howareyoufeelingnow,mr.wade?」hisvoicewaskindlyandsolicitous.

themanonthebeddidn’tanswerhimorlookathim.hewentonstaringattheceiling.

「come,come,mr.wade.letusnotbemoody.yourpulseisonlyslightlyfasterthannormal.youareweak,butotherwise—」

「tejjy,」themanonthebedsaidsuddenly,「tellthemanthatifheknowshowiam,thesonofabitchneedn’tbothertoaskme.」hehadaniceclearvoice,butthetonewasbitter.

「whoistejjy?」dr.verringersaidpatiently.

「mymouthpiece.she’supthereinthecorner.」

dr.verringerlookedup.「iseeasmallspider,」hesaid.「stopacting,mr.wade.itisnotnecessarywithme.」

「tegenariadomestica,thecommonjumpingspider,pal.ilikespiders.theypracticallyneverwearhawaiianshirts.」

dr.verringermoistenedhislips.「ihavenotimeforplayfulness,mr.wade.」

「nothingplayfulabouttejjy.」wadeturnedhisheadslowly,asifitweighedveryheavy,andstaredatdr.verringercontemptuously.「tejjyisdeadserious.shecreepsuponyou.whenyou’renotlookingshemakesaquicksilenthop.afterawhileshe’snearenough.shemakesthelastjump.yougetsuckeddry,doctor.verydry.tejjydoesn’teatyou.shejustsucksthejuiceuntilthere’snothingleftbuttheskin.ifyouplantowearthatshirtmuchlonger,doctor,i’dsayitcouldn’thappentoosoon.」

dr.verringerleanedbackinthechair.「ineedfivethousanddollars,」hesaidcalmly.「howsooncouldthathappen?」

「yougotsixhundredandfiftybucks,」wadesaidnastily.「aswellasmyloosechange.howthehellmuchdoesitcostinthisbordello?」

「chickenfeed,」dr.verringersaid.「itoldyoumyrateshadgoneup.」

「youdidn’tsaytheyhadmovedtomountwilson.」

「don’tfencewithme,wade,」dr.verringersaidcurtly.「youareinnopositiontogetfunny.alsoyouhavebetrayedmyconfidence.」

「ididn’tknowyouhadany.」