dr.verringertappedslowlyonthearmsofthechair.「youcalledmeupinthemiddleofthenight,」hesaid.「youwereinadesperatecondition.yousaidyouwouldkillyourselfifididn’tcome.ididn’twanttodoitandyouknowwhy.ihavenolicensetopracticemedicineinthisstate.iamtryingtogetridofthispropertywithoutlosingitall.ihaveearltolookafterandhewasaboutdueforabadspell.itoldyouitwouldcostyoualotofmoney.youstillinsistedandiwent.iwantfivethousanddollars.」

「iwasfoulwithstrongdrink,」wadesaid.「youcan’tholdamantothatkindofbargain.you’redamnwellpaidalready.」

「also,」dr.verringersaidslowly,「youmentionedmynametoyourwife.youtoldheriwascomingforyou.」

wadelookedsurprised.「ididn’tdoanythingofthesort,」hesaid.「ididn’tevenseeher.shewasasleep.」

「someothertimethen.aprivatedetectivehasbeenhereaskingaboutyou.hecouldn’tpossiblyhaveknownwheretocome,unlesshewastold.istalledhimoff,buthemaycomeback.youhavetogohome,mr.wade.butfirstiwantmyfivethousanddollars.」

「you’renotthebrightestguyintheworld,areyou,doc?ifmywifeknewwhereiwas,whywouldsheneedadetective?shecouldhavecomeherself—supposingshecaredthatmuch.shecouldhavebroughtcandy,ourhouseboy.candywouldcutyourblueboyintothinstripswhileblueboywasmakinguphismindwhatpicturehewasstarringintoday.」

「youhaveanastytongue,wade.andanastymind.」

「ihaveanastyfivethousandbuckstoo,doc.tryandgetit.」

「youwillwritemeacheck,」dr.verringersaidfirmly.「now,atonce.thenyouwillgetdressedandearlwilltakeyouhome.」

「acheck?」wadewasalmostlaughing.「surei’llgiveyouacheck.fine.howwillyoucashit?」

dr.verringersmiledquietly.「youthinkyouwillstoppayment,mr.wade.butyouwon’t.iassureyouthatyouwon’t.」

「youfatcrook!」wadeyelledathim.

dr.verringershookhishead.「insomethings,yes.notinall.iamamixedcharacterlikemostpeople.earlwilldriveyouhome.」

「nix.thatladmakesmyskincrawl,」wadesaid.

dr.verringerstoodupgentlyandreachedoverandpattedtheshoulderofthemanonthebed.「tomeearlisquiteharmless,mr.wade.ihavewaysofcontrollinghim.」

「nameone,」anewvoicesaid,andearlcamethroughthedoorinhisroyrogersoutfit.dr.verringerturnedsmiling.

「keepthatpsychoawayfromme,」wadeyelled,showingfearforthefirsttime.

earlputhishandsonhisornamentedbelt.hisfacewasdeadpan.alightwhistlingnoisecamefrombetweenhisteeth.hemovedslowlyintotheroom.

「youshouldn’thavesaidthat,」dr.verringersaidquickly,andturnedtowardsearl.「allright,earl.i’llhandlemr.wademyself.i’llhelphimgetdressedwhileyoubringthecaruphereasclosetothecabinaspossible.mr.wadeisquiteweak.」

「andhe’sgoingtobealotweaker,」earlsaidinawhistlingkindofvoice.「outofmyway,fatso.」

「now,earl—」hereachedoutandgrabbedthehandsomeyoungman’sarm—「youdon’twanttogobacktocamarillo,doyou?onewordfrommeand—」

thatwasasfarashegot.earljerkedhisarmlooseandhisrighthandcameupwithaflashofmetal.thearmoredfistcrashedagainstdr.verringer’sjaw.hewentdownasifshotthroughtheheart.thefallshookthecabin.istartedrunning.

ireachedthedoorandyankeditopen.earlspunaround,leaningforwardalittle,staringatmewithoutrecognition.therewasabubblingsoundbehindhislips.hestartedformefast.

ijerkedthegunoutandshowedittohim.itmeantnothing.eitherhisowngunswerenotloadedorhehadforgottenallaboutthem.thebrassknuckleswereallheneeded.hekeptcoming.

ifiredthroughtheopenwindowacrossthebed.thecrashoftheguninthesmallroomseemedmuchlouderthanitshouldhavebeen.earlstoppeddead.hisheadslewedaroundandhelookedattheholeinthewindowscreen.helookedbackatme.slowlyhisfacecamealiveandhegrinned.

「wha’happen?」heaskedbrightly.

「getridoftheknucks,」isaid,watchinghiseyes.

helookedsurprisinglydownathishand.heslippedthemauleroffandthrewitcasuallyinthecorner.

「nowthegunbelt,」isaid.「don’ttouchtheguns,justthebuckle.」

「they’renotloaded,」hesaidsmiling.「hell,they’renotevenguns,juststagemoney.」

「thebelt.hurryit.」

helookedattheshort-barreled.32.「thatarealone?ohsureitis.thescreen.yeah,thescreen.」

themanonthebedwasn’tonthebedanymore.hewasbehindearl.hereachedswiftlyandpulledoneofthebrightgunsloose.earldidn’tlikethis.hisfaceshowedit.

「layoffhim,」isaidangrily.「putthatbackwhereyougotit.」

「he’sright,」wadesaid.「they’recapguns.」hebackedawayandputtheshinypistolonthetable.「christ,i’masweakasabrokenarm.」

「takethebeltoff,」isaidforthethirdtime.whenyoustartsomethingwithatypelikeearlyouhavetofinishit.keepitsimpleanddon’tchangeyourmind.

hediditatlast,quiteamiably.then,holdingthebelt,hewalkedovertothetableandgothisothergunandputitintheholsterandputthebeltrightbackonagain.ilethimdoit.itwasn’tuntilthenthathesawdr.verringercrumpledontheflooragainstthewall.hemadeasoundofconcern,wentquicklyacrosstheroomintothebathroom,andcamebackwithaglassjugofwater.hedumpedthewaterondr.verringer’shead.dr.verringersputteredandrolledover.thenhegroaned.thenheclappedahandtohisjaw.thenhestartedtogetup.earlhelpedhim.

「sorry,doc.imusthavejustletflywithoutseeingwhoitwas.」

「it’sallright,nothingbroken,」verringersaid,wavinghimaway.「getthecaruphere,earl.anddon’tforgetthekeyforthepadlockdownbelow.」

「caruphere,sure.rightaway.keyforthepadlock.igotit.rightaway,doc.」

hewentoutoftheroomwhistling.

wadewassittingonthesideofthebed,lookingshaky.「youthedickhewastalkingabout?」heaskedme.「howdidyoufindme?」

「justaskingaroundfrompeoplewhoknowaboutthesethings,」isaid.「ifyouwanttogethome,youmightgetclotheson.」

dr.verringerwasleaningagainstthewall,massaginghisjaw.「i’llhelphim,」hesaidthickly.「allidoishelppeopleandalltheydoiskickmeintheteeth.」

「iknowjusthowyoufeel,」isaid.

iwentoutandleftthemtoworkatit.