「howmuchisshepayingyou?」heasked.

「wedidn’tdiscussit.」

「whateveritis,it’snotenough.ioweyoualotofthanks.youdidagreatjob,chum.iwasn’tworththetrouble.」

「that’sjustthewayyoufeeltonight.」

helaughed.「youknowsomething,marlowe?icouldgettolikeyou.you’reabitofabastard—likeme.」

wereachedthehouse.itwasatwo-storyover-allshinglehousewithasmallpillaredporticoandalonglawnfromtheentrancetoathickrowofshrubsinsidethewhitefence.therewasalightintheportico.ipulledintothedrivewayandstoppedclosetothegarage.

「canyoumakeitwithouthelp?」

「ofcourse.」hegotoutofthecar.「aren’tyoucominginforadrinkorsomething?」

「nottonight,thanks;i’llwaithereuntilyou’reinthehouse.」

hestoodtherebreathinghard.「okay,」hesaidshortly.

heturnedandwalkedcarefullyalongaflaggedpathtothefrontdoor.heheldontoawhitepillarforamoment,thentriedthedoor.itopened,hewentin.thedoorstayedopenandlightwashedacrossthegreenlawn.therewasasuddenflutterofvoices.istartedbackingfromthedriveway,followingtheback-uplight.somebodycalledout.

ilookedandsaweileenwadestandingintheopendoorway.ikeptgoingandshestartedtorun.soihadtostop.icutthelightsandgotoutofthecar.whenshecameupisaid:

「ioughttohavecalledyou,butiwasafraidtoleavehim.」

「ofcourse.didyouhavealotoftrouble?」

「well—alittlemorethanringingadoorbell.」

「pleasecomeinthehouseandtellmeallaboutit.」

「heshouldbeinbed.bytomorrowhe’llbeasgoodasnew.」

「candywillputhimtobed,」shesaid,「hewon’tdrinktonight,ifthat’swhatyouarethinkingof.」

「neveroccurredtome.goodnight,mrs.wade.」

「youmustbetired.don’tyouwantadrinkyourself?」

ilitacigarette.itseemedlikeacoupleofweekssinceihadtastedtobacco.idrankinthesmoke.

「mayihavejustonepuff?」

shecameclosetomeandihandedherthecigarette.shedrewonitandcoughed.shehandeditbacklaughing.「strictlyanamateur,asyousee.」

「soyouknewsylvialennox,」isaid.「wasthatwhyyouwantedtohireme?」

「iknewwho?」shesoundedpuzzled.

「sylvialennox.」ihadthecigarettebacknow.iwaseatingitprettyfast.

「oh,」shesaid,startled.「thatgirlthatwas—murdered.no,ididn’tknowherpersonally.iknewwhoshewas.didn’titellyouthat?」

「sorry,i’dforgottenjustwhatyoudidtellme.」

shewasstillstandingtherequietly,closetome,slimandtallinawhitedressofsomesort.thelightfromtheopendoortouchedthefringeofherhairandmadeitglowsoftly.

「whydidyouaskmeifthathadanythingtodowithmywantingto,asyouputit,hireyou?」whenididn’tansweratoncesheadded,「didrogertellyouheknewher?」

「hesaidsomethingaboutthecasewhenitoldhimmyname.hedidn’tconnectmewithitimmediately,thenhedid.hetalkedsodamnmuchidon’trememberhalfofwhathesaid.」

「isee.imustgoin,mr.marlowe,andseeifmyhusbandneedsanything.andifyouwon’tcomein—」

「i’llleavethiswithyou,」isaid.

itookholdofherandpulledhertowardsmeandtiltedherheadback.ikissedherhardonthelips.shedidn’tfightmeandshedidn’trespond.shepulledherselfawayquietlyandstoodtherelookingatme.

「youshouldn’thavedonethat,」shesaid.「thatwaswrong.you’retooniceaperson.」

「sure.verywrong,」iagreed.「buti’vebeensuchanicefaithfulwell-behavedgundogalldaylong,igotcharmedintooneofthesilliestventuresievertackled,anddamnedifitdidn’tturnoutjustasthoughsomebodyhadwrittenascriptforit.youknowsomething?ibelieveyouknewwherehewasallalong—oratleastknewthenameofdr.verringer.youjustwantedtogetmeinvolvedwithhim,tangledupwithhimsoi’dfeelasenseofresponsibilitytolookafterhim.oramicrazy?」

「ofcourseyou’recrazy,」shesaidcoldly.「thatisthemostoutrageousnonsenseieverlistenedto.」shestartedtoturnaway.

「waitaminute,」isaid.「thatkisswon’tleaveascar.youjustthinkitwill.anddon’ttellmei’mtooniceaperson.i’dratherbeaheel.」

shelookedback.「why?」

「ifihadn’tbeenaniceguytoterrylennox,hewouldstillbealive.」

「yes?」shesaidquietly.「howcanyoubesosure?goodnight,mr.marlowe.andthankyousoverymuchforalmosteverything.」

shewalkedbackalongtheedgeofthegrass.iwatchedhergointothehouse.thedoorclosed.theporchlightwentoff.iwavedatnothinganddroveaway.