nothinghappenedforaweekexceptthatiwentaboutmybusinesswhichjustthendidn’thappentobeverymuchbusiness.onemorninggeorgepetersofthecarneorganizationcalledmeupandtoldmehehadhappenedtobedownsepulvedacanyonwayandhadlookedinondr.verringer’splacejustoutofcuriosity.butdr.verringerwasnolongerthere.halfadozenteamsofsurveyorsweremappingthetractforasubpision.thosehespoketohadneverevenheardofdr.verringer.

「thepoorsuckergotclosedoutonatrustdeed,」peterssaid.「ichecked.theygavehimagrandforaquitclaimjusttosavetimeandexpense,andnowsomebodyisgoingtomakeamillionbucksclear,outofcuttingtheplaceupforresidentialproperty.that’sthedifferencebetweencrimeandbusiness.forbusinessyougottahavecapital.sometimesithinkit’stheonlydifference.」

「aproperlycynicalremark,」isaid,「butbigtimecrimetakescapitaltoo.」

「andwheredoesitcomefrom,chum?notfromguysthatholdupliquorstores.solong.seeyousoon.」

itwastenminutestoelevenonathursdaynightwhenwadecalledmeup.hisvoicewasthick,almostgurgling,butirecognizeditsomehow.andicouldhearshorthardrapidbreathingoverthetelephone.

「i’minbadshape,marlowe.verybad.i’mslippingmyanchor.couldyoumakeitouthereinahurry?」

「sure—butletmetalktomrs.wadeaminute.」

hedidn’tanswer.therewasacrashingsound,thenadeadsilence,theninashortwhileakindofbangingaround.iyelledsomethingintothephonewithoutgettinganyanswer.timepassed.finallythelightclickofthereceiverbeingreplacedandthebuzzofanopenline.

infiveminutesiwasontheway.imadeitinslightlyoverhalfanhourandistilldon’tknowhow.iwentoverthepassonwingsandhitventuraboulevardwiththelightagainstmeandmadealeftturnanyhowanddodgedbetweentrucksandgenerallymadeadamnfoolofmyself.iwentthroughencinoatclosetosixtywithaspotlightontheouteredgeoftheparkedcarssothatitwouldfreezeanyonewithanotiontostepoutsuddenly.ihadthekindofluckyouonlygetwhenyoudon’tcare.nocops,nosirens,noredflashers.justvisionsofwhatmightbehappeninginthewaderesidenceandnotverypleasantvisions.shewasaloneinthehousewithadrunkenmaniac,shewaslyingatthebottomofthestairswithherneckbroken,shewasbehindalockeddoorandsomebodywashowlingoutsideandtryingtobreakitin,shewasrunningdownamoonlitroadbarefootandabigbucknegrowithameatcleaverwaschasingher.

itwasn’tlikethatatall.wheniswungtheoldsintotheirdrivewaylightswereonalloverthehouseandshewasstandingintheopendoorwaywithacigaretteinhermouth.igotoutandwalkedovertheflagstonestoher.shehadslacksonandashirtwithanopencollar.shelookedatmecalmly.iftherewasanyexcitementaroundthereihadbroughtitwithme.

thefirstthingisaidwasasloonyastherestofmybehavior.「ithoughtyoudidn’tsmoke.」

「what?no,idon’tusually.」shetookthecigaretteoutandlookedatitanddroppeditandsteppedonit.「onceinalongwhile.hecalleddr.verringer.」

itwasaremoteplacidvoice,avoiceheardatnightoverwater.completelyrelaxed.

「hecouldn’t,」isaid.「dr.verringerdoesn’tlivethereanymore.hecalledme.」

「ohreally?ijustheardhimtelephoningandaskingsomeonetocomeinahurry.ithoughtitmustbedr.verringer.」

「whereishenow?」

「hefelldown,」shesaid.「hemusthavetippedthechairtoofarback.he’sdoneitbefore.hecuthisheadonsomething.there’salittleblood,notmuch.」

「well,that’sfine,」isaid.「wewouldn’twantawholelotofblood.whereishenow,iaskedyou.」

shelookedatmesolemnly.thenshepointed.「outtheresomewhere.bytheedgeoftheroadorinthebushesalongthefence.」

ileanedforwardandpeeredather.「chrissake,didn’tyoulook?」idecidedbythistimethatshewasinshock.thenilookedbackacrossthelawn.ididn’tseeanythingbuttherewasheavyshadownearthefence.

「no,ididn’tlook,」shesaidquitecalmly.「youfindhim.i’vehadallofiticantake.i’vehadmorethanicantake.youfindhim.」

sheturnedandwalkedbackintothehouse,leavingthedooropen.shedidn’twalkveryfar.aboutayardinsidethedoorshejustcrumpledtothefloorandlaythere.iscoopedherupandspreadheroutononeofthetwobigdavenportsthatfacedeachotheracrossalongblondcocktailtable.ifeltherpulse.itdidn’tseemveryweakorunsteady.hereyeswereclosedandthelidswereblue.ileftherthereandwentbackout.

hewasthereallright,justasshehadsaid.hewaslyingonhissideintheshadowofthehibiscus.hehadafastthumpingpulseandhisbreathingwasunnatural.somethingonthebackofhisheadwassticky.ispoketohimandshookhimalittle.islappedhisfaceacoupleoftimes.hemumbledbutdidn’tcometo.idraggedhimupintoasittingpositionanddraggedoneofhisarmsovermyshoulderandheavedhimupwithmybackturnedtohimandgrabbedforaleg.ilost.hewasasheavyasablockofcement.webothsatdownonthegrassanditookashortbreatherandtriedagain.finallyigothimhoistedintoafireman’sliftpositionandplowedacrossthelawninthedirectionoftheopenfrontdoor.itseemedaboutthesamedistanceasaroundtriptosiam.thetwostepsoftheporchweretenfeethigh.istaggeredovertothecouchandwentdownonmykneesandrolledhimoff.whenistraightenedupagainmyspinefeltasifithadcrackedinatleastthreeplaces.

eileenwadewasn’tthereanymore.ihadtheroomtomyself.iwastoobushedatthemomenttocarewhereanybodywas.isatdownandlookedathimandwaitedforsomebreath.thenilookedathishead.itwassmearedwithblood.hishairwasstickywithit.itdidn’tlookverybadbutyouneverknowwithaheadwound.

theneileenwadewasstandingbesideme,quietlylookingdownathimwiththatsameremoteexpression.

「i’msorryifainted,」shesaid.「idon’tknowwhy.」

「iguesswe’dbettercalladoctor.」

「itelephoneddr.loring.heismydoctor,youknow.hedidn’twanttocome.」