「iknow.buthowmanypeoplecarryafive-thousand-dollarbillaroundwiththem?howmanywhocouldaffordtogiveyouthatmuchmoneywouldgiveittoyouinthisform?」

itwasn’tworthanswering.ijustnodded.shewentonbrusquely.

「andwhatwereyousupposedtodoforit,mr.marlowe?orwouldyoutellme?onthatlastridedowntotijuanahehadplentyoftimetotalk.youmadeitverycleartheothereveningthatyoudidn’tbelievehisconfession.didhegiveyoualistofhiswife’sloverssothatyoumightfindamurdereramongthem?」

ididn’tanswerthateither,butfordifferentreasons.

「andwouldthenameofrogerwadeappearonthatlistbyanychance?」sheaskedharshly.「ifterrydidn’tkillhiswife,themurdererwouldhavetobesomeviolentandirresponsibleman,alunaticorasavagedrunk.onlythatsortofmancould,touseyourownrepulsivephrase,beatherfaceintoabloodysponge.isthatwhyyouaremakingyourselfsoveryusefultothewades—aregularmother’shelperwhocomesoncalltonursehimwhenheisdrunk,tofindhimwhenheislost,tobringhimhomewhenheishelpless?」

「letmesetyourightonacoupleofpoints,mrs.loring.terrymayormaynothavegivenmethatbeautifulpieceofengraving.buthegavemenolistandmentionednonames.therewasnothingheaskedmetodoexceptwhatyouseemtofeelsureididdo,drivehimtotijuana.mygettinginvolvedwiththewadeswastheworkofanewyorkpublisherwhoisdesperatetohaverogerwadefinishhisbook,whichinvolveskeepinghimfairlysober,whichinturninvolvesfindingoutifthereisanyspecialtroublethatmakeshimgetdrunk.ifthereisanditcanbefoundout,thenthenextstepwouldbeanefforttoremoveit.isayeffort,becausethechancesareyoucouldn’tdoit.butyoucouldtry.」

「icouldtellyouinonesimplesentencewhyhegetsdrunk,」shesaidcontemptuously.「thatanemicblondshowpiecehe’smarriedto.」

「ohidon’tknow,」isaid.「iwouldn’tcallheranemic.」

「really?howinteresting.」hereyesglittered.

ipickedupmyportraitofmadison.「don’tchewtoolongonthatone,mrs.loring.iamnotsleepingwiththelady.sorrytodisappointyou.」

iwentovertothesafeandputmymoneyawayinthelockedcompartment.ishutthesafeandspunthedial.

「onsecondthought,」shesaidtomyback,「idoubtverymuchthatanyoneissleepingwithher.」

iwentbackandsatonthecornerofthedesk.「you’regettingbitchy,mrs.loring.why?areyoucarryingatorchforouralcoholicfriend?」

「ihateremarkslikethat,」shesaidbitingly.「ihatethem.isupposethatidioticscenemyhusbandmademakesyouthinkyouhavetherighttoinsultme.no,iamnotcarryingatorchforrogerwade.ineverdid—evenwhenhewasasobermanwhobehavedhimself.stilllessnowthatheiswhatheis.」

ifloppedintomychair,reachedforamatchbox,andstaredather.shelookedatherwatch.

「youpeoplewithalotofmoneyarereallysomething,」isaid.「youthinkanythingyouchoosetosay,howevernasty,isperfectlyallright.youcanmakesneeringremarksaboutwadeandhiswifetoamanyouhardlyknow,butifihandyoubackalittlechange,that’saninsult.okay,let’splayitlowdown.anydrunkwilleventuallyturnupwithaloosewoman.wadeisadrunk,butyou’renotaloosewoman.that’sjustacasualsuggestionyourhigh-bredhusbanddropstobrightenupacocktailparty.hedoesn’tmeanit,he’sjustsayingitforlaughs.soweruleyouout,andlookforaloosewomanelsewhere.howfardowehavetolook,mrs.loring—tofindonethatwouldinvolveyouenoughtobringyoudownheretradingsneerswithme?ithastobesomebodyratherspecial,doesn’tit—otherwisewhyshouldyoucare?」

shesatperfectlysilent,justlooking.alonghalfminutewentby.thecornersofhermouthwerewhiteandherhandswererigidonhergabardinebagthatmatchedhersuit.

「youhaven’texactlywastedyourtime,haveyou?」shesaidatlast.「howconvenientthatthispublishershouldhavethoughtofemployingyou!soterrynamednonamestoyou!notaname.butitreallydidn’tmatter,didit,mr.marlowe?yourinstinctwasunerring.mayiaskwhatyouproposetodonext?」

「nothing.」

「why,whatawasteoftalent!howcanyoureconcileitwithyourobligationtoyourportraitofmadison?surelytheremustbesomethingyoucando.」

「justbetweenthetwoofus,」isaid,「you’regettingprettycorny.sowadeknewyoursister.thanksfortellingme,howeverindirectly.ialreadyguessedit.sowhat?he’sjustoneofwhatwasmostlikelyafairlyrichcollection.let’sleaveitthere.andlet’sgetaroundtowhyyouwantedtoseeme.thatkindofgotlostintheshuffledidn’tit?」

shestoodup.sheglancedatherwatchoncemore.「ihaveacardownstairs.couldiprevailuponyoutodrivehomewithmeanddrinkacupoftea?」

「goon,」isaid.「let’shaveit.」

「doisoundsosuspicious?ihaveaguestwhowouldliketomakeyouracquaintance.」

「theoldman?」

「idon’tcallhimthat,」shesaidevenly.

istoodupandleanedacrossthedesk.「honey,you’reawfulcutesometimes.youreallyare.isitallrightificarryagun?」

「surelyyou’renotafraidofanoldman.」shewrinkledherlipatme.

「whynot?i’llbetyouare—plenty.」

shesighed.「yes,i’mafraidiam.ialwayshavebeen.hecanberatherterrifying.」

「maybei’dbettertaketwoguns,」isaid,thenwishedihadn’t.