aweekwentbyandiheardnothingfromthewades.theweatherwashotandstickyandtheacidstingofthesmoghadcreptasfarwestasbeverlyhills.fromthetopofmulhollanddriveyoucouldseeitleveledoutalloverthecitylikeagroundmist.whenyouwereinityoucouldtasteitandsmellitanditmadeyoureyessmart.everybodywasgripingaboutit.inpasadena,wherethestuffymillionairesholedupafterbeverlyhillswasspoiledforthembythemoviecrowd,thecityfathersscreamedwithrage.everythingwasthefaultofthesmog.ifthecanarywouldn’tsing,ifthemilkmanwaslate,ifthepekinesehadfleas,ifanoldcootinastarchedcollarhadaheartattackonthewaytochurch,thatwasthesmog.whereiliveditwasusuallyclearintheearlymorningandnearlyalwaysatnight.onceinawhileawholedaywouldbeclear,nobodyquiteknewwhy.

itwasonadaylikethat—ithappenedtobeathursday—thatrogerwadecalledmeup.「howareyou?thisiswade.」hesoundedfine.

「fine,andyou?」

「sober,i’mafraid.scratchingahardbuck.weoughttohaveatalk.andithinkioweyousomedough.」

「nope.」

「well,howaboutlunchtoday?couldyoumakeitheresomewherearoundone?」

「iguessso.how’scandy?」

「candy?」hesoundedpuzzled.hemusthaveblackedoutplentythatnight.「oh,hehelpedyouputmetobedthatnight.」

「yeah.he’sahelpfullittleguy—inspots.andmrs.wade?」

「she’sfinetoo.she’sintownshoppingtoday.」

wehungupandisatandrockedinmyswivelchair.ioughttohaveaskedhimhowthebookwasgoing.maybeyoualwaysoughttoaskawriterhowthebookisgoing.andthenagainmaybehegetsdamnedtiredofthatquestion.

ihadanothercallinalittlewhile,astrangevoice.

「thisisroyashterfelt.georgepeterstoldmetocallyouup,marlowe.」

「ohyes,thanks.you’rethefellowthatknewterrylennoxinnewyork.calledhimselfmarstonthen.」

「that’sright.hewassureonthesauce.butit’sthesameguyallright.youcouldn’tverywellmistakehim.outhereisawhiminchasen’sonenightwithhiswife.iwaswithaclient.theclientknewthem.can’ttellyoutheclient’sname,i’mafraid.」

「iunderstand.it’snotveryimportantnow,iguess.whatwashisfirstname?」

「waitaminutewhileibitemythumb.ohyeah,paul.paulmarston.andtherewasonethingmore,ifitinterestsyou.hewaswearingabritisharmyservicebadge.theirversionoftherupturedduck.」

「isee.whathappenedtohim?」

「idon’tknow.icamewest.nexttimeisawhimhewasheretoo—marriedtoharlanpotter’ssomewhatwilddaughter.butyouknowallthat.」

「they’rebothdeadnow.butthanksfortellingme.」

「notatall.gladtohelp.doesitmeananythingtoyou?」

「notathing,」isaid,andiwasaliar.「ineveraskedhimabouthimself.hetoldmeoncehehadbeenbroughtupinanorphanage.isn’titjustpossibleyoumadeamistake?」

「withthatwhitehairandthatscarredface,brother?notachance.iwon’tsayineverforgetaface,butnotthatone.」

「didheseeyou?」

「ifhedid,hedidn’tleton.hardlyexpecthimtointhecircumstances.anyhowhemightnothaverememberedme.likeisaid,hewasalwaysprettywelllitbackinnewyork.」