ithankedhimsomemoreandhesaiditwasapleasureandwehungup.

ithoughtaboutitforawhile.thenoiseofthetrafficoutsidethebuildingontheboulevardmadeanunmusicalobbligatotomythinking.itwastooloud.insummerinhotweathereverythingistooloud.igotupandshutthelowerpartofthewindowandcalleddetective-sergeantgreenathomicide.hewasobligingenoughtobein.

「look,」isaid,afterthepreliminaries,「iheardsomethingaboutterrylennoxthatpuzzlesme.afellowiknowusedtoknowhiminnewyorkunderanothername.youcheckhiswarrecord?」

「youguysneverlearn,」greensaidharshly.「youjustneverlearntostayonyourownsideofthestreet.thatmatterisclosed,lockedup,weightedwithleadanddroppedintheocean.getit?」

「ispentpartofanafternoonwithharlanpotterlastweekathisdaughter’shouseinidlevalley.wanttocheck?」

「doingwhat?」heaskedsourly.「supposingibelieveyou.」

「talkingthingsover.iwasinvited.helikesme.incidentally,hetoldmethegirlwasshotwithamauser7.65m/m.thatnewstoyou?」

「goon.」

「herowngun,chum.makesalittledifference,maybe.butdon’tgetmewrong.i’mnotlookingintoanydarkcorners.thisisapersonalmatter.wheredidhegetthatwound?」

greenwassilent.iheardadoorcloseinthebackground.thenhesaidquietly,「probablyinaknifefightsouthoftheborder.」

「awhell,green,youhadhisprints.yousentthemtowashingtonlikealways.yougotareportback—likealways.alliaskedwassomethingabouthisservicerecord.」

「whosaidhehadone?」

「well,mendymenendezforone.seemslennoxsavedhislifeonetimeandthat’showhegotthewound.hewascapturedbythegermansandtheygavehimthefacehehad.」

「menendez,huh?youbelievethatsonofabitch?yougotaholeinyourownhead.lennoxdidn’thaveanywarrecord.didn’thaveanyrecordofanykindunderanyname.yousatisfied?」

「ifyousayso,」isaid.「butidon’tseewhymenendezwouldbothertocomeuphereandtellmeayarnandwarnmetokeepmynosecleanonaccountoflennoxwasapalofhimandrandystarrinvegasandtheydidn’twantanybodyfoolingaround.afteralllennoxwasalreadydead.」

「whoknowswhatahoodlumfigures?」greenaskedbitterly.「orwhy?maybelennoxwasinaracketwiththembeforehemarriedallthatmoney,andgotrespectable.hewasafloormanageratstarr’splaceinvegasforawhile.that’swherehemetthegirl.asmileandabowandadinnerjacket.keepthecustomershappyandkeepaneyeonthehouseplayers.iguesshehadclassforthejob.」

「hehadcharm,」isaid.「theydon’tuseitinpolicebusiness.muchobliged,sergeant.howiscaptaingregoriusthesedays?」

「retirementleave.don’tyoureadthepapers?」

「notthecrimenews,sergeant.toosordid.」

istartedtosaygoodbyebuthechoppedmeoff.「whatdidmr.moneywantwithyou?」

「wejusthadacupofteatogether.asocialcall.hesaidhemightputsomebusinessmyway.healsohinted—justhinted,notinsomanywords—thatanycopthatlookedcross-eyedatmewouldbefacingagrimyfuture.」

「hedon’trunthepolicedepartment,」greensaid.

「headmitsit.doesn’tevenbuycommissionersor’s,hesaid.theyjustkindofcurlupinhislapwhenhe’shavingadoze.」

「gotohell,」greensaid,andhungupinmyear.

adifficultthing,beingacop.youneverknowwhosestomachit’ssafetojumpupanddownon.