「isee.」

「youaremakingsomeratherstrangeremarks,」shesaidwithacidinhervoice.「youdidtheothermorning.」

「i’vehadsomeratherstrangeexperiencesinthishouse.gunsgoingoffinthenight,drunkslyingoutonthefrontlawnanddoctorscomingthatwon’tdoanything.lovelywomenwrappingtheirarmsaroundmeandtalkingasiftheythoughtiwassomeoneelse,mexicanhouseboysthrowingknives.it’sapityaboutthatgun.butyoudon’treallyloveyourhusband,doyou?iguessisaidthatbeforetoo.」

shestoodupslowly.shewasascalmasacustard,buthervioleteyesdidn’tseemquitethesamecolor,norofquitethesamesoftness.thenhermouthbegantotremble.

「is—issomethingwronginthere?」sheaskedveryslowly,andlookedtowardsthestudy.

ibarelyhadtimetonodbeforeshewasrunning.shewasatthedoorinaflash.shethrewitopenanddartedin.ifiexpectedawildscreamiwasfooled.ididn’thearanything.ifeltlousy.ioughttohavekeptheroutandeasedintothatcornyroutineaboutbadnews,prepareyourself,won’tyousitdown,i’mafraidsomethingratherserioushashappened.blah,blah,blah.andwhenyouhaveworkedyourwaythroughityouhaven’tsavedanybodyathing.oftenenoughyouhavemadeitworse.

igotupandfollowedherintothestudy.shewaskneelingbesidethecouchwithhisheadpulledagainstherbreast,smearingherselfwithhisblood.shewasn’tmakingasoundofanykind.hereyeswereshut.shewasrockingbackandforthonherkneesasfarasshecould,holdinghimtight.

iwentbackandfoundatelephoneandabook.icalledthesheriff’ssubstationthatseemedtobenearest.didn’tmatter,they’drelayitbyradioinanycase.theniwentouttothekitchenandturnedthewateronandfedthestripsofyellowpaperfrommypocketdowntheelectricgarbagegrinder.idumpedthetealeavesfromtheotherpotafterit.inamatterofsecondsthestuffwasgone.ishutoffthewaterandswitchedoffthemotor.iwentbacktothelivingroomandopenedthefrontdoorandsteppedoutside.

theremusthavebeenadeputycruisingclosebybecausehewasthereinaboutsixminutes.whenitookhimintothestudyshewasstillkneelingbythecouch.hewentovertoheratonce.

「i’msorry,ma’am.iunderstandhowyoumustfeel,butyoushouldn’tbetouchinganything.」

sheturnedherhead,thenscrambledtoherfeet.「it’smyhusband.he’sbeenshot.」

hetookhiscapoffandputitonthedesk.hereachedforthetelephone.

「hisnameisrogerwade,」shesaidinahighbrittlevoice.「he’sthefamousnovelist.」

「iknowwhoheis,ma’am,」thedeputysaid,anddialed.

shelookeddownatthefrontofherblouse.「mayigoupstairsandchangethis?」

「sure.」henoddedtoherandspokeintothephone,thenhungupandturned.「yousayhe’sbeenshot.thatmeansomebodyelseshothim?」

「ithinkthismanmurderedhim,」shesaidwithoutlookingatme,andwentquicklyoutoftheroom.

thedeputylookedatme.hegotanotebookout.hewrotesomethinginit.「ibetterhaveyourname,」hesaidcasually,「andaddress.youtheonecalledin?」

「yes.」itoldhimmynameandaddress.

「justtakeiteasyuntillieutenantohlsgetshere.」

「bernieohls?」

「yeah.youknowhim?」

「sure.i’veknownhimalongtime.heusedtoworkoutofthe’soffice.」

「notlately,」thedeputysaid.「he’sassistantchiefofhomicide,workingoutofthesheriff’soffice.youafriendofthefamily,mr.marlowe?」

「mrs.wadedidn’tmakeitsoundthatway.」

heshruggedandhalfsmiled.「justtakeiteasy,mr.marlowe.notcarryingagun,areyou?」

「nottoday.」

「ibettermakesure.」hedid.helookedtowardsthecouchthen.「inspotslikethisyoucan’texpectthewifetomakemuchsense.webetterwaitoutside.」