ohlswasamedium-sizedthickmanwithshort-croppedfadedblondhairandfadedblueeyes.hehadstiffwhiteeyebrowsandinthedaysbeforehestoppedwearingahatyouwerealwaysalittlesurprisedwhenhetookitoff—therewassomuchmoreheadthanyouexpected.hewasahardtoughcopwithagrimoutlookonlifebutaverydecentguyunderneath.heoughttohavemadecaptainyearsago.hehadpassedtheexaminationamongthetopthreehalfadozentimes.butthesheriffdidn’tlikehimandhedidn’tlikethesheriff.

hecamedownthestairsrubbingthesideofhisjaw.flashbulbshadbeengoingoffinthestudyforalongtime.menhadgoneinandout.ihadjustsatinthelivingroomwithaplain-clothesdickandwaited.

ohlssatdownontheedgeofachairanddangledhishands.hewaschewingonanunlitcigarette.helookedatmebroodingly.

「remembertheolddayswhentheyhadagatehouseandaprivatepoliceforceinidlevalley?」

inodded.「andgamblingalso.」

「sure.youcan’tstopit.thiswholevalleyisstillprivateproperty.likearrowheadusedtobe,andemeraldbay.longtimesinceiwasonacasewithnoreportersjumpingaround.somebodymusthavewhisperedinsheriffpetersen’sear.theykeptitofftheteletype.」

「realconsiderateofthem,」isaid.「howismrs.wade?」

「toorelaxed.shemustofgrabbedsomepills.there’sadozenkindsupthere—evendemerol.that’sbadstuff.yourfriendsdon’thavealotoflucklately,dothey?theygetdead.」

ididn’thaveanythingtosaytothat.

「gunshotsuicidesalwaysinterestme,」ohlssaidloosely.「soeasytofake.thewifesaysyoukilledhim.whywouldshesaythat?」

「shedoesn’tmeanitliterally.」

「nobodyelsewashere.shesaysyouknewwherethegunwas,knewhewasgettingdrunk,knewhehadfiredofftheguntheothernightwhenshehadtofightwithhimtogetthegunawayfromhim,youweretherethatnighttoo.don’tseemtohelpmuch,doyou?」

「isearchedhisdeskthisafternoon.nogun.i’dtoldherwhereitwasandtoputitaway.shesaysnowshedidn’tbelieveinthatsortofthing.」

「justwhenwould‘now’be?」ohlsaskedgruffly.

「aftershecamehomeandbeforeiphonedthesubstation.」

「yousearchedthedesk.why?」ohlsliftedhishandsandputthemonhisknees.hewaslookingatmeindifferently,asifhedidn’tcarewhatisaid.

「hewasgettingdrunk.ithoughtitjustaswelltohavethegunsomewhereelse.buthedidn’ttrytokillhimselftheothernight.itwasjustshow-off.」

ohlsnodded.hetookthechewedcigaretteoutofhismouth,droppeditintoatray,andputafreshoneinplaceofit.

「iquitsmoking,」hesaid.「gotmecoughingtoomuch.butthegoddamthingsstillrideme.can’tfeelrightwithoutoneinmymouth.yousupposedtowatchtheguywhenhe’salone?」

「certainlynot.heaskedmetocomeoutandhavelunch.wetalkedandhewaskindofdepressedabouthiswritingnotgoingwell.hedecidedtohitthebottle.thinkishouldhavetakenitawayfromhim?」

「i’mnotthinkingyet.i’mjusttryingtogetapicture.howmuchdrinkingdidyoudo?」

「beer.」

「it’syourtoughluckyouwerehere,marlowe.whatwasthecheckfor?theonehewroteandsignedandtoreup?」

「theyallwantedmetocomeandlivehereandkeephiminline.allmeanshimself,hiswife,andhispublisher,amannamedhowardspencer.he’sinnewyork,iguess.youcancheckwithhim.iturneditdown.afterwardsshecametomeandsaidherhusbandwasoffonatootandshewasworriedandwouldifindhimandbringhimhome.ididthat.nextthingiknewiwascarryinghiminoffhisfrontlawnandputtinghimtobed.ididn’twantanypartofit,bernie.itjustkindofgrewuparoundme.」

「nothingtodowiththelennoxcase,huh?」

「aw,forpete’ssake.thereisn’tanylennoxcase.」

「howtrue,」ohlssaiddryly.hesqueezedhiskneecaps.amancameinatthefrontdoorandspoketotheotherdick.thencameacrosstoohls.

「there’sadr.loringoutside,lieutenant.sayshewascalled.he’sthelady’sdoctor.」

「lethimin.」

thedickwentbackanddr.loringcameinwithhisneatblackbag.hewascoolandelegantinatropicalworstedsuit.hewentpastmewithoutlookingatme.

「upstairs?」heaskedohls.

「yeah—inherroom.」ohlsstoodup.「whatyougiveherthatdemerolfor,doc?」

dr.loringfrownedathim.「iprescribeformypatientasithinkproper,」hesaidcoldly.「iamnotrequiredtoexplainwhy.whosaysigavemrs.wadedemerol?」

「ido.thebottle’suptherewithyournameonit.she’sgotaregulardrugstoreinherbathroom.maybeyoudon’tknowit,doc,butwehaveaprettycompleteexhibitofthelittlepillsdowntown.bluejays,redbirds,yellowjackets,goofballs,andalltherestofthelist.demerol’sabouttheworstofthelot.that’sthestuffgoeringlivedon,iheardsomewhere.tookeighteenadaywhentheycaughthim.tookthearmydoctorsthreemonthstocuthimdown.」

「idon’tknowwhatthosewordsmean,」dr.loringsaidfrigidly.