icalledsewellendicott’soffice.somebodysaidhewasincourtandwouldnotbeavailableuntillateintheafternoon.wouldicaretoleavemyname?no.

idialedthenumberofmendymenendez’sjointonthestrip.itwascalledeltapadothisyear,notabadnameeither.inamericanspanishthatmeansburiedtreasureamongotherthings.ithadbeencalledothernamesinthepast,quiteafewothernames.oneyearitwasjustablueneonnumberonablankhighwallfacingsouthonthestrip,withitsbackagainstthehillandadrivewaycurvingaroundonesideoutofsightofthestreet.veryexclusive.nobodyknewmuchaboutitexceptvicecopsandmobstersandpeoplewhocouldaffordthirtybucksforagooddinnerandanyamountuptofiftygrandinthebigquietroomupstairs.igotawomanwhodidn’tknowfromnothing.thenigotacaptainwithamexaccent.

「youwishtospeakwithmr.menendez?whoiscalling?」

「nonames,amigo.privatematter.」

「unmomento,porfavor.」

therewasalongishwait.igotahardboythistime.hesoundedasifhewastalkingthroughtheslitinanarmoredcar.itwasprobablyjusttheslitinhisface.

「talkitup.whowantshim?」

「thename’smarlowe.」

「who’smarlowe?」

「thischickagostino?」

「no,thisain’tchick.comeon,let’shavethepassword.」

「gofryyourface.」

therewasachuckle.「holdtheline.」

finallyanothervoicesaid:「hello,cheapie.what’sthetimebyyou?」

「youalone?」

「youcantalk,cheapie.ibeenlookingoversomeactsforthefloorshow.」

「youcouldcutyourthroatforone.」

「whatwouldidoforanencore?」

ilaughed.helaughed.「beenkeepingyournoseclean?」heasked.

「haven’tyouheard?igottobefriendswithanotherguywhosuicided.they’regoingtocallmethe‘kiss-of-deathkid’fromnowon.」

「that’sfunny,huh?」

「no,itisn’tfunny.alsotheotherafternoonihadteawithharlanpotter.」

「nicegoing.ineverdrinkthestuffmyself.」

「hesaidforyoutobenicetome.」

「inevermettheguyandidon’tfigureto.」

「hecastsalongshadow.alliwantisalittleinformation,mendy.likeaboutpaulmarston.」

「neverheardofhim.」

「yousaidthattooquick.paulmarstonwasthenameterrylennoxusedonetimeinnewyorkbeforehecamewest.」

「so?」

「hisprintswerecheckedthroughtheffiles.norecord.thatmeansheneverservedinthearmedforces.」

「so?」

「doihavetodrawyouapicture?eitherthatfoxholeyarnofyourswasallspaghettiorithappenedsomewhereelse.」

「ididn’tsaywhereithappened,cheapie.takeakindwordandforgetthewholething.yougottold,youbetterstaytold.」

「ohsure.idosomethingyoudon’tlikeandi’mswimmingtocatalinawithastreetcaronmyback.don’ttrytoscareme,mendy.i’vebeenupagainstthepros.youeverbeeninengland?」

「besmart,cheapie.thingscanhappentoaguyinthistown.thingscanhappentobigstrongboyslikebigwilliemagoon.takealookattheeveningpaper.」

「i’llgetoneifyousayso.itmightevenhavemypictureinit.whataboutmagoon?」

「likeisaid—thingscanhappen.iwouldn’tknowhowexceptwhatiread.seemsmagoontriedtoshakedownfourboysinacarwithnevadaplates.wasparkedrightbyhishouse.nevadaplateswithbignumbersliketheydon’thave.musthavebeensomekindofarib.onlymagoonain’tfeelingfunny,whatwithbotharmsincasts,andhisjawwiredinthreeplaces,andoneleginhightraction.magoonain’ttoughanymore.itcouldhappentoyou.」

「hebotheredyou,huh?isawhimbounceyourboychickoffthewallinfrontofvictor’s.shouldiringupafriendinthesheriff’sofficeandtellhim?」

「youdothat,cheapie,」hesaidveryslowly.「youdothat.」

「andi’llmentionthatatthetimeiwasjustthroughhavingadrinkwithharlanpotter’sdaughter.corroborativeevidence,inasense,don’tyouthink?youfiguretosmashheruptoo?」