「youaretired,amigo,」hesaidsoftly.「ifixyouadrink,no?」

「bourbonontherocks,thanks,」isaid.

「depronto,señor.」

hesnappedtheknifeshut,droppeditintothesidepocketofhiswhitejacketandwentsoftlyaway.

thenatlastilookedateileen.shesatleaningforward,herhandsclaspedtightly.thedownwardtiltofherfacehidherexpressionifshehadany.andwhenshespokehervoicehadthelucidemptinessofthatmechanicalvoiceonthetelephonethattellsyouthetimeandifyoukeeponlistening,whichpeopledon’tbecausetheyhavenoreasonto,itwillkeepontellingyouthepassingsecondsforever,withouttheslightestchangeofinflection.

「isawhimonce,howard.justonce.ididn’tspeaktohimatall.norhetome.hewasterriblychanged.hishairwaswhiteandhisface—itwasn’tquitethesameface.butofcourseiknewhim,andofcourseheknewme.welookedateachother.thatwasall.thenhewasgoneoutoftheroomandthenextdayhewasgonefromherhouse.itwasatthelorings’isawhim—andher.oneafternoonlate.youwerethere,howard.androgerwasthere.isupposeyousawhimtoo.」

「wewereintroduced,」spencersaid.「iknewwhohewasmarriedto.」

「lindaloringtoldmehejustdisappeared.hegavenoreason.therewasnoquarrel.thenafterawhilethatwomanporcedhim.andstilllateriheardshefoundhimagain.hewasdownandout.andtheyweremarriedagain.heavenknowswhy.isupposehehadnomoneyanditdidn’tmattertohimanymore.heknewthatiwasmarriedtoroger.wewerelosttoeachother.」

「why?」spencerasked.

candyputmydrinkinfrontofmewithoutaword.helookedatspencerandspencershookhishead.candydriftedaway.nobodypaidanyattentiontohim.hewaslikethepropmaninachineseplay,thefellowthatmovesthingsaroundonthestageandtheactorsandaudiencealikebehaveasifhewasn’tthere.

「why?」sherepeated.「oh,youwouldn’tunderstand.whatwehadwaslost.itcouldneverberecovered.thegestapodidn’tgethimafterall.theremusthavebeensomedecentnaziswhodidn’tobeyhitler’sorderaboutthecommandos.sohesurvived,hecameback.iusedtopretendtomyselfthatiwouldfindhimagain,butashehadbeen,eagerandyoungandunspoiled.buttofindhimmarriedtothatredheadedwhore—thatwasdisgusting.ialreadyknewaboutherandroger.ihavenodoubtpauldidtoo.sodidlindaloring,whoisabitofatrampherself,butnotcompletelyso.theyallareinthatset.youaskmewhyididn’tleaverogerandgobacktopaul.afterhehadbeeninherarmsandrogerhadbeeninthosesamewillingarms?nothankyou.ineedalittlemoreinspirationthanthat.rogericouldforgive.hedrank,hedidn’tknowwhathewasdoing.heworriedabouthisworkandhehatedhimselfbecausehewasjustamercenaryhack.hewasaweakman,unreconciled,frustrated,butunderstandable.hewasjustahusband.paulwaseithermuchmoreorhewasnothing.intheendhewasnothing.」

itookaswigofmydrink.spencerhadfinishedhis.hewasscratchingatthematerialofthedavenport.hehadforgottenthepileofpaperinfrontofhim,theunfinishednoveloftheverymuchfinishedpopularauthor.

「iwouldn’tsayhewasnothing,」isaid.

sheliftedhereyesandlookedatmevaguelyanddroppedthemagain.

「lessthannothing,」shesaid,withanewnoteofsarcasminhervoice.「heknewwhatshewas,hemarriedher.thenbecauseshewaswhatheknewshewas,hekilledher.andthenranawayandkilledhimself.」

「hedidn’tkillher,」isaid,「andyouknowit.」

shecameuprightwithasmoothmotionandstaredatmeblankly.spencerletoutanoiseofsomekind.

「rogerkilledher,」isaid,「andyoualsoknowthat.」

「didhetellyou?」sheaskedquietly.

「hedidn’thaveto.hedidgivemeacoupleofhints.hewouldhavetoldmeorsomeoneintime.itwastearinghimtopiecesnotto.」

sheshookherheadslightly.「no,mr.marlowe.thatwasnotwhyhewastearinghimselftopieces.rogerdidn’tknowhehadkilledher.hehadblackedoutcompletely.heknewsomethingwaswrongandhetriedtobringittothesurface,buthecouldn’t.theshockhaddestroyedhismemoryofit.perhapsitwouldhavecomebackandperhapsinthelastmomentsofhislifeitdidcomeback.butnotuntilthen.notuntilthen.」

spencersaidinasortofgrowl:「thatsortofthingjustdoesn’thappen,eileen.」

「ohyes,itdoes,」isaid.「iknowoftwowell-establishedinstances.onewasablackoutdrunkwhokilledawomanhepickedupinabar.hestrangledherwithascarfshewaswearingfastenedwithafancyclasp.shewenthomewithhimandwhatwentonthenisnotknownexceptthatshegotdeadandwhenthelawcaughtupwithhimhewaswearingthefancyclasponhisowntieandhedidn’thavethefaintestideawherehegotit.」

「never?」spencerasked.「orjustatthetime?」

「heneveradmittedit.andhe’snotaroundanymoretobeasked.theygassedhim.theothercasewasaheadwound.hewaslivingwitharichpervert,thekindthatcollectsfirsteditionsanddoesfancycookingandhasaveryexpensivesecretlibrarybehindapanelinthewall.thetwoofthemhadafight.theyfoughtalloverthehouse,fromroomtoroom,theplacewasashamblesandtherichguyeventuallygotthelowscore.thekiller,whentheycaughthim,haddozensofbruisesonhimandabrokenfinger.allheknewforsurewasthathehadaheadacheandhecouldn’tfindhiswaybacktopasadena.hekeptcirclingaroundandstoppingtoaskdirectionsatthesameservicestation.theguyattheservicestationdecidedhewasnutsandcalledthecops.nexttimearoundtheywerewaitingforhim.」

「idon’tbelievethataboutroger,」spencersaid.「hewasnomorepsychothaniam.」

「heblackedoutwhenhewasdrunk,」isaid.

「iwasthere.isawhimdoit,」eileensaidcalmly.

igrinnedatspencer.itwassomekindofgrin,notthecheerykindprobably,buticouldfeelmyfacedoingitsbest.

「she’sgoingtotellusaboutit,」itoldhim.「justlisten.she’sgoingtotellus.shecan’thelpherselfnow.」

「yes,thatistrue,」shesaidgravely.「therearethingsnoonelikestotellaboutanenemy,muchlessaboutone’sownhusband.andifihavetotellthempubliclyonawitnessstand,youarenotgoingtoenjoyit,howard.yourfine,talented,eversopopularandlucrativeauthorisgoingtolookprettycheap.sexyasallgetout,wasn’the?onpaper,thatis.andhowthepoorfooltriedtoliveuptoit!allthatwomanwastohimwasatrophy.ispiedonthem.ishouldbeashamedofthat.onehastosaythesethings.iamashamedofnothing.isawthewholenastyscene.theguesthousesheusedforheramourshappenstobeanicesecludedaffairwithitsowngarageandentranceonasidestreet,adeadend,shadedbybigtrees.thetimecame,asitmusttopeoplelikeroger,whenhewasnolongerasatisfactorylover.justalittletoodrunk.hetriedtoleavebutshecameoutafterhimscreamingandstarknaked,wavingsomekindofsmallstatuette.sheusedlanguageofadepthoffilthanddepravityicouldn’tattempttodescribe.thenshetriedtohithimwiththestatuette.youarebothmenandyoumustknowthatnothingshocksamanquitesomuchastohearasupposedlyrefinedwomanusethelanguageofthegutterandthepublicurinal.hewasdrunk,hehadhadsuddenspellsofviolence,andhehadonethen.hetorethestatuetteoutofherhand.youcanguesstherest.」

「theremusthavebeenalotofblood,」isaid.

「blood?」shelaughedbitterly.「youshouldhaveseenhimwhenhegothome.wheniranformycartogetawayhewasjuststandingtherelookingdownather.thenhebentandpickedherupinhisarmsandcarriedherintotheguesthouse.iknewthenthattheshockhadpartiallysoberedhim.hegothomeinaboutanhour.hewasveryquiet.itshookhimwhenhesawmewaiting.buthewasn’tdrunkthen.hewasdazed.therewasbloodonhisface,onhishair,alloverthefrontofhiscoat.igothimintothelavatoryoffthestudyandgothimstrippedandcleanedoffenoughtogethimupstairsintotheshower.iputhimtobed.igotanoldsuitcaseandwentdownstairsandgatheredupthebloodyclothesandputtheminthesuitcase.icleanedthebasinandthefloorandthenitookawettoweloutandmadesurehiscarwasclean.iputitawayandgotmineout.idrovetothechatsworthreservoirandyoucanguesswhatididwiththesuitcasefullofbloodyclothesandtowels.」

shestopped.spencerwasscratchingatthepalmofhislefthand.shegavehimaquickglanceandwenton.

「whileiwasawayhegotupanddrankalotofwhiskey.andthenextmorninghedidn’trememberasinglething.thatis,hedidn’tsayawordaboutitorbehaveasifhehadanythingonhismindbutahangover.andisaidnothing.」

「hemusthavemissedtheclothes,」isaid.

shenodded.「ithinkhedideventually—buthedidn’tsayso.everythingseemedtohappenatonceaboutthattime.thepaperswerefullofit,thenpaulwasmissing,andthenhewasdeadinmexico.howwasitoknowthatwouldhappen?rogerwasmyhusband.hehaddoneanawfulthing,butshewasanawfulwoman.andhehadn’tknownwhathewasdoing.thenalmostassuddenlyasitbeganthepapersdroppedit.linda’sfathermusthavehadsomethingtodowiththat.rogerreadthepapers,ofcourse,andhemadejustthesortofcommentsonewouldexpectfromaninnocentbystanderwhohadjusthappenedtoknowthepeopleinvolved.」

「weren’tyouafraid?」spenceraskedherquietly.

「iwassickwithfear,howard.ifheremembered,hewouldprobablykillme.hewasagoodactor—mostwritersare—andperhapshealreadyknewandwasjustwaitingforachance.buticouldn’tbesure.hemight—justmight—haveforgottenthewholethingpermanently.andpaulwasdead.」

「ifhenevermentionedtheclothesthatyouhaddumpedinthereservoir,thatprovedhesuspectedsomething,」isaid.「andremember,inthatstuffheleftinthetypewritertheothertime—thetimeheshotthegunoffupstairsandifoundyoutryingtogetitawayfromhim—hesaidagoodmanhaddiedforhim.」

「hesaidthat?」hereyeswidenedjusttherightamount.

「hewroteit—onthetypewriter.idestroyedit,heaskedmeto.isupposedyouhadalreadyseenit.」

「ineverreadanythinghewroteinhisstudy.」

「youreadthenoteheleftthetimeverringertookhimaway.youevendugsomethingoutofthewastebasket.」

「thatwasdifferent,」shesaidcoolly.「iwaslookingforacluetowherehemighthavegone.」

「okay,」isaid,andleanedback.「isthereanymore?」

sheshookherheadslowly,withadeepsadness.「isupposenot.attheverylast,theafternoonhekilledhimself,hemayhaveremembered.we’llneverknow.dowewanttoknow?」

spencerclearedhisthroat.「whatwasmarlowesupposedtodoinallthis?itwasyourideatogethimhere.youtalkedmeintothat,youknow.」

「iwasterriblyafraid.iwasafraidofrogerandiwasafraidforhim.mr.marlowewaspaul’sfriend,almostthelastpersontoseehimwhoknewhim.paulmighthavetoldhimsomething.ihadtobesure.ifhewasdangerous,iwantedhimonmyside.ifhefoundoutthetruth,theremightstillbesomewaytosaveroger.」

suddenlyandfornoreasonthaticouldsee,spencergottough.heleanedforwardandpushedhisjawout.

「letmegetthisstraight,eileen.herewasaprivatedetectivewhowasalreadyinbadwiththepolice.they’dhadhiminjail.hewassupposedtohavehelpedpaul—icallhimthatbecauseyoudo—jumpthecountrytomexico.that’safelony,ifpaulwasamurderer.soifhefoundoutthetruthandcouldclearhimself,hewouldjustsitonhishandsanddonothing.wasthatyouridea?」

「iwasafraid,howard.can’tyouunderstandthat?iwaslivinginthehousewithamurdererwhomightbeamaniac.iwasalonewithhimalargepartofthetime.」

「iunderstandthat,」spencersaid,stilltough.「butmarlowedidn’ttakeiton,andyouwerestillalone.thenrogerfiredthegunoffandforaweekafterthatyouwerealone.thenrogerkilledhimselfandveryconvenientlyitwasmarlowewhowasalonethattime.」

「thatistrue,」shesaid.「whatofit?couldihelpit?」

「allright,」spencersaid.「isitjustpossibleyouthoughtmarlowemightfindthetruthandwiththebackgroundofthegungoingoffoncealready,justkindofhandittorogerandsaysomethinglike,‘look,oldman,you’reamurdererandiknowitandyourwifeknowsit.she’safinewoman.shehassufferedenough.nottomentionsylvialennox’shusband.whynotdothedecentthingandpullthetriggerandeverybodywillassumeitwasjustacaseoftoomuchwilddrinking?soi’llstrolldownbythelakeandsmokeacigarette,oldman.goodluckandgoodbye.oh,here’sthegun.it’sloadedandit’sallyours.」

「you’regettinghorrible,howard.ididn’tthinkanythingofthesort.」

「youtoldthedeputymarlowehadkilledroger.whatwasthatsupposedtomean?」

shelookedatmebriefly,almostshyly.「iwasverywrongtosaythat.ididn’tknowwhatiwassaying.」

「maybeyouthoughtmarlowehadshothim,」spencersuggestedcalmly.

hereyesnarrowed.「ohno,howard.why?whywouldhedothat?that’sanabominablesuggestion.」

「why?」spencerwantedtoknow.「what’sabominableaboutit?thepolicehadthesameidea.andcandygavethemamotive.hesaidmarlowewasinyourroomfortwohoursthenightrogershotaholeinhisceiling—afterrogerhadbeenputtosleepwithpills.」

sheflushedtotherootsofherhair.shestaredathimdumbly.

「andyoudidn’thaveanyclotheson,」spencersaidbrutally.「that’swhatcandytoldthem.」

「butattheinquest—」shebegantosayinashatteredkindofvoice.spencercutheroff.

「thepolicedidn’tbelievecandy.sohedidn’ttellitattheinquest.」

「oh.」itwasasighofrelief.

「also,」spencerwentoncoldly,「thepolicesuspectedyou.theystilldo.alltheyneedisamotive.lookstomeliketheymightbeabletoputonetogethernow.」

shewasonherfeet.「ithinkyouhadbothbetterleavemyhouse,」shesaidangrily.「thesoonerthebetter.」

「well,didyouordidn’tyou?」spenceraskedcalmly,notmovingexcepttoreachforhisglassandfinditempty.

「didiordidn’tiwhat?」

「shootroger?」

shewasstandingtherestaringathim.theflushhadgone.herfacewaswhiteandtightandangry.

「i’mjustgivingyouthesortofthingyou’dgetincourt.」

「iwasout.ihadforgottenmykeys.ihadtoringtogetintothehouse.hewasdeadwhenigothome.allthatisknown.whathasgotintoyou,forgod’ssake?」

hetookahandkerchiefoutandwipedhislips.「eileen,i’vestayedinthishousetwentytimes.i’veneverknownthatfrontdoortobelockedduringthedaytime.idon’tsayyoushothim.ijustaskedyou.anddon’ttellmeitwasimpossible.thewaythingsworkedoutitwaseasy.」

「ishotmyownhusband?」sheaskedslowlyandwonderingly.

「assuming,」spencersaidinthesameindifferentvoice,「thathewasyourhusband.youhadanotherwhenyoumarriedhim.」

「thankyou,howard.thankyouverymuch.roger’slastbook,hisswansong,isthereinfrontofyou.takeitandgo.andithinkyouhadbettercallthepoliceandtellthemwhatyouthink.itwillbeacharmingendingtoourfriendship.mostcharming.goodbye,howard.iamverytiredandihaveaheadache.i’mgoingtomyroomandliedown.asformr.marlowe—andisupposeheputyouuptoallthis—icanonlysaytohimthatifhedidn’tkillrogerinaliteralsense,hecertainlydrovehimtohisdeath.」

sheturnedtowalkaway.isaidsharply:「mrs.wade,justamoment.let’sfinishthejob.nosenseinbeingbitter.wearealltryingtodotherightthing.thatsuitcaseyouthrewintothechatsworthreservoir—wasitheavy?」

sheturnedandstaredatme.「itwasanoldone,isaid.yes,itwasveryheavy.」

「howdidyougetitoverthehighwirefencearoundthereservoir?」

「what?thefence?」shemadeahelplessgesture.「isupposeinemergenciesonehasanabnormalstrengthtodowhathastobedone.somehoworotherididit.that’sall.」

「thereisn’tanyfence,」isaid.

「isn’tanyfence?」sherepeateditdully,asifitdidn’tmeananything.」

「andtherewasnobloodonroger’sclothes.andsylvialennoxwasn’tkilledoutsidetheguesthouse,butinsideitonthebed.andtherewaspracticallynoblood,becauseshewasalreadydead—shotdeadwithagun—andwhenthestatuettewasusedtobeatherfacetoapulp,itwasbeatingadeadwoman.andthedead,mrs.wade,bleedverylittle.」

shecurledherlipatmecontemptuously.「isupposeyouwerethere,」shesaidscornfully.

thenshewentawayfromus.

wewatchedhergo.shewentupthestairsslowly,movingwithcalmelegance.shedisappearedintoherroomandthedoorclosedsoftlybutfirmlybehindher.silence.

「whatwasthataboutthewirefence?」spenceraskedmevaguely.hewasmovinghisheadbackandforth.hewasflushedandsweating.hewastakingitgamelybutitwasn’teasyforhimtotake.

「justagag,」isaid.「i’veneverbeencloseenoughtothechatsworthreservoirtoknowwhatitlookslike.maybeithasafencearoundit,maybenot.」

「isee,」hesaidunhappily.「butthepointisshedidn’tknoweither.」

「ofcoursenot.shekilledbothofthem.」