thensomethingmovedsoftlyandcandywasstandingattheendofthecouchlookingatme.hehadhisswitchknifeinhishand.hepressedthebuttonandthebladeshotout.hepressedthebuttonandthebladewentbackintothehandle.therewasasleekglitterinhiseye.

「milliondepardones,señor,」hesaid.「iwaswrongaboutyou.shekilledtheboss.ithinki—」hestoppedandthebladeshotoutagain.

「no.」istoodupandheldmyhandout.「givemetheknife,candy.you’rejustanicemexicanhouseboy.they’dhangitintoyouandloveit.justthekindofsmokescreenthatwouldmakethemgrinwithdelight.youdon’tknowwhati’mtalkingabout.butido.theyfouleditupsobadthattheycouldn’tstraightenitoutnowiftheywantedto.andtheydon’twantto.they’dblastaconfessionoutofyousoquicklyyouwouldn’tevenhavetimetotellthemyourfullname.andyou’dbesittingonyourfannyupinsanquentinwithalifesentencethreeweeksfromtuesday.」

「itellyoubeforeiamnotamexican.iamchilenofromviñadelmarnearvalparaíso.」

「theknife,candy.iknowallthat.you’refree.you’vegotmoneysaved.you’veprobablygoteightbrothersandsistersbackhome.besmartandgobackwhereyoucamefrom.thisjobhereisdead.」

「lotsofjobs,」hesaidquietly.thenhereachedoutanddroppedtheknifeintomyhand.「foryouidothis.」

idroppedtheknifeintomypocket.heglanceduptowardsthebalcony.「laseñora—whatdowedonow?」

「nothing.wedonothingatall.theseñoraisverytired.shehasbeenlivingunderagreatstrain.shedoesn’twanttobedisturbed.」

「we’vegottocallthepolice,」spencersaidgrittily.

「why?」

「ohmygod,marlowe—wehaveto.」

「tomorrow.pickupyourpileofunfinishednovelandlet’sgo.」

「we’vegottocallthepolice.thereissuchathingaslaw.」

「wedon’thavetodoanythingofthesort.wehaven’tenoughevidencetoswataflywith.letthelawenforcementpeopledotheirowndirtywork.letthelawyersworkitout.theywritethelawsforotherlawyerstodissectinfrontofotherlawyerscalledjudgessothatotherjudgescansaythefirstjudgeswerewrongandthesupremecourtcansaythesecondlotwerewrong.surethere’ssuchathingaslaw.we’reuptoournecksinit.aboutallitdoesismakebusinessforlawyers.howlongdoyouthinkthebig-shotmobsterswouldlastifthelawyersdidn’tshowthemhowtooperate?」

spencersaidangrily:「thathasnothingtodowithit.amanwaskilledinthishouse.hehappenedtobeanauthorandaverysuccessfulandimportantone,butthathasnothingtodowithiteither.hewasamanandyouandiknowwhokilledhim.there’ssuchathingasjustice.」

「tomorrow.」

「you’rejustasbadassheisifyoulethergetawaywithit.i’mbeginningtowonderaboutyoualittle,marlowe.youcouldhavesavedhislifeifyouhadbeenonyourtoes.inasenseyoulethergetawaywithit.andforalliknowthiswholeperformancethisafternoonhasbeenjustthat—aperformance.」

「that’sright.adisguisedlovescene.youcouldseeeileeniscrazyaboutme.whenthingsquietdownwemaygetmarried.sheoughttobeprettywellfixed.ihaven’tmadeabuckoutofthewadefamilyyet.i’mgettingimpatient.」

hetookhisglassesoffandpolishedthem.hewipedperspirationfromthehollowsunderhiseyes,replacedtheglassesandlookedatthefloor.

「i’msorry,」hesaid.「i’vetakenaprettystiffpunchthisafternoon.itwasbadenoughtoknowrogerhadkilledhimself.butthisotherversionmakesmefeeldegraded—justknowingaboutit.」helookedupatme.「canitrustyou?」

「todowhat?」

「therightthing—whateveritis.」hereacheddownandpickedupthepileofyellowscriptandtuckeditunderhisarm.「no,forgetit.iguessyouknowwhatyouaredoing,i’maprettygoodpublisherbutthisisoutofmyline.iguesswhatireallyamisjustagoddamstuffedshirt.」

hewalkedpastmeandcandysteppedoutofhisway,thenwentquicklytothefrontdoorandhelditopen.spencerwentoutpasthimwithabriefnod.ifollowed.istoppedbesidecandyandlookedintohisdarkshiningeyes.

「notricks,amigo,」isaid.

「theseñoraisverytired,」hesaidquietly.「shehasgonetoherroom.shewillnotbedisturbed.iknownothing,señor.nomeacuerdodenada...asusórdenes,señor.」

itooktheknifeoutofmypocketandhelditouttohim,hesmiled.

「nobodytrustsme,butitrustyou,candy.」

「lomismo,señor.muchasgracias.」

spencerwasalreadyinthecar.igotinandstarteditandbackeddownthedrivewayanddrovehimbacktobeverlyhills.ilethimoutatthesideentranceofthehotel.

「i’vebeenthinkingallthewayback,」hesaidashegotout.「shemustbealittleinsane.iguessthey’dneverconvicther.」

「theywon’teventry,」isaid.「butshedoesn’tknowthat.」