idroveouttovictor’swiththeideaofdrinkingagimletandsittingarounduntiltheeveningeditionofthemorningpaperswasonthestreet.butthebarwascrowdedanditwasn’tanyfun.whenthebarkeepiknewgotaroundtomehecalledmebyname.

「youlikeadashofbittersinit,don’tyou?」

「notusually.justfortonighttwodashesofbitters.」

「ihaven’tseenyourfriendlately.theonewiththegreenice.」

「neitherhavei.」

hewentawayandcamebackwiththedrink.ipeckedatittomakeitlast,becauseididn’tfeellikegettingaglowon.eitheriwouldgetreallystifforstaysober.afterawhileihadanotherofthesame.itwasjustpastsixwhenthekidwiththepaperscameintothebar.oneofthebarkeepsyelledathimtobeatit,buthemanagedonequickroundofthecustomersbeforeawaitergotholdofhimandthrewhimout.iwasoneofthecustomers.iopenedupthejournalandglancedatpage1a.theyhadmadeit.itwasallthere.theyhadreversedthephotostatbymakingitblackonwhiteandbyreducingitinsizetheyhadfitteditintothetophalfofthepage.therewasashortbrusqueeditorialonanotherpage.therewasahalfcolumnbylonniemorganwithaby-line,onstillanotherpage.

ifinishedmydrinkandleftandwenttoanotherplacetoeatdinnerandthendrovehome.

lonniemorgan’spiecewasastraightforwardfactualrecapitulationofthefactsandhappeningsinvolvedinthelennoxcaseandthe「suicide」ofrogerwade—thefactsastheyhadbeenpublished.itaddednothing,deducednothing,imputednothing.itwasclearconcisebusinesslikereporting.theeditorialwassomethingelse.itaskedquestions—thekindanewspaperasksofpublicofficialswhentheyarecaughtwithjamontheirfaces.

aboutnine-thirtythetelephonerangandbernieohlssaidhewoulddropbyonhiswayhome.

「seenthejournal?」heaskedcoyly,andhungupwithoutwaitingforananswer.

whenhegottherehegruntedaboutthestepsandsaidhewoulddrinkacupofcoffeeifihadone.isaidiwouldmakesome.whileimadeithewanderedaroundthehouseandmadehimselfverymuchathome.

「youliveprettylonelyforaguythatcouldgethimselfdisliked,」hesaid.「what’soverthehillinback?」

「anotherstreet.why?」

「justasking.yourshrubberyneedspruning.」

icarriedsomecoffeeintothelivingroomandheparkedhimselfandsippedit.helitoneofmycigarettesandpuffedatitforaminuteortwo,thenputitout.「gettingsoidon’tcareforthestuff,」hesaid.「maybeit’sthetvcommercials.theymakeyouhateeverythingtheytrytosell.god,theymustthinkthepublicisahalfwit.everytimesomejerkinawhitecoatwithastethoscopehangingaroundhisneckholdsupsometoothpasteorapackofcigarettesorabottleofbeeroramouthwashorajarofshampoooralittleboxofsomethingthatmakesafatwrestlersmelllikemountainlilacialwaysmakeanotenevertobuyany.hell,iwouldn’tbuytheproductevenifilikedit.youreadthejournal,huh?」

「afriendofminetippedmeoff.areporter.」

「yougotfriends?」heaskedwonderingly.「didn’ttellyouhowtheygotholdofthematerial,didhe?」

「no.andinthisstatehedoesn’thavetotellyou.」