heshovedhistautfaceatme.「ihategamblers,」hesaidinaroughvoice.「ihatethemthewayihatedopepushers.theypandertoadiseasethatiseverybitascorruptingasdope.youthinkthosepalacesinrenoandvegasarejustforharmlessfun?nuts,they’rethereforthelittleguy,thesomething-for-nothingsucker,theladthatstopsoffwithhispayenvelopeinhispocketandlosestheweek-endgrocerymoney.therichgamblerlosesfortygrandandlaughsitoffandcomesbackformore.buttherichgamblerdon’tmakethebigracket,pal.thebigstealisindimesandquartersandhalfdollarsandonceinawhileabuckorevenafive-spot.thebigracketmoneycomesinlikewaterfromthepipeinyourbathroom,asteadystreamthatneverstopsflowing.anytimeanybodywantstoknockoffaprofessionalgambler,that’sforme.ilikeit.andanytimeastategovernmenttakesmoneyfromgamblingandcallsittaxes,thatgovernmentishelpingtokeepthemobsinbusiness.thebarberorthebeautyparlorgirlputstwobucksonthenose.that’sforthesyndicate,that’swhatreallymakestheprofits.thepeoplewantanhonestpoliceforce,dothey?whatfor?toprotecttheguyswithcourtesycards?wegotlegalhorsetracksinthisstate,wegotthemallyearround.theyoperatehonestandthestategetsitscut,andforeverydollarlaidatthetrackthere’sfiftylaidwiththebookies.there’seightornineracesonacardandinhalfofthem,thelittleonesnobodynotices,thefixcanbeinanytimesomebodysaysso.there’sonlyonewayajockcanwinarace,butthere’stwentywayshecanloseone,withastewardateveryeighthpolewatching,andnotabletodoadamnthingaboutitifthejockknowshisstuff.that’slegalgambling,pal,cleanhonestbusiness,stateapproved.soit’sright,isit?notbymybook,itain’t.becauseit’sgamblinganditbreedsgamblersandwhenyouadditupthere’sonekindofgambling—thewrongkind.」

「feelbetter?」iaskedhim,puttingsomewhiteiodineonmywounds.

「i’manoldtiredbeat-upcop.allifeelissore.」

iturnedaroundandstaredathim.「you’readamngoodcop,bernie,butjustthesameyou’reallwet.inonewaycopsareallthesame.theyallblamethewrongthings.ifaguyloseshispaycheckatacraptable,stopgambling.ifhegetsdrunk,stopliquor.ifhekillssomebodyinacarcrash,stopmakingautomobiles.ifhegetspinchedwithagirlinahotelroom,stopsexualintercourse.ifhefallsdownstairs,stopbuildinghouses.」

「awshutup!」

「sure,shutmeup.i’mjustaprivatecitizen.getoffit,bernie.wedon’thavemobsandcrimesyndicatesandgoonsquadsbecausewehavecrookedpoliticiansandtheirstoogesinthecityhallandthelegislatures.crimeisn’tadisease,it’sasymptom.copsarelikeadoctorthatgivesyouaspirinforabraintumor,exceptthatthecopwouldrathercureitwithablackjack.we’reabigroughrichwildpeopleandcrimeisthepricewepayforit,andorganizedcrimeisthepricewepayfororganization.we’llhaveitwithusalongtime.organizedcrimeisjustthedirtysideofthesharpdollar.」

「what’sthecleanside?」

「ineversawit.maybeharlanpottercouldtellyou.let’shaveadrink.」

「youlookedprettygoodwalkinginthatdoor,」ohlssaid.

「youlookedbetterwhenmendypulledtheknifeonyou.」

「shake,」hesaid,andputhishandout.

wehadthedrinkandheleftbythebackdoor,whichhehadjimmiedtogetin,havingdroppedbythenightbeforeforscoutingpurposes.backdoorsareasofttouchiftheyopenoutandareoldenoughforthewoodtohavedriedandshrunk.youknockthepinsoutofthehingesandtherestiseasy.ohlsshowedmeadentintheframewhenhelefttogobackoverthehilltowherehehadlefthiscaronthenextstreet.hecouldhaveopenedthefrontdooralmostaseasilybutthatwouldhavebrokenthelock.itwouldhaveshoweduptoomuch.

iwatchedhimclimbthroughthetreeswiththebeamofatorchinfrontofhimanddisappearovertherise.ilockedthedoorandmixedanothermilddrinkandwentbacktothelivingroomandsatdown.ilookedatmywatch.itwasstillearly.itonlyseemedalongtimesinceihadcomehome.

iwenttothephoneanddialedtheoperatorandgaveherthelorings’phonenumber.thebutleraskedwhowascalling,thenwenttoseeifmrs.loringwasin.shewas.

「iwasthegoatallright,」isaid,「buttheycaughtthetigeralive.i’mbruisedupalittle.」

「youmusttellmeaboutitsometime.」shesoundedaboutasfarawayasifshehadgottoparisalready.

「icouldtellyouoveradrink—ifyouhadtime.」

「tonight?oh,i’mpackingmythingstomoveout.i’mafraidthatwouldbeimpossible.」

「yes,icanseethat.well,ijustthoughtyoumightliketoknow.itwaskindofyoutowarnme.ithadnothingatalltodowithyouroldman.」

「areyousure?」

「positive.」

「oh.justaminute.」shewasgoneforatime,thenshecamebackandsoundedwarmer.「perhapsicouldfitadrinkin.where?」

「anywhereyousay.ihaven’tacartonight,buticangetacab.」

「nonsense,i’llpickyouup,butitwillbeanhourorlonger.whatistheaddressthere?」

itoldherandshehungupandiputtheporchlightonandthenstoodintheopendoorinhalingthenight.ithadgotmuchcooler.

iwentbackinandtriedtophonelonniemorganbutcouldn’treachhim.thenjustforthehellofitiputacallintotheterrapinclubatlasvegas,mr.randystarr.heprobablywouldn’ttakeit.buthedid.hehadaquiet,competent,man-of-affairsvoice.

「nicetohearfromyou,marlowe.anyfriendofterry’sisafriendofmine.whatcanidoforyou?」

「mendyisonhisway.」

「onhiswaywhere?」

「tovegas,withthethreegoonsyousentafterhiminabigblackcaddywitharedspotlightandsiren.yours,ipresume?」

helaughed.「invegas,assomenewspaperguysaid,weusecadillacsfortrailers.what’sthisallabout?」

「mendystakedouthereinmyhousewithacoupleofhardboys.hisideawastobeatmeup—puttingitlow—forapieceinthepaperheseemedtothinkwasmyfault.」

「wasityourfault?」

「idon’townanynewspapers,mr.starr.」

「idon’townanyhardboysincadillacs,mr.marlowe.」

「theyweredeputiesmaybe.」

「icouldn’tsay.anythingelse?」

「hepistol-whippedme.ikickedhiminthestomachandusedmykneeonhisnose.heseemeddissatisfied.allthesameihopehegetstovegasalive.」

「i’msurehewill,ifhestartedthisway.i’mafraidi’llhavetocutthisconversationshortnow.」

「justasecond,starr.wereyouinonthatcaperatotatoclán—ordidmendyworkitalone?」

「comeagain?」

「don’tkid,starr.mendywasn’tsoreatmeforwhyhesaid—nottothepointofstakingoutinmyhouseandgivingmethetreatmenthegavebigwilliemagoon.notenoughmotive.hewarnedmetokeepmynosecleanandnottodigintothelennoxcase.butidid,becauseitjusthappenedtoworkoutthatway.sohedidwhati’vejusttoldyou.sotherewasabetterreason.」

「isee,」hesaidslowlyandstillmildlyandquietly.「youthinktherewassomethingnotquitekosherabouthowterrygotdead?thathedidn’tshoothimself,forinstance,butsomeoneelsedid?」

「ithinkthedetailswouldhelp.hewroteaconfessionwhichwasfalse.hewrotealettertomewhichgotmailed.awaiterorhopinthehotelwasgoingtosneakitoutandmailitforhim.hewasholedupinthehotelandcouldn’tgetout.therewasabigbillintheletterandtheletterwasfinishedjustasaknockcameathisdoor.i’dliketoknowwhocameintotheroom.」

「why?」

「ifithadbeenabellhoporawaiterterrywouldhaveaddedalinetotheletterandsaidso.ifitwasacop,theletterwouldn’thavebeenmailed.sowhowasit—andwhydidterrywritethatconfession?」

「noidea,marlowe.noideaatall.」

「sorryibotheredyou,mr.starr.」

「nobother,gladtohearfromyou.i’llaskmendyifhehasanyideas.」

「yeah—ifyoueverseehimagain—alive.ifyoudon’t—findoutanyway.orsomebodyelsewill.」

「you?」hisvoicehardenednow,butitwasstillquiet.

「no,mr.starr.notme.somebodythatcouldblowyououtofvegaswithouttakingalongbreath.believeme,mr.starr.justbelieveme.thisisstrictlyonthelevel.」

「i’llseemendyalive.don’tworryaboutthat,marlowe.」

「ifiguredyouknewallaboutthat.goodnight,mr.starr.」