「theygonearlennox’sroomatall?」

heliftedhisheadsharplybutthegreencheatersdidn’tdoathingforme.「whyshouldthey,señor?」

inodded.「well,itwasdamnniceofyoutocomeinhereandtellmeaboutit,señormaioranos.tellrandyi’meversograteful,willyou?」

「nohaydeque,señor.itisnothing.」

「andlateron,ifhehastime,hecouldsendmesomebodywhoknowswhatheistalkingabout.」

「señor?」hisvoicewassoft,buticy.「youdoubtmyword?」

「youguysarealwaystalkingabouthonor.honoristhecloakofthieves—sometimes.don’tgetmad.sitquietandletmetellitanotherway.」

heleanedbacksuperciliously.

「i’monlyguessing,mind.icouldbewrong.buticouldberighttoo.thesetwoamericanoswerethereforapurpose.theycameinonaplane.theypretendedtobehunters.oneofthemwasnamedmenendez,agambler.heregisteredundersomeothernameornot.iwouldn’tknow.lennoxknewtheywerethere.heknewwhy.hewrotemethatletterbecausehehadaguiltyconscience.hehadplayedmeforasuckerandhewastooniceaguyforthattoresteasyonhim.heputthebill—fivethousanddollarsitwas—intheletterbecausehehadalotofmoneyandheknewihadn’t.healsoputinalittleoff-beathintwhichmightormightnotregister.hewasthekindofguywhoalwayswantstodotherightthingbutsomehowwindsupdoingsomethingelse.yousayyoutookthelettertothecorreo.whydidn’tyoumailitintheboxinfrontofthehotel?」

「thebox,señor?」

「themailbox.thecajóncartero,youcallit,ithink.」

hesmiled.「otatoclánisnotmexicocity,señor.itisaveryprimitiveplace.astreetmailboxinotatodán?noonetherewouldunderstandwhatitwasfor.noonewouldcollectlettersfromit.」

isaid:「oh.well,skipit.youdidnottakeanycoffeeonanytrayuptoseñorlennox’sroom,señormaioranos.youdidnotgointotheroompastthedick.butthetwoamericanosdidgoin.thedickwasfixed,ofcourse.sowereseveralotherpeople.oneoftheamericanossluggedlennoxfrombehind.thenhetookthemauserpistolandopeneduponeofthecartridgesandtookoutthebulletandputthecartridgebackinthebreech.thenheputthisguntolennox’stempleandpulledthetrigger.itmadeanasty-lookingwound,butitdidnotkillhim.thenhewascarriedoutonastretchercoveredupandwellhidden.thenwhentheamericanlawyerarrived,lennoxwasdopedandpackediniceandkeptinadarkcornerofthecarpinteríawherethemanwasmakingacoffin.theamericanlawyersawlennoxthere,hewasice-cold,inadeepstupor,andtherewasabloodyblackenedwoundinhistemple.helookedplentydead.thenextdaythecoffinwasburiedwithstonesinit.theamericanlawyerwenthomewiththefingerprintsandsomekindofdocumentwhichwasapieceofcheese.howdoyoulikethat,señormaioranos?」

heshrugged.「itwouldbepossible,señor.itwouldrequiremoneyandinfluence.itwouldbepossible,perhaps,ifthisseñormenendezwascloselyrelatedtoimportantpeopleinotatoclán,thealcalde,thehotelproprietorandsoon.」

「well,that’spossibletoo.it’sagoodidea.itwouldexplainwhytheypickedaremotelittleplacelikeotatoclán.」

hesmiledquickly.「thenseñorlennoxmaystillbealive,no?」

「sure.thesuicidehadtobesomekindoffaketobackuptheconfession.ithadtobegoodenoughtofoolalawyerwhohadbeenadistrictattorney,butitwouldmakeaverysickmonkeyoutofthecurrentifitbackfired.thismenendezisnotastoughashethinksheis,buthewastoughenoughtopistol-whipmefornotkeepingmynoseclean.sohehadtohavereasons.ifthefakegotexposed,menendezwouldberightinthemiddleofaninternationalstink.themexicansdon’tlikecrookedpoliceworkanymorethanwedo.」

「allthatispossible,señor,asiverywellknow.butyouaccusedmeoflying.yousaidididnotgointotheroomwhereseñorlennoxwasandgethisletter.」

「youwerealreadyinthere,chum—writingtheletter.」

hereachedupandtookthedarkglassesoff.nobodycanchangethecolorofaman’seyes.

「isupposeit’sabittooearlyforagimlet,」hesaid.