theyhaddoneawonderfuljobonhiminmexicocity,butwhynot?theirdoctors,technicians,hospitals,painters,architectsareasgoodasours.sometimesalittlebetter.amexicancopinventedtheparaffintestforpowdernitrates.theycouldn’tmaketerry’sfaceperfect,buttheyhaddoneplenty.theyhadevenchangedhisnose,takenoutsomeboneandmadeitlookflatter,lessnordic.theycouldn’teliminateeverytraceofascar,sotheyhadputacoupleontheothersideofhisfacetoo.knifescarsarenotuncommoninlatincountries.

「theyevendidanervegraftuphere,」hesaid,andtouchedwhathadbeenthebadsideofhisface.

「howclosedidicome?」

「closeenough.afewdetailswrong,buttheyarenotimportant.itwasaquickdealandsomeofitwasimprovisedandididn’tknowmyselfjustwhatwasgoingtohappen.iwastoldtodocertainthingsandtoleaveacleartrail.mendydidn’tlikemywritingtoyou,butiheldoutforthat.heundersoldyoualittle.henevernoticedthebitaboutthemailbox.」

「youknowwhokilledsylvia?」

hedidn’tanswermedirectly.「it’sprettytoughtoturnawomaninformurder—evenifshenevermeantmuchtoyou.」

「it’satoughworld.washarlanpotterinonallthis?」

hesmiledagain.「wouldhebelikelytoletanyoneknowthat?myguessisnot.myguessishethinksiamdead.whowouldtellhimotherwise—unlessyoudid?」

「whati’dtellhimyoucouldfoldintoabladeofgrass.how’smendythesedays—orishe?」

「he’sdoingallright.inacapulco.heslippedbybecauseofrandy.buttheboysdon’tgoforroughworkoncops.mendy’snotasbadasyouthink.hehasaheart.」

「sohasasnake.」

「well,whataboutthatgimlet?」

igotupwithoutansweringhimandwenttothesafe.ispuntheknobandgotouttheenvelopewiththeportraitofmadisononitandthefivecnotesthatsmelledofcoffee.idumpedthelotoutonthedeskandthenpickedupthefivecnotes.

「theseikeep.ispentalmostallofitonexpensesandresearch.theportraitofmadisonienjoyedplayingwith.it’sallyoursnow.」

ispreaditontheedgeofthedeskinfrontofhim.helookedatitbutdidn’ttouchit.

「it’syourstokeep,」hesaid.「i’vegotplenty.youcouldhaveletthingslie.」

「iknow.aftershekilledherhusbandandgotawaywithitshemighthavegoneontobetterthings.hewasofnorealimportance,ofcourse.justahumanbeingwithbloodandabrainandemotions.heknewwhathappenedtooandhetriedprettyhardtolivewithit.hewrotebooks.youmayhaveheardofhim.」

「look,icouldn’tverywellhelpwhatidid,」hesaidslowly.「ididn’twantanyonetogethurt.iwouldn’thavehadadog’schanceuphere.amancan’tfigureeveryanglethatquick.iwasscaredandiran.whatshouldihavedone?」

「idon’tknow.」

「shehadamadstreak.shemighthavekilledhimanyway.」

「yeah,shemight.」

「well,thawoutalittle.let’sgohaveadrinksomewherewhereit’scoolandquiet.」

「notimerightnow,señormaioranos.」

「wewereprettygoodfriendsonce,」hesaidunhappily.

「werewe?iforget.thatwastwootherfellows,seemstome.youpermanentlyinmexico?」

「ohyes.i’mnotherelegallyeven.ineverwas.itoldyouiwasborninsaltlakecity.iwasborninmontreal.i’llbeamexicannationalprettysoonnow.allittakesisagoodlawyer.i’vealwayslikedmexico.itwouldn’tbemuchriskgoingtovictor’sforthatgimlet.」

「pickupyourmoney,señormaioranos.ithastoomuchbloodonit.」