hedrankuphisdrinkandsignaledthewaiter.“becausehecouldn’trefuse.”

thewaiterbroughtfreshdrinksandisaid:“that’sjusttalktome.ifbyanychancetheguyowedyousomething,thinkofhisend.he’dlikeachancetopaysomethingback.”

heshookhisheadslowly.“iknowyou’reright,ofcourseididaskhimforajob.butiworkedatitwhileihadit.asforaskingfavorsorhandouts,no.”

“butyou’lltakethemfromastranger.”

helookedmestraightintheeye.“thestrangercankeepgoingandpretendnottohear.”

wehadthreegimlets,notdoubles,anditdidn’tdoathingtohim.thatmuchwouldjustgetarealsousestarted.soiguessmaybehewascuredatthat.

thenhedrovemebacktotheoffice.

“wehavedinnerateight-fifteen,”hesaid.“onlymillionairescanaffordit.onlymillionaires’servantswillstandforitnowadays.lotsoflovelypeoplecoming.”

fromthenonitgottobeasortofhabitwithhimtodropinaroundfiveo’clock.wedidn’talwaysgotothesamebar,butoftenertovictor’sthananywhereelse.itmayhavehadsomeassociationforhimthatididn’tknowabout.heneverdranktoomuch,andthatsurprisedhim.

“itmustbesomethinglikethetertianague,”hesaid.“whenithitsyouit’sbad.whenyoudon’thaveit,it’sasthoughyouneverdidhaveit.”

“whatidon’tgetiswhyaguywithyourprivilegeswouldwanttodrinkwithaprivateeye.”

“areyoubeingmodest?”

“nope.i’mjustpuzzled.i’mareasonablyfriendlytypebutwedon’tliveinthesameworld.idon’tevenknowwhereyouhangoutexceptthatit’sencino.ishouldguessyourhomelifeisadequate.”

“idon’thaveanyhomelife.”

weweredrinkinggimletsagain.theplacewasalmostempty.therewastheusuallightscatteringofcompulsivedrinkersgettingtunedupatthebaronthestools,thekindthatreachveryslowlyforthefirstoneandwatchtheirhandssotheywon’tknockanythingover.

“idon’tgetthat.amisupposedto?”

“bigproduction,nostory,astheysayaroundthemovielots.iguesssylviaishappyenough,thoughnotnecessarilywithme.inourcirclethat’snottooimportant.there’salwayssomethingtodoifyoudon’thavetoworkorconsiderthecost.it’snorealfunbuttherichdon’tknowthat.theyneverhadany.theyneverwantanythingveryhardexceptmaybesomebodyelse’swifeandthat’saprettypaledesirecomparedwiththewayaplumber’swifewantsnewcurtainsforthelivingroom.”

ididn’tsayanything.ilethimcarrytheball.

“mostlyijustkilltime,”hesaid,“anditdieshard.alittletennis,alittlegolf,alittleswimmingandhorsebackriding,andtheexquisitepleasureofwatchingsylvia’sfriendstryingtoholdouttolunchtimebeforetheystartkillingtheirhangovers.”

“thenightyouwenttovegasshesaidshedidn’tlikedrunks.”

hegrinnedcrookedly.iwasgettingsousedtohisscarredfacethationlynoticeditwhensomechangeofexpressionemphasizeditsone-sidedwoodenness.

“shemeantdrunkswithoutmoney.withmoneytheyarejustheavydrinkers.iftheyvomitinthelanai,that’sforthebutlertohandle.”

“youdidn’thavetohaveitthewayitis.”

hefinishedhisdrinkatagulpandstoodup.“i’vegottorun,marlowe.besidesi’mboringyouandgodknowsi’mboringmyself.”

“you’renotboringme.i’matrainedlistener.soonerorlaterimayfigureoutwhyyoulikebeingakeptpoodle.”

hetouchedhisscarsgentlywithafingertip.hehadaremotelittlesmile.“youshouldwonderwhyshewantsmearound,notwhyiwanttobethere,waitingpatientlyonmysatincushiontohavemyheadpatted.”

“youlikesatincushions,”isaid,asistooduptoleavewithhim.“youlikesilksheetsandbellstoringandthebutlertocomewithhisdeferentialsmile.”

“couldbe.iwasraisedinanorphanageinsaltlakecity.”

wewentoutintothetiredeveningandhesaidhewantedtowalk.wehadcomeinmycar,andforonceihadbeenfastenoughtograbthecheck.iwatchedhimoutofsight.thelightfromastorewindowcaughtthegleamofhiswhitehairforamomentashefadedintothelightmist.

ilikedhimbetterdrunk,downandout,hungryandbeatenandproud.ordidi?maybeijustlikedbeingtopman.hisreasonsforthingswerehardtofigure.inmybusinessthere’satimetoaskquestionsandatimetoletyourmansimmeruntilheboilsover.everygoodcopknowsthat.it’sagooddeallikechessorboxing.somepeopleyouhavetocrowdandkeepoffbalance.someyoujustboxandtheywillendupbeatingthemselves.

hewouldhavetoldmethestoryofhislifeifihadaskedhim.butineverevenaskedhimhowhegothisfacesmashed.ifihadandhetoldme,itjustpossiblymighthavesavedacoupleoflives.justpossibly,nomore.