it’salongdragbackfromtijuanaandoneofthedullestdrivesinthestate.tijuanaisnothing;alltheywantthereisthebuck.thekidwhosidlesovertoyourcarandlooksatyouwithbigwistfuleyesandsays,“onedime,please,mister,”willtrytosellyouhissisterinthenextsentence.tijuanaisnotmexico.nobordertownisanythingbutabordertown,justasnowaterfrontisanythingbutawaterfront.sandiego?oneofthemostbeautifulharborsintheworldandnothinginitbutnavyandafewfishingboats.atnightitisfairyland.theswellisasgentleasanoldladysinginghymns.butmarlowehastogethomeandcountthespoons.

theroadnorthisasmonotonousasasailor’schantey.yougothroughatown,downahill,alongastretchofbeach,throughatown,downahill,alongastretchofbeach.

itwastwoo’clockwhenigotbackandtheywerewaitingformeinadarksedanwithnopolicetags,noredlight,onlythedoubleantenna,andnotonlypolicecarshavethose.iwashalfwayupthestepsbeforetheycameoutofitandyelledatme,theusualcoupleintheusualsuits,withtheusualstonyleisureofmovement,asiftheworldwaswaitinghushedandsilentforthemtotellitwhattodo.

“yournamemarlowe?wewanttotalktoyou.”

heletmeseetheglintofabadge.forallicaughtofithemighthavebeenpestcontrol.hewasgrayblondandlookedsticky.hispartnerwastall,good-looking,neat,andhadaprecisenastinessabouthim,agoonwithaneducation.theyhadwatchingandwaitingeyes,patientandcarefuleyes,cooldisdainfuleyes,cops’eyes.theygetthematthepassing-outparadeatthepoliceschool.

“sergeantgreen,centralhomicide.thisisdetectivedayton.”

iwentonupandunlockedthedoor.youdon’tshakehandswithbigcitycops.thatcloseistooclose.

theysatinthelivingroom.iopenedthewindowsandthebreezewhispered.greendidthetalking.

“mannamedterrylennox.knowhim,huh?”

“wehaveadrinktogetheronceinawhile.helivesinencino,marriedmoney.i’veneverbeenwherehelives.”

“onceinawhile,”greensaid.“howoftenwouldthatbe?”

“it’savagueexpression.imeantitthatway.itcouldbeonceaweekoronceintwomonths.”

“methiswife?”

“once,verybriefly,beforetheyweremarried.”

“yousawhimlastwhenandwhere?”

itookapipeofftheendtableandfilledit.greenleanedforwardclosetome.thetallladsatfartherbackholdingaballpointpoisedoverared-edgedpad.

“thisiswhereisay,‘what’sthisallabout?’andyousay,‘weaskthequestions.’”

“soyoujustanswerthem,huh?”

ilitthepipe.thetobaccowasalittletoomoist.ittookmesometimetolightitproperlyandthreematches.

“igottime,”greensaid,“butialreadyusedupalotofitwaitingaround.sosnapitup,mister.weknowwhoyouare.andyouknowweain’theretoworkupanappetite.”

“iwasjustthinking,”isaid.“weusedtogotovictor’sfairlyoften,andnotsooftentothegreenlanternandthebullandbear—that’stheplacedownattheendofthestripthattriestolooklikeanenglishinn—”

“quitstalling.”

“who’sdead?”iasked.

detectivedaytonspokeup.hehadahard,mature,don’t-try-to-foolwith-mevoice.“justanswerthequestions,marlowe.weareconductingaroutineinvestigation.that’sallyouneedtoknow.”

maybeiwastiredandirritable.maybeifeltalittleguilty.icouldlearntohatethisguywithoutevenknowinghim.icouldjustlookathimacrossthewidthofacafeteriaandwanttokickhisteethin.

“shoveit,jack,”isaid.“keepthatguffforthejuvenilebureau.it’sahorselaugheventothem.”

greenchuckled.nothingchangedindayton’sfacethatyoucouldputafingeronbuthesuddenlylookedtenyearsolderandtwentyyearsnastier.thebreathgoingthroughhisnosewhistledfaintly.

“hepassedthebarexamination,”greensaid.“youcan’tfoolaroundwithdayton.”

igotupslowlyandwentovertothebookshelves.itookdowntheboundcopyofthecaliforniapenalcode.ihelditouttodayton.

“wouldyoukindlyfindmethesectionthatsaysihavetoanswerthequestions?”

hewasholdinghimselfverystill.hewasgoingtoslugmeandwebothknewit.buthewasgoingtowaitforthebreak.whichmeantthathedidn’ttrustgreentobackhimupifhegotoutofline.

hesaid:“everycitizenhastoco-operatewiththepolice.inallways,evenbyphysicalaction,andespeciallybyansweringanyquestionsofanon-incriminatingnaturethepolicethinkitnecessarytoask.”hisvoicesayingthiswashardandbrightandsmooth.

“itworksoutthatway,”isaid.“mostlybyaprocessofdirectorindirectintimidation.inlawnosuchobligationexists.nobodyhastotellthepoliceanything,anytime,anywhere.”

“awshutup,”greensaidimpatiently.“you’recrawfishingandyouknowit.sitdown.lennox’swifehasbeenmurdered.inaguesthouseattheirplaceinencino.lennoxhasskippedout.anywayhecan’tbefound.sowe’relookingforasuspectinamurdercase.thatsatisfyyou?”

ithrewthebookinachairandwentbacktothecouchacrossthetablefromgreen.“sowhycometome?”iasked.“i’veneverbeennearthehouse.itoldyouthat.”