thehomicideskipperthatyearwasacaptaingregorius,atypeofcopperthatisgettingrarerbutbynomeansextinct,thekindthatsolvescrimeswiththebrightlight,thesoftsap,thekicktothekidneys,thekneetothegroin,thefisttothesolarplexus,thenightsticktothebaseofthespine.sixmonthslaterhewasindictedforperjurybeforeagrandjury,bootedwithouttrial,andlaterstampedtodeathbyabigstalliononhisranchinwyoming.

rightnowiwashisrawmeat.hesatbehindhisdeskwithhiscoatoffandhissleevesrolledalmosttohisshoulders.hewasasbaldasabrickandgettingheavyaroundthewaistlikeallhard-muscledmeninmiddleage.hiseyeswerefishgray.hisbignosewasanetworkofburstcapillaries.hewasdrinkingcoffeeandnotquietly.hisbluntstronghandshadhairsthickontheirbacks.grizzledtuftsstuckoutofhisears.hepawedsomethingonhisdeskandlookedatgreen.

greensaid:“allwegotonhimishewon’ttellusnothing,skipper.thephonenumbermakesuslookhimup.he’soutridinganddon’tsaywhere.heknowslennoxprettywellanddon’tsaywhenhesawhimlast.”

“thinkshe’stough,”gregoriussaidindifferently.“wecouldchangethat.”hesaiditasifhedidn’tcareonewayoranother.heprobablydidn’t.nobodywastoughtohim.“pointisthesmellsalotofheadlinesonthisone.can’tblamehim,seeingwhothegirl’soldmanis.iguesswebetterpickthisfellow’snoseforhim.”

helookedatmeasifiwasacigarettestub,oranemptychair.justsomethinginhislineofvision,withoutinterestforhim.

daytonsaidrespectfully:“it’sprettyobviousthathiswholeattitudewasdesignedtocreateasituationwherehecouldrefusetotalk.hequotedlawatusandneedlesmeintosockinghim.iwasoutoflinethere,captain.”

gregoriuseyedhimbleakly.“youmustneedleeasyifthispunkcandoit.whotookthecuffsoff?”

greensaidhedid.“putthembackon,”gregoriussaid.“tight.givehimsomethingtobracehimup.”

greenputthecuffsbackonorstartedto.“behindtheback,”gregoriusbarked.greencuffedmyhandsbehindmyback.iwassittinginahardchair.

“tighter,”gregoriussaid.“makethembite.”

greenmadethemtighter.myhandsstartedtofeelnumb.

gregoriuslookedatmefinally.“youcantalknow.makeitsnappy.”

ididn’tanswerhim.heleanedbackandgrinned.hishandwentoutslowlyforhiscoffeecupandwentaroundit.heleanedforwardalittle.thecupjerkedbutibeatitbygoingsidewaysoutofthechair.ilandedhardonmyshoulder,rolledoverandgotupslowly.myhandswerequitenumbnow.theydidn’tfeelanything.thearmsabovethecuffswerebeginningtoache.

greenhelpedmebackintothechair.thewetsmearofthecoffeewasoverthebackandsomeoftheseat,butmostofitwasonthefloor.

“hedon’tlikecoffee,”gregoriussaid.“he’saswifty.hemovesfast.goodreflexes.”

nobodysaidanything.gregoriuslookedmeoverwithfisheyes.

“inhere,mister,adicklicensedon’tmeananymorethanacallingcard.nowlet’shaveyourstatement,verbalatfirst.we’lltakeitdownlater.makeitcomplete.let’shave,say,afullaccountofyourmovementssincetenlastnight.imeanfull.thisofficeisinvestigatingamurderandtheprimesuspectismissing.youconnectwithhim.guycatcheshiswifecheatingandbeatsherheadtorawfleshandboneandbloodsoakedhair.ouroldfriendthebronzestatuette.notoriginalbutitworks.youthinkanygoddamprivateeyeisgoingtoquotelawatmeoverthis,mister,yougotahellofatoughtimecomingyourway.thereain’tapoliceforceinthecountrycoulddoitsjobwithalawbook.yougotinformationandiwantit.youcouldofsaidnoandicouldofnotbelievedyou.butyoudidn’tevensayno.you’renotdummyinguponme,myfriend.notsixcentsworth.let’sgo.”

“wouldyoutakethecuffsoff,captain?”iasked.“imeanifimadeastatement?”

“imight.makeitshort.”

“ifitoldyouihadn’tseenlennoxwithinthelasttwenty-fourhours,hadn’ttalkedtohimandhadnoideawherehemightbe—wouldthatsatisfyyou,captain?”

“itmight—ifibelievedit.”

“ifitoldyouihadseenhimandwhereandwhen,buthadnoideahehadmurderedanyoneorthatanycrimehadbeencommitted,andfurtherhadnoideawherehemightbeatthismoment,thatwouldn’tsatisfyyouatall,wouldit?”

“withmoredetailimightlisten.thingslikewhere,when,whathelookedlike,whatwastalkedabout,wherehewasheaded.itmightgrowintosomething.”

“withyourtreatment,”isaid.“itwouldprobablygrowintomakingmeanaccessory.”

hisjawmusclesbulged.hiseyesweredirtyice.“so?”

“idon’tknow,”isaid.“ineedlegaladvice.i’dliketoco-operate.howwoulditbeifwehadsomebodyfromthe’sofficehere?”

heletoutashortraucouslaugh.itwasoververysoon.hegotupslowlyandwalkedaroundthedesk.heleaneddownclosetome,onebighandonthewood,andsmiled.thenwithoutchangeofexpressionhehitmeonthesideoftheneckwithafistlikeapieceofiron.

theblowtraveledeightorteninches,nomore.itnearlytookmyheadoff.bileseepedintomymouth.itastedbloodmixedwithit.iheardnothingbutaroaringinmyhead.heleanedovermestillsmiling,hislefthandstillonthedesk.hisvoiceseemedtocomefromalongwayoff.

“iusedtobetoughbuti’mgettingold.youtakeagoodpunch,mister,andthat’sallyougetfromme.wegotboysatthecityjailthatoughttobeworkinginthestockyards.maybewehadn’toughttohavethembecausetheyain’tnicecleanpowderpuffpuncherslikedaytonhere.theydon’thavefourkidsandarosegardenlikegreen.theylivefordifferentamusements.ittakesallkindsandlabor’sscarce.yougotanymorefunnylittleideasaboutwhatyoumightsay,ifyoubotheredtosayit?”

“notwiththecuffson,captain.”ithurteventosaythatmuch.

heleanedfarthertowardsmeandismelledhissweatandthegasofcorruption.thenhestraightenedandwentbackaroundthedeskandplantedhissolidbuttocksinhischair.hepickedupathree-corneredrulerandranhisthumbalongoneedgeasifitwasaknife.helookedatgreen.

“whatareyouwaitingfor,sergeant?”

“orders.”greengroundoutthewordasifhehatedthesoundofhisownvoice.