heshruggedimpatiently.“that’sjustacatch-all.youcouldhavebeenbookedintransittopittsburgh,oranyoneofadozencharges.whattheyprobablymeanisaccessoryafterthefact.youtooklennoxsomewhere,didn’tyou?”

ididn’tanswer.idroppedthetastelesscigaretteonthefloorandsteppedonit.endicottshruggedagainandfrowned.

“assumeyoudidthen,justforthesakeofargument.tomakeyouanaccessorytheyhavetoproveintent.inthiscasethatwouldmeanknowledgethatacrimehadbeencommittedandthatlennoxwasafugitive.it’sbailableinanycase.ofcoursewhatyoureallyareisamaterialwitness.butamancan’tbeheldinprisonasamaterialwitnessinthisstateexceptbycourtorder.he’snotamaterialwitnessunlessajudgesodeclares.butthelawenforcementpeoplecanalwaysfindawaytodowhattheywanttodo.”

“yeah,”isaid.“adetectivenameddaytonsluggedme.ahomicidecaptainnamedgregoriusthrewacupofcoffeeatme,hitmeintheneckhardenoughtobustanartery—youcanseeit’sstillswollen,andwhenacallfrompolicecommissionerallbrightkepthimfromturningmeovertothewreckingcrew,hespatinmyface.you’requiteright,mr.endicott.thelawboyscanalwaysdowhattheywanttodo.”

helookedathiswristwatchratherpointedly.“youwantoutonbailordon’tyou?”

“thanks.idon’tthinkido.aguyoutonbailisalreadyhalfguiltyinthepublicmind.ifhegetsofflateron,hehadasmartlawyer.”

“that’ssilly,”hesaidimpatiently.

“okay,it’ssilly.i’msilly.otherwiseiwouldn’tbehere.ifyou’reintouchwithlennox,tellhimtoquitbotheringaboutme.i’mnotinhereforhim.i’minhereforme.nocomplaints.it’spartofthedeal.i’minabusinesswherepeoplecometomewithtroubles.bigtroubles,littletroubles,butalwaystroublestheydon’twanttotaketothecops.howlongwouldtheycomeifanybruiserwithapoliceshieldcouldholdmeupsidedownanddrainmyguts?”

“iseeyourpoint,”hesaidslowly.“butletmecorrectyouononething.iamnotintouchwithlennox.iscarcelyknowhim.i’manofficerofthecourt,asalllawyersare.ifiknewwherelennoxwas,icouldn’tconcealtheinformationfromthedistrictattorney.themosticoulddowouldbetoagreetosurrenderhimataspecifiedtimeandplaceafterihadhadaninterviewwithhim.”

“nobodyelsewouldbothertosendyouheretohelpme.”

“areyoucallingmealiar?”hereacheddowntorubouthiscigarettestubontheundersideofthetable.

“iseemtorememberthatyou’reavirginian,mr.endicott.inthiscountrywehaveasortofhistoricalfixationaboutvirginians.wethinkofthemastheflowerofsouthernchivalryandhonor.”

hesmiled.“thatwasnicelysaid.ionlywishitwastrue.butwe’rewastingtime.ifyouhadhadagrainofsenseyou’dhavetoldthepoliceyouhadn’tseenlennoxforaweek.itdidn’thavetobetrue.underoathyoucouldalwayshavetoldtherealstory.there’snolawagainstlyingtothecops.theyexpectit.theyfeelmuchhappierwhenyoulietothemthanwhenyourefusetotalktothem.that’sadirectchallengetotheirauthority.whatdoyouexpecttogainbyit?”

ididn’tanswer.ididn’treallyhaveananswer.hestoodupandreachedforhishatandsnappedhiscigarettecaseshutandputitinhispocket.

“youhadtoplaythebigscene,”hesaidcoldly.“standonyourrights,talkaboutthelaw.howingenuouscanamanget,marlowe?amanlikeyouwhoissupposedtoknowhiswayaround.thelawisn’tjustice.it’saveryimperfectmechanism.ifyoupressexactlytherightbuttonsandarealsolucky,justicemayshowupintheanswer.amechanismisallthelawwaseverintendedtobe.iguessyou’renotinanymoodtobehelped.soi’lltakemyselfoff.youcanreachmeifyouchangeyourmind.”

“i’llstickitoutforadayortwolonger.iftheycatchterrytheywon’tcarehowhegotaway.allthey’llcareaboutisthecircustheycanmakeofthetrial.themurderofmr.harlanpotter’sdaughterisheadlinematerialalloverthecountry.acrowd-pleaserlikespringercouldridehimselfrightintoattorneygeneralonthatshow,andfromthereintothegovernor’schairandfromthere—”istoppedtalkingandlettherestofitfloatintheair.

endicottsmiledaslowderisivesmile.“idon’tthinkyouknowverymuchaboutmr.harlanpotter,”hesaid.

“andiftheydon’tgetlennox,theywon’twanttoknowhowhegotaway,mr.endicott.they’lljustwanttoforgetthewholethingfast.”

“gotitallfiguredout,haven’tyou,marlowe?”

“i’vehadthetime.alliknowaboutmr.harlanpotteristhatheissupposedtobeworthahundredmillionbucks,andthatheownsnineortennewspapers.how’sthepublicitygoing?”

“thepublicity?”hisvoicewasicecoldsayingit.

“yeah.nobody’sinterviewedmefromthepress.iexpectedtomakeabignoiseinthepapersoutofthis.getlotsofbusiness.privateeyegoestojailratherthansplitonapal.”

hewalkedtothedoorandturnedwithhishandontheknob.“youamuseme,marlowe.you’rechildishinsomeways.true,ahundredmilliondollarscanbuyagreatdealofpublicity.itcanalso,myfriend,ifshrewdlyemployed,buyagreatdealofsilence.”

heopenedthedoorandwentout.thenadeputycameinandtookmebacktocellno.3inthefelonyblock.

“guessyouwon’tbewithuslong,ifyou’vegotendicott,”hesaidpleasantlyashelockedmein.isaidihopedhewasright.