hepulledadeskdraweropenandtookoutacigarabouteightincheslong.

“anupmanthirty,”hesaid.“presentedtomebyanelderlygentfromenglandwhohasbeenfortyyearsincaliforniaandstillsays‘wireless.’soberheisjustanoldswishwithagooddealofsuperficialcharm,whichisallrightwithme,becausemostpeopledon’thaveany,superficialorotherwise,includingcarne.hehasasmuchcharmasasteelpuddler’sunderpants.notsober,theclienthasastrangehabitofwritingchecksonbankswhichneverheardofhim.healwaysmakesgoodandwithmyfondhelphehassofarstayedoutoftheicebox.hegavemethis.shouldwesmokeittogether,likeacoupleofindianchiefsplanningamassacre?”

“ican’tsmokecigars.”

peterslookedatthehugecigarsadly.“samehere,”hesaid.“ithoughtofgivingittocarne.butit’snotreallyaone-mancigar,evenwhentheonemaniscarne.”hefrowned.“youknowsomething?i’mtalkingtoomuchaboutcarne.imustbeedgy.”hedroppedthecigarbackinthedrawerandlookedattheopenfile.“justwhatdowewantfromthis?”

“i’mlookingforawell-heeledalcoholicwithexpensivetastesandmoneytogratifythem.sofarhehasn’tgoneinforcheck-bouncing.ihaven’theardsoanyway.hehasastreakofviolenceandhiswifeisworriedabouthim.shethinkshe’shidoutinsomesobering-upjointbutshecan’tbesure.theonlycluewehaveisajinglementioningadr.v.justtheinitial.mymanisgonethreedaysnow.”

petersstaredatmethoughtfully.“that’snottoolong,”hesaid.“what’stoworryabout?”

“ififindhimfirst,igetpaid.”

helookedatmesomemoreandshookhishead.“idon’tgetit,butthat’sokay.we’llsee.”hebegantoturnthepagesofthefile.“it’snottooeasy,”hesaid.“thesepeoplecomeandgo.asingleletterain’tmuchofalead.”hepulledapageoutofthefolder,turnedsomemorepages,pulledanother,andfinallyathird.“threeofthemhere,”hesaid.“dr.amosvarley,anosteopath.bigplaceinaltadena.makesorusedtomakenightcallsforfiftybucks.tworegisterednurses.wasinahasslewiththestatenarcoticspeopleacoupleofyearsback,andturnedinhisprescriptionbook.thisinformationisnotreallyuptodate.”

iwrotedownthenameandaddressinaltadena.

“thenwehavedr.lestervukanich.ear,nose,andthroat,stockwellbuilding,onhollywoodboulevard.thisone’sadilly.officepracticemostly,andseemstosortofspecializeinchronicsinusinfections.ratheraneatroutine.yougoinandcomplainofasinusheadacheandhewashesoutyourantrumsforyou.firstofcoursehehastoanesthetizewithnovocain.butifhelikesyourlooksitdon’thavetobenovocain.catch?”

“sure.”iwrotethatonedown.

“thisisgood,”peterswenton,readingsomemore.“obviouslyhistroublewouldbesupplies.soourdr.vukanichdoesalotoffishingoffensenadaandfliesdowninhisownplane.”

“iwouldn’tthinkhe’dlastlongifhebringsthedopeinhimself,”isaid.

petersthoughtaboutthatandshookhishead.“idon’tthinkiagree.hecouldlastforeverifhe’snottoogreedy.hisonlyrealdangerisadiscontentedcustomer—pardonme,imeanpatient—butheprobablyknowshowtohandlethat.he’shadfifteenyearsinthesameoffice.”

“wherethehelldoyougetthisstuff?”iaskedhim.

“we’reanorganization,myboy.notalonewolflikeyou.somewegetfromtheclientsthemselves,somewegetfromtheinside.carne’snotafraidtospendmoney.he’sagoodmixerwhenhewantstobe.”

“he’dlovethisconversation.”

“screwhim.ourlastofferingtodayisamannamedverringer.theoperativewhofiledonhimislonggone.seemsaladypoetsuicidedatverringer’sranchinsepulvedacanyononetime.herunsasortofartcolonyforwritersandsuchwhowantseclusionandacongenialatmosphere.ratesmoderate.hesoundslegit.hecallshimselfdoctor,butdoesn’tpracticemedicine.couldbeaph.d.frankly,idon’tknowwhyhe’sinhere.unlesstherewassomethingaboutthissuicide.”hepickedupanewspaperclippingpastedtoablanksheet.“yeah,overdoseofmorphine.nosuggestionverringerknewanythingaboutit.”

“ilikeverringer,”isaid.“ilikehimverymuch.”

petersclosedthefileandslappedit.“youhaven’tseenthis,”hesaid.hegotupandlefttheroom.whenhecamebackiwasstandinguptoleave.istartedtothankhim,butheshookitoff.

“look,”hesaid,“theremustbehundredsofplaceswhereyourmancouldbe.”

isaidiknewthat.

“andbytheway,iheardsomethingaboutyourfriendlennoxthatmightinterestyou.oneofourboysranacrossafellowinnewyorkfiveorsixyearsagothatanswersthedescriptionexactly.buttheguy’snamewasnotlennox,hesays.itwasmarston.ofcoursehecouldbewrong.theguywasdrunkallthetime,soyoucouldn’treallybesure.

isaid:“idoubtifitwasthesameman.whywouldhechangehisname?hehadawarrecordthatcouldbechecked.”

“ididn’tknowthat.ourman’sinseattlerightnow.youcantalktohimwhenhegetsback,ifitmeansanythingtoyou.hisnameisashterfelt.”

“thanksforeverything,george.itwasaprettylongtenminutes.”

“imightneedyourhelpsomeday.”

“thecarneorganization,”isaid,“neverneedsanythingfromanybody.”

hemadearudegesturewithhisthumb.ilefthiminhismetallicgraycellanddepartedthroughthewaitingroom.itlookedfinenow.theloudcolorsmadesenseafterthecellblock.