dr.amosvarleywasaverydifferentproposition.hehadabigoldhouseinabigoldgardenwithbigoldoaktreesshadingit.itwasamassiveframestructurewithelaboratescrollworkalongtheoverhangoftheporchesandthewhiteporchrailingshadturnedandfluteduprightslikethelegsofanold-fashionedgrandpiano.afewfrailelderlypeoplesatinlongchairsontheporcheswithrugstuckedaroundthem.

theentrancedoorsweredoubleandhadstained-glasspanels.thehallinsidewaswideandcoolandtheparquetryfloorwaspolishedandwithoutasinglerug.altadenaisahotplaceinsummer.itispushedbackagainstthehillsandthebreezejumpsclearoverit.eightyyearsagopeopleknewhowtobuildhousesforthisclimate.

anurseincrispwhitetookmycardandafterawaitdr.amosvarleycondescendedtoseeme.hewasabigbald-headedguywithacheerysmile.hislongwhitecoatwasspotless,hewalkednoiselesslyoncreperubbersoles.

“whatcanidoforyou,mr.marlowe?”hehadarichsoftvoicetosoothethepainandcomforttheanxiousheart.doctorishere,thereisnothingtoworryabout,everythingwillbefine.hehadthatbedsidemanner,thick,honeyedlayersofit.hewaswonderful—andhewasastoughasarmorplate.

“doctor,iamlookingforamannamedwade,awell-to-doalcoholicwhohasdisappearedfromhishome.hispasthistorysuggeststhatheisholedupinsomediscreetjointthatcanhandlehimwithskill.myonlyleadisareferencetoadr.v.you’remythirddr.v.andi’mgettingdiscouraged.”

hesmiledbenignly.“onlyyourthird,mr.marlowe?surelytheremustbeahundreddoctorsinandaroundthelosangelesareawhosenamesbeginwithv.”

“sure,butnotmanyofthemwouldhaveroomswithbarredwindows.inoticedafewupstairshere,onthesideofthehouse.”

“oldpeople,”dr.varleysaidsadly,butitwasarichfullsadness.“lonelyoldpeople,depressedandunhappyoldpeople,mr.marlowe.sometimes—”hemadeanexpressivegesturewithhishand,acurvingmotionoutwards,apause,thenagentlefalling,likeadeadleafflutteringtotheground.“idon’ttreatalcoholicshere,”headdedprecisely.“nowifyouwillexcuseme—”

“sorry,doctor.youjusthappenedtobeonourlist.probablyamistake.somethingaboutarun-inwiththenarcoticspeopleacoupleofyearsago.”

“isthatso?”helookedpuzzled,thenthelightbroke.“ah,yes,anassistantiwasunwiseenoughtoemploy.foraveryshorttime.heabusedmyconfidencebadly.yes,indeed.”

“notthewayiheardit,”isaid.“iguessihearditwrong.”

“andhowdidyouhearit,mr.marlowe?”hewasstillgivingmethefulltreatmentwithhissmileandhismellowtones.

“thatyouhadtoturninyournarcoticprescriptionbook.”

thatgottohimalittle.hedidn’tquitescowlbuthepeeledoffafewlayersofthecharm.hisblueeyeshadachillyglint.“andthesourceofthisfantasticinformation?”

“alargedetectiveagencythathasfacilitiesforbuildingfilesonthatsortofthing.”

“acollectionofcheapblackmailers,nodoubt.”

“notcheap,doctor.theirbaserateisahundreddollarsaday.it’srunbyaformercolonelofmilitarypolice.nonickelgrabber,doctor.herateswayup.”