idrovebacktohollywoodfeelinglikeashortlengthofchewedstring.itwastooearlytoeat,andtoohot.iturnedonthefaninmyoffice.itdidn’tmaketheairanycooler,justalittlemorelively.outsideontheboulevardthetrafficbrawledendlessly.insidemyheadthoughtsstucktogetherlikefliesonflypaper.

threeshots,threemisses.allihadbeendoingwasseeingtoomanydoctors.

icalledthewadehome.amexicansortofaccentansweredandsaidthatmrs.wadewasnotathome.iaskedformr.wade.thevoicesaidmr.wadewasnothomeeither.ileftmyname.heseemedtocatchitwithoutanytrouble.hesaidhewasthehouseboy.

icalledgeorgepetersatthecarneorganization.maybeheknewsomemoredoctors.hewasn’tin.ileftaphonynameandarighttelephonenumber.anhourcrawledbylikeasickcockroach.iwasagrainofsandonthedesertofoblivion.iwasatwo-guncowpokefreshoutofbullets.threeshots,threemisses.ihateitwhentheycomeinthrees.youcallonmr.a.nothing.youcallonmr.b.nothing.youcallonmr.c.moreofthesame.aweeklateryoufindoutitshouldhavebeenmr.d.onlyyoudidn’tknowheexistedandbythetimeyoufoundout,theclienthadchangedhismindandkilledtheinvestigation.

drs.vukanichandvarleywerescratched.varleyhadittoorichtofoolwithhoochcases.vukanichwasapunk,ahigh-wireperformerwhohitthemainlineinhisownoffice.thehelpmustknow.atleastsomeofthepatientsmustknow.allittooktofinishhimwasonesoreheadandonetelephonecall.wadewouldn’thavegonewithinblocksofhim,drunkorsober.hemightnotbethebrightestguyintheworld—plentyofsuccessfulpeoplearefarfrommentalgiants—buthecouldn’tbedumbenoughtofoolwithvukanich.

theonlypossiblewasdr.verringer.hehadthespaceandtheseclusion.heprobablyhadthepatience.butsepulvedacanyonwasalongwayfromidlevalley.wherewasthepointofcontact,howdidtheyknoweachother,andifverringerownedthatpropertyandhadabuyerforit,hewashalfwaytobeingprettywellheeled.thatgavemeanidea.icalledamaniknewinatitlecompanytofindoutthestatusoftheproperty.noanswer.thetitlecompanyhadclosedfortheday.

iclosedforthedaytoo,anddroveovertolacienagatorudy’sbar-b-q,gavemynametothemasterofceremonies,andwaitedforthebigmomentonabarstoolwithawhiskeysourinfrontofmeandmarekweber’swaltzmusicinmyears.afterawhileigotinpastthevelvetropeandateoneofrudy’s“world-famous”salisburysteaks,whichishamburgeronaslabofburntwood,ringedwithbrowned-overmashedpotato,supportedbyfriedonionringsandoneofthosemixedupsaladswhichmenwilleatwithcompletedocilityinrestaurants,althoughtheywouldprobablystartyellingiftheirwivestriedtofeedthemoneathome.

afterthatidrovehome.asiopenedthefrontdoorthephonestartedtoring.

“thisiseileenwade,mr.marlowe.youwantedmetocallyou.”

“justtofindoutifanythinghadhappenedatyourend.ihavebeenseeingdoctorsalldayandhavemadenofriends.”

“no,i’msorry.hestillhasn’tshowedup.ican’thelpbeingratheranxious.thenyouhavenothingtotellme,isuppose.”hervoicewaslowanddispirited.

“it’sabigcrowdedcounty,mrs.wade.”

“itwillbefourwholedaystonight.”

“sure,butthat’snottoolong.”

“formeitis.”shewassilentforawhile.“i’vebeendoingalotofthinking,tryingtoremembersomething,”shewenton.“theremustbesomething,somekindofhintormemory.rogertalksagreatdealaboutallsortsofthings.”

“doesthenameverringermeananythingtoyou,mrs.wade?”

“no,i’mafraidnot.shouldit?”

“youmentionedthatmr.wadewasbroughthomeonetimebyatallyoungmandressedinacowboyoutfit.wouldyourecognizethistallyoungmanifyousawhimagain,mrs.wade?”

“isupposeimight,”shesaidhesitantly,“iftheconditionswerethesame.butionlycaughtthemerestglimpseofhim.washisnameverringer?”

“no,mrs.wade.verringerisaheavilybuilt,middle-agedmanwhoruns,ormoreaccuratelyhasrun,somekindofguestranchinsepulvedacanyon.hehasadressedupfancyboynamedearlworkingforhim.andverringercallshimselfadoctor.”

“that’swonderful,”shesaidwarmly.“don’tyoufeelthatyou’reontherighttrack?”

“icouldbewetterthanadrownedkitten.i’llcallyouwheniknow.ijustwantedtomakesurerogerhadn’tcomehomeandthatyouhadn’trecalledanythingdefinite.”

“i’mafraidihaven’tbeenofmuchhelptoyou,”shesaidsadly.“pleasecallmeatanytime.nomatterhowlateitis.”

isaidiwoulddothatandwehungup.itookagunandathree-cellflashlightwithmethistime.thegunwasatoughlittleshort-barreled.32withflat-pointcartridges.dr.verringer’sboyearlmighthaveothertoysthanbrassknuckles.ifhehad,hewasplentygoofyenoughtoplaywiththem.

ihitthehighwayagainanddroveasfastasidared.itwasamoonlessnight,andwouldbegettingdarkbythetimeireachedtheentrancetodr.verringer’sestate.darknesswaswhatineeded.

thegateswerestilllockedwiththechainandpadlock.idroveonpastandparkedwelloffthehighway.therewasstillsomelightunderthetreesbutitwouldn’tlastlong.iclimbedthegateandwentupthesideofthehilllookingforahikingpath.farbackinthevalleyithoughtiheardaquail.amourningdoveexclaimedagainstthemiseriesoflife.therewasn’tanyhikingpathoricouldn’tfindone,soiwentbacktotheroadandwalkedalongtheedgeofthegravel.theeucalyptustreesgavewaytotheoaksandicrossedtheridgeandfarofficouldseeafewlights.ittookmethreequartersofanhourtoworkupbehindtheswimmingpoolandthetenniscourtstoaspotwhereicouldlookdownonthemainbuildingattheendoftheroad.itwaslightedupandicouldhearmusiccomingfromit.andfartheroffinthetreesanothercabinshowedlight.thereweresmalldarkcabinsdottedallovertheplaceinthetrees.iwentalongapathnowandsuddenlyafloodlightwentonatthebackofthemaincabin.istoppeddead.thefloodlightwasnotlookingforanything.itpointedstraightdownandmadeawidepooloflightonthebackporchandthegroundbeyond.thenadoorbangedopenandearlcameout.theniknewiwasintherightplace.

earlwasacowpoketonight,andithadbeenacowpokewhobroughtrogerwadehomethetimebefore.earlwasspinningarope.heworeadarkshirtstitchedwithwhiteandapolka-dotscarfknottedlooselyaroundhisneck.heworeawideleatherbeltwithaloadofsilveronitandapairoftooledleatherholsterswithivory-handledgunsinthem.heworeelegantridingpantsandbootscross-stitchedinwhiteandglisteningnew.onthebackofhisheadwasawhitesombreroandwhatlookedlikeawovensilvercordhanginglooselydownhisshirt,theendsnotfastened.

hestoodtherealoneunderthewhitefloodlight,spinninghisropearoundhim,steppinginandoutofit,anactorwithoutanaudience,atall,slender,handsomedudewranglerputtingonashowallbyhimselfandlovingeveryminuteofit.two-gunearl,theterrorofcochisecounty.hebelongedononeofthoseguestranchesthataresoall-firedhorsythetelephonegirlwearsridingbootstowork.

allatonceheheardasound,orpretendedto.theropedropped,hishandssweptthetwogunsfromtheholsters,andthecrookofhisthumbswasoverthehammersastheycamelevel.hepeeredintothedarkness.ididn’tdaremove.thedamngunscouldbeloaded.butthefloodlighthadblindedhimandhedidn’tseeanything.heslippedhisgunsbackintheholsters,pickeduptheropeandgathereditloosely,wentbackintothehouse.thelightwentoff,andsodidi.

imovedaroundthroughthetreesandgotclosetothesmalllightedcabinontheslope.nosoundcamefromit.ireachedascreenedwindowandlookedin.thelightcamefromalamponanighttablebesideabed.amanlayflatonhisbackinthebed,hisbodyrelaxed,hisarmsinpajamasleevesoutsidethecovers,hiseyeswideopenandstaringattheceiling.helookedbig.hisfacewaspartlyshadowed,buticouldseethathewaspaleandthatheneededashaveandhadneededoneforjustabouttherightlengthoftime.thespreadfingersofhishandslaymotionlessontheoutsideofthebed.helookedasifhehadn’tmovedforhours.

iheardstepscomingalongthepathatthefarsideofthecabin.ascreendoorcreakedandthenthesolidshapeofdr.verringershowedinthedoorway.hewascarryingwhatlookedlikealargeglassoftomatojuice.heswitchedonastandinglamp.hishawaiianshirtgleamedyellowly.themaninthebeddidn’tevenlookathim.

dr.verringerputtheglassdownonthenighttableandpulledachaircloseandsatdown.hereachedforoneofthewristsandfeltapulse.“howareyoufeelingnow,mr.wade?”hisvoicewaskindlyandsolicitous.

themanonthebeddidn’tanswerhimorlookathim.hewentonstaringattheceiling.

“come,come,mr.wade.letusnotbemoody.yourpulseisonlyslightlyfasterthannormal.youareweak,butotherwise—”

“tejjy,”themanonthebedsaidsuddenly,“tellthemanthatifheknowshowiam,thesonofabitchneedn’tbothertoaskme.”hehadaniceclearvoice,butthetonewasbitter.

“whoistejjy?”dr.verringersaidpatiently.

“mymouthpiece.she’supthereinthecorner.”

dr.verringerlookedup.“iseeasmallspider,”hesaid.“stopacting,mr.wade.itisnotnecessarywithme.”

“tegenariadomestica,thecommonjumpingspider,pal.ilikespiders.theypracticallyneverwearhawaiianshirts.”

dr.verringermoistenedhislips.“ihavenotimeforplayfulness,mr.wade.”

“nothingplayfulabouttejjy.”wadeturnedhisheadslowly,asifitweighedveryheavy,andstaredatdr.verringercontemptuously.“tejjyisdeadserious.shecreepsuponyou.whenyou’renotlookingshemakesaquicksilenthop.afterawhileshe’snearenough.shemakesthelastjump.yougetsuckeddry,doctor.verydry.tejjydoesn’teatyou.shejustsucksthejuiceuntilthere’snothingleftbuttheskin.ifyouplantowearthatshirtmuchlonger,doctor,i’dsayitcouldn’thappentoosoon.”

dr.verringerleanedbackinthechair.“ineedfivethousanddollars,”hesaidcalmly.“howsooncouldthathappen?”

“yougotsixhundredandfiftybucks,”wadesaidnastily.“aswellasmyloosechange.howthehellmuchdoesitcostinthisbordello?”

“chickenfeed,”dr.verringersaid.“itoldyoumyrateshadgoneup.”

“youdidn’tsaytheyhadmovedtomountwilson.”

“don’tfencewithme,wade,”dr.verringersaidcurtly.“youareinnopositiontogetfunny.alsoyouhavebetrayedmyconfidence.”

“ididn’tknowyouhadany.”