dr.verringertappedslowlyonthearmsofthechair.“youcalledmeupinthemiddleofthenight,”hesaid.“youwereinadesperatecondition.yousaidyouwouldkillyourselfifididn’tcome.ididn’twanttodoitandyouknowwhy.ihavenolicensetopracticemedicineinthisstate.iamtryingtogetridofthispropertywithoutlosingitall.ihaveearltolookafterandhewasaboutdueforabadspell.itoldyouitwouldcostyoualotofmoney.youstillinsistedandiwent.iwantfivethousanddollars.”

“iwasfoulwithstrongdrink,”wadesaid.“youcan’tholdamantothatkindofbargain.you’redamnwellpaidalready.”

“also,”dr.verringersaidslowly,“youmentionedmynametoyourwife.youtoldheriwascomingforyou.”

wadelookedsurprised.“ididn’tdoanythingofthesort,”hesaid.“ididn’tevenseeher.shewasasleep.”

“someothertimethen.aprivatedetectivehasbeenhereaskingaboutyou.hecouldn’tpossiblyhaveknownwheretocome,unlesshewastold.istalledhimoff,buthemaycomeback.youhavetogohome,mr.wade.butfirstiwantmyfivethousanddollars.”

“you’renotthebrightestguyintheworld,areyou,doc?ifmywifeknewwhereiwas,whywouldsheneedadetective?shecouldhavecomeherself—supposingshecaredthatmuch.shecouldhavebroughtcandy,ourhouseboy.candywouldcutyourblueboyintothinstripswhileblueboywasmakinguphismindwhatpicturehewasstarringintoday.”

“youhaveanastytongue,wade.andanastymind.”

“ihaveanastyfivethousandbuckstoo,doc.tryandgetit.”

“youwillwritemeacheck,”dr.verringersaidfirmly.“now,atonce.thenyouwillgetdressedandearlwilltakeyouhome.”

“acheck?”wadewasalmostlaughing.“surei’llgiveyouacheck.fine.howwillyoucashit?”

dr.verringersmiledquietly.“youthinkyouwillstoppayment,mr.wade.butyouwon’t.iassureyouthatyouwon’t.”

“youfatcrook!”wadeyelledathim.

dr.verringershookhishead.“insomethings,yes.notinall.iamamixedcharacterlikemostpeople.earlwilldriveyouhome.”

“nix.thatladmakesmyskincrawl,”wadesaid.

dr.verringerstoodupgentlyandreachedoverandpattedtheshoulderofthemanonthebed.“tomeearlisquiteharmless,mr.wade.ihavewaysofcontrollinghim.”

“nameone,”anewvoicesaid,andearlcamethroughthedoorinhisroyrogersoutfit.dr.verringerturnedsmiling.

“keepthatpsychoawayfromme,”wadeyelled,showingfearforthefirsttime.

earlputhishandsonhisornamentedbelt.hisfacewasdeadpan.alightwhistlingnoisecamefrombetweenhisteeth.hemovedslowlyintotheroom.

“youshouldn’thavesaidthat,”dr.verringersaidquickly,andturnedtowardsearl.“allright,earl.i’llhandlemr.wademyself.i’llhelphimgetdressedwhileyoubringthecaruphereasclosetothecabinaspossible.mr.wadeisquiteweak.”

“andhe’sgoingtobealotweaker,”earlsaidinawhistlingkindofvoice.“outofmyway,fatso.”

“now,earl—”hereachedoutandgrabbedthehandsomeyoungman’sarm—“youdon’twanttogobacktocamarillo,doyou?onewordfrommeand—”

thatwasasfarashegot.earljerkedhisarmlooseandhisrighthandcameupwithaflashofmetal.thearmoredfistcrashedagainstdr.verringer’sjaw.hewentdownasifshotthroughtheheart.thefallshookthecabin.istartedrunning.

ireachedthedoorandyankeditopen.earlspunaround,leaningforwardalittle,staringatmewithoutrecognition.therewasabubblingsoundbehindhislips.hestartedformefast.

ijerkedthegunoutandshowedittohim.itmeantnothing.eitherhisowngunswerenotloadedorhehadforgottenallaboutthem.thebrassknuckleswereallheneeded.hekeptcoming.

ifiredthroughtheopenwindowacrossthebed.thecrashoftheguninthesmallroomseemedmuchlouderthanitshouldhavebeen.earlstoppeddead.hisheadslewedaroundandhelookedattheholeinthewindowscreen.helookedbackatme.slowlyhisfacecamealiveandhegrinned.

“wha’happen?”heaskedbrightly.

“getridoftheknucks,”isaid,watchinghiseyes.

helookedsurprisinglydownathishand.heslippedthemauleroffandthrewitcasuallyinthecorner.

“nowthegunbelt,”isaid.“don’ttouchtheguns,justthebuckle.”

“they’renotloaded,”hesaidsmiling.“hell,they’renotevenguns,juststagemoney.”

“thebelt.hurryit.”

helookedattheshort-barreled.32.“thatarealone?ohsureitis.thescreen.yeah,thescreen.”

themanonthebedwasn’tonthebedanymore.hewasbehindearl.hereachedswiftlyandpulledoneofthebrightgunsloose.earldidn’tlikethis.hisfaceshowedit.

“layoffhim,”isaidangrily.“putthatbackwhereyougotit.”

“he’sright,”wadesaid.“they’recapguns.”hebackedawayandputtheshinypistolonthetable.“christ,i’masweakasabrokenarm.”

“takethebeltoff,”isaidforthethirdtime.whenyoustartsomethingwithatypelikeearlyouhavetofinishit.keepitsimpleanddon’tchangeyourmind.

hediditatlast,quiteamiably.then,holdingthebelt,hewalkedovertothetableandgothisothergunandputitintheholsterandputthebeltrightbackonagain.ilethimdoit.itwasn’tuntilthenthathesawdr.verringercrumpledontheflooragainstthewall.hemadeasoundofconcern,wentquicklyacrosstheroomintothebathroom,andcamebackwithaglassjugofwater.hedumpedthewaterondr.verringer’shead.dr.verringersputteredandrolledover.thenhegroaned.thenheclappedahandtohisjaw.thenhestartedtogetup.earlhelpedhim.

“sorry,doc.imusthavejustletflywithoutseeingwhoitwas.”

“it’sallright,nothingbroken,”verringersaid,wavinghimaway.“getthecaruphere,earl.anddon’tforgetthekeyforthepadlockdownbelow.”

“caruphere,sure.rightaway.keyforthepadlock.igotit.rightaway,doc.”

hewentoutoftheroomwhistling.

wadewassittingonthesideofthebed,lookingshaky.“youthedickhewastalkingabout?”heaskedme.“howdidyoufindme?”

“justaskingaroundfrompeoplewhoknowaboutthesethings,”isaid.“ifyouwanttogethome,youmightgetclotheson.”

dr.verringerwasleaningagainstthewall,massaginghisjaw.“i’llhelphim,”hesaidthickly.“allidoishelppeopleandalltheydoiskickmeintheteeth.”

“iknowjusthowyoufeel,”isaid.

iwentoutandleftthemtoworkatit.