itwassoquietinvictor’sthatyoualmostheardthetemperaturedropasyoucameinatthedoor.onabarstoolawomaninablacktailormade,whichcouldn’tatthattimeofyearhavebeenanythingbutsomesyntheticfabriclikeorlon,wassittingalonewithapalegreenish-coloreddrinkinfrontofherandsmokingacigaretteinalongjadeholder.shehadthatfine-drawnintenselookthatissometimesneurotic,sometimessex-hungry,andsometimesjusttheresultofdrasticdieting.

isatdowntwostoolsawayandthebarkeepnoddedtome,butdidn’tsmile.

“agimlet,”isaid.“nobitters.”

heputthelittlenapkininfrontofmeandkeptlookingatme.“youknowsomething,”hesaidinapleasedvoice.“iheardyouandyourfriendtalkingonenightandigotmeinabottleofthatrose’slimejuice.thenyoudidn’tcomebackanymoreandionlyopenedittonight.”

“myfriendlefttown,”isaid.“adoubleifit’sallrightwithyou.andthanksfortakingthetrouble.”

hewentaway.thewomaninblackgavemeaquickglance,thenlookeddownintoherglass.“sofewpeopledrinkthemaroundhere,”shesaidsoquietlythatididn’trealizeatfirstthatshewasspeakingtome.thenshelookedmywayagain.shehadverylargedarkeyes.shehadthereddestfingernailsihadeverseen.butshedidn’tlooklikeapickupandtherewasnotraceofcome-oninhervoice.“gimletsimean.”

“afellowtaughtmetolikethem,”isaid.

“hemustbeenglish.”

“why?”

“thelimejuice.it’sasenglishasboiledfishwiththatawfulanchovysaucethatlooksasifthecookhadbledintoit.that’showtheygotcalledlimeys.theenglish—notthefish.”

“ithoughtitwasmoreatropicaldrink,hotweatherstuff.malayaorsomeplacelikethat.”

“youmayberight.”sheturnedawayagain.

thebartendersetthedrinkinfrontofme.withthelimejuiceithasasortofpalegreenishyellowishmistylook.itastedit.itwasbothsweetandsharpatthesametime.thewomaninblackwatchedme.thensheliftedherownglasstowardsme.webothdrank.theniknewherswasthesamedrink.

thenextmovewasroutine,soididn’tmakeit.ijustsatthere.“hewasn’tenglish,”isaidafteramoment.“iguessmaybehehadbeenthereduringthewar.weusedtocomeinhereonceinawhile,earlylikenow.beforethemobstartedboiling.”

“it’sapleasanthour,”shesaid.“inabaralmosttheonlypleasanthour.”sheemptiedherglass.“perhapsiknewyourfriend,”shesaid.“whatwashisname?”

ididn’tanswerherrightaway.ilitacigaretteandwatchedhertapthestubofhersoutofthejadeholderandfitanotherinitsplace.ireachedacrosswithalighter.“lennox,”isaid.

shethankedmeforthelightandgavemeabriefsearchingglance.thenshenodded.“yea,iknewhimverywell.perhapsalittletoowell.”

thebarkeepdriftedoverandglancedatmyglass.“acouplemoreofthesame,”isaid.“inabooth.”

igotdownoffthestoolandstoodwaiting.shemightormightnotblowmedown.ididn’tparticularlycare.onceinawhileinthismuchtoosex-consciouscountryamanandawomancanmeetandtalkwithoutdraggingbedroomsintoit.thiscouldbeit,orshecouldjustthinkiwasonthemake.ifso,thehellwithher.

shehesitated,butnotforlong.shegatheredupapairofblackglovesandablacksuedebagwithagoldframeandclaspandwalkedacrossintoacornerboothandsatdownwithoutaword.isatdownacrossthesmalltable.

“mynameismarlowe.”

“mineislindaloring,”shesaidcalmly.“abitofasentimentalist,aren’tyou,mr.marlowe?”

“becauseicameinheretodrinkagimlet?howaboutyourself?”

“imighthaveatasteforthem.”

“somighti.butitwouldbealittletoomuchcoincidence.”

shesmiledatmevaguely.shehademeraldearringsandanemeraldlapelpin.theylookedlikerealstonesbecauseofthewaytheywerecut—flatwithbevelededges.andeveninthedimlightofabartheyhadaninnerglow.

“soyou’retheman,”shesaid.

thebarwaiterbroughtthedrinksoverandsetthemdown.whenhewentawayisaid:“i’mafellowwhoknewterrylennox,likedhim,andhadanoccasionaldrinkwithhim.itwaskindofasidedeal,anaccidentalfriendship.ineverwenttohishomeorknewhiswife.isawheronceinaparkinglot.”

“therewasalittlemoretoitthanthat,wasn’tthere?”

shereachedforherglass.shehadanemeraldringsetinanestofdiamonds.besideitathinplatinumbandsaidshewasmarried.iputherinthesecondhalfofthethirties,earlyinthesecondhalf.

“maybe,”isaid,“theguybotheredme.hestilldoes.howaboutyou?”

sheleanedonanelbowandlookedupatmewithoutanyparticularexpression.“isaidiknewhimrathertoowell.toowelltothinkitmatteredmuchwhathappenedtohim.hehadarichwifewhogavehimalltheluxuries.allsheaskedinreturnwastobeletalone.”

“seemsreasonable,”isaid.

“don’tbesarcastic,mr.marlowe.somewomenarelikethat.theycan’thelpit.itwasn’tasifhedidn’tknowinthebeginning.ifhehadtogetproud,thedoorwasopen.hedidn’thavetokillher.”

“iagreewithyou.”

shestraightenedupandlookedhardatme.herlipcurled.“soheranawayand,ifwhatihearistrue,youhelpedhim.isupposeyoufeelproudaboutthat.”

“notme,”isaid.“ijustdiditforthemoney.”

“thatisnotamusing,mr.marlowe.franklyidon’tknowwhyisitheredrinkingwithyou.”

“that’seasilychanged,mrs.loring.”ireachedformyglassanddroppedthecontentsdownthehatch.“ithoughtperhapsyoucouldtellmesomethingaboutterrythatididn’tknow.i’mnotinterestedinspeculatingwhyterrylennoxbeathiswife’sfacetoabloodysponge.”

“that’saprettybrutalwaytoputit,”shesaidangrily.

“youdon’tlikethewords?neitherdoi.andiwouldn’tbeheredrinkingagimletifibelievedhedidanythingofthesort.”

shestared.afteramomentshesaidslowly:“hekilledhimselfandleftafullconfession.whatmoredoyouwant?”

“hehadagun,”isaid.“inmexicothatmightbeenoughexcuseforsomejitterycoptopourleadintohim.plentyofamericanpolicehavedonetheirkillingsthesameway—someofthemthroughdoorsthatdidn’topenfastenoughtosuitthem.asfortheconfession,ihaven’tseenit.”

“nodoubtthemexicanpolicefakedit,”shesaidtartly.

“theywouldn’tknowhow,notinalittleplacelikeotatoclán.no,theconfessionisprobablyrealenough,butitdoesn’tprovehekilledhiswife.nottomeanyway.allitprovestomeisthathedidn’tseeanywayout.inaspotlikethatacertainsortofman—youcancallhimweakorsoftorsentimentalifitamusesyou—mightdecidetosavesomeotherpeoplefromalotofverypainfulpublicity.”

“that’sfantastic,”shesaid.“amandoesn’tkillhimselfordeliberatelygethimselfkilledtosavealittlescandal.sylviawasalreadydead.asforhersisterandherfather—theycouldtakecareofthemselvesveryefficiently.peoplewithenoughmoney,mr.marlowe,canalwaysprotectthemselves.”

“okay,i’mwrongaboutthemotive.maybei’mwrongalldowntheline.aminuteagoyouweremadatme.youwantmetoleavenow—soyoucandrinkyourgimlet?”

suddenlyshesmiled.“i’msorry.i’mbeginningtothinkyouaresincere.whatithoughtthenwasthatyouweretryingtojustifyyourself,farmorethanterry.idon’tthinkyouare,somehow.”

“i’mnot.ididsomethingfoolishandigottheworksforit.uptoapointanyway.idon’tdenythathisconfessionsavedmealotworse.iftheyhadbroughthimbackandtriedhim,iguesstheywouldhavehungoneonmetoo.theleastitwouldhavecostmewouldhavebeenfarmoremoneythanicouldafford.”

“nottomentionyourlicense,”shesaiddryly.

“maybe.therewasatimewhenanycopwithahangovercouldgetmebusted.it’salittledifferentnow.yougetahearingbeforeacommissionofthestatelicensingauthority.thosepeoplearenottoocrazyaboutthecitypolice.”

shetastedherdrinkandsaidslowly:“allthingsconsidered,don’tyouthinkitwasbestthewayitwas?notrial,nosensationalheadlines,nomud-slingingjusttosellnewspaperswithouttheslightestregardfortruthorfairplayorforthefeelingsofinnocentpeople.”

“didn’tijustsayso?andyousaiditwasfantastic.”

sheleanedbackandputherheadagainsttheuppercurveofthepaddingonthebackofthebooth.“fantasticthatterrylennoxshouldhavekilledhimselfjusttoachievethat.notfantasticthatitwasbetterforallpartiesthatthereshouldbenotrial.”