“iknow.buthowmanypeoplecarryafive-thousand-dollarbillaroundwiththem?howmanywhocouldaffordtogiveyouthatmuchmoneywouldgiveittoyouinthisform?”

itwasn’tworthanswering.ijustnodded.shewentonbrusquely.

“andwhatwereyousupposedtodoforit,mr.marlowe?orwouldyoutellme?onthatlastridedowntotijuanahehadplentyoftimetotalk.youmadeitverycleartheothereveningthatyoudidn’tbelievehisconfession.didhegiveyoualistofhiswife’sloverssothatyoumightfindamurdereramongthem?”

ididn’tanswerthateither,butfordifferentreasons.

“andwouldthenameofrogerwadeappearonthatlistbyanychance?”sheaskedharshly.“ifterrydidn’tkillhiswife,themurdererwouldhavetobesomeviolentandirresponsibleman,alunaticorasavagedrunk.onlythatsortofmancould,touseyourownrepulsivephrase,beatherfaceintoabloodysponge.isthatwhyyouaremakingyourselfsoveryusefultothewades—aregularmother’shelperwhocomesoncalltonursehimwhenheisdrunk,tofindhimwhenheislost,tobringhimhomewhenheishelpless?”

“letmesetyourightonacoupleofpoints,mrs.loring.terrymayormaynothavegivenmethatbeautifulpieceofengraving.buthegavemenolistandmentionednonames.therewasnothingheaskedmetodoexceptwhatyouseemtofeelsureididdo,drivehimtotijuana.mygettinginvolvedwiththewadeswastheworkofanewyorkpublisherwhoisdesperatetohaverogerwadefinishhisbook,whichinvolveskeepinghimfairlysober,whichinturninvolvesfindingoutifthereisanyspecialtroublethatmakeshimgetdrunk.ifthereisanditcanbefoundout,thenthenextstepwouldbeanefforttoremoveit.isayeffort,becausethechancesareyoucouldn’tdoit.butyoucouldtry.”

“icouldtellyouinonesimplesentencewhyhegetsdrunk,”shesaidcontemptuously.“thatanemicblondshowpiecehe’smarriedto.”

“ohidon’tknow,”isaid.“iwouldn’tcallheranemic.”

“really?howinteresting.”hereyesglittered.

ipickedupmyportraitofmadison.“don’tchewtoolongonthatone,mrs.loring.iamnotsleepingwiththelady.sorrytodisappointyou.”

iwentovertothesafeandputmymoneyawayinthelockedcompartment.ishutthesafeandspunthedial.

“onsecondthought,”shesaidtomyback,“idoubtverymuchthatanyoneissleepingwithher.”

iwentbackandsatonthecornerofthedesk.“you’regettingbitchy,mrs.loring.why?areyoucarryingatorchforouralcoholicfriend?”

“ihateremarkslikethat,”shesaidbitingly.“ihatethem.isupposethatidioticscenemyhusbandmademakesyouthinkyouhavetherighttoinsultme.no,iamnotcarryingatorchforrogerwade.ineverdid—evenwhenhewasasobermanwhobehavedhimself.stilllessnowthatheiswhatheis.”

ifloppedintomychair,reachedforamatchbox,andstaredather.shelookedatherwatch.

“youpeoplewithalotofmoneyarereallysomething,”isaid.“youthinkanythingyouchoosetosay,howevernasty,isperfectlyallright.youcanmakesneeringremarksaboutwadeandhiswifetoamanyouhardlyknow,butifihandyoubackalittlechange,that’saninsult.okay,let’splayitlowdown.anydrunkwilleventuallyturnupwithaloosewoman.wadeisadrunk,butyou’renotaloosewoman.that’sjustacasualsuggestionyourhigh-bredhusbanddropstobrightenupacocktailparty.hedoesn’tmeanit,he’sjustsayingitforlaughs.soweruleyouout,andlookforaloosewomanelsewhere.howfardowehavetolook,mrs.loring—tofindonethatwouldinvolveyouenoughtobringyoudownheretradingsneerswithme?ithastobesomebodyratherspecial,doesn’tit—otherwisewhyshouldyoucare?”

shesatperfectlysilent,justlooking.alonghalfminutewentby.thecornersofhermouthwerewhiteandherhandswererigidonhergabardinebagthatmatchedhersuit.

“youhaven’texactlywastedyourtime,haveyou?”shesaidatlast.“howconvenientthatthispublishershouldhavethoughtofemployingyou!soterrynamednonamestoyou!notaname.butitreallydidn’tmatter,didit,mr.marlowe?yourinstinctwasunerring.mayiaskwhatyouproposetodonext?”

“nothing.”

“why,whatawasteoftalent!howcanyoureconcileitwithyourobligationtoyourportraitofmadison?surelytheremustbesomethingyoucando.”

“justbetweenthetwoofus,”isaid,“you’regettingprettycorny.sowadeknewyoursister.thanksfortellingme,howeverindirectly.ialreadyguessedit.sowhat?he’sjustoneofwhatwasmostlikelyafairlyrichcollection.let’sleaveitthere.andlet’sgetaroundtowhyyouwantedtoseeme.thatkindofgotlostintheshuffledidn’tit?”

shestoodup.sheglancedatherwatchoncemore.“ihaveacardownstairs.couldiprevailuponyoutodrivehomewithmeanddrinkacupoftea?”

“goon,”isaid.“let’shaveit.”

“doisoundsosuspicious?ihaveaguestwhowouldliketomakeyouracquaintance.”

“theoldman?”

“idon’tcallhimthat,”shesaidevenly.

istoodupandleanedacrossthedesk.“honey,you’reawfulcutesometimes.youreallyare.isitallrightificarryagun?”

“surelyyou’renotafraidofanoldman.”shewrinkledherlipatme.

“whynot?i’llbetyouare—plenty.”

shesighed.“yes,i’mafraidiam.ialwayshavebeen.hecanberatherterrifying.”

“maybei’dbettertaketwoguns,”isaid,thenwishedihadn’t.