ohlswasamedium-sizedthickmanwithshort-croppedfadedblondhairandfadedblueeyes.hehadstiffwhiteeyebrowsandinthedaysbeforehestoppedwearingahatyouwerealwaysalittlesurprisedwhenhetookitoff—therewassomuchmoreheadthanyouexpected.hewasahardtoughcopwithagrimoutlookonlifebutaverydecentguyunderneath.heoughttohavemadecaptainyearsago.hehadpassedtheexaminationamongthetopthreehalfadozentimes.butthesheriffdidn’tlikehimandhedidn’tlikethesheriff.

hecamedownthestairsrubbingthesideofhisjaw.flashbulbshadbeengoingoffinthestudyforalongtime.menhadgoneinandout.ihadjustsatinthelivingroomwithaplain-clothesdickandwaited.

ohlssatdownontheedgeofachairanddangledhishands.hewaschewingonanunlitcigarette.helookedatmebroodingly.

“remembertheolddayswhentheyhadagatehouseandaprivatepoliceforceinidlevalley?”

inodded.“andgamblingalso.”

“sure.youcan’tstopit.thiswholevalleyisstillprivateproperty.likearrowheadusedtobe,andemeraldbay.longtimesinceiwasonacasewithnoreportersjumpingaround.somebodymusthavewhisperedinsheriffpetersen’sear.theykeptitofftheteletype.”

“realconsiderateofthem,”isaid.“howismrs.wade?”

“toorelaxed.shemustofgrabbedsomepills.there’sadozenkindsupthere—evendemerol.that’sbadstuff.yourfriendsdon’thavealotoflucklately,dothey?theygetdead.”

ididn’thaveanythingtosaytothat.

“gunshotsuicidesalwaysinterestme,”ohlssaidloosely.“soeasytofake.thewifesaysyoukilledhim.whywouldshesaythat?”

“shedoesn’tmeanitliterally.”

“nobodyelsewashere.shesaysyouknewwherethegunwas,knewhewasgettingdrunk,knewhehadfiredofftheguntheothernightwhenshehadtofightwithhimtogetthegunawayfromhim,youweretherethatnighttoo.don’tseemtohelpmuch,doyou?”

“isearchedhisdeskthisafternoon.nogun.i’dtoldherwhereitwasandtoputitaway.shesaysnowshedidn’tbelieveinthatsortofthing.”

“justwhenwould‘now’be?”ohlsaskedgruffly.

“aftershecamehomeandbeforeiphonedthesubstation.”

“yousearchedthedesk.why?”ohlsliftedhishandsandputthemonhisknees.hewaslookingatmeindifferently,asifhedidn’tcarewhatisaid.

“hewasgettingdrunk.ithoughtitjustaswelltohavethegunsomewhereelse.buthedidn’ttrytokillhimselftheothernight.itwasjustshow-off.”

ohlsnodded.hetookthechewedcigaretteoutofhismouth,droppeditintoatray,andputafreshoneinplaceofit.

“iquitsmoking,”hesaid.“gotmecoughingtoomuch.butthegoddamthingsstillrideme.can’tfeelrightwithoutoneinmymouth.yousupposedtowatchtheguywhenhe’salone?”

“certainlynot.heaskedmetocomeoutandhavelunch.wetalkedandhewaskindofdepressedabouthiswritingnotgoingwell.hedecidedtohitthebottle.thinkishouldhavetakenitawayfromhim?”

“i’mnotthinkingyet.i’mjusttryingtogetapicture.howmuchdrinkingdidyoudo?”

“beer.”

“it’syourtoughluckyouwerehere,marlowe.whatwasthecheckfor?theonehewroteandsignedandtoreup?”

“theyallwantedmetocomeandlivehereandkeephiminline.allmeanshimself,hiswife,andhispublisher,amannamedhowardspencer.he’sinnewyork,iguess.youcancheckwithhim.iturneditdown.afterwardsshecametomeandsaidherhusbandwasoffonatootandshewasworriedandwouldifindhimandbringhimhome.ididthat.nextthingiknewiwascarryinghiminoffhisfrontlawnandputtinghimtobed.ididn’twantanypartofit,bernie.itjustkindofgrewuparoundme.”

“nothingtodowiththelennoxcase,huh?”

“aw,forpete’ssake.thereisn’tanylennoxcase.”

“howtrue,”ohlssaiddryly.hesqueezedhiskneecaps.amancameinatthefrontdoorandspoketotheotherdick.thencameacrosstoohls.

“there’sadr.loringoutside,lieutenant.sayshewascalled.he’sthelady’sdoctor.”

“lethimin.”

thedickwentbackanddr.loringcameinwithhisneatblackbag.hewascoolandelegantinatropicalworstedsuit.hewentpastmewithoutlookingatme.

“upstairs?”heaskedohls.

“yeah—inherroom.”ohlsstoodup.“whatyougiveherthatdemerolfor,doc?”

dr.loringfrownedathim.“iprescribeformypatientasithinkproper,”hesaidcoldly.“iamnotrequiredtoexplainwhy.whosaysigavemrs.wadedemerol?”

“ido.thebottle’suptherewithyournameonit.she’sgotaregulardrugstoreinherbathroom.maybeyoudon’tknowit,doc,butwehaveaprettycompleteexhibitofthelittlepillsdowntown.bluejays,redbirds,yellowjackets,goofballs,andalltherestofthelist.demerol’sabouttheworstofthelot.that’sthestuffgoeringlivedon,iheardsomewhere.tookeighteenadaywhentheycaughthim.tookthearmydoctorsthreemonthstocuthimdown.”

“idon’tknowwhatthosewordsmean,”dr.loringsaidfrigidly.