“youdon’t?pity.bluejaysaresodiumamytal.redbirdsareseconal.yellowjacketsarenembutal.goofballsareoneofthebarbiturateslacedwithbenzedrine.demerolisasyntheticnarcoticthatisveryhabitforming.youjusthand’emout,huh?istheladysufferingfromsomethingserious?”

“adrunkenhusbandcanbeaveryseriouscomplaintindeedforasensitivewoman,”dr.loringsaid.

“youdidn’tgetaroundtohim,huh?pity.mrs.wade’supstairs,doc.thanksforthetime.”

“youareimpertinent,sir.ishallreportyou.”

“yeah,dothat,”ohlssaid.“butbeforeyoureportme,dosomethingelse.keeptheladyclearinherhead.i’vegotquestionstoask.”

“ishalldoexactlywhatithinkbestforhercondition.doyouknowwhoiam,byanychance?andjusttomakemattersclear,mr.wadewasnotmypatient.idon’ttreatalcoholics.”

“justtheirwives,huh?”ohlssnarledathim.“yeah,iknowwhoyouare,doc.i’mbleedinginternally.mynameisohls.lieutenantohls.”

dr.loringwentonupthestairs.ohlssatdownagainandgrinnedatme.

“yougottobediplomaticwiththiskindofpeople,”hesaid.

amancameoutofthestudyandcameuptoohls.athinserious-lookingmanwithglassesandabrainyforehead.

“lieutenant.”

“shoot.”

“thewoundiscontact,typicallysuicidal,withagooddealofdistentionfromgaspressure.theeyesareexophthalmicfromthesamecause.idon’tthinktherewillbeanyprintsontheoutsideofthegun.it’sbeenbledontoofreely.”

“coulditbehomicideiftheguywasasleeporpassedoutdrunk?”ohlsaskedhim.

“ofcourse,butthere’snoindicationofit.thegun’sawebleyhammerless.typically,thisguntakesaverystiffpulltocockit,butaverylightpulltodischargeit.therecoilexplainsthepositionofthegun.iseenothingagainstsuicidesofar.iexpectahighfigureonalcoholicconcentration.ifit’shighenough—”themanstoppedandshruggedmeaningly—“imightbeinclinedtodoubtsuicide.”

“thanks.somebodycallthecoroner?”

themannoddedandwentaway.ohlsyawnedandlookedathiswatch.thenhelookedatme.

“youwanttoblow?”

“sure,ifyou’llletme.ithoughtiwasasuspect.”

“wemightobligeyoulateron.stickaroundwhereyoucanbefound,that’sall.youwereadickonce,youknowhowtheygo.someyougottoworkfastbeforetheevidencegetsawayfromyou.thisoneisjusttheopposite.ifitwasahomicide,whowantedhimdead?hiswife?shewasn’there.you?fine,youhadthehousetoyourselfandknewwherethegunwas.aperfectsetup.everythingbutamotive,andwemightperhapsgivesomeweighttoyourexperience.ifigureifyouwantedtokillaguy,youcouldmaybedoitalittlelessobviously.”

“thahks,bernie.icouldatthat.”

“thehelpwasn’there.they’reout.soitmusthavebeensomebodythatjusthappenedtodropby.thatsomebodyhadtoknowwherewade’sgunwas,hadtofindhimdrunkenoughtobeasleeporpassedout,andhadtopullthetriggerwhenthatspeedboatwasmakingenoughnoisetodrowntheshot,andhadtogetawaybeforeyoucamebackintothehouse.thatidon’tbuyonanyknowledgeihavenow.theonlypersonwhohadthemeansandopportunitywastheoneguywhowouldn’thaveusedthem—forthesimplereasonhewastheoneguywhohadthem.”

istooduptogo.“okay,bernie.i’llbehomeallevening.”

“there’sjustonething,”ohlssaidmusingly.“thismanwadewasabigtimewriter.lotsofdough,lotsofreputation.idon’tgoforhissortofcrapmyself.youmightfindnicerpeoplethanhischaractersinawhorehouse.that’samatteroftasteandnoneofmybusinessasacop.withallthismoneyhehadabeautifulhomeinoneofthebestplacestoliveininthecounty.hehadabeautifulwife,lotsoffriends,andnotroublesatall.whatiwanttoknowiswhatmadeallthatsotoughthathehadtopullatrigger?sureashellsomethingdid.ifyouknow,youbettergetreadytolayitontheline.seeyou.”

iwenttothedoor.themanonthedoorlookedbackatohls,gotthesign,andletmeout.igotintomycarandhadtoedgeoveronthelawntogetaroundthevariousofficialcarsthatjammedthedriveway.atthegateanotherdeputylookedmeoverbutdidn’tsayanything.islippedmydarkglassesonanddrovebacktowardsthemainhighway.theroadwasemptyandpeaceful.theafternoonsunbeatdownonthemanicuredlawnsandthelargeroomyexpensivehousesbehindthem.

amannotunknowntotheworldhaddiedinapoolofbloodinahouseinidlevalley,butthelazyquiethadnotbeendisturbed.sofarasthenewspaperswereconcerneditmighthavehappenedintibet.

ataturnoftheroadthewallsoftwoestatescamedowntotheshoulderandadarkgreensheriff’scarwasparkedthere.adeputygotoutandhelduphishand.istopped.hecametothewindow.

“mayiseeyourdriver’slicense,please?”

itookoutmywalletandhandedittohimopen.

“justthelicense,please,i’mnotallowedtotouchyourwallet.”

itookitoutandgaveittohim.“what’sthetrouble?”

heglancedintomycarandhandedmebackmylicense.

“notrouble,”hesaid.“justaroutinecheck.sorrytohavetroubledyou.”

hewavedmeonandwentbacktotheparkedcar.justlikeacop.theynevertellyouwhytheyaredoinganything.thatwayyoudon’tfindouttheydon’tknowthemselves.

idrovehome,boughtmyselfacoupleofcolddrinks,wentouttodinner,cameback,openedthewindowsandmyshirtandwaitedforsomethingtohappen.iwaitedalongtime.itwasnineo’clockwhenbernieohlscalledupandtoldmetocomeinandnotstoponthewaytopickanyflowers.