icalledsewellendicott’soffice.somebodysaidhewasincourtandwouldnotbeavailableuntillateintheafternoon.wouldicaretoleavemyname?no.

idialedthenumberofmendymenendez’sjointonthestrip.itwascalledeltapadothisyear,notabadnameeither.inamericanspanishthatmeansburiedtreasureamongotherthings.ithadbeencalledothernamesinthepast,quiteafewothernames.oneyearitwasjustablueneonnumberonablankhighwallfacingsouthonthestrip,withitsbackagainstthehillandadrivewaycurvingaroundonesideoutofsightofthestreet.veryexclusive.nobodyknewmuchaboutitexceptvicecopsandmobstersandpeoplewhocouldaffordthirtybucksforagooddinnerandanyamountuptofiftygrandinthebigquietroomupstairs.igotawomanwhodidn’tknowfromnothing.thenigotacaptainwithamexaccent.

“youwishtospeakwithmr.menendez?whoiscalling?”

“nonames,amigo.privatematter.”

“unmomento,porfavor.”

therewasalongishwait.igotahardboythistime.hesoundedasifhewastalkingthroughtheslitinanarmoredcar.itwasprobablyjusttheslitinhisface.

“talkitup.whowantshim?”

“thename’smarlowe.”

“who’smarlowe?”

“thischickagostino?”

“no,thisain’tchick.comeon,let’shavethepassword.”

“gofryyourface.”

therewasachuckle.“holdtheline.”

finallyanothervoicesaid:“hello,cheapie.what’sthetimebyyou?”

“youalone?”

“youcantalk,cheapie.ibeenlookingoversomeactsforthefloorshow.”

“youcouldcutyourthroatforone.”

“whatwouldidoforanencore?”

ilaughed.helaughed.“beenkeepingyournoseclean?”heasked.

“haven’tyouheard?igottobefriendswithanotherguywhosuicided.they’regoingtocallmethe‘kiss-of-deathkid’fromnowon.”

“that’sfunny,huh?”

“no,itisn’tfunny.alsotheotherafternoonihadteawithharlanpotter.”

“nicegoing.ineverdrinkthestuffmyself.”

“hesaidforyoutobenicetome.”

“inevermettheguyandidon’tfigureto.”

“hecastsalongshadow.alliwantisalittleinformation,mendy.likeaboutpaulmarston.”

“neverheardofhim.”

“yousaidthattooquick.paulmarstonwasthenameterrylennoxusedonetimeinnewyorkbeforehecamewest.”

“so?”

“hisprintswerecheckedthroughtheffiles.norecord.thatmeansheneverservedinthearmedforces.”

“so?”

“doihavetodrawyouapicture?eitherthatfoxholeyarnofyourswasallspaghettiorithappenedsomewhereelse.”

“ididn’tsaywhereithappened,cheapie.takeakindwordandforgetthewholething.yougottold,youbetterstaytold.”

“ohsure.idosomethingyoudon’tlikeandi’mswimmingtocatalinawithastreetcaronmyback.don’ttrytoscareme,mendy.i’vebeenupagainstthepros.youeverbeeninengland?”

“besmart,cheapie.thingscanhappentoaguyinthistown.thingscanhappentobigstrongboyslikebigwilliemagoon.takealookattheeveningpaper.”

“i’llgetoneifyousayso.itmightevenhavemypictureinit.whataboutmagoon?”

“likeisaid—thingscanhappen.iwouldn’tknowhowexceptwhatiread.seemsmagoontriedtoshakedownfourboysinacarwithnevadaplates.wasparkedrightbyhishouse.nevadaplateswithbignumbersliketheydon’thave.musthavebeensomekindofarib.onlymagoonain’tfeelingfunny,whatwithbotharmsincasts,andhisjawwiredinthreeplaces,andoneleginhightraction.magoonain’ttoughanymore.itcouldhappentoyou.”

“hebotheredyou,huh?isawhimbounceyourboychickoffthewallinfrontofvictor’s.shouldiringupafriendinthesheriff’sofficeandtellhim?”

“youdothat,cheapie,”hesaidveryslowly.“youdothat.”

“andi’llmentionthatatthetimeiwasjustthroughhavingadrinkwithharlanpotter’sdaughter.corroborativeevidence,inasense,don’tyouthink?youfiguretosmashheruptoo?”