thensomethingmovedsoftlyandcandywasstandingattheendofthecouchlookingatme.hehadhisswitchknifeinhishand.hepressedthebuttonandthebladeshotout.hepressedthebuttonandthebladewentbackintothehandle.therewasasleekglitterinhiseye.

“milliondepardones,señor,”hesaid.“iwaswrongaboutyou.shekilledtheboss.ithinki—”hestoppedandthebladeshotoutagain.

“no.”istoodupandheldmyhandout.“givemetheknife,candy.you’rejustanicemexicanhouseboy.they’dhangitintoyouandloveit.justthekindofsmokescreenthatwouldmakethemgrinwithdelight.youdon’tknowwhati’mtalkingabout.butido.theyfouleditupsobadthattheycouldn’tstraightenitoutnowiftheywantedto.andtheydon’twantto.they’dblastaconfessionoutofyousoquicklyyouwouldn’tevenhavetimetotellthemyourfullname.andyou’dbesittingonyourfannyupinsanquentinwithalifesentencethreeweeksfromtuesday.”

“itellyoubeforeiamnotamexican.iamchilenofromviñadelmarnearvalparaíso.”

“theknife,candy.iknowallthat.you’refree.you’vegotmoneysaved.you’veprobablygoteightbrothersandsistersbackhome.besmartandgobackwhereyoucamefrom.thisjobhereisdead.”

“lotsofjobs,”hesaidquietly.thenhereachedoutanddroppedtheknifeintomyhand.“foryouidothis.”

idroppedtheknifeintomypocket.heglanceduptowardsthebalcony.“laseñora—whatdowedonow?”

“nothing.wedonothingatall.theseñoraisverytired.shehasbeenlivingunderagreatstrain.shedoesn’twanttobedisturbed.”

“we’vegottocallthepolice,”spencersaidgrittily.

“why?”

“ohmygod,marlowe—wehaveto.”

“tomorrow.pickupyourpileofunfinishednovelandlet’sgo.”

“we’vegottocallthepolice.thereissuchathingaslaw.”

“wedon’thavetodoanythingofthesort.wehaven’tenoughevidencetoswataflywith.letthelawenforcementpeopledotheirowndirtywork.letthelawyersworkitout.theywritethelawsforotherlawyerstodissectinfrontofotherlawyerscalledjudgessothatotherjudgescansaythefirstjudgeswerewrongandthesupremecourtcansaythesecondlotwerewrong.surethere’ssuchathingaslaw.we’reuptoournecksinit.aboutallitdoesismakebusinessforlawyers.howlongdoyouthinkthebig-shotmobsterswouldlastifthelawyersdidn’tshowthemhowtooperate?”

spencersaidangrily:“thathasnothingtodowithit.amanwaskilledinthishouse.hehappenedtobeanauthorandaverysuccessfulandimportantone,butthathasnothingtodowithiteither.hewasamanandyouandiknowwhokilledhim.there’ssuchathingasjustice.”

“tomorrow.”

“you’rejustasbadassheisifyoulethergetawaywithit.i’mbeginningtowonderaboutyoualittle,marlowe.youcouldhavesavedhislifeifyouhadbeenonyourtoes.inasenseyoulethergetawaywithit.andforalliknowthiswholeperformancethisafternoonhasbeenjustthat—aperformance.”

“that’sright.adisguisedlovescene.youcouldseeeileeniscrazyaboutme.whenthingsquietdownwemaygetmarried.sheoughttobeprettywellfixed.ihaven’tmadeabuckoutofthewadefamilyyet.i’mgettingimpatient.”

hetookhisglassesoffandpolishedthem.hewipedperspirationfromthehollowsunderhiseyes,replacedtheglassesandlookedatthefloor.

“i’msorry,”hesaid.“i’vetakenaprettystiffpunchthisafternoon.itwasbadenoughtoknowrogerhadkilledhimself.butthisotherversionmakesmefeeldegraded—justknowingaboutit.”helookedupatme.“canitrustyou?”

“todowhat?”

“therightthing—whateveritis.”hereacheddownandpickedupthepileofyellowscriptandtuckeditunderhisarm.“no,forgetit.iguessyouknowwhatyouaredoing,i’maprettygoodpublisherbutthisisoutofmyline.iguesswhatireallyamisjustagoddamstuffedshirt.”

hewalkedpastmeandcandysteppedoutofhisway,thenwentquicklytothefrontdoorandhelditopen.spencerwentoutpasthimwithabriefnod.ifollowed.istoppedbesidecandyandlookedintohisdarkshiningeyes.

“notricks,amigo,”isaid.

“theseñoraisverytired,”hesaidquietly.“shehasgonetoherroom.shewillnotbedisturbed.iknownothing,señor.nomeacuerdodenada...asusórdenes,señor.”

itooktheknifeoutofmypocketandhelditouttohim,hesmiled.

“nobodytrustsme,butitrustyou,candy.”

“lomismo,señor.muchasgracias.”

spencerwasalreadyinthecar.igotinandstarteditandbackeddownthedrivewayanddrovehimbacktobeverlyhills.ilethimoutatthesideentranceofthehotel.

“i’vebeenthinkingallthewayback,”hesaidashegotout.“shemustbealittleinsane.iguessthey’dneverconvicther.”

“theywon’teventry,”isaid.“butshedoesn’tknowthat.”