itwasliketheothertimeexceptthatitwasdayandwewereincaptainhernandez’sofficeandthesheriffwasupinsantabarbaraopeningfiestaweek.captainhernandezwasthereandbernieohlsandamanfromthecoroner’sofficeanddr.loring,wholookedasifhehadbeencaughtperforminganabortion,andamannamedlawford,adeputyfromthe’soffice,atallgauntexpressionlessmanwhosebrotherwasvaguelyrumoredtobeabossofthenumbersracketinthecentralavenuedistrict.

hernandezhadsomehandwrittensheetsofnotepaperinfrontofhim,flesh-pinkpaper,deckle-edged,andwrittenonwithgreenink.

“thisisinformal,”hernandezsaid,wheneverybodywasascomfortableasyoucangetinhardchairs.“nostenotypeorrecordingequipment.saywhatyoulike.dr.weissrepresentsthecoronerwhowilldecidewhetheraninquestisnecessary.dr.weiss?”

hewasfat,cheerful,andlookedcompetent.“ithinknoinquest,”hesaid.“thereiseverysurfaceindicationofnarcoticpoisoning.whentheambulancearrivedthewomanwasstillbreathingveryfaintlyandshewasinadeepcomaandallthereflexeswerenegative.atthatstageyoudon’tsaveoneinahundred.herskinwascoldandrespirationwouldnotbenoticedwithoutcloseexamination.thehouseboythoughtshewasdead.shediedapproximatelyanhourafterthat.iunderstandtheladywassubjecttooccasionalviolentattacksofbronchialasthma.thedemerolwasprescribedbydr.loringasanemergencymeasure.”

“anyinformationordeductionabouttheamountofdemeroltaken,dr.weiss?”

“afataldose,”hesaid,smilingfaintly.“thereisnoquickwayofdeterminingthatwithoutknowingthemedicalhistory,theacquiredornaturaltolerance.accordingtoherconfessionshetooktwenty-threehundredmilligrams,fourorfivetimestheminimallethaldoseforanon-addict.”helookedquestioninglyatdr.loring.

“mrs.wadewasnotanaddict,”dr.loringsaidcoldly.“theprescribeddosewouldbeoneortwofifty-milligramtablets.threeorfourduringatwenty-four-hourperiodwouldbethemosti’dpermit.”

“butyougaveherfiftyatawhack,”captainhernandezsaid.“aprettydangerousdrugtohavearoundinthatquantity,don’tyouthink?howbadwasthisbronchialasthma,doctor?”

dr.loringsmiledcontemptuously.“itwasintermittent,likeallasthma.itneveramountedtowhatwetermstatusasthmaticus,anattacksoseverethatthepatientseemsindangerofsuffocating.”

“anycomment,dr.weiss?”

“well,”dr.weisssaidslowly,“assumingthenotedidn’texistandassumingwehadnootherevidenceofhowmuchofthestuffshetook,itcouldbeanaccidentaloverdose.thesafetymarginisn’tverywide.we’llknowforsuretomorrow.youdon’twanttosuppressthenote,hernandez,forpete’ssake?”

hernandezscowleddownathisdesk.“iwasjustwondering.ididn’tknownarcoticswerestandardtreatmentforasthma.guylearnssomethingeveryday.”

loringflushed.“anemergencymeasure,isaid,captain.adoctorcan’tbeeverywhereatonce.theonsetofanasthmaticflareupcanbeverysudden.”

hernandezgavehimabriefglanceandturnedtolawford.“whathappenstoyouroffice,ifigivethislettertothepress?”

the’sdeputyglancedatmeemptily.“what’sthisguydoinghere,hernandez?”

“iinvitedhim.”

“howdoiknowhewon’trepeateverythingsaidinheretosomereporter?”

“yeah,he’sagreattalker.youfoundthatout.thetimeyouhadhimpinched.”

lawfordgrinned,thenclearedhisthroat.“i’vereadthatpurportedconfession,”hesaidcarefully.“andidon’tbelieveawordofit.you’vegotabackgroundofemotionalexhaustion,bereavement,someuseofdrugs,thestrainofwartimelifeinenglandunderbombing,thisclandestinemarriage,themancomingbackhere,andsoon.undoubtedlyshedevelopedafeelingofguiltandtriedtopurgeherselfofitbyasortoftransference.”

hestoppedandlookedaround,butallhesawwasfaceswithnoexpression.“ican’tspeakforthebutmyownfeelingisthatyourconfessionwouldbenogroundstoseekanindictmentevenifthewomanhadlived.”

“andhavingalreadybelievedoneconfessionyouwouldn’tcaretobelieveanotherthatcontradictedthefirstone,”hernandezsaidcaustically.

“takeiteasy,hernandez.anylawenforcementagencyhastoconsiderpublicrelations.ifthepapersprintedthatconfessionwe’dbeintrouble.that’sforsure.we’vegotenougheagerbeaverreformergroupsaroundjustwaitingforthatkindofchancetostickaknifeintous.we’vegotagrandjurythat’salreadyjitteryabouttheworking-overyourvicesquadlieutenantgotlastweek—it’sabouttendays.”

hernandezsaid:“okay,it’syourbaby.signthereceiptforme.”

heshuffledthepinkdeckle-edgedpagestogetherandlawfordleaneddowntosignaform.hepickedupthepinkpages,foldedthem,puttheminhisbreastpocketandwalkedout.

dr.weissstoodup.hewastough,good-natured,unimpressed.“wehadthelastinquestonthewadefamilytooquick,”hesaid.“iguesswewon’tbothertohavethisoneatall.”

henoddedtoohlsandhernandez,shookhandsformallywithloring,andwentout.loringstooduptogo,thenhesitated.

“itakeitthatimayinformacertaininterestedpartythattherewillbenofurtherinvestigationofthismatter?”hesaidstiffly.

“sorrytohavekeptyouawayfromyourpatientssolong,doctor.”

“youhaven’tansweredmyquestion,”loringsaidsharply.“i’dbetterwarnyou—”

“getlost,jack,”hernandezsaid.

dr.loringalmoststaggeredwithshock.thenheturnedandfumbledhiswayrapidlyoutoftheroom.thedoorclosedanditwasahalfminutebeforeanybodysaidanything.hernandezshookhimselfandlitacigarette.thenhelookedatme.

“well?”hesaid.

“wellwhat?”

“whatareyouwaitingfor?”

“thisistheend,then?finished?kaput.”

“tellhim,bernie.”

“yeah,sureit’stheend,”ohlssaid.“iwasallsettopullherinforquestioning.wadedidn’tshoothimself.toomuchalcoholinhisbrain.butlikeitoldyou,wherewasthemotive?herconfessioncouldbewrongindetails,butitprovesshespiedonhim.sheknewthelayoutoftheguesthouseinencino.thelennoxfrailhadtakenbothhermenfromher.whathappenedintheguesthouseisjustwhatyouwanttoimagine.onequestionyouforgottoaskspencer.didwadeownamauser?yeah,heownedasmallmauserautomatic.wetalkedtospenceralreadytodayonthephone.wadewasablackoutdrunk.thepoorunfortunatebastardeitherthoughthehadkilledsylvialennoxorheactuallyhadkilledherorelsehehadsomereasontoknowhiswifehad.eitherwayhewasgoingtolayitonthelineeventually.sure,he’dbeenhittingthehoochlongbefore,buthewasaguymarriedtoabeautifulnothing.themexknowsallaboutit.thelittlebastardknowsdamnneareverything.thatwasadreamgirl.someofherwashereandnow,butalotofherwasthereandthen.ifsheevergothotpants,itwasn’tforherhusband.getwhati’mtalkingabout?”