ididn’tanswerhim.

“damnnearmadeheryourself,didn’tyou?”

igavehimthesamenoanswer.

ohlsandhernandezbothgrinnedsourly.“usguysaren’texactlybrainless,”ohlssaid.“weknewtherewassomethinginthatstoryabouthertakingherclothesoff.yououttalkedhimandheletyou.hewashurtandconfusedandhelikedwadeandhewantedtobesure.whenhegotsurehe’dhaveusedhisknife.thiswasapersonalmatterwithhim.heneversnitchedonwade.wade’swifedid,andshedeliberatelyfouleduptheissuejusttoconfusewade.italladds.intheendiguessshewasscaredofhim.andwadeneverthrewherdownanystairs.thatwasanaccident.shetrippedandtheguytriedtocatchher.candysawthattoo.”

“noneofitexplainswhyshewantedmearound.”

“icouldthinkofreasons.oneofthemisoldstuff.everycophasrunintoitahundredtimes.youwerethelooseend,theguythathelpedlennoxescape,hisfriend,andprobablytosomeextenthisconfidant.whatdidheknowandwhatdidhetellyou?hetookthegunthathadkilledherandheknewithadbeenfired.shecouldhavethoughthediditforher.thatmadeherthinkheknewshehadusedit.whenhekilledhimselfshewassure.butwhataboutyou?youwerestillthelooseend.shewantedtomilkyou,andshehadthecharmtouse,andasituationready-madeforanexcusetogetnexttoyou.andifsheneededafallguy,youwereit.youmightsayshewascollectingfallguys.”

“you’reimputingtoomuchknowledgetoher,”isaid.

ohlsbrokeacigaretteinhalfandstartedchewingononehalf.theotherhalfhestuckbehindhisear.

“anotherreasonisshewantedaman,abig,strongguythatcouldcrushherinhisarmsandmakeherdreamagain.”

“shehatedme,”isaid.“idon’tbuythatone.”

“ofcourse,”hernandezputindryly.“youturnedherdown.butshewouldhavegotoverthat.andthenyoublewthewholethingupinherfacewithspencerlisteningin.”

“youtwocharactersbeenseeinganypsychiatristslately?”

“jesus,”ohlssaid,“hadn’tyouheard?wegottheminourhairallthetimethesedays.we’vegottwoofthemonthestaff.thisain’tpolicebusinessanymore.it’sgettingtobeabranchofthemedicalracket.they’reinandoutofjail,thecourts,theinterrogationrooms.theywritereportsfifteenpageslongonwhysomepunkofajuvenileheldupaliquorstoreorrapedaschoolgirlorpeddledteatotheseniorclass.tenyearsfromnowguyslikehernandezandmewillbedoingrorschachtestsandwordassociationsinsteadofchin-upsandtargetpractice.whenwegooutonacasewe’llcarrylittleblackbagswithportableliedetectorsandbottlesoftruthserum.toobadwedidn’tgrabthefourhardmonkeysthatpoureditonbigwilliemagoon.wemighthavebeenabletounmaladjustthemandmakethemlovetheirmothers.”

“okayformetoblow?”

“whatareyounotconvincedabout?”hernandezasked,snappingarubberband.

“i’mconvinced.thecaseisdead.she’sdead,they’realldead.anicesmoothroutineallaround.nothingtodobutgohomeandforgetiteverhappened.soi’lldothat.”

ohlsreachedthehalfcigarettefrombehindhisear,lookedatitasifwondering,howitgotthere,andtosseditoverhisshoulder.

“whatareyoucryingabout?”hernandezsaid.“ifshehadn’tbeenfreshoutofgunsshemighthavemadeitaperfectscore.”

“also,”ohlssaidgrimly,“thetelephonewasworkingyesterday.”

“ohsure,”isaid.“you’dhavecomerunningandwhatyouwouldhavefoundwouldhavebeenamixedupstorythatadmittednothingbutafewsillylies.thismorningyouhavewhatisupposeisafullconfession.youhaven’tletmereadit,butyouwouldn’thavecalledintheifitwasjustalovenote.ifanyrealsolidworkhadbeendoneonthelennoxcaseatthetime,somebodywouldhaveduguphiswarrecordandwherehegotwoundedandalltherestofit.somewherealongthelineaconnectionwiththewadeswouldhaveturnedup.rogerwadeknewwhopaulmarstonwas.sodidanotherihappenedtogetintouchwith.”

“it’spossible,”hernandezadmitted,“butthatisn’thowpoliceinvestigationswork.youdon’tfoolaroundwithanopen-shutcase,evenifthere’snoheatontogetitfinalizedandforgotten.i’veinvestigatedhundredsofhomicides.someareallofapiece,neat,tidy,andaccordingtothebook.mostofthemmakesensehere,don’tmakesensethere.butwhenyougetmotive,means,opportunity,flight,awrittenconfession,andasuicideimmediatelyafterwards,youleaveitlay.nopolicedepartmentintheworldhasthemenorthetimetoquestiontheobvious.theonlythingagainstlennoxbeingakillerwasthatsomebodythoughthewasaniceguywhowouldn’thavedoneitandthattherewereotherswhocouldequallywellhavedoneit.buttheothersdidn’ttakeitonthelam,didn’tconfess,didn’tblowtheirbrainsout.hedid.andasforbeinganiceguyifiguresixtytoseventypercentofallthekillersthatendupinthegaschamberorthehotseatorontheendofaropearepeopletheneighborsthoughtwerejustasharmlessasafullerbrushsalesman.justasharmlessandquietandwellbredasmrs.rogerwade.youwanttoreadwhatshewroteinthatletter?okay,readit.i’vegottogodownthehall.”

hestoodupandpulledadraweropenandputafolderonthetopofthedesk.“therearefivephotostatsinhere,marlowe.don’tletmecatchyoulookingatthem.”

hestartedforthedoorandthenturnedhisheadandsaidtoohls:“youwanttotalktopeshorekwithme?”

ohlsnoddedandfollowedhimout.wheniwasaloneintheofficeiliftedthecoverofthefilefolderandlookedatthewhite-on-blackphotostats.thentouchingonlytheedgesicountedthem.thereweresix,eachofseveralpagesclippedtogether.itookoneandrolleditupandslippeditintomypocket.thenireadoverthenextoneinthepile.whenihadfinishedisatdownandwaited.inabouttenminuteshernandezcamebackalone.hesatdownbehindhisdeskagain,talliedthephotostatsinthefilefolder,andputthefilebackinhisdesk.

heraisedhiseyesandlookedatmewithoutanyexpression.“satisfied?”

“lawfordknowyouhavethose?”

“notfromme.notfrombernie.berniemadethemhimself.why?”

“whatwouldhappenifonegotloose?”

hesmiledunpleasantly.“itwon’t.butifitdid,itwouldn’tbeanybodyinthesheriff’soffice.thehasphotostatequipmenttoo.”

“youdon’tlikedistrictattorneyspringertoowell,doyou,captain?”

helookedsurprised.“me?ilikeeverybody,evenyou.getthehelloutofhere.i’vegotworktodo.”

istooduptogo.hesaidsuddenly:“youcarryagunthesedays?”

“partofthetime.”

“bigwilliemagooncarriedtwo.iwonderwhyhedidn’tusethem.”

“iguesshefiguredhehadeverybodyscared.”

“thatcouldbeit,”hernandezsaidcasually.hepickeduparubberbandandstretcheditbetweenhisthumbs.hestretcheditfartherandfarther.finallywithasnapitbroke.herubbedhisthumbwherethelooseendhadsnappedbackagainstit.“anybodycanbestretchedtoofar,”hesaid.“nomatterhowtoughhelooks.seeyouaround.”

iwentoutofthedoorandgotoutofthebuildingfast.onceapatsy,alwaysapatsy.