heshovedhistautfaceatme.“ihategamblers,”hesaidinaroughvoice.“ihatethemthewayihatedopepushers.theypandertoadiseasethatiseverybitascorruptingasdope.youthinkthosepalacesinrenoandvegasarejustforharmlessfun?nuts,they’rethereforthelittleguy,thesomething-for-nothingsucker,theladthatstopsoffwithhispayenvelopeinhispocketandlosestheweek-endgrocerymoney.therichgamblerlosesfortygrandandlaughsitoffandcomesbackformore.buttherichgamblerdon’tmakethebigracket,pal.thebigstealisindimesandquartersandhalfdollarsandonceinawhileabuckorevenafive-spot.thebigracketmoneycomesinlikewaterfromthepipeinyourbathroom,asteadystreamthatneverstopsflowing.anytimeanybodywantstoknockoffaprofessionalgambler,that’sforme.ilikeit.andanytimeastategovernmenttakesmoneyfromgamblingandcallsittaxes,thatgovernmentishelpingtokeepthemobsinbusiness.thebarberorthebeautyparlorgirlputstwobucksonthenose.that’sforthesyndicate,that’swhatreallymakestheprofits.thepeoplewantanhonestpoliceforce,dothey?whatfor?toprotecttheguyswithcourtesycards?wegotlegalhorsetracksinthisstate,wegotthemallyearround.theyoperatehonestandthestategetsitscut,andforeverydollarlaidatthetrackthere’sfiftylaidwiththebookies.there’seightornineracesonacardandinhalfofthem,thelittleonesnobodynotices,thefixcanbeinanytimesomebodysaysso.there’sonlyonewayajockcanwinarace,butthere’stwentywayshecanloseone,withastewardateveryeighthpolewatching,andnotabletodoadamnthingaboutitifthejockknowshisstuff.that’slegalgambling,pal,cleanhonestbusiness,stateapproved.soit’sright,isit?notbymybook,itain’t.becauseit’sgamblinganditbreedsgamblersandwhenyouadditupthere’sonekindofgambling—thewrongkind.”

“feelbetter?”iaskedhim,puttingsomewhiteiodineonmywounds.

“i’manoldtiredbeat-upcop.allifeelissore.”

iturnedaroundandstaredathim.“you’readamngoodcop,bernie,butjustthesameyou’reallwet.inonewaycopsareallthesame.theyallblamethewrongthings.ifaguyloseshispaycheckatacraptable,stopgambling.ifhegetsdrunk,stopliquor.ifhekillssomebodyinacarcrash,stopmakingautomobiles.ifhegetspinchedwithagirlinahotelroom,stopsexualintercourse.ifhefallsdownstairs,stopbuildinghouses.”

“awshutup!”

“sure,shutmeup.i’mjustaprivatecitizen.getoffit,bernie.wedon’thavemobsandcrimesyndicatesandgoonsquadsbecausewehavecrookedpoliticiansandtheirstoogesinthecityhallandthelegislatures.crimeisn’tadisease,it’sasymptom.copsarelikeadoctorthatgivesyouaspirinforabraintumor,exceptthatthecopwouldrathercureitwithablackjack.we’reabigroughrichwildpeopleandcrimeisthepricewepayforit,andorganizedcrimeisthepricewepayfororganization.we’llhaveitwithusalongtime.organizedcrimeisjustthedirtysideofthesharpdollar.”

“what’sthecleanside?”

“ineversawit.maybeharlanpottercouldtellyou.let’shaveadrink.”

“youlookedprettygoodwalkinginthatdoor,”ohlssaid.

“youlookedbetterwhenmendypulledtheknifeonyou.”

“shake,”hesaid,andputhishandout.

wehadthedrinkandheleftbythebackdoor,whichhehadjimmiedtogetin,havingdroppedbythenightbeforeforscoutingpurposes.backdoorsareasofttouchiftheyopenoutandareoldenoughforthewoodtohavedriedandshrunk.youknockthepinsoutofthehingesandtherestiseasy.ohlsshowedmeadentintheframewhenhelefttogobackoverthehilltowherehehadlefthiscaronthenextstreet.hecouldhaveopenedthefrontdooralmostaseasilybutthatwouldhavebrokenthelock.itwouldhaveshoweduptoomuch.

iwatchedhimclimbthroughthetreeswiththebeamofatorchinfrontofhimanddisappearovertherise.ilockedthedoorandmixedanothermilddrinkandwentbacktothelivingroomandsatdown.ilookedatmywatch.itwasstillearly.itonlyseemedalongtimesinceihadcomehome.

iwenttothephoneanddialedtheoperatorandgaveherthelorings’phonenumber.thebutleraskedwhowascalling,thenwenttoseeifmrs.loringwasin.shewas.

“iwasthegoatallright,”isaid,“buttheycaughtthetigeralive.i’mbruisedupalittle.”

“youmusttellmeaboutitsometime.”shesoundedaboutasfarawayasifshehadgottoparisalready.

“icouldtellyouoveradrink—ifyouhadtime.”

“tonight?oh,i’mpackingmythingstomoveout.i’mafraidthatwouldbeimpossible.”

“yes,icanseethat.well,ijustthoughtyoumightliketoknow.itwaskindofyoutowarnme.ithadnothingatalltodowithyouroldman.”

“areyousure?”

“positive.”

“oh.justaminute.”shewasgoneforatime,thenshecamebackandsoundedwarmer.“perhapsicouldfitadrinkin.where?”

“anywhereyousay.ihaven’tacartonight,buticangetacab.”

“nonsense,i’llpickyouup,butitwillbeanhourorlonger.whatistheaddressthere?”

itoldherandshehungupandiputtheporchlightonandthenstoodintheopendoorinhalingthenight.ithadgotmuchcooler.

iwentbackinandtriedtophonelonniemorganbutcouldn’treachhim.thenjustforthehellofitiputacallintotheterrapinclubatlasvegas,mr.randystarr.heprobablywouldn’ttakeit.buthedid.hehadaquiet,competent,man-of-affairsvoice.

“nicetohearfromyou,marlowe.anyfriendofterry’sisafriendofmine.whatcanidoforyou?”

“mendyisonhisway.”

“onhiswaywhere?”

“tovegas,withthethreegoonsyousentafterhiminabigblackcaddywitharedspotlightandsiren.yours,ipresume?”

helaughed.“invegas,assomenewspaperguysaid,weusecadillacsfortrailers.what’sthisallabout?”

“mendystakedouthereinmyhousewithacoupleofhardboys.hisideawastobeatmeup—puttingitlow—forapieceinthepaperheseemedtothinkwasmyfault.”

“wasityourfault?”

“idon’townanynewspapers,mr.starr.”

“idon’townanyhardboysincadillacs,mr.marlowe.”

“theyweredeputiesmaybe.”

“icouldn’tsay.anythingelse?”

“hepistol-whippedme.ikickedhiminthestomachandusedmykneeonhisnose.heseemeddissatisfied.allthesameihopehegetstovegasalive.”

“i’msurehewill,ifhestartedthisway.i’mafraidi’llhavetocutthisconversationshortnow.”

“justasecond,starr.wereyouinonthatcaperatotatoclán—ordidmendyworkitalone?”

“comeagain?”

“don’tkid,starr.mendywasn’tsoreatmeforwhyhesaid—nottothepointofstakingoutinmyhouseandgivingmethetreatmenthegavebigwilliemagoon.notenoughmotive.hewarnedmetokeepmynosecleanandnottodigintothelennoxcase.butidid,becauseitjusthappenedtoworkoutthatway.sohedidwhati’vejusttoldyou.sotherewasabetterreason.”

“isee,”hesaidslowlyandstillmildlyandquietly.“youthinktherewassomethingnotquitekosherabouthowterrygotdead?thathedidn’tshoothimself,forinstance,butsomeoneelsedid?”

“ithinkthedetailswouldhelp.hewroteaconfessionwhichwasfalse.hewrotealettertomewhichgotmailed.awaiterorhopinthehotelwasgoingtosneakitoutandmailitforhim.hewasholedupinthehotelandcouldn’tgetout.therewasabigbillintheletterandtheletterwasfinishedjustasaknockcameathisdoor.i’dliketoknowwhocameintotheroom.”

“why?”

“ifithadbeenabellhoporawaiterterrywouldhaveaddedalinetotheletterandsaidso.ifitwasacop,theletterwouldn’thavebeenmailed.sowhowasit—andwhydidterrywritethatconfession?”

“noidea,marlowe.noideaatall.”

“sorryibotheredyou,mr.starr.”

“nobother,gladtohearfromyou.i’llaskmendyifhehasanyideas.”

“yeah—ifyoueverseehimagain—alive.ifyoudon’t—findoutanyway.orsomebodyelsewill.”

“you?”hisvoicehardenednow,butitwasstillquiet.

“no,mr.starr.notme.somebodythatcouldblowyououtofvegaswithouttakingalongbreath.believeme,mr.starr.justbelieveme.thisisstrictlyonthelevel.”

“i’llseemendyalive.don’tworryaboutthat,marlowe.”

“ifiguredyouknewallaboutthat.goodnight,mr.starr.”