to get away with something so raw？ Don't you know that Mr。 Cassidy will show this painting to Debierue； and that…〃
〃Berenice！〃 I brought her up sharply。 〃You're sticking your middle…western nose into something that is none of your damned business！ Now get the hell out of here； get packed； and if you aren't ready to leave in twenty minutes； you can damned well stay here in Valdosta！〃
Her face flushed； and she took two steps backward。 She nodded； nibbled her nether lip； and nodded again。 〃All right！ There is obviously something going on that I don't understand； but that isn't any reason to blow off at me like that。 You can at least explain it to me。 You can't blame me for being bewildered； can you？ I can see that； well； the way it looks is funny； that's all！〃
I got up from the chau put my arm around her shoulders； and gave her a friendly hug。 〃I'm sorry；〃 I said gently； 〃I shouldn't have woofed at you like that。 And don't worry。 I'll explain everything to you in the car。 There's a good girl。 Just get packed； and we can get out of here and be on our way in a few minutes。 Okay？〃
I held open the door。 Still nodding her head； Berenice crossed the hallway to her room。
The moment her door closed； I wrapped the art materials in the sheet； washed the ashtray palette under the bathtub hot water tap and dried it with a towel。 I slipped on my trousers and a shirt； and took the painting and the small bundle of art materials down to the basement garage on the elevator。 I dumped the bundle in a garbage can； and placed the painting carefully； wet side up； in the trunk of my car。 It took another three minutes to unfasten the canvas covertible top； fold it back； and snap the fasteners of the plastic cover。 It would be chilly riding with the top back at this time of night； but I could put it up again later。 The night garage attendant； a young black man wearing white overalls； stood in the doorway of the small； lighted office； watching me silently as I struggled with the top。 Finished； I crossed the garage； handed him a quarter； and told him I was checking out。
〃Call the desk； please；〃 I said； 〃and tell the clerk to send a bellman with a truck to get our baggage in five…ten and fiveoh…five in about fifteen minutes。 Tell the bellman to pile it on the back seat when he es down。 The trunk is already filled with other things。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 he said。
I returned to my room； packed in less than five minutes； pulled a sleeveless sweater on over my shirt； and slipped into my sports coat。 Berenice wasn't ready yet； but I helped her dose her suitcases； and advised her to wear her warm polo coat over her slack suit。 The bellman came with his truck； and when we got off at the lobby to check out； he continued on down to the basement to put our luggage in the car。 Berenice paid the bill； which was surprisingly reasonable； by cashing two traveler's checks； and the bellman had the car out in front for us before we had finished checking out。 The night deskman didn't ask questions about why we were leaving in the middle of the night； and I didn't volunteer any information。
The night air was chilly when we got into the car； and there was a light； misty fog hovering fifty feet or so above the deserted city streets。 I lit two cigarettes； handed Berenice one of them； and pulled away from the curb。 She shivered slightly and huddled down in her seat。
〃You're probably wondering why I put the top back；〃 I said。
〃Yes； I am。 But after the way you barked at me last time； I'm almost afraid to ask any questions。〃
I laughed and patted her leg。 〃If it gets too cold； I'll put it up again。 But I thought it would be best to get as much fresh air as possible to keep myself awake。 It isn't really cold； and there won't be much traffic this time of night； so we should make fairly good time。〃
Berenice accepted this moronic explanation； and I increased the speed the moment we got out of the downtown area and onto the new four…lane highway that was still bordered by residential streets containing two… and three…story houses。
From my examination of the map I knew that there were several small lakes between Valdosta and Tifton； and a few pine reserves as well； first… and second…growth forests to feed the Augusta paper mills。 Most of the rich； red land was cultivated； however…tobacco； for the major crop； but also with melons； corn； peas； or anything else that a farmer wanted to grow； including flax。 East of Valdosta was the Great Okefenokee Swamp； which filled a large section of southeast Georgia； and there were many small lakes； streams； and brooks that filtered well…silted water into the swamp。
I was unfamiliar with the highway and the countryside； and I didn't know precisely what I was looking for； other than a grove of pines； a finger of swamp； and a rarely used access road。 I slowed down considerably a few miles north of Valdosta； as soon as I was in open country with only widely scattered farmhouses； and I began to keep my eyes open for side roads leading nowhere。 Berenice； who had been as silent as a martyr； and suffering from my silence as well； finally had to open her mouth。
〃Well？〃 she said。
〃Well； what？〃
〃I'm waiting for the explanation； that's what。 You said you'd explain； what are you waiting for？〃
〃I've been thinking things over； Berenice； and I'm beginning to e to my senses。 You really don't think it would be a good idea； do you； to send that painting to Mr。 Cassidy？〃
〃That's your business； James。 It isn't up to me to tell you what to do； but if you're asking me for an opinion I'd say no。 But as you said； I don't know all there is to know about what it is you're trying to do…so until I do； I'll keep my long 'middle…western nose' out of your business。〃
〃I apologized for that； sweetheart。〃
〃That's all right。 I know that my nose fits my face。 What does bother me though is that I've been more or less forced to think that you set fire to Debierue's house。〃
〃Me？〃 I laughed。 〃What makes you think I'd do something like that？〃
〃Well； for one thing； you didn't show any surprise；〃 she said shrewdly； 〃when I told you about the news of the fire on television。
〃Why should I be surprised？ His vifia in France burned down； too。 It does surprise me； however； that you would think that I did it。〃
〃Then tell me that you didn't do it； and I'll believe you。〃
〃What would my motive be for doing such a thing？〃
〃Why not give me a simple yes or no？〃
〃There are no simple yes or no answers in this world； Big Girl…none that I've ever found。 There are only qualified yes and no answers； and not many of them。〃
〃All right； James； I can't think of a valid motive； to use one of your favorite words； 'valid； but I can think of a motive that you might consider valid。 I think you've faked an article about some paintings that Debierue was supposed to paint； but didn't paint。 You looked at the paintings he did paint and didn't like them； probably because they didn't meet your high standards of what you thought they should be； so you burned them by setting fire to the house。 You then invented some nonexistent paintings of your own and wrote about them instead。〃
〃Jesus； do you realize how crazy that sounds？〃
〃Yes； I do。 But you can show me how crazy it is by letting me read the article you wrote。 If there's no mention of that weird orange…〃
〃Burnt orange…〃
〃All right； burnt orange painting in your article； then you can easily prove me wrong。 I'll apologize； and that'll be that。〃
〃That'll be that； just like that？ And then you'll expect me to forgive your wild accusation as if you'd never made it； right？〃
〃I said that I might be wrong； and I sincerely hope that I am。 It's easy enough to prove me wrong； isn't it？ What I do know though； and there's nothing you can ever say to persuade me that I'm wrong； is that Debierue never painted that picture in your hotel room。 You painted it。 It was still wet when I touched it…including Debierue's signature。 And the only reason I can possibly e up with for you to do such a thing is because you want to write about it； and pass it off as Debierue's work。 I…I don't know what to think； James； the whole thing has given me a headache。 And really…you may not believe this…I actually don't care！ Honestly； I don't！ But I don't want you to get into any trouble； either。 Arson is a very serious offense； James。〃
〃No shit？〃
〃It isn't funny； I'll tell you that much。 And if you did set fire to Debierue's house； you should tell me！〃
〃Why？ So you can turn me in to the police for arson？〃
〃Oh； James；〃 she wailed。 Berenice put her face into cupped hands and began to cry。
〃All right； Berenice；〃 I said quietly； after I had let her cry for a minute or so； 〃I'll tell you what I'm going to do。〃 I handed her my handkerchief。
She shook her head； took a Kleenex tissue out of her purse； and blew her nose with a refined honk。
〃You're right； Berenice； on all counts；〃 I continued； 〃and I might as well admit it。 I guess I got carried away； but it isn't too late。 Setting the fire was an accident。 I didn't do it on purpose。 The old man had spified some turpentine； and I accidentally dropped my cigarette and it caught。 I thoug