〃Now the other side；〃 I said gently。 〃What's worth doing…〃
But he opened his eyes； and their expression was enough。 I put the sprayer on a table and went to a chair。
He looked at his wristwatch。 〃I read the report of your talk with Rackham。 How did it go？〃
〃Fine。 You might have thought he had rehearsed it with us。〃
〃Tell me about it。〃
I obeyed。 It felt good； giving him a munique again； and since it needed no apologies I enjoyed it。 What I always tried for was to present it so that few or no questions were required； and though I was a little out of practice I did well enough。
When I was through he muttered； 〃Satisfactory。 Confound this smell。〃
〃It'll go away in time。 Sixty dollars an ounce。〃
〃Speaking of dollars； you didn't deposit what you took from Rackham？〃
〃No。 It's in the safe。〃
〃Leave it there for the present。 It's Mrs。 Rackham's money； and we may decide we've earned it。 Heaven knows no imaginable sum could repay me for these months。 I was thinking…〃
He cut it off； tilted his head a little； and regarded me with eyes narrowed to slits。
〃Well？〃 I said aggressively。 〃More bright ideas？〃
〃I was thinking； Archie。 August is gone。 The risk would be negligible。 Get Mr。 Haskins on the phone tomorrow and tell him to start a dozen chicks on blaeberries。 Uh…two dozen。 You can tell him they are for gifts to your friends。〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Yes。 Tomorrow。〃
〃I say no。 He would know damn well who they were for。 My God； is your stomach more important than your neck？ Not to mention mine。 You can't help it if you were bom greedy； but you can try to control…〃
〃Archie。〃 His voice was thin and cold with fury。 〃Nearly five months now。 Look at me。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 He had me。 〃You're right。 I beg your pardon。 But I am not going to phone Haskins。 You just had a moment of weakness。 Let's change the subject。 Does Rackham's biting on the first try change the schedule any？〃
〃You could tell Mr。 Haskins…〃
〃No。〃
He gave up。 After sitting a while with his eyes closed； he sighed so deep it made him shudder； and then came back to black reality。 Only a quarter of his hour was left； and we used it to review the situation and program。
The strategy was unchanged。 At midnight he arose。
〃Please thank Miss Rowan for me？〃
〃Sure。 She thinks you ought to call her Lily。〃
〃You shouldn't leave on my heels。〃
〃I won't。 She's sore and wants to have a scene。〃
I went ahead to open the door for him。 As I did so he asked； 〃What is this stuff called？〃
〃Houri de Perse。〃
〃Great heavens；〃 he muttered； and went。
16
HAVING my own office was giving me a new slant on some of the advantages of the setup I had long enjoyed at Wolfe's place。 With a tailing job on； Sunday was like any other day； and I had to be at 1019 at the usual hour； both to type the report and to take calls from the man on the job in case he needed advice or help。 It was no longer just burlesque； at least not for me。 Even though Rackham knew we were on him； those were three good men； particularly Saul； and I stood a fair chance of being informed if he strayed anywhere out of bounds to keep an appointment。 To some extent the tail now served a purpose： to warn me if the subject and the client made a contact； which was somewhat bassackwards but convenient for me。
After a leisurely Sunday dinner at Rusterman's Restaurant； where I couldn't make up my mind whether Marko Vukcic knew that I had my old job back； I returned to 1019 to find Max Christy waiting at the door。 He seemed a little upset。 I glanced at my wrist and told him he was early。
〃This one…man business is no good；〃 he plained。 〃You ought to have someone here。 I tried to get you on the phone nearly two hours ago。〃
Unlocking the door and entering； I explained that I had dawdled over tournedos a la Bearnaise； which I thought would impress him。 He didn't seem to hear me。 When I unlocked a desk drawer to get the report； and handed it to him； he stuffed it in his pocket without glancing at it。
I raised the brows。 〃Don't you want to read it？〃
〃I'll read it in the car。 You're ing along。〃
〃Yeah？ Where to？〃
〃Pete Roeder wants to see you。〃
〃Well； here I am。 As you say； this is a one…man business。 I've got to stick here； damn it。〃
Christy was glaring at me under his brow thickets。 〃Listen； Goodwin； I'm supposed to have you somewhere at four o'clock； and it's five to three now。 I waited for you nearly half an hour。 Let's go。 You can argue on the way。〃
I had done my arguing； double…quick； while he was speaking。 To balk was out of the question。 To stall and try to get an idea what the program really was would have been sappy。 I got my keys out again； unlocked the bottom drawer； took off my jacket； got out the shoulder holster； slipped it on； and twisted my torso to reach for the buckle。
〃What's that for； woodchucks？〃 Christy asked。
〃Just force of habit。 Once I forgot to wear it and a guy in an elevator stepped on my toe。 I had to cut his throat。 If we're in a hurry； e on。〃
We went。 Down at the curb； as I had noticed on my way in； force of habit again； was a dark blue Olds sedan； a fifty； with a cheerful…looking young man with a wide mouth； no hat； behind the wheel。 He gave me an interested look as Christy and I got in the back seat； but no words passed。
The second the door slammed the engine started and the car went forward。
The Olds fifty is the only stock car that will top a hundred and ten； but we never reached half of that…up the West Side Highway； Saw Mill River； and Taconic State。 The young man was a careful； petent； and considerate driver。 There was not much conversation。 When Christy took the report from his pocket and started reading it my first reaction was mild relief； on the ground that if I were about to die they wouldn't give a damn what my last words were； but on second thought it seemed reasonable that he might be looking for more evidence for the prosecution； and I left the matter open。 It was a fine sunny day； not too hot； and everything looked very attractive。
I hoped I would see many more days like it； in either town or country； I didn't care which； though ordinarily I much prefer the city。 But that day the country looked swell； and therefore I resented it when； as we were rolling along the Taconic State Parkway a few miles north of Hawthorne Circle； Christy suddenly manded me； 〃Get down on the Qoor； face down。〃
〃Have a heart；〃 I protested。 〃I'm enjoying the scenery。〃
〃I'll describe it to you。 Shall we park for a talk？〃
〃How much time have we？〃
〃None to waste。〃
〃Okay； pull your feet back。〃
The truth was； I was glad to oblige。 Logic had stepped in。 If that was intended for my last ride I wouldn't ever be traveling that road again； and in that case what difference did it make if I saw where we turned off and which direction we went？ There must have been some chance that I would ride another day； and without a chaperon； or this stunt was pointless。 So as I got myself into position； wriggling and adjusting to keep my face downward without an elbow or knee taking my weight； the worst I felt was undignified。 I heard the driver saying something； in a soft quiet voice； and Christy answering him； but I didn't catch the words。
There was no law against looking at my watch。 I had been playing hide and seek； with me it； a little more than sixteen minutes； with the car going now slower and now faster； now straight and now turning left and now right； when finally it slowed down to a full stop。 I heard a strange voice and then Christy's； and the sound of a heavy door closing。 I shifted my weight。
〃Hold it；〃 Christy snapped at me。 He was still right above me。 〃We're a littie early。〃
〃I'm tired of breathing dust；〃 I plained。
〃It's better than not breathing at all；〃 the strange voice said and laughed； not attractively。
〃He's got a gun；〃 Christy stated。 〃Left armpit。〃
〃Why not？ He's a licensed eye。 We'll take care of it。〃
I looked at my watch； but it was too dark to see the hands； so of course we were in out of the sun。 The driver had got out； shut the car door； and walked away； if I was any good at reading sounds。 I heard voices indistinctly； not near me； and didn't get the words。 My left leg； from the knee down； got bored and decided to go to sleep。 I moved it。
〃Hold it；〃 Christy manded。
〃Nuts。 Tape my eyes and let me get up and stretch。〃
〃I said hold it。〃
I held it； for what I would put at another seven minutes。 Then there were noises…a door opening； not loud； footsteps and voices； a door closing； again not loud； still steps and voices； a car's doors opening and shutting； an engine starting； a car moving； and in a minute the closing of the heavy door that had closed after we had stopped。 Then the door which my head was touching opened。
〃All right；〃 a voice said。 〃e on out。〃
It took acrobatics； but I made it。 I was standing； slightly wobbly； on concrete； near a concrete wall of a room sixty feet square with no windows and not too many lights。 My darting glance caught cars scattered around； seven or eight of them。 It also caught four men： Christy； ing around the