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"Leaving town?"

"Take another look at the clipping," he suggested "He's announcing his retire because he's done He's saying goodbye Isn't that what a fellow ht about it

"Matter of fact," McGraw said, "why else announce his retire credit for Whitfield He could save the rest for another ti in Dallas or Dublin or, I don't know, Dakar? If he had a plane to catch, that'd be a good reason to put all the news in one letter and send it off right away"

"And if it gets there before Whitfield takes the drink, then what?"

"Given that the son of a bitch is nuts," he said, "I'd be hard put to say just what he'd do, but I suppose he'd deal with it one way or the other Either he'd coet the job done or he'd decide fate had let Adrian off the hook And maybe he'd write me one more letter about it and"What I think," he said, "is there's no question in his ht home and s the scotch You read what he wrote, he's talking about a fait accompli Far as he's concerned, it's a done deal Whitfield's already dead If there's a word or phrase in his letter that suggests for a moment that the outcome's still up in the air, I sure as hell ht," I said "He writes about it as though it already happened But we're sure it didn't?"

"It's possible Whitfield was dead before this letter picked up its postot dropped in a et picked up and trucked to the Peck Slip post office and go through the machine that sta one more time "What I asked you over the phone," I said, "hether there was anything in the letter that absolutely ruled out the possibility of suicide"

"That's why I suggested ahere The letter doesn't rule out suicide, except for the fact that Will says he did it, and he's never lied to us in the past But the postmark rules it out"

"Because it was ht have decided to claiood as he is, he couldn't read Whitfield'sto kill hiet away from Marty McGraw He looked around for the waitress, but she ed and walked over to the bar and ca that he'd had enough whiskey for the ti He drank from one of the bottles, then pointed at the other "That's for you if you want it," he said I told hiured as much

"I've been there," he said

"How's that?"

"Been there, done that The roo every day for fourfucking tiuess it is"

"I was having a bad tiht it was the booze So I cut out the booze and you know so? That made it worse"

"Sohtened out sos in uess what? Everything's fine"

"That's great," I said

He narrowed his eyes "Sanctiht to patronize ies"

"Fuck you and your apology Fuck you and the apology you rode in on, or should that be the Appaloosa you rode in on? Sit down, for Christ's sake Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Catch so anyplace, you don't have to be in a rush to catch it Jesus, don't tell ot a busy day," I said "That's all"

"Busy day my ass I'm a little drunk and it makes you uncomfortable Admit it"

"I admit it"

"Well," he said, and frowned, as if the ad he'd expected froht?"

"Of course"