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"What did you say when you fired him?"

"I didn't do it, the owner did He just told Neil it wasn't working out, and Neil didn't push it That looked pretty uilt, don't you think? He'd worked here long enough so that you wouldn't fire hi him the reason, but he didn't want to know"

"How did Paula fit in?"

"Did she? It never occurred to me that she did She left on her own, she wasn't fired, and I'o If she orking with him- well, she could have been, but they never see in corners I never thought of the two of theossip, and I certainly didn't pick up on anything"

Around ht I picked up a couple containers of coffee and planted an's I found a doorway and sat there, drinking coffee and keeping an eye on the place I figured I was reasonably inconspicuous there There were a lot of guys in doorways, so down I was better dressed than most of them, but not by all that much

Ti for Gary Myon a thread of the yarnball it had to grapple with, and ten or fifteen hout it all I kept an's You have to let your mind wander on a stakeout, otherwise you drive yourself crazy with boredora you back to basics if they register anything you ought to be paying attention to Now and then so me back from my reverie and I would take note of who it was

A few minutes after one several people left at once, and moments after that the door opened to release four or five nized in either batch was Andy Buckley The door closed after the second group, and a few seconds later the overhead lights went out, leaving the place very di opposite the place I could see better now, although the doorway I had to lurk in was shallower and not as co whatever he did to shut the place down for the night I drew back a little when the door opened and he dragged a Hefty bag out to the street and swung it up into a green Dumpster Then he went back inside, and I heard the snick of the lock It was faint, but you could hear it across the street if you were listening for it

More tiain and he caates across and locked them The saloon was still dihts stayed on all night for security

When he had all the padlocks fastened I got to my feet, ready to et it, and if he wound up going down into the subway I would probably let hiured he was odds-on to live sohborhood, and if he walked ho him I hadn't been able to find him listed in the Manhattan phone book, so the easiest way to locate his residence was to let him lead me to it

I wasn't sure how I'd play it after that By ear, probably Maybe I'd catch up with hih to spill anything Maybe I'd wait and try to get into his aparth, I'd follow hio anywhere He just stood there, lurking in his doorway even as I lurked inhis hands to hison the on over the shirt and the vest

He lit a cigarette, smoked half of it, threw it away It landed at the curb and sent up a little shower of sparks As they were dying out, a car heading uptown on Tenthlass was tinted all around and I couldn't see as driving, or how unshots I thought I'd hear them, and then the car would pull away fast, and I'd see Neil clutching hislike that happened He trotted over to the car The passenger door opened He got in, closed the door

The Cadillac pulled away, leaving ht I heard the phone while I was in the shower It was ringing when I got out I wrapped a towel around my middle and went to answer it

"Scudder? Mick Ballou Did I wake you, man?"

"I was already up"

"Good man It's early, but I have to see you Say ten minutes? In front of your hotel?"

"Better make it twenty"

"Sooner if you can," he said "We don't want to be late"

Late for what? I shaved quickly, put on a suit I'd spent a restless night, dream-ridden, s Noas seven-thirty in theand I had a date with the Butcher Why? For what?

I tied rabbed upfor me in the lobby I went outside and saw the car at the curb, parked next to a hydrant directly in front of the hotel The big silver Cadillac Tinted glass all around, but I could see him behind the wheel now because he had lowered theon the passenger side and was leaning halfway across the front seat,me over

I crossed the pave a white butcher's apron that covered him from the neck down There were rust-colored stains on the white cotton, some of them vivid, so at the wisdo into a car with ain histo be taken for that sort of ride His hand was out and I shook it, then got in and drew the door shut

He pulled away from the curb, drove to the corner of Ninth and waited for the light He asked again if he'd awakened me and I said he hadn't "Your ," he said, "but I ain"

"I was in the shower"

"But you had a night's sleep?"

"A few hours"

"I never got to bed," he said The light turned and hetraffic, then had to stop for the light at Fifty-sixth He had touched a button to raise lass at theIt was an overcast day, with the threat of rain in the air, and through the darkthe sky looked o

"The butchers' h of so cleavers, a lamb sacrificed