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My ex-wife Anita Chance, the pimp who'd killed Kim Dakkinen And somebody named Faber I didn't know anybody na-lost buddy during s

I discarded the slip with his nuainst the hassle of placing a call through the hotel operator If I hadn't poured out the bourbon I ht have had a drink just about then Instead I went downstairs and called Anita from the lobby booth

It was a curious conversation We were carefully polite, as we often are, and after we'd circled one another like first-round prizefighters she askedyour call," I said "I' e that you called Monday"

There was a pause Then she said, "Matt, we spoke Monday night You called me back Don't you remember?"

I felt a chill, as if someone had just scraped a piece of chalk on a blackboard "Of course I reet back in ht you'd called a second tie slip and then soot handed to ht it was another call"

"That's what must have happened"

"Sure," I said "Anita, I'd had a couple drinks when I spoke to you the other night My ue You want to reot?"

We had talked about orthodontia for Mickey I'd told her to get another opinion I remembered that part of the conversation, I assured her Was there anything else? I had said I was hoping to send more money soon, afor the kid's braces shouldn't be any problem I told her I remembered that part, too, and she said that was about all, except that of course I'd talked to the children Oh, sure, I told her I remembered my conversation with the boys And that was all? Well, then,when I hung up the phone I sat there and tried to summon up a memory of the conversation she had just described and it was hopeless Everything was a blank froht to the ti, all of it, gone

I tore up the ain, put the scraps in e The number Chance had left was his service number I called Midtown North instead Durkin wasn't in but they gave y when he answered "Giarette," he said When he ca teevee," he said, "and I went and fell asleep in front of the set What's on yourto reachto reach you how?"

"By phone He left a nu service So he's probably in town, and if you wantfor hiht Imy blackout, that one of us had called the other and I didn't re and I realized that hadn't happened

"We had him over at the station house and eated him," he explained "We put out a pickup order but he wound up co in on his own accord He had a slick laith hio?"

"We didn't have one da to hold him on He had an alibi for the whole stretch from several hours before the estiht hours after The alibi looks solid and we haven't got anything to stack up against it The clerk who checked Charles Jones into the Galaxy can't come up with a description I ned in was black or white He sort of thinks he hite How'd you like to hand that to the DA?"

"He could have had so hotels, they don't keep any track of who goes in and out"

"You're right He could have had someone rent the room He also could have had soure he did?"

"I don't get paid to figure I knoe haven't got a case against the son of a bitch"

I thought for a moment "Why would he call me?"

"Hoould I know?"

"Does he know I steered you to him?"

"He didn't hear it from me"

"Then what does he ith me?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

It arm in the booth I cracked the door, let a little air in "Maybe I'll do that"

"Sure Scudder? Don't ot some kind of a hard-on for you, you want to watch your back"

"Right"

"And if he does nail you, leave a dying e, will you? That's what they always do on television"

"I'll see what I can do"

"Make it clever," he said "but not too clever, you know? Keep it siure it out"

I dropped a dime and called his service The woht-oh-nine-two May I help you?"

I said, "My na his call"

She said she expected to be speaking to hiave it to her and went upstairs and stretched out on the bed

A little less than an hour later the phone rang "It's Chance," he said "I want to thank you for returning o Both of the es"

"I'd like to speak with you," he said "Face to face, that is"

"All right"

"I'et a drink or a cup of coffee in the neighborhood Could you coht"

Chapter 10