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Gilman looked at the card for a moment, then handed it back I watched his face and could see him make up hiswith you, Mr Scudder It's not as though I knew anything substantial It was all a fair ae since then, or over the da of liquid, we generally have a drink about now Will you join us?"

"Thank you"

"We generallyelse you'd prefer?"

"Martinis hit me a little hard," I said "I think I'd better stick hiskey Bourbon, if you've got it"

Of course they had it They had Wild Turkey, which is a cut or two better than what I'ave lass He poured Boin into a pitcher, added ice cubes and a spoonful of verlasses that were lass and proposed a toast to Friday, and we drank to that

I wound up sitting where Rolfe had had , his knees drawn up and his ar the jeans and shirt he'd put on to introduce ht Gile of the uncolass, then looking up atto remember the day she died," he said "It's difficult I didn't come home from the office that day I had drinks with someone after work, and then dinner out, and I think I went to a party in the Village It's not iet hoot here because I read theI ree on the train, the business of turning the pages and all The headline was Icepick Killer Strikes in Brooklyn, or words to that effect I believe there had been a previous killing in Brooklyn"

"The fourth victie three, I suppose it raph, but the name and address, of course, and that was unmistakable" He put a hand to his chest "I re You don't expect that sort of thing to happen to someone you know And it made me feel so vulnerableI felt that before I felt the sense of loss one feels over the death of a friend"

"Hoell did you know the Ettingers?"

"Reasonably well They were a couple, of course, and most of their social interaction ith other couples But they were right across the hall and I'd have them in for drinks or coffee from time to time, or they'd ask me over I had one or two parties that they ca I think they were coreat quantity I can understand that One doesn't like to be overwhelly outnumbered, does one? It's only natural to feel self-conscious"

"Were they happy?"

The question pulled hi his answer "I suppose he's a suspect," he said "The spouse always is Have you met him?"

"No"

" 'Were they happy?' The question's inevitable, but who can ever answer it? They seemed happy Most couples do, and most couples ultimately break up, and when they do their friends are invariably surprised because they seemed so bloody happy" He finished his drink "I think they were happy enough She was expecting a child when she was killed"

"I know"

"I hadn't known it I only learned after her death" He racefully to his feet and replenished Gilman's drink While he was up he pouredthe first one a little bit so I took it easy on the second

Gilht have steadied her"

"The baby?"

"Yes"

"She needed steadying?"

He sipped his martini "De mortuis and all that One hesitates to speak candidly of the dead There was a restlessness in Barbara She was a bright girl, you know Very attractive, energetic, quick-witted I don't recall where she went to school, but it was a good school Doug went to Hofstra I don't suppose there's anything the ious than Barbara's alma mater I don't knohy I can't remember it"

"Wellesley" London had told irl during e career Sometimes self-acceptance takes a certain amount of time"

"Did Barbara marry beneath herself?"