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"That's good"

"He had a good life, don't you think? And he was a good dog He was such a clown He could always break me up"

She talked for a fewShe thanked ain that I wished it could have beenthem as soon as I was finished withup the phone and went outside

The sun was screened by clouds and there was a chill wind blowing Two doors down from the hotel is a bar called McGovern's They open early

I went in The place was empty except for two old men, one behind the bar, one in front of it The bartender's hand trehtly as he poured lass of water

I hoisted the glass, wondered at the wisdo an early visit to London's office with bourbon on my breath, then decided it was a pardonable eccentricity in an unofficial private detective I thought about poor old Bandy, but of course I wasn't really thinking about the dog For me, and probably for Anita, he was one of the few threads that had still linked us Rather like the

I drank the drink and got out of there

LONDON'S office was on the sixteenth floor of a twenty-eight-story building on Pine Street I shared the elevator with twoOne carried a clipboard, the other a tool kit Neither spoke, nor did I

I felt like a rat in a maze by the time I found London's office His nalass door Inside, a receptionist with a slight British accent invited me to have a seat, then spoke quietly into a telephone I looked at a copy of Sports Illustrated until a door opened and Charles London beckoned me into his private office

It was a fair-sized roo luxurious There was a view of the harbor fros We stood on either side of his desk, and I sensed soretted that bourbon at McGovern's, then realized it had nothing to do with the screen that seemed to separate us

"I wish you'd called," he said "You'd have been able to save a trip down here"

"I called and they told e that you would call later"

"I thought I'd save a call"

He nodded His outfit looked the sa's, except that the tie was different I'm sure the suit and shirt were different, too He probably had six identical suits, and two drawers of white shirts

He said, "I' to have to ask you to drop the case, Mr Scudder"

"Oh?"

"You see in here Why?"

"My reasons aren't ied "I made a mistake," he said "I sent you on a fool's errand It was a waste of ht as well let ive it back because I already spent it"

"I wasn't expecting a refund"

"And I didn't come here to ask for any additionalme to drop the case?"

The pale blue eyes blinked twice behind the rilasses He askedHe re hieance, retribution Troubling the waters Either that man killed her or some other maniac did and there's probably no e'll ever know for sure I rong to set you to work raking up the past and disturbing the present"

"Is that what I've been doing?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Raking up the past and disturbing the present? Maybe that's a good definition of my role When did you decide to call ot to you, didn't he? It must have been yesterday Saturday's a busy day at the store, they sell a lot of tennis rackets He probably called you last night, didn't he?" When he hesitated I said, "Go ahead Tell me it's not important"

"It's not More to the point, it's not your business, Mr Scudder"

"I got a wake-up call around one thirty last night froive you a call about the sa about"

"She's got a distinctive voice I heard it the day before when I called Ettinger at home and she told ht to tell me to let the dead stay buried That seems to be what you want, too"

"Yes," he said "That's what I want"