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"Good, because that’s not what she wants either Donna’s got a good job, makes decent money She works don somewhere, doesn’t she?"

"She’s at an investment bank I don’t know exactly what she does there"

"Whatever it is, it pays well And the nextto be anytiuy from South Brooklyn who stays sober between drunks And you knoho else he won’t be?"

"An unlicensed private eye living in a hotel rooood tiht alone"

"Right"

"And you caood What’s the matter?"

"Is that what the money was for?"

"No, of course not Thewith you to pay you back for helping her out Merry Christmas, kiddo"

"Huh?"

"You don’t know the joke? Mails the ives hi he knows she’s taking him upstairs to the bedroom Afterward she hands him a dollar

"And he says, ‘Hey, what’s this?’ And he tries to hand it back, but she won’t take it ‘It’s for you,’ she says ‘It was my husband’s idea’ ‘Your husband’s idea?’ ‘Yeah,’ she says ‘I asked him what should we do for the ive him a dollar The brownie and coffee wereat St Clare’s, and afterward I walked him back to his place On ht past the desk earlier without seeing if any of es This ti I went upstairs, picked up the phone, put it doithout dialing anybody’s number, and went to bed

XXIX

MONDAY MORNING I called Greg Still after breakfast There was no answer, so I left a e on his machine I knew better than to call Donna, and I wasn’t ready to call Jan I found the number for Dennis Redmond, and someone else at the precinct answered his phone I left my na for a day and a half I was never in my room when he called, and he was never at his desk when I called hi, and to St Paul’s that night I thought I ht run into Donna, but wasn’t surprised when I didn’t

Jim wasn’t there either, but I found some other people to have coffee with, and it was past eleven when I got hoes, but Jacob informed me that I’d had a call "But he didn’t leave no name," he said, "nor no nuht

I was surprised Greg hadn’t returned ot thedown strawberry-rhubarb pie or he’d turned in for the night I hung up without leaving another e and went to bed

Tuesday afternoonwhen I was there to answer it It was Jan, just calling to say hello We had a curiously hollow conversation, where what didn’t get said wasabout the past Saturday night, or about the cos I had on my mind, and I don’t think she did either

So it wasn’t jaot off the phone with her I called Redmond, and this time he was there to answer

"Sorry," he said "I’ve been et back to you I did call a couple of times"

"I’ve been hard to reachif it was you who picked up Jack Ellery’s possessions"

He didn’t knohat I was talking about I explained that sos froht be him

"Jesus," he said "Why would I do that?"

"That’s what I ondering"

"The super said it was ory Stillot the impression some police officer had picked up the stuff"

"What stuff? The long-lost loot from the Brinks Job?"

"Well, I don’t know," I said "Stillht be some notebooks, some AA keepsakes"

"You ever been to his room?"

"Ellery’s? No"

"Well, I was, because it here he was killed Outside of a razor and a toothbrush and a clock radio, he didn’t ohole hell of a lot Some old clothes, an extra pair of shoes Maybe half a dozen books So for?"

"I wasn’t looking for anything Stillht, Stillman There was a brass coin about the size of a half-dollar Maybe a little larger Had what I guess is the AA syet which"