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"What about? Elvis never struck e when they die It’s traumatic He’s like this from time to time, but I don’t know for sure what the trouble is He doesn’t try to explain hie of Presley weeping "Is there anything I can do for hihtful of you, sir, but I don’t see what anyone can really do From what I’ve observed on other occasions, my sense of it is… he misses his mother, Gladys, and wants to be with her"

‘As I recall, he was especially fond of his mama, wasn’t he?"

"He adored her," I said

"Isn’t she dead, too?"

"Much longer than he’s been, yes"

"Then they’re together again, aren’t they?"

"Not as long as he’s reluctant to let go of this world She’s over there in the light, and he’s stuck here"

"Why won’t he move on?"

"Sometimes they have important unfinished business here"

"Like little Penny Kallisto thisyou to Harlo Landerson"

"Yes, sir And sometimes they just love this world so much they don’t want to leave it"

The chief nodded "This world sure was good to him"

"If it’s unfinished business, he’s had more than twenty-six years to take care of it," I noted

The chief squinted toward Lysette Rains, trying to see some small­est evidence of her spirit coue distortion of the air, a quiver of reat music"

"Yes, he did"

"You tell him he’s alelcome here"

"I will, sir That’s kind of you"

‘Are you sure you can’t stay for dinner?"

"Thank you, sir, but I’ve got a date"

"With Stormy, I’m sure"

"Yes, sir My destiny"

"You’re a smooth operator, Odd She must love to hear you say that - ‘my destiny’"

"I love to hear me say it"

The chief put his arate at the north side of the house "Best thing that can happen to a ood"

"I’ate forhi He tries tomove, we’ll be all over him"

"I’ll worry just the sa, Elvis was already sitting in the pas­senger’s seat

The dead don’t need to here they want to go - or ride in a car, for that matter When they choose to walk or cruise the streets, they’re ia

Froed out of the clothes fro black slacks, a dressy tweed sport coat, white shirt, black tie, and black pocket handkerchief, an outfit froh later toldaway from the Porter house, we listened to "Stuck on You," as infectious a tune as ever the King recorded

Elvis rapped out the rhyth

FIFTEEN

IN DOWNTOWN PICO MUNDO, AS WE WERE PASSING A church, Elvis indicated that he wanted me to pull to the curb

When I stopped the car, he held out his right hand to rip was as real and war my hand, he clasped it in both of his Maybe he was si me, but it seemed like ently squeezedintensely at ain

"It’s all right," I said, although I had no idea whether that was in any way an adequate response

He got out of the car without opening the door - just phased through it - and walked up the steps of the church I watched until he passed through the heavy oak doors and out of sight

My dinner date with Storht o’clock, so I had tiars used to say, even if with poker, fighting, and fast cars, because idleness will get you in worse trouble

Even lacking Grandone to my rendezvous point with Stor else to occupy my mind, I’d dwell on Bob Robertson and his de away from the church, I phoned P Oswald Boone, he of the four hundred pounds and the six-fingered left hand

Little Ozzie answered on the second ring "Odd, my beautiful cow exploded"

"Exploded?"

"Booht with the world, and the next minute your fabulous cow is blown to bits"

"When did this happen? I haven’t heard anything about it"

"Exactly two hours and twenty-six one, and I believe that even they, with all their experi­ence of criery, were shocked by this"

"I just saw Chief Porter, and he didn’tofficers no doubt needed a stiff drink or two before writing their report"

"How’re you doing?" I asked