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"Is in our fair city," Don Tetragna said, gesturing again toward theand s at the populous slopes below

Vince supposed that the don was s fondly at his beloved San Francisco But the smile didn’t look fond It looked avaricious

"And," Don Tetragna said, "you would like for ive you the names of the people who have my authorization to deal in papers such as this rant rateful"

"They won’t have kept records"

"Yes, sir, but they "

"They’re in the business of not rena No ets"

"How true And you swear that the man you seek is not a member of any Family?"

"I swear it"

"This execution must not in any way be traced to ain, but not for as long as he had closed them before When he opened them, he smiled broadly but, as always, it was a humorless smile He was the least jolly fat irl rather than one of his own people, his faood wife, unquestioning and obedient And they produced you-a most handsoood soldier, Vincent You have done fine, clean work for the Fao, and also for us on this coast Not very long ago, you did ela"

"For which you paid na,"

The Screwdriver waved one hand dismissively "We’re all paid for our labors But we’re not talking ood service are worth more than money Therefore, you are owed at least this One favor"

"Thank you, Don Tetragna"

"You’ll be given the names of those who provide such papers in this City, and I’ll see that they are all forewarned of your visit They’ll cooperate fully"

"If you say they will," Vince said, rising and boith only his head and shoulders, "I know that it is true"

The don motioned him to Sit down "But before you attend to this private affair, I’d like you to take another contract There’s a rief He thinks I can’t touch hiuarded His name is Ramon Velazquez This will be a difficult job, Vincent"

Vince carefully concealed his frustration and displeasure He did not want to take on a troubleso down Travis Cornell and the dog But he knew Tetragna’s contract was et the names of the people who sold false papers, he must first waste Velazquez

He said, "I would be honored to squash any insect that has stung you And there’ll be no charge this tiratiatingly as he kne, Vince sna, let na appeared to consider the request, though this hat he expected-a free hit in return for helping Vince He put both hands on his enormous belly and patted himself "I am such a lucky man Wherever I turn, people want to do na," Vince said, sick of their mannered conversation "You reap what you sow, and if you reap kindness it is because of the seeds of greater kindness you’ve sown so broadly"

Beana accepted his offer to waste Velazquez for nothing The nostrils of his porcine nose flared as if he had sood to eat, and he said, "But now tell meto satisfy my curiosity, ill you do to this other man when you catch him, this man hom you have a personal vendetta?"

Blow his brains out and snatch his dog, Vince thought

But he knew the kind of crap The Screwdriver wanted to hear, the sauys wanted to hear frona, I intend to cut off his balls, cut off his ears, cut out his tongue-and only then put an ice pick through his heart and stop his clock"

The fat littered with approval His nostrils flared

3

By Thanksgiving, The Outsider had not found the bleached-wood house in Big Sur

Every night, Travis and Nora locked the shutters over the inside of the s They dead-bolted the doors Retiring to the second floor, they slept with shotguns beside their bed and revolvers on their nightstands

Soht, they were awakened by strange noises in the yard or on the porch roof Einstein padded froently, but always he indicated that they had nothing to fear On further investigation, Travis usually found a prowling raccoon or other forest creature

Travis enjoyed Thanksgiving iven the circumstances He and Nora cooked an elaborate traditional meal for just the three of thelazed carrots, baked corn, pepper slaw, crescent rolls, and pu because he had developed aHe was still a dog, however, and though the only thing he strongly disliked was the sour pepper slaw, he preferred turkey above all else That afternoon he spent a lot of ti contentedly on the drumsticks

Over the weeks, Travis had noticed that, like o out into the yard occasionally and eat a little grass, though so Day, and when Travis asked hirass, Einstein said no "Then why do you try to eat it sometimes?"

NEED IT

"Why?"