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He was content when he fell asleep

"THE police have already interviewed Rule Shaker, with his lawyer present, of course," Savich said to a full audience the followingjust after they’d finished breakfast and trooped into the living rooo He said that Rule Shaker is giving theress That approach stretches things out forever and ends up leading anybody anywhere

"Rule Shaker just sat there behind his big chro he just wanted Louey Santera to coood deal of money at the craps table, so what? What reasonable man, what reasonable businessman, he asked, would kill a man ed hiht not have been the target, Mr Shaker very politely inforht A screould have been i it Then he offered both O’Connor and the Las Vegas detective a cigar"

Everyone just stared morosely at Savich Mason Lord said, "That sounds like Shaker He’s an arrogant little bastard"

"Sorry, guys," Savich said, "Ain’t nothing easy in this life, even when it involves bastards"

Miles cleared his throat at the door "Detective O’Connor is here"

O’Connor looked very tired; he had bags under his eyes that hadn’t been there just two days before He tried to sot by the reporters and photographers intact Yourith them, Mr Lord, no violence, but they’re firm There aren’t ent Savich is giving you all a rundown of what I didn’t accoas" He turned to Savich "Do you have anything for us?"

"MAXINE just"Actually, we’ve had her plugged in all night We’re just waiting for her to coughr so up"

Mason Lord cleared his throat "My dear, would you like to ask Miles to bring in coffee?"

"Of course, Mason," Eve Lord said and rose gracefully fro in She hadn’t said a word until that moment, hadn’t really called any attention at all to herself But when she stood, all the ht white jeans, a top tied beneath her breasts, her pale blond hair long and loose, smooth as a silk swatch down her back Every male eye in the room watched Eve Lord walk to the door, open it, and leave the living rooh of lust

Ramsey smiled as he said, "Detective O’Connor, we didn’t mean to interrupt you"

"Well, I can tell you that we spoke to Mr Santera’s accountant, Warren O’Dell, last evening, after you’d seen hi the truth, as far as we can tell Louey Santera did personally remove three hundred thousand dollars from his account We won’t knohat he did with it

"About the bomb," Detective O’Connor continued "It was hooked directly to the ignition switch The parts are co for leads It was professional, no doubt about that Mr Lord, we’d like to speak to your staff again, at so with Gunther You said, Mr Lord, that he was the e"

"Yes, that’s right He brought it around at about five o’clock in theI ake and so was he He had the time, so he washed the car Gunther does that When he finished, he just brought it around He doesn’t know anything more or he would have told oes on here"

"Evidently not," Molly said, ignoring the look her father gave her

O’Connor said, "Soed the bomb in the car, but not turned it on until they were sure ould be in the car Unless, of course, Gunther told anyone who he was bringing the car around for You must realize, Mr Lord, that someone on the estate must have been involved"

There, it was said out in the open

Mason Lord said in his mildest voice, "That is one opinion, Detective O’Connor Now, there is, of course, the man orks here to take care of my cars I have a fleet of six He also lives on the premises But I know you’ve already spoken to hi to him, I suppose I’ll send him to see you, Detective"

"I would appreciate some cooperation from your people, Mr Lord"