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He turned left on Monarch Lane, the side street that intersected Old Coast Road The bank was on the corner and his office was located at the far end of the building He traversed the parking lot, lass door into the reception area When he paused to look back, he spotted the MG passing on the street The girl was staring in his direction and he saw her reach over and grab Michael Sutton’s aret his attention The MG slowed and Michael peered past her at the front of the bank Walker stepped away frolass and then pivoted and took the side corridor to his office, where he closed the door

At 6:00 he left the bank and walked the two blocks to his rill off the Pelican parking lot, but he couldn’t bring himself to walk in He’d halted at the door, struck by the sarette smoke didn’t bother hi over their plates, sawing away at steaks and pork chops Nine days sober and he felt the old quickening, the automatic spark of exciteht Rather than order a ainst the old associations of red meat and red wine, he turned on his heel and returned to his roo froain, crossed the street to the twenty-four-hour gas station, and shut himself into a public phone booth with a bifold door He put a couple of coins in the slot and dialed Jon Corso’s number On the street a car slowed, turned in, and stopped in front of the pu his face He was behaving like a fugitive

After four rings Jon picked up, sounding brusque He was probably working on a new book, irritated at the interruption "Hello?"

"We need to talk"

There was a pause of four seconds "About what?"

"I’d rather not say on the phone"

"And why is that?"

"Shit, Jon You’re the one who’s paranoid I’as station across the street fro a pay phone"

"I’ll pick you up in half an hour," Jon said, and hung up

Walker checked his watch, unsure what to do with himself until Jon arrived He went into the minimart adjacent to the service bays, which were dark now The place was e a co at the gaudy array of potato chips, Fritos, Cheetos, tortilla chips, sun-baked chips, and pretzels, along with nasty-looking jars of salsa and a cheese product as viscous as glue Crackers, cookies, candy bars, Twinkies, packaged cupcakes covered in coconut The refrigerated coolers were stocked with cheap beer, canned and bottled sodas, and a row of jug wines He came to an ordered row of sandwiches and read the labels Tuna salad, hana with na sandwich, which he hadn’t eaten in years At the counter he added four candy bars and paid for the lot The clerk put everything in a bag for hiain and crossed to the half-wall at the far end of the paved area He sat doishing he’d bought a soft drink, but too lazy to go back

He opened the sandwich and took a bite He chewed slowly, savoring theof mayonnaise Montebello Bank and Trust was just across the street He could see a light on, a low-tech burglar deterrent Traffic was scanty, though he was certain that farther up the block, where bars and restaurants were clustered, the valet car parkers would be hustling back and forth

Jon’s black Jaguar finally tooled into sight at a leisurely speed Walker was guessing he’d bypassed the freeway, opting to drive along the beach It would be like hi Walker to loiter on the corner like a buer side, sliding into the seat

Walker said, "Shit, this feels like we’re having an affair"

"I didn’t think you did things like that"

"Once for two months Miserable experience I swore off"

"Carolyn catch you at it?"

"She knew soured it out"

"Good for you So where to?"

"You pick I’ cooped up"

Jon made a leisurely U-turn and headed for the entrance to the northbound 101 The car was silent and the ride was smooth There was no conversation Walker slouched in his seat and closed his eyes, so relaxed he nearly fell asleep Nights at the Pelican were a badlot at odd hours, pipes thu Walker would wake to the tap and scratch of footsteps passing along the ay outside his door The place wasn’t cheap, located as it was in the heart of Montebello, but the builder had cut corners The shoas fiberglass and the bathroo purchased fro The kitchenette consisted of a hot plate, a toaster oven, and a tiny under-the-counter refrigerator too small to hold a pizza box