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"Agnes was picked up She’s in the e for Kinsey We left a couple ofht we’d stop by We’re on our way to the hospital Is she ho machine, which rested on the bookshelf behind the sofa I eased across the rooht, which indicated that two calls had been recorded I turned the volume down, pushed the auto playback button, and listened to the tape The firstfor ed a look He lifted his brows in a facial shrug He flipped the porch light on, peered through the spyhole, and opened the door with caution Clyde was standing by hiht Beyond hi in and I could see faint wisps of it curling around the light "Sorry for the inconvenience," he said "I don’t like to disturb people this late, but Irene insisted"

"Co back so Clyde could enter Dietz closed the door behind him and motioned Clyde to have a seat, an offer Clyde declined with a brief shake of his head "Irene’s waiting in the car I don’t want to leave her too long She’s anxious to get over there"

He was looking weary, his baggy face weighted with anxiety He wore a tan gabardine topcoat, hands shoved down in his pockets His gaze flickered across Dietz’s holster but he refrained froht be a breach of etiquette

"How’s Agnes doing? Has anybody said?" I asked

"We’re not really sure The doc saysserious… but her heartbeat’s irregular and I guess they put her on son the paperwork I gather it’s nothing life-threatening, but the wohty-some-odd years old"

"The cops picked her up?"

Clyde nodded "So in the street She was the one who called the police The officer who called said Agnes is disoriented, has no idea where she is or where she’s been all this ti about you since they brought her in We’d appreciate your co with us if it’s not too e o like this"

"I’ll let Irene know you’re co," he said to me And then to Dietz, "Will you follow in your car or ride with us?"

"We’ll corab a cab back," Dietz said

I was onoff the black silk jacket as I went, kicking off"Where’d they find her?"

Clyde turned his face up tohoet far I can’t figure out hoe missed her unless she saw us and hid"

"I wouldn’t put it past her" I ducked back, peeling off the jued rabbed a polo shirt out of the chest of drawers, pulled it on, and shook h-top Reeboks and left the laces for later I was clopping down the narrow staircase two seconds later, reaching for

"Let’s hit it," I said, as Dietz opened the door

Clyde’s white Mercedes sedan was parked at the curb Irene, in the front, turned a worried face toward us as we approached

The fifteen-minute drive to St Terry’s was strained Dietz and I sat in the backseat with Dietz angled sideways so he could check out the backfor any cars following I was perched, leaning forward, ar on the front seat close to Irene, who clutched ers were icy and I found nal another asthnes was li it

The sency room was full A black-and-white occupied the end slot Clyde pulled up to the entrance and let us out, then went off to find parking on the street Irene hung back, evidently reluctant to go in without hiht red, which she pulled around her now as if for warhts, hoping to catch sight of him

"He’ll be with us shortly," I said