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“My heart,” he says. “May I take my pills?”

“Go ahead.”

Eva goes to the bar and pours some tonic water into a glass. Gives it to Sinclair. He gulps it down with the pills.

“Thank you,” he says.

Sandoval pats him on the shoulder and goes back to the bar. She pours herself a whiskey.

“Would you like one?”

“I want Howard.”

“Patience.”

>

“Never say that to an angry man with a gun. They could go off.”

She laughs a little. I don’t like it, but I let it go for now.

A minute later, a door opens and Howard comes in. He stops abruptly when he sees Sandoval grave, Sinclair next to a bullet hole, and me clearly wanting to shoot everyone in the room.

“You wanted to see me, Eva?”

“No,” she says. “He did.”

She points at me with her glass.

Howard gives me a timid look. Through the big wire-frame glasses he looks like a myopic mouse.

“How can I help you?” he says.

I go over to him.

“When we start the process, how long will it take to finish?”

“An hour on the outside.”

“Side effects?”

“Nothing serious,” he says. “A little dizziness. Some nausea. Fatigue. But they’ll pass quickly.”

“What I mean is, will I be able to leave immediately after we’re done?”

He bobs his head.

“I don’t see why not. Of course, you’ll want to take some meclizine before you go.”

“What’s that?”

“A seasickness drug,” says Sandoval. “So you can say bon voyage to the captain without puking all over his yacht.”

“Yeah. I want some of that.”

Howard looks at Sandoval.

“I take it we’re not proceeding tonight?”