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"I was so god damned mad, Jimmy, that I told Captain Doug lass that Cynthia wasn't the sweet maiden he apparently thought she was."

"That was a pretty shitty thing to do, Dick," Whittaker said. "Under the circumstances, Captain, I think Dick's reaction was understandable," Doug lass said. "What circumstances?" Whittaker asked.

"Is she now fucking somebody else? Donovan, maybe?"

"That's not what I meant," Doug lass said. "Is she, or isn't she?"

"For what it's worth, I don't think so," Canidy said. "Certainly not Donovan, and I don't think anybody else. She's too busy playing spy master."

"That's enough of that, Canidy!" Doug lass snapped. In a moment, he went on: "Under the circumstances, Captain Whittaker, I thought it necessary to fill Canidy in on the circumstances surrounding your uncle's death.

"Jesus Christ!" Whittaker said. And then he laughed. "Well," he said.

"At least Chesly went out happy. All's well that ends well, they say."

Canidy looked at him curiously. That was not the reaction he had expected "Tell me this, before the joyous reunion," he said.

"Will Cynthia know that I know she was fucking my uncle?" No," Canidy said." And she doesn't know that I know, either. "Then let's keep it that way," Whittaker said.

"Okay?"

"So far as I'm concerned," Doug lass said, "there is no reason to bring up this subject ever again."

THREE I When the Buick reached the house on Q Street, the driveway gate was open and Ellis drove right in, stopping the car on the cobblestone drive in front of the garages.

11 Who,s the guy on the gate?" Whittaker asked.

"He looks like a cop."

"There's a security arrangement here," Doug lass said. "I feel like I'm in a Humphrey Bogart movie," Whittaker said. "I'm going to have Ellis take me home," Doug lass announced, "I think it would be a good idea to put Captain Whittaker's letter in the safe."

"I'll put it in the safe, Captain," Ellis said, "if it can wait until I get back."

"No, you won't," Whittaker said.

"I've kept it this far, I'll keep it the rest of the way." Doug lass thought that over. "Whatever you wish, Captain," he said.

"I'll be back here around eight in the morning We can arrange for you to deliver it then," "Okay," Whittaker said. Doug lass got out of the car. He leaned in again and gave Whittaker his hand, but didn't say anything more to him. Ellis tapped the Buick's horn ring. The plainclothes security man started to open the gate again as Canidy and Whittaker got out of the car and walked toward the kitchen.

There was a skinny black woman sitting at the kitchen table. She looked somewhat disapprovingly at them, Whittaker in particular. "Is Miss Chenowith here?" Whittaker asked. "No, but she should be soon," the black woman said. And then, indicating Whittaker with a nod of her head: "He's staying?" Canidy nodded, "She know?" Canidy shook his head no. "She told me that if anybody came in she didn't know about, they was to be put in the second-left bedroom," the black woman said.

"She said she'd be back by now. I don't know why she's not."

"Who's in the master bedroom?" Whittaker asked. The black woman looked at him curiously.

"They save that for important people."

"Can you fix the captain something to eat?" Canidy asked, amused. 44

I suppose so. If he's hungry."

"Steak and eggs?" Whittaker asked.

"And french-fried potatoes?"

"This time of night?"

"Make him whatever he wants," Canidy ordered flatly. The black woman shrugged. "Is there anything else we can get for you, Captain?"