But after that night together, she had withdrawn from him, and finally the end had come. Not in an email or a text. Just a look from her in the hallway and a mouthedIm sorry, Travis. And that had been it. And if Ewes was attracted to women instead of men, he could understand her decision. One had to be who one was. And then what? Did Speers say where she might be going? We room together. The elevator sped upward and disgorged him on the twenty-seventh floor, where two Secret Service agents stood on either side of the door to Suite A. They knew him, so didnt bother to frisk, then one opened the door for him. Holly stood before him in an emerald-green gown that set off her red hair, looking like a star from Hollywoods golden years. She came toward him, arms out, then stopped. Which arm? she asked. He knew why she was here. He just wanted her to know this was not going to go all her way, or easily. She pressed her advantage.Look at it from the standpoint of the police — and the newspapers. I go up there with Lutts. Hes trying to blackmail me. Something happens and hes killed by a gunshot wound. I run away. I dont try to call the police. I take a cab. I go to the Union Station, so the cab driver can’t trace me. Then I consult my lawyer. The lawyer tells me I should call the police. When you put those facts together, what does it mean? Ross Thomas I thought about what Id just heard and been told for a few moments and then I said, It looks as though youre all set. Later, he walked out of the subway station in the Financial District and into the heat of the morning. It was early enough for the city to still be waking up. Delivery trucks were parked illegally, and cabs, cars, and Ubers were hammering their horns, besmirching the only quiet time of the day the city had. Birds pecked at pavement trash, street sweepers were sweeping, yawning suits and nonsuits were shuffling to their jobs looking like they were heading to their graves. Reporter Six:Have you contacted anybody in the Bradshaw campaign? I had the recorder all along. I called Showalter and told him I wanted a hundred thousand for it. Its my turn to have some money in this life. He said all right. But when I showed up for the hand-off at the boat dock somebody fired at me. Showalter. So I hid the recorder and Im hiding myself. Im gonna give him one more chance to pay up. I got a call into him now. If I turn up dead you let Cindy know about this letter and the stick match. She’ll know where the recorder is.Grimes Shit, thought Devine.Her room overlooks the front of the house. She heard everything. And that conversation signed Stamoss death warrant. Well, Dino said, at least they wont be looking for a Suburban. He got on his cell phone again, spoke for a moment, then hung up. “The locals lost them. They werent in the house, the bakery had reported its van stolen, and Larkin and his buddies are nowhere to be seen.” Just give it another forty-eight hours. I have. And they wont say a word about him. Too afraid, I would imagine. Weve got two cops on her now. For a moment, with the water in his eyes, the dog was confused. Then he started swimming once more, powerfully, purposefully. How? Shut up, Mason said. Listen. We havent much time. Doexactly as I tell you. Have the cab drive around several streets while you look at different houses. When the meter registers a dollar and sixty-five cents, have him turn around and drive back in the direction of the place where you have parked your car. Under no circumstances are you to say anything more than the bare necessities to the taxi driver. Be sure and get Ruth to pay off the cab. Encourage her to talk with the cab driver as much as possible, and when the meter reaches two dollars and ninety-five cents, apparently come to the last place you were looking for. Stop the driver and have Ruth pay off the cab. Tell Ruth to give him three dollars and a half, and youll pay her later. Do you understand all that? I looked her over pretty thoroughly, Della. She had a bottle in her right hand, a bottle containing a note which had apparently been thrown overboard from the Thayerbelle, George Alders yacht, by a woman who was afraid she was going to be murdered and who was subsequently found dead..