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ked。 I walked in； smelled her perfume and squinted into the darkness until I was rewarded with a giggle。 Undressing； my eyes got accustomed to the lack of light； I saw Madeleine…a nude beacon on a tattered bedspread。
We joined so strongly that the bedsprings banged the floor。 Madeleine kissed her way down to between my legs； made me hard； then did a quick turn onto her back。 I went in her thinking of Betty and the snake shaft thing； then blotted it out by concentrating on the ripped wallpaper in front of my eyes。 I wanted to go slow； but Madeleine gasped； 〃Don't hold back； I'm ready。〃 I pushed hard； slamming the two of us together； my hands braced on the bed rail。 Madeleine locked her legs around my back； grabbed the rail over her head and pushed； pulled and gyrated against me。 We came seconds apart； moving in a stretching； slamming counterpoint； when my head hit the pillow； I bit at it to stanch my tremors。
Madeleine slid out from under me。 〃Sugar； are you all right？〃
I was seeing the snake thing。 Madeleine tickled me； I twisted around and looked at her to make it go away。 〃Smile at me。 Look soft and sweet。〃
Madeleine gave me a Pollyanna grin。 Her smeared red lipstick reminded me of the Dahlia's death smile； I shut my eyes and grabbed her hard。 She stroked my back softly； murmuring； 〃Bucky； what is it？〃
I stared at the curtains on the far wall。 〃We picked up Linda Martin yesterday。 She had a print of a stag movie in her purse； her and Betty Short playing lez。 They filmed it down in TJ； and there was all this spooky stuff in it。 It spooked me； and it spooked my partner bad。〃
Madeleine stopped her caresses。 〃Did Linda mention me？〃
〃No； and I checked through the case file。 There's no mention of that note…leaving number you pulled。 But we've got a policewoman planted in the girl's cell to pump her； and if she blabs； you're sunk。〃
〃I'm not worried； sugar。 Linda probably doesn't even remember me。〃
I slid over to where I could eyeball Madeleine up close。 Her lipstick was a bloody disarray； and I daubed at it with the pillow。 〃Babe； I'm withholding evidence for you。 It's a fair trade for what I'm getting； but it still spooks me。 So you be damn sure you e clean。 I'll ask you one time。 Is there anything you haven't told me about you and Betty and Linda？〃
Madeleine ran her fingers down my rib cage； exploring the welt scars I'd gotten in the Blanchard fight。 〃Sugar； Betty and I made love once； that one time we met last summer。 I just did it to see what it would be like to be with a girl who looked so much like me。〃
I felt like I was sinking； like the bed was dropping out from under me。 Madeleine looked like she was at the end of a long tunnel； captured by some kind of weird camera trick。 She said； 〃Bucky； that's all of it； I swear that's all of it；〃 her voice wobbling from deep nowhere。 I got up and dressed； and it was only when I strapped on my 。38 and cuffs that I felt like I'd quit treading quicksand。
Madeleine pleaded； 〃Stay； sugar； stay〃； I went out the door before I could succumb。 In my cruiser； I flipped on the two…way； looking for good sane cop noise to distract me。 The dispatcher barked； 〃Code four all units at Crenshaw and Stocker。 Clear robbery scene； two dead； suspect dead； unit 4…A…82 reports suspect is Raymond Douglas Nash； white male； object fugitive warrant number…〃
I yanked the radio cord and hit the ignition； gas and siren in what felt like a single swipe。 Pulling out； I heard Lee pacifying me with 〃Don't tell me you don't know the dead girl is a better piece of pie than Junior Nash〃； speedballing downtown； I saw myself kowtowing to my partner's ghosts even though I knew the Okie killer was a real live killer bogeyman。 Jamming into the Hall parking lot； I saw Lee cajoling； wheedling； pushing； pulling and twisting at me to get his way； running up to the Bureau； I saw red。
I came out of the stairway yelling； 〃Blanchard！〃 Dick Cavanaugh； walking out of the bullpen； pointed to the bathroom。 I kicked in the door； Lee was washing his hands in the sink。
He held them up to show me； blood oozing from cuts on the knuckles。 〃I beat up a wall。 Penance for Nash。〃
It wasn't enough。 I let the crimson loose all the way； smashing my best friend until my own hands were ruined and he was senseless at my feet。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Losing the first Bleichert…Blanchard fight got me local celebrity； Warrants and close to nine grand in cash； winning the rematch got me a sprained left wrist； two dislocated knuckles and a day in bed； woozy from an allergic reaction to the codeine pills Captain Jack gave me when he got word of the punch…out and saw me in my cubicle trying to tape up my fist。 The only thing good that came of my 〃victory〃 was a twenty…four…hour respite from Elizabeth Short； the worst was yet to e…bracing Lee and Kay to see if I could salvage the three of us； without giving up my balls。
I drove to the house Wednesday afternoon； Dahlia kiss…off day and the one…week anniversary of the celebrity stiff's first appearance。 The confab with Thad Green was scheduled for 6：00 that evening； and if there was any way to work a patch job with Lee before then； it had to be tried。
The front door was standing open； the coffee table held a copy of the Herald； folded open to pages two and three。 The detritus of my messy life was smeared all over it…the Dahlia； hatchet…faced Bobby De Witt homeward bound； Junior Nash shot by an off…duty sheriff's dick after he knocked off a Jap greengrocer； killing the proprietor and his fourteen…year…old son。
〃We're famous； Dwight。〃
Kay was standing in the hallway。 I laughed； my bad knuckles throbbed。 〃Notorious； maybe。 Where's Lee？〃
〃I don't know。 He left yesterday afternoon。〃
〃You know he's in trouble； don't you？〃
〃I know you beat him up。〃
I walked over。 Kay's breath reeked of cigarettes； her face was mottled from crying。 I held her； she held me back and said； 〃I don't blame you for it。〃
I nuzzled her hair。 〃De Witt's probably in LA by now。 If Lee isn't back by tonight； I'll e and stay with you。〃
Kay pulled away。 〃Don't e unless you want to sleep with me。〃
I said； 〃Kay； I can't。〃
〃Why？ Because of that neighbor girl you're seeing？〃
I remembered my lie to Lee。 〃Yes 。 。 。 no； not that。 It's just that 。 。 。〃
〃It's just what； Dwight？〃
I grabbed Kay so she wouldn't be able to look in my eyes and know that half of what I was saying made me a child； half made me a liar。 〃It's just that you and Lee are my family； and Lee's my partner； and until we get this trouble he's in settled and see if we're still partners then you and me together is just no damn good。 The girl I've been seeing is nothing。 She doesn't really mean a thing to me。〃
Kay said； 〃You're just frightened of anything that doesn't involve fighting and cops and guns and all that；〃 and tightened her grip。 I let myself be held； knowing she'd nailed me clean。 Then I broke it off and drove downtown to 〃All That。〃
* * *
The clock in Thad Green's waiting room hit 6：00； and there was no Lee； at 6：01 Green's secretary opened his door and ushered me in。 The Chief of Detectiv