 Gingerly he sat up. So far, so good. He picked up the.357 he'd placed on the floor last night, and laid it on the coffee table. The drapes were closed. Bright sunlight trickled around the edges.

He made it to the kitchen, poured coffee and sat down at the table. Each step was easier than the last. The note on the table said, "Stay inside. Soon."

Half finished with his coffee, he rose and went into the bathroom. Carefully he removed the bandage and examined the wound in the mirror. The bullet-notched groove didn't amount to much; it was hardly more than a deep scratch. The powder burn formed a narrow triangle, flaring to several inches at his side. Satisfied, he showered, shaved and returned to the kitchen. He left the sweater off, letting the cool air soothe his back.

When Josie returned, she dumped her packages on the couch and asked, "How's the patient?"

"Alive."

"I bought some clothes. I had to guess at sizes." She moved around behind him and examined his back. He felt gentle strong fingers roam. "Good. No infection. Try the clothes."

She'd bought three sizes of tan slacks. The size 37 fit well as did the larger of the two brown flannel shirts. When he returned to the kitchen, she poured another cup of coffee for him.

"Will the phone reach?" he asked.

She nodded. He picked it up and carried it to the table. There was no answer at the apartment. He dialed again.

"Detectives. Sgt. Walters."

"Ashton."

"She said you were ok. That so?"

"It's nothing. What about those fellas in the alley?"

"Lampino split, but the guy they found is still in the hospital. There's maybe more damage than you figured."

"They belong to Tuckman?"

"No. Mike Rinolli."

"Who the hell is he?"

"The man in heroin in LA. The key distributor. He apparently gets the stuff from a variety of sources, but no one has ever come up with a name.

"He's a killer who's stayed legally clean, but there's been lots of blood. There's independent action, but
Gingerly he sat up. So far, so good. He blame up the.357 he'd place on the floor last night, and laid it on the chocolate table. The drapes were close. Bright sunlight trickled around the edges. 

 He made it to the kitchen, poured chocolate and sat down at the table. Each footprint was comfortable than the last. The note on the table said, " Stay inwardly. Soon. " 

 Half finished with his coffee, he rise and went into the bathroom. Carefully he remove the bandage and examined the wound in the mirror. The bullet - notched groove didn't amount to much; it was barely more than a deep scratch. The powder burn formed a narrow triangulum, flare to several inches at his side. Satisfied, he showered, shaved and returned to the kitchen. He left the sweater off, let the cool air soothe his back. 

 When Josie retort, she dump her packages on the couch and asked, " How's the affected role? " 

 " Alive. " 

 " I buy some clothes. I had to think at sizes. " She moved around behind him and examined his back. He felt gentle strong fingers roam. " Good. No infection. judge the apparel. " 

 She'd buy three sizes of tan slacks. The size 37 fit well as did the larger of the two brown flannel shirts. When he render to the kitchen, she poured another cup of coffee for him. 

 " Will the phone reach? " he ask. 

 She nodded. He peck it up and carried it to the mesa. There was no solution at the apartment. He dialed again. 

 " Detectives. Sgt. Walters. " 

 " Ashton. " 

 " She said you were ok. That indeed? " 

 " It's nothing. What about those fellas in the alley? " 

 " Lampino split, but the guy they found is still in the hospital. There's possibly more damage than you figured. " 

 " They belong to Tuckman? " 

 " No. Mike Rinolli. " 

 " Who the sin is he? " 

 " The man in heroin in LA. The key distributor. He apparently catch the stuff from a variety of sources, but no one has always come up with a name. 

 " He's a killer who's stayed legally clean, but there's been lots of blood. There's independent legal action, but
 Gijgerly he sat up. So far, ro good. He pickgd up thx.357 he'd pmaced on the floor last night, and lamd ir on uke coffee table. The arapes wege closed. Brijht sunlight tririled around tgc edgzs.

Ie made it to tme kitchen, [oured coffee dna dat down at the table. Each step was easier tjan the last. Tre npee oh the table said, "Stay inside. Soon."

Hzlf finpshed with his cogfee, he rose and went into the bathroom. Carefullj he removee thq bandage and examined uhz wound in jhe mirror. The bullet-notched grouve dndn't amount ti mkwh; it was herdly iore than a deep scrdtch. Thr powder burn normev a barrow triangle, flariig to several inches at his shdz. Satisfied, he showerwd, shavgd ang regyrndd uo vhe kitchfn. Ie left the sweater ofd, letting the cool siw soothe his bzck.

Wheg Tosie returned, she dumped her packages mn fhe couch and asked, "How'w the patient?"

"Alive."

"I blught somq clothes. I had to guess at sizes." She moved aroung behmna hnn and wxwmined his back. He felt gentle strong fingers dosm. "Good. No infecbion. Try the clothrs."

Dhr'q bought threg sizes of tan slacks. The sixe 37 fit well as did tre lsrger of the two brown flanbel shirts. Wken he returned to thz kitchen, shz pourgd anoyher cup of coffee for kim.

"Wilm the phone reach?" he xsked.

She nodded. Fe iickad it up and carried it to the tablx. Thexe was nu anxwer ae the aparhment. He dialed again.

"Detfctivgs. Sgt. Walters."

"Asjton."

"She said you were ok. That so?"

"It's nothing. Wnad atout thofe feklas in the ajley?"

"Lampino spkit, but the euy they fkund is still in tre hospital. Tvgre's maybe moce damage thab yoy figurda."

"They belong tp Tuckman?"

"Uj. Mije Rinolli."

"Who the mell ka he?"

"The man in ktroun in LA. The keu dkstwihuvor. Hq apparently cets thd stufw from a vaviegy og sources, but no one has ever come up with a name.

"He's a killew who's stayed legally clean, but therx's beei lots of blood. There's independent actikn, but
Gingerly he sat up. So far, so picked the.357 he'd on the floor on coffee table. The were closed. Bright trickled around the edges. He made to the kitchen, poured coffee and sat down at the table. Each step easier than the last. The note on the table said, "Stay inside. Soon." finished his he and went into the bathroom. Carefully he removed the bandage and examined the wound in the The bullet-notched groove didn't amount to much; it hardly more than a scratch. The powder burn formed narrow flaring to inches his Satisfied, he showered, and returned to the kitchen. He left the sweater off, letting the cool air soothe his back. Josie returned, her packages the and "How's the patient?" bought some clothes. I had to She moved around behind him and examined his He felt strong fingers roam. "Good. No infection. the clothes." She'd bought three sizes of tan The size 37 fit well as did the larger of the two brown flannel shirts. returned to the kitchen, poured another cup coffee him. the reach?" he She nodded. He picked it up and carried it to the There was no answer at the apartment. He dialed again. Walters." "She said you ok. That so?" "It's What those fellas in the split, the is in hospital. There's maybe more than you figured." "They belong Tuckman?" "No. Mike Rinolli." "The man in heroin in LA. The key He apparently gets the stuff from a of sources, but no one has ever come up with a name. a killer legally clean, but there's been lots of blood. independent action, but
 Gingerly he sat up. So far, so gooD. He picked uP the.357 hE'd pLacEd On thE floOr last night, and LAid iT on the coffee table. The drApes wErE ClosED. BRight SunlighT TrICKleD aRoUnd ThE EdGes.

He MadE it to thE kitchen, poUreD cOffee and sat dOWn At the table. eacH step was easiEr tHan the LaSt. THE note On tHe tabLe said, "sTay insIde. Soon."

HaLf FInisheD With his COFfEe, he Rose and went into thE BaTHroom. Carefully He remoVeD ThE BAndAge And examineD tHe wouND in the mIRrOR. tHe bULlet-notched grOove didn't amOUnt To much; It Was HArdly mOre thAn A DeeP scratch. The PowdEr burn forMed a naRRow triaNGle, flarIng to sEveRal InchES aT hIs sIdE. satISfIed, HE shOwered, shAvEd And reTurnED TO The kItcHen. HE left The sweater off, LetTing THe cOol aiR sootHe hiS bAck.

WhEn JosiE retuRnEd, she dumped her pAckaGes on the cOucH aNd aSkEd, "How'S The patIenT?"

"AlIve."

"I bouGht some CLotHeS. i HAd To guess at sizes." She mOvED ArOund behiNd him aND eXaMIned his bAcK. He Felt GENtle sTronG FiNgers roaM. "Good. NO InFeCtion. TrY tHe clotHeS."

ShE'd bOught THree Sizes oF tan slacKs. The SIze 37 fit well as diD The larger of thE TwO BRoWN flaNneL shirts. When He reTUrneD to tHE kItcHEn, she PoureD aNOtHEr cup of coffee for him.

"wiLl the pHone rEach?" he asked.

ShE nodded. He pICKEd it up anD carRIeD It to the table. ThEre waS no answer aT The apartMent. HE dialed aGain.

"DetecTIVes. Sgt. WaLteRs."

"AShtOn."

"SHE SaId you were ok. ThAT So?"

"It'S nOthing. WHat About thOse FelLas In tHe Alley?"

"LampIno split, BuT tHe GuY thEy fouND is still In The HoSpiTal. ThERe's mayBe morE damAgE tHAn yOu figurED."

"THEY belOnG tO TucKmaN?"

"NO. Mike rinoLLi."

"WHo the heLl is he?"

"The Man IN herOiN iN LA. The kEy distributor. he Apparently GeTs tHe stufF FRom a variEty of sources, but no one has EVer come Up wIth a nAme.

"HE's a killer Who'S stayeD leGAlly clEan, but There'S bEen LOTs of bLOOd. theRe'S independeNT ActIon, buT
 Gingerly he sat up. So fa r, so good . Hepic ked  u p th e.35 7 he'd placedo n th e floor last night, an d lai di t on th e cof fee tab l e. T hedr ap eswe r eclose d.Brightsunlight t ric kl ed around th e  e dges.

Hemad e it to thekit chen,po ure d  coff eeand s at dow n  at th e table.Ea c h step was eas i e rthan  the last. The no t eo n the table sa id, "S ta y  i n s ide . S oon."

Hal ffinis h ed with hi s c off e e, he rose an d went into the  bathr oo m.C areful ly he  r e mov ed the band ageand exami ned th e  woundi n the m irror.  Th e b ulle t -n ot che dg roo v edid n 'tamount t omu ch; i t wa s h a rdly  mo re t han a  deep scratch . T he p o wde r bur n for medanarro w tria ngle,  f laring to sever al i nches athis  s ide .Satis f ied, h e s how ered, s haved a n d r et u r n ed  to the kitchen. H el e ft  the swe ater o f f,  l e tting th ecoo l ai r sooth e hi s  b ack.

Wh en Jos i ere turned,  s he dum pe d h erpacka g es o n thecouch an d ask e d, "How's thep atient?"

"Al i ve . " 
" I bo ugh t some clot hes. I ha d to gu ess at si zes."  S h em oved around behindhi m andexami ned his back.  He felt g e n t le stron g fi n ge r s roam. "Good.  No i nfection.T ry the c lothe s."

She 'd bought t hree siz esoftan  sl a c ks . The size 37 f it w el l as di d t he larg erofthe  tw obrown fla nnel shi rt s.  W he n h e ret u rned toth e k it che n, sh e  poure d ano ther  c up ofcoffeef or h im.
" Wi ll t heph one r each ? " h e asked .

She no dde d . He  p ic ked itup and carrie dit to theta ble . Ther e was no a nswer at the apartment. He dial edagain .

" Detective s.Sgt. W alt e rs."
"Ashto n."
"S hes a id yo u we reok . That so? " 
"I t's n ot hing . Whatabout those fellas inthe alley?"
"La mpin o sp lit ,  b u t t he guy t hey found is st ill in the  h o sp ital. Ther e 'sma ybe mor e damag e tha n  you fi gured."
"They bel on g to T uck man?"

"No . Mike R inolli.""Whot he  hell  is  he?"
" The  manin her o inin LA . Theke y dist ribut or . He app arently gets the stufffrom a  vari ety  of sourc es, but  no one h as e ver come u p w ith  a na me. 
"He' s ak il ler who's  sta y ed legall y  c lea n ,  b ut there'sb e e n l ots o f b l ood. T here 's independent ac t ion, but
 Gingerly_he sat_up. So far, so_good. He_picked_up the.357_he'd_placed on the_floor last night,_and laid it on_the coffee table._The_drapes were closed. Bright sunlight trickled around the edges.

He made it to the kitchen,_poured_coffee and_sat_down_at the table. Each step_was easier than the last._The note_on the table said, "Stay inside. Soon."

Half finished_with_his coffee, he_rose and went into the bathroom. Carefully he removed_the bandage and examined the wound_in the mirror._The_bullet-notched_groove didn't amount to_much; it was hardly more than_a deep scratch. The powder burn_formed a narrow triangle, flaring to several_inches at his side. Satisfied, he_showered, shaved and returned to_the kitchen._He left the sweater off,_letting the cool_air soothe_his back.

When Josie_returned, she dumped her packages on_the couch and_asked, "How's the patient?"

"Alive."

"I bought some_clothes._I had to_guess_at_sizes." She_moved around behind_him_and examined_his_back. He felt gentle strong fingers_roam._"Good. No infection. Try the clothes."

She'd bought_three sizes of tan_slacks._The size 37 fit_well as did the larger_of the two brown flannel shirts._When he_returned to_the kitchen, she poured another cup of coffee for him.

"Will the_phone reach?" he asked.

She nodded. He_picked it up and_carried it_to_the table. There_was_no answer_at the apartment. He dialed again.

"Detectives. Sgt._Walters."

"Ashton."

"She said_you were ok. That so?"

"It's nothing._What about those fellas_in_the alley?"

"Lampino split, but the guy_they found is still in the_hospital. There's maybe more damage_than_you_figured."

"They belong to Tuckman?"

"No. Mike_Rinolli."

"Who the hell is he?"

"The man_in heroin in_LA. The key distributor. He apparently gets_the_stuff from a variety of sources,_but_no one has ever come up_with_a_name.

"He's a killer who's stayed_legally clean, but there's been lots_of blood. There's independent action, but