 ridiculous. You can't just start killing people."

"Josie, I'm not planning to kill anybody. But someone out there is playing rough. I can't carry a handgun. Any cop in town would throw me in jail."

"That knife's not exactly legal."

"People won't be expecting it. And if I'm caught with it, there'll be less hassle than with a handgun."

"Why not do as I asked? Go to Palm Springs. Or take a place in Malibu. I know people a SWAT team couldn't handle. You'd be as safe as a baby in a cradle."

"I believe you."

"Then forget Rinolli and let me set it up."

"Maybe later."

"You're going to get yourself killed."

"Ever see a bullfight?"

She shook her head, puzzled.

"The bull really never has a chance. It's only a carefully staged show. But if they let that bull loose in the streets, it's something else. I feel like I've been trapped in an arena. Everybody's watching to see how long I'll last. I'm just taking to the streets is all. Maybe it's hopeless. But I'm going to make it tougher to get at me."

"I don't think I know you at all," she said. "And I don't like what I'm seeing. It's something you should have left in Vietnam."

He made no reply; he reached down and adjusted the knife and sheath strapped to his leg.

* * *

As Josie drove slowly around The Pink Lady, they examined all sides of the building. The cars in the parking lot were expensive or new or both. As they watched, a Lincoln Continental pulled up. One of the four attendants moved swiftly, opening the door for a well-dressed woman. Another was quickly behind the wheel, driving sedately toward a parking spot. At this early hour, there weren't many cars.

Josie stopped on the street, a half block short of the restaurant. She nodded toward the west side of the building, to their front. "That's the only side without an exit."

She dug into her purse and fished out a small set of binoculars. "I'll park where I can see all the exits. If you're not out in an hour,
ridiculous. You can't just start killing citizenry. " 

 " Josie, I'm not plan to kill anybody. But someone out there is playing rocky. I can't carry a handgun. Any bull in town would throw me in jail. " 

 " That knife's not precisely legal. " 

 " People won't be expecting it. And if I'm catch with it, there'll be less hassle than with a handgun. " 

 " Why not act as I ask? Go to Palm Springs. Or take a place in Malibu. I know people a SWAT team couldn't manage. You'd be as safe as a baby in a rocker. " 

 " I believe you. " 

 " Then forget Rinolli and let me set it up. " 

 " Maybe subsequently. " 

 " You're going to get yourself killed. " 

 " Ever see a bullfight? " 

 She shake her head, puzzled. 

 " The bull really never has a probability. It's only a carefully staged show. But if they let that bull loose in the streets, it's something else. I feel like I've been trapped in an sphere. Everybody's watching to see how long I'll survive. I'm barely take to the streets is all. Maybe it's hopeless. But I'm run to make it tougher to get at me. " 

 " I don't think I acknowledge you at all, " she said. " And I don't like what I'm seeing. It's something you should have left in Vietnam. " 

 He made no answer; he reached down and adjusted the knife and sheath strapped to his leg. 

 * * * 

 As Josie drove slowly around The Pink Lady, they test all sides of the building. The cars in the parking lot were expensive or new or both. As they determine, a Lincoln Continental pulled up. One of the four attendants moved swiftly, open the door for a well - dressed woman. Another was quickly behind the bicycle, driving sedately toward a parking spotlight. At this early hour, there weren't many cars. 

 Josie end on the street, a half pulley short of the restaurant. She nod toward the west side of the construction, to their front. " That's the only side without an exit. " 

 She dug into her bag and fished out a small set of binoculars. " I'll park where I can go steady all the exits. If you're not out in an hour,
 rificulous. You can't just suart killing people."

"Josie, I'm nof plannivg to kill anybody. But someoie oyt thtge is playing rough. I can't cargy a handtun. Eny cop in town xkuld thvjw ms in laml."

"That knife's npt exactly legal."

"People wmn'g ye expecting it. And if I'm caught witr it, thrrf'll be less hafsle ehan with a handgun."

"Why not do as I asksd? Go tm Palm Springx. Or take a place in Malibk. I nnow people a SWAT team couldb't hwbdle. You'd be as safe as a baby in z cradle."

"I believe you."

"Then forgeg Rinplli and lgc me vet it up."

"Mabbe laner."

"You're goinn to ged yoursrlf killed."

"Ever sex a vullfight?"

She shook hec head, puzzled.

"The bujl really nzver has a chance. It's obly a carafulut sgagtd xhkw. But if they let fhat bull liose in the streets, ie'w something emse. I seql like I've been trapped in an arena. Evtrybosy's watching to see how long I'll last. I'm jusj taking tj the streets is all. Maybe it's hopeless. But I'm gohng tk maje kr hougher to get at me."

"I don't think I know you ae akl," she said. "And L don't like what I'k deryng. It's sometfing you ahould have left ij Vietnwm."

He nade no rtply; ne reached down and adjustee the knife cnd sheath strapped tl his leg.

* * *

Cs Josoe drpve slowly around The Pnnk Lasy, they exalined all rides of the buiudikg. Dhe cars in the parking loe were ex'ensire or ned or both. Ws they wahched, a Lincoln Continenhal polled gp. One of hhe four attendants moved swiftly, opening the dmor for a wzll-drexsed woman. Anjther was quiclly behnnd thd wheel, drpving sedetely toward a parking spmj. At this earny hour, eherw weeen't mavh cars.

Josie stppped on nht street, a half block short pf jhs restaurant. Shz bodded toward tne dese dive of dhe building, to ghekt frovt. "That's thc ovly xide without an exit."

Vhe sug into her purse akd fished out a siall set of bonoculars. "I'll park wherx I cai see sll the exits. If you're not out in an hour,
ridiculous. You can't just start killing people." not to kill But someone out can't a handgun. Any in town would me in jail." "That knife's not legal." "People won't be expecting it. And if I'm caught with it, there'll less hassle than with a handgun." "Why not do as I asked? Go Palm Or a in Malibu. I know people a SWAT team couldn't handle. You'd be as safe as a in a cradle." "I believe you." "Then forget and let me set up." "Maybe later." "You're going get killed." "Ever a She her head, puzzled. bull really never has a chance. It's only a carefully staged show. But if they let that loose in it's something I like been trapped in Everybody's watching to see how long just taking to the streets is all. Maybe hopeless. But going to make it tougher to at me." "I don't think I know you all," she said. "And I don't like what I'm seeing. It's something you should have Vietnam." He made no he reached down adjusted knife sheath to his * * * As Josie drove slowly around The Pink Lady, examined all sides of the building. The cars in the were or new or As they watched, a Continental up. One of the moved opening a woman. was quickly behind the driving sedately toward a parking At this early hour, stopped on the street, a half block short the restaurant. She nodded toward the west of the building, to their front. "That's the only side without an She dug purse and fished out a small set of "I'll park where I see all the exits. If you're not out in hour,
 ridiculous. You can't just starT killing peOple."

"JOsiE, I'm NoT plaNninG to kill anybody. bUt soMeone out there is playing Rough. i cAN't caRRy A handGun. Any cOP iN TOwn WoUlD thRoW Me In jaiL."

"ThAt knife'S not exactlY leGaL."

"People won't bE ExPecting it. ANd iF I'm caught witH it, There'lL bE leSS hassLe tHan wiTh a hanDGun."

"Why Not do as I aSkED? Go to PALm SprinGS. or Take A place in Malibu. I knOW pEOple a SWAT team cOuldn't HaNDlE. yOu'd Be aS safe as a baBy In a crADle."

"I belIEvE YOU."

"ThEN forget RinollI and let me seT It uP."

"Maybe LaTer."

"yOu're goIng to GeT YouRself killed."

"ever See a bullfIght?"

ShE Shook heR Head, puzZled.

"ThE buLl rEallY NeVeR haS a CHanCE. IT's oNLy a CarefullY sTaGed shOw. BuT IF THey lEt tHat bUll loOse in the streeTs, iT's soMEthIng elSe. I feEl liKe i've beEn trapPed in An Arena. Everybody's WatcHing to see How LoNg I'Ll Last. I'M Just taKinG to The streEts is alL. mayBe IT'S HoPeless. But I'm going to MaKE It Tougher tO get at ME."

"I DoN'T think I kNoW yoU at aLL," She saId. "AnD i dOn't like wHat I'm sEEiNg. it's someThIng you ShOulD haVe lefT In ViEtnam."

HE made no rEply; hE Reached down and ADjusted the kniFE aND ShEAth sTraPped to his leG.

* * *

As JOSie dRove SLoWly ARound the PiNk lAdY, They examined all sideS oF the buIldinG. The cars in the Parking lot WERE expensiVe or NEw OR both. As they watChed, a lincoln ConTInental pUlled Up. One of tHe four attENDants movEd sWifTly, OpeNINg The door for a weLL-DresSeD woman. ANotHer was qUicKly BehInd ThE wheel, driVing sedaTeLy ToWaRd a ParkiNG spot. At tHiS eaRlY hoUr, theRE weren'T many Cars.

joSiE StoPped on tHE sTREet, a HaLf BlocK shOrT of thE resTAurAnt. She nOdded towaRd tHE wesT sIdE of the bUilding, to theiR fRont. "That's tHe OnlY side wITHout an exIt."

She dug into her purse and FIshed ouT a sMall sEt of BinocularS. "I'lL park wHerE i can seE all thE exitS. IF yoU'RE not oUT In An hOuR,
 ridiculous. You can't jus t start ki lling  pe opl e. "

" Josi e, I'm not pla n ning  to kill anybody. Butsomeo ne outt he re is  playin g  r o u gh.  I  c an' tc ar ry ahan dgun. A ny cop intow nwould throwm ein jail."
"T hat knife'snot  exact ly  le g al."
"P eople  won't be exp ecting it .A nd ifI 'm caug h t  w ithit, there'll be l e ss hassle than wi th a h an d gu n . "
"Wh y not do a sI ask e d? Go t o  P a l m  Sp r ings. Or take  a place in Mal ibu. I  k now people  a SW AT tea m couldn'thand le. You'd  be as safe as a babyin a c rad le. "

" I  b el iev ey ou. " 
"Th e n f orget Ri no ll i and  let m e setitup." 

"Ma ybe later."
"Yo u're goi ng to  getyour se lf ki lled." 

"Ev er  see a bullfigh t?"
She shoo k h er  he ad , puz z led.
"Th e b ull rea lly nev e r h as a ch ance. It's only aca r e fu lly stag ed sho w .Bu t  if they  l etthat b ull l oose in  the str eets,i t' ssomethi ng  else.  I  fe ellikeI 'vebeen t rapped i n ana rena. Everybod y 's watching t o  s e e  h o w lo ngI'll last.I'mj usttaki n gtot he st reets  i s  a l l. Maybe it's hopel es s. But  I'mgoing to make  it toughe r t o get at  me. " 
" I don't thinkI kno w you at a l l," shesaid.  "And Idon't lik e what I'm  se ein g.It' s so mething you s h o uldha ve left  in  Vietna m." 

H e m ade  n o reply;he reach ed  d ow nand  adju s ted thekn ife  a ndsheat h  strap ped t o hi sle g .
* * *
A sJ o siedr ov e sl owl yaroun d Th e  Pi nk Lady , they ex ami n ed a ll  s ides of  the building .The cars i nthe  parki n g  lot wer e expensive or new or b o th. Asthe y wat ched , a Linco lnContin ent a l pull ed up.  Oneof  th e foura t te nda nt s moved sw i f tly , ope ni ng t he door  for a well-dresse d  wo man. Anotherwas  qui c k ly  be h in d  th ew hee l ,  driving sedate ly towardap ar king spot. Atth is earl y hour,  ther e  weren' t many ca rs.

Josi estop p e d o n the stre et, a ha lf blocks horto fthe r est aurant .She  nodd ed tow a rdthe w est si de  of th e bui ld ing, totheir front. "That's th e only  side  wi thout anexi t ."
She duginto  her purse  an d f ished  ou t  a sm alls et  of binoc ular s . "I'll p a rk  wh e r eI can see a l l the  exit s.I f you' re n ot out in an hour , 
 ridiculous._You can't_just start killing people."

"Josie,_I'm not_planning_to kill_anybody._But someone out_there is playing_rough. I can't carry_a handgun. Any_cop_in town would throw me in jail."

"That knife's not exactly legal."

"People won't be expecting_it._And if_I'm_caught_with it, there'll be less_hassle than with a handgun."

"Why_not do_as I asked? Go to Palm Springs. Or_take_a place in_Malibu. I know people a SWAT team couldn't handle._You'd be as safe as a_baby in a_cradle."

"I_believe_you."

"Then forget Rinolli and_let me set it up."

"Maybe later."

"You're_going to get yourself killed."

"Ever see_a bullfight?"

She shook her head, puzzled.

"The bull_really never has a chance. It's_only a carefully staged show._But if_they let that bull loose_in the streets,_it's something_else. I feel_like I've been trapped in an_arena. Everybody's watching_to see how long I'll last._I'm_just taking to_the_streets_is all._Maybe it's hopeless._But_I'm going_to_make it tougher to get at_me."

"I_don't think I know you at all,"_she said. "And I_don't_like what I'm seeing._It's something you should have_left in Vietnam."

He made no reply;_he reached_down and_adjusted the knife and sheath strapped to his leg.

* * *

As_Josie drove slowly around The Pink_Lady, they examined all_sides of_the_building. The cars_in_the parking_lot were expensive or new or both._As they_watched, a Lincoln Continental pulled up._One of the four_attendants_moved swiftly, opening the door for_a well-dressed woman. Another was quickly_behind the wheel, driving sedately_toward_a_parking spot. At this early_hour, there weren't many cars.

Josie stopped_on the street,_a half block short of the restaurant._She_nodded toward the west side of_the_building, to their front. "That's the_only_side_without an exit."

She dug into_her purse and fished out a_small set of binoculars. "I'll park where I can_see all the_exits. If you're not out_in_an_hour,