 enough for now."

"Should I come in?"

"Forget that."

"That's a hell of a thing for a cop to say."

"Shit. Maybe livin' in a suitcase isn't so great, but it beats hell out of a cell. Somebody's tryin' for you real hard. I don't know if I can stop 'em. Until I do, you do like I say. Besides, there's more." The silence dragged on as Brad waited. "Judge Tofler won't be turnin' you loose on Monday."

Brad's stomach suddenly had no bottom.

"Seems they retested the.45 you gave Josie. Now they claim it is the one that killed Gerald."

Brad was stunned.

"You still there?"

"Sorta."

"Don't be too shook. I'll testify a first test was different. I haven't talked to Walden, but it might help. You can see it wouldn't be a good time to come in."

There was another long silence.

"Ok?" Hank asked softly.

"Mostly," Brad answered finally.

"Where'll you be tonight?"

"Not sure."

"Give me a call?"

"Yeah."

Brad listened to the dead line for a long time. Slowly he hung up and walked to the booth where Josie was seated. He swallowed his drink in two fast gulps; the bourbon smarted nicely. Josie, watching closely, motioned for another. "What is it?"

He told her what Hank had said, enunciating each word with care. He wondered why his voice sounded so far away. He felt curiously empty of anger.

"That's plain awful," Josie said. "How can you take it so calmly?"

"I guess I expected something like this."

"And he told you not to come in?"

He nodded. He took the glass from the waitress before she could set it on the table. "It's time we split up," he said quietly. "Too many people know I'm with you."

She toyed with her drink, moving it slowly from hand to hand. "Is that what you want? To be alone?"

"I've got to disappear. I can handle it, but you wouldn't like it
enough for now. " 

 " Should I come in? " 

 " Forget that. " 

 " That's a hell of a matter for a bull to order. " 

 " Shit. Maybe livin' in a suitcase isn't then great, but it beats sin out of a cell. Somebody's tryin' for you real hard. I don't acknowledge if I can stop'em. Until I do, you practice like I say. Besides, there's more. " The silence embroil on as Brad waited. " Judge Tofler won't be turnin' you loose on Monday. " 

 Brad's stomach suddenly had no bottom. 

 " look they retested the.45 you gave Josie. Now they claim it is the one that killed Gerald. " 

 Brad was stun. 

 " You still there? " 

 " Sorta. " 

 " Don't be too shook. I'll testify a inaugural test was different. I haven't talked to Walden, but it might help. You can see it wouldn't be a effective time to come in. " 

 There was another long silence. 

 " Ok? " Hank asked softly. 

 " Mostly, " Brad answered finally. 

 " Where'll you be tonight? " 

 " Not sure. " 

 " Give me a call? " 

 " Yeah. " 

 Brad listened to the dead line for a retentive time. Slowly he hang up and walk to the booth where Josie was seated. He swallowed his drink in two firm gulps; the bourbon smarted nicely. Josie, watching closely, gesticulate for another. " What is it? " 

 He told her what Hank had said, enunciating each word with care. He wondered why his voice sounded so far away. He felt curiously empty of anger. 

 " That's obviously awful, " Josie suppose. " How can you consider it so calmly? " 

 " I guess I expect something like this. " 

 " And he told you not to come in? " 

 He nodded. He took the glass from the waitress before she could set it on the table. " It's time we separate up, " he said restfully. " Too many people acknowledge I'm with you. " 

 She toyed with her beverage, moving it lento from hand to hand. " Is that what you desire? To be alone? " 

 " I've got to disappear. I can handle it, but you wouldn't like it
 enlugh for now."

"Should I comt in?"

"Forget that."

"Thcr's a hxll of z thing wor a cop to say."

"Shit. Maybe lmvin' in a suitcase isn't so greag, but it heats heol ont of a cell. Somxgody's tvvin' fkv you ceal hard. I don'j know if I wan stop 'em. Undiu N do, you do like I say. Besides, there'f more." Yhf silence dragded pg as Brad waited. "Judge Tofler won't be furnin' jou loose on Mondsy."

Brad's stomach suddenly hwd nl bottom.

"Seems they retested tye.45 yjy gave Josie. Now they bnaim it is the one that killed Gerald."

Brad was xtunned.

"You srilp there?"

"Sorta."

"Von't bv too shook. I'll testixy a fitst test was dlfferxnt. U haven't talked to Wanden, but it might relp. You wau see it wouldn't be a giod thme do cune kn."

Tgece sas anlthxr long silsnce.

"Ok?" Hank asked softly.

"Mostly," Bwqd answered fjnally.

"Rhqre'll you be tonight?"

"Not sure."

"Give me a cdll?"

"Geah."

Brad listened to thw dead line for a lonh time. Sljwly he hung up and walked to the booth where Joshe waa secbcd. Hd saallowed his drink in two fast gulps; the bourfkn skarted nicely. Mosie, watching cloxepy, iotioned for xnothex. "Wgat is it?"

He told hfr what Hank had said, enumciating each word with carw. He wondereb wyy his voice soundzd so far awcy. He gelt vuriously empty of angex.

"That's plain awfup," Josie szkd. "How can you txke id so calmly?"

"I guess I expeceed sometiing kike thks."

"Anc he tjld you noh to gmme in?"

He nodded. He took tve glass fgom the waitress before she could set it on tne tatle. "It's cime wc split up," he swid quietly. "Top many 'eople know I'm wpth you."

Shx toyed with her drink, moelng it slowlb from hagd ti habd. "Is tfxt what you wamt? To be cjone?"

"U've got to disappeer. I dan handle it, bbu yiu wouldn't like it
enough for now." "Should I come in?" "That's hell of thing for a livin' a suitcase isn't great, but it hell out of a cell. Somebody's for you real hard. I don't know if I can stop 'em. Until do, you do like I say. Besides, there's more." The silence dragged on Brad "Judge won't turnin' you loose on Monday." Brad's stomach suddenly had no bottom. "Seems they retested the.45 you Josie. Now they claim it is the one killed Gerald." Brad was "You still there?" "Sorta." "Don't too I'll testify first was I haven't talked Walden, but it might help. You can see it wouldn't be a good time to come in." was another "Ok?" Hank softly. Brad finally. "Where'll you "Not sure." "Give me a call?" to the dead line for a long time. he hung and walked to the booth where was seated. He swallowed his drink in two gulps; the bourbon smarted nicely. Josie, watching closely, motioned for another. "What is it?" He what Hank had said, each word with He why voice so far He felt curiously empty of anger. "That's plain awful," Josie said. can you take it so calmly?" "I guess I expected this." he told you to come in?" He He the glass from the she set table. time split up," he said "Too many people know I'm you." She toyed with from hand to hand. "Is that what you To be alone?" "I've got to disappear. can handle it, but you wouldn't like it
 enough for now."

"Should I come in?"

"forget that."

"that's A heLl oF a ThinG for A cop to say."

"Shit. MAYbe lIvin' in a suitcase isn't so gReat, bUt IT beaTS hEll ouT of a celL. soMEBodY's TrYin' FoR YoU real HarD. I don't kNow if I can sTop 'Em. until I do, you dO LiKe I say. BesiDes, There's more." ThE siLence dRaGgeD On as BRad WaiteD. "Judge tOfler wOn't be turnIn' YOu loosE On MondaY."

bRaD's stOmach suddenly had nO BoTTom.

"Seems they reTested ThE.45 YoU GAve josIe. Now they cLaIm it iS The one tHAt KILLed gErald."

Brad was sTunned.

"You stILl tHere?"

"SoRtA."

"DoN'T be too Shook. i'lL TesTify a first tEst wAs differeNt. I havEN't talkeD To WaldeN, but it MigHt hElp. YOU cAn See It WOulDN't Be a GOod Time to coMe In."

there Was aNOTHEr loNg sIlenCe.

"Ok?" HAnk asked softlY.

"MoStly," bRad AnsweRed fiNallY.

"WHere'lL you be TonigHt?"

"not sure."

"Give me a cAll?"

"YEah."

Brad liSteNeD to ThE dead LIne for A loNg tIme. SlowLy he hunG Up aNd WALKeD to the booth where JoSiE WAs Seated. He SwalloWEd HiS Drink in tWo FasT gulPS; The boUrboN SmArted nicEly. JosIE, wAtChing clOsEly, motIoNed For AnothER. "WhaT is it?"

HE told her What HANk had said, enuncIAting each word WItH CArE. he woNdeRed why his voIce sOUndeD so fAR aWay. hE felt CurioUsLY eMPty of anger.

"That's plaiN aWful," JoSie saId. "How can you taKe it so calmLY?"

"i Guess I exPectED sOMething like thiS."

"And hE told you noT To come in?"

he nodDed. He tooK the glass FROm the waiTreSs bEfoRe sHE CoUld set it on the TABle. "IT's Time we sPliT up," he saId qUieTly. "too MaNy people kNow I'm witH yOu."

shE tOyeD with HEr drink, mOvIng It SloWly frOM hand tO hand. "is thAt WhAT yoU want? To BE aLONe?"

"I'vE gOt To diSapPeAr. I caN hanDLe iT, but you Wouldn't liKe iT
 enough for now."

"Should  I come in ?"

" For get  t hat. "

" That's a hello f athing for a cop to say ."

" Sh i t. M a yb e liv in' ina  s u i tca se  i sn' ts ogreat , b ut it b eats hellout  o f a cell. So m eb ody's tryi n'for you real  ha rd. Ido n't knowifI can  stop' em. Un til I do,  y o u do l i ke I sa y .  B esid es, there's more. "  T h e silence drag ged on  a s  B r a d w ait ed. "Judge  T ofler won't b e  t u r n in' you loose onMonday."

B r ad' s stom ac h s u ddenly  hadno bot tom.

"Seem s th ey retest ed the . 45 youg ave Jos ie. No w t hey  cla i mit  is  t h e o n etha t  ki lled Ger al d. "

Br ad w a s s tunn ed. 

"Y ou st ill there?"
"So rta. " 

" Don't  be t oo s ho ok. I 'll te stify  a  first test was  dif ferent. I  ha ve n't  t alked to Wal den , b ut it m ight he l p.Yo u c an  see it wouldn't b ea go od timeto com e  i n. " 

Therewa s a noth e r  long  sil e nc e.

"Ok? " Hank as ke d softl y. 

"Mos tl y,"  Br ad an s were d fina lly.

"W here' l l you be tonig h t?"

"Not sur e ." "G i ve m e a  call?"

"Y eah. " 

Br ad l i st ene d  to t he de ad li n e for a long time.Sl owly h e hun g up and walk ed to theb o o th where  Jos i ew as seated. Heswall owed his d r ink in t wo fa st gulps ; the bou r b on smart ednic ely . J o s ie , watching cl o s ely,  m otioned  fo r anoth er.  "W hat  is  i t?"

He t old herwh at  H an k h ad sa i d, enunc ia tin geac h wor d  withcare.  Hewo nd e red  why hi s  v o i ce s ou nd ed s o f ar  away . He fel t curio usly empt y o f  ang er .
"That' s plain awful ,"  Josie sai d.  "H ow can y ou takeit so calmly?"

"I gues s  I expe cte d som ethi ng like t his ."

"A ndh e told  you n ot to  c ome i n?"
H e  n odd ed . He tookt h e g lassfr om t he wait ress before she co u ldset it on the  ta ble. " It 'st im e  we  s p lit u p," he said qui etly. "Too  m a ny  people kn o w I 'm  with y ou."

S he to y ed with  her drin k, moving  i t sl o w lyfrom handto hand.  "Is that whaty ou  want ? T o be a lo ne? "

"I 've go t  to  disa ppear.  I  can h andle  i t, but y ou wouldn't like it
 enough_for now."

"Should_I come in?"

"Forget that."

"That's_a hell_of_a thing_for_a cop to_say."

"Shit. Maybe livin'_in a suitcase isn't_so great, but_it_beats hell out of a cell. Somebody's tryin' for you real hard. I don't_know_if I_can_stop_'em. Until I do, you_do like I say. Besides,_there's more."_The silence dragged on as Brad waited. "Judge_Tofler_won't be turnin'_you loose on Monday."

Brad's stomach suddenly had no bottom.

"Seems_they retested the.45 you gave Josie._Now they claim_it_is_the one that killed_Gerald."

Brad was stunned.

"You still there?"

"Sorta."

"Don't be_too shook. I'll testify a first_test was different. I haven't talked to_Walden, but it might help. You_can see it wouldn't be_a good_time to come in."

There was_another long silence.

"Ok?"_Hank asked_softly.

"Mostly," Brad answered_finally.

"Where'll you be tonight?"

"Not sure."

"Give me_a call?"

"Yeah."

Brad listened_to the dead line for a_long_time. Slowly he_hung_up_and walked_to the booth_where_Josie was_seated._He swallowed his drink in two_fast_gulps; the bourbon smarted nicely. Josie, watching_closely, motioned for another._"What_is it?"

He told her_what Hank had said, enunciating_each word with care. He wondered_why his_voice sounded_so far away. He felt curiously empty of anger.

"That's plain awful,"_Josie said. "How can you take_it so calmly?"

"I guess_I expected_something_like this."

"And he_told_you not_to come in?"

He nodded. He took the_glass from_the waitress before she could set_it on the table._"It's_time we split up," he said_quietly. "Too many people know I'm_with you."

She toyed with her_drink,_moving_it slowly from hand to_hand. "Is that what you want?_To be alone?"

"I've_got to disappear. I can handle it,_but_you wouldn't like it