she had always been a very confident woman , but the attack had shaken her more than she was willing to admit . did your cow suddenly dry up ? he said he could n't explain now , but he would soon . `` harry , if anything happens to you , we are n't going to have anyone we know looking out for us . `` have you any notion what it cost him to tell us ? '' a car zipped past the opening of the alley , as bright and red as a smear of nail polish . 