Potshot

"I'm not talking about the fucking omelet, for crissake," Bernard said. "Vi

Vi

"You get it?" Bernard said to Vi

"Yeah."

"And?"

"You get used to it," Vi

"Well it's fucking crazy," Bernard said.

Hawk put his coffee cup down and rested his forearms on the table.

"No," he said. "It's not crazy."

Bernard looked a little scared. Most people were afraid of Hawk, but there was heat in Hawk's voice that Bernard had never heard before. A lot of people hadn't.

"It's what makes him different than you," Hawk said, "or me or Vi

"What about Tedy?" Bernard said.

Bernard had the attention span of a hummingbird.

"Don't know about Tedy," Hawk said. "Might be more like Spenser."

"Except for the queer part," Sapp said.

"'Cept that," Hawk said. "The rest of us, we see something that needs to be done, we do it. We don't much care how we do it. Spenser thinks that how you do it is as important as what you do."

I realized what had startled Bernard. There was no mockery in Hawk's voice. None of his usual up-alley, self-amused, ghetto bebop. Bernard stared at him. They all did, except me. I was working on a new omelet.

"Why?" Bernard said.

Hawk gri

"So he be different than us."

I don't think Bernard got it. But everyone else seemed to, and Bernard, Percocet-addled though he was, sensed it and shut up. The rest of breakfast conversation was devoted to women we had known.

After breakfast I sat on the front porch with Hawk and drank more coffee.

"I don't need to sleep at night, anyway," I said.

Chollo came out helping Bobby Horse. He got him arranged in the back seat of the car, with one leg out straight, and came back up the steps.

"You got everything?" I said.

"Guns are in the trunk, jefe."

"What about Bobby Horse?" I said.

"Mr. del Rio has a friend at UCLA Medical Center," Chollo said.

"I didn't know del Rio had friends."

"When he needs them," Chollo said. "Like you."

I put out my right hand, clenched in a fist. Chollo tapped his fist lightly on top of it, nodded at Hawk and walked to the car. Bobby Horse never glanced back as they drove away.

"We through here?" Hawk said.

"Everybody but me," I said.

Vi

"We're going to Vegas," Bernard said. "I'm going to drink six Mai Tais and fuck six women the first day."

"Better do it the other way around," I said.

"I'll take the rental," Sapp said. "Drop Bernard off. Turn it in at the airport. Fly home from Vegas."

"My best to the opthalmologist," I said.

Sapp gri

"And to the shrink," Sapp said.

The three of them headed for the car and got Bernard in the back. Sapp got in the driver's side. Vi

"I left my guns all packed," Vi

"You're going to Vegas?" I said.

"One drive between Boston and here is enough," Vi

"Viva Las Vegas," I said.

"You go

"When I get back to Boston."

Vi

"I packed my guns in the back of the Explorer," he said. "I'll pick them up in Boston."

"Spenser's long haul," I said. "No package too illegal."

Vi

"You still worrying 'bout the guy got killed?"

"Steve Buckman."

"Going to stick around until you sort that out?" Hawk said.

"Yes."

Hawk had his feet up on the railing, his hands locked behind his head and his chair tilted back. He looked out at the sage and cactus and shale and sand that stretched in front of the house up the hill.

"Me too," he said.

Chapter 63

"ARE YOU OKAY?" Susan said when I called her.

"I'm fine," I said. "Just wanted to listen to your voice for a little while."

"It'll have to be a very little while. I have another patient in… three minutes."

"Maybe he'll be late," I said.

"He's never late. When are you coming home?"

"Not quite yet. I got everything done but one thing."

"Have you done your thing with the Dell yet?"

"Yep."

"Successful?"

"Yep."

"I was scared about that," Susan said.

"Me too."

"What's the one thing?"

"Who killed Steve Buckman?"

"Will it take long?"

"It shouldn't. I'm pretty sure I know who did it, and I'm pretty sure I can't prove it."

"But you'll try," Susan said.

"One last time," I said.

"Then you'll come home."

"Yes."

There was silence on the phone line for awhile. When Susan spoke her voice had deepened somehow and become richer.

"And what's the second thing you'll want when you get here?" she said.

I was quiet for awhile lying on the bed, looking up at the unaccommodating ceiling of the house where I had spent too much time already.

"There is no second thing," I said.

"I know… My patient is here… I love you… I have to go."

"I love you too," I said. "I'll be home soon."

"Is Hawk still with you?"

"Yes."

"Good," she said and hung up.

Chapter 64

I CALLED MARY Lou to make sure she'd be home. When I pulled the Explorer up in front of Mary Lou Buckman's place, Dean Walker's patrol car was parked in the driveway.

"Both the usual suspects," I said to Hawk.

We got out and started up the walk. The horses in her corral stood at the fence, staring at us silently. The front door opened before I reached it.

"What the hell do you want?" Dean Walker said.

I kept on toward the door.

"We need to talk," I said. "You and me and Mary Lou."

"What's he doing here?" Walker said, looking at Hawk.

"He's here to listen to us talk," I said.

I thought Walker was going to slam the door on us. I helieve he thought so too, but changed his mind and stepped aside and we went in. The yellow Lab I'd met before rushed up and began to lap my hand. I scratched her under the chin. Mary Lou was sitting on the couch. She was wearing blue shorts this time, and a white tank top. The effect was just as good.

"I can't be alone with you," she said. "I called Chief Walker the minute I knew you were coming."

"Good to find a cop when you need one," I said.

Hawk stopped inside the doorway and leaned on the wall. He looked bored and amused at the same time.

"What do you want, Spenser?"