Чужак в чужой стране

           Youjustplaindidnotunderstandwhatyouwerelookingat."

           "MaybeIdidn’t,"Bensaidglumly.

           "I’mgoingtoofferyouonebox–toppremium,asaninducement.YouwonderedhowMikegotridofhisclothessoquickly.I’lltellyouhow."

           "How?"

           "Itwasamiracle."

           "Oh,forGod’ssake!"

           "Couldbe.Butonethousanddollarssaysthatitwasamiraclebytheusualrulesformiracles–outcometobedecidedbyyou.GobackandaskMikehowhedidit.Gethimtoshowyou.Thensendmethemoney."

           "Hell,Jubal,Idon’twanttotakeyourmoney."

           "Youwon’t.I’vegotinsideinformation.Bet?"

           "No,damnit.Jubal,yougodownthereandseewhatthescoreis.Ican’tgoback–notnow."

           "They’lltakeyoubackwithopenarmsandnotevenaskwhyyouleftsoabruptly.Onethousandonthatprediction,too.Ben,youweretherelessthanaday–fifteenhours,about–andyouspentoverhalfthattimesleepingandplayinghopscotchwithDawn.Didyougivethemasquareshake?Thesortofcarefulinvestigationyougivesomethingsmellyinpubliclifebeforeyoublastitinyourcolumn?"

           "But-"

           "Didyou,ordidn’tyou?"

           "No,but-"

           "Oh,forPete’ssakeyourself,Ben!YouclaimtobeinlovewithJillyetyouwon’tgivehertheconsiderationyougiveacrookedpolitician.Notatenththeeffortshemadetohelpyouwhenyouwerekidnapped