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           Canyougetawaywithit?"

           "Justhavetosee."

           "Well,maybeIcouldgetacrackatthedrummer’sfriend.Brother,youmustbecoldasaherring.Itellyouthatdame’sadish."

           "Friendofmywife."

           "Oh!Yeah!Iseehowitcouldbe.Tooclosetohomeisbadnews.You’resmart.IfIdidn’tknowitbefore,Iknowitnow.Sixpercent.Jesus!Tomorrowinthemorning."

           "MaybelatethisafternoonifIgettime."

           "Makeittomorrowmorning."

           OnSaturdaybusinesscameinbursts.ThisTuesdaythewholetempohadchanged.Peopletooktime.Theywantedtotalkaboutthescandal,sayingitwasbad,awful,sad,disgraceful,butenjoyingittoo.Wehaven’thadascandalforalongtime.NobodymentionedtheDemocraticNationalConventioncomingupinLosAngeles—notevenonce.OfcourseNewBaytownisaRepublicantown,butIthinkmostlytheywereinterestedinwhatwasclosetohome.Weknewthemenwhosegraveswedancedon.

           ChiefStonewallJacksoncameinduringthenoonhourandhelookedtiredandsad.

           Iputthecanofoilonthecounterandfishedouttheoldpistolwithapieceofwire.

           "Here’stheevidence,Chief.Takeitaway,willyou?Itmakesmenervous."

           "Well,wipeitoff,willyou?Lookatthat!That’swhattheyusedtocallatwo-dollarpistol—top-latchIverJohnson.Yougotanybodythatcanmindthestore?"

           "No,Ihaven’t."

           "Where’sMarullo?"

           "He’soutoftown."

           "Guessmaybeyoumighthavetocloseupforawhile.