"That's not my concern," Digger said. "I'm a journalist, that's all. I just tell the truth and let the pieces fall where they may."
"Yeah," Jay said. "Funny, the truth wasn't so important when there was a chance those falling pieces might be coming off your body." He held up a hand before Downs could interrupt. "Just hear me out," he said. "I've already gone over this with Tachyon. He was right-this is a story that can't ever be told. There are reasons, Digger" He went over them, one by one.
Digger was unmoved. "You're asking me to be part of a cover-up," he said when Jay had finished.
"Real good," Jay said. "You got it."
"No way," Downs said with righteous indignation. "I got ethics. Besides, what about me? Why the hell should I let Hartmann off easy, he tried to have me killed! Forget it, Ackroyd."
"I know who killed Chrysalis," Jay said. "He's going to turn himself in tomorrow morning at the Jokertown precinct house. If you agree to drop the Hartmann expose, you can have that story instead. I'll arrange for the killer to give you a complete confession before he goes to the police." Jay had already talked it over with Hiram on the flight home. Hiram had agreed; Hiram was in a frame of mind to agree to most anything that might possibly spare further bloodshed. "It's quite a story," Jay said. "It's got blackmail, drugs, sex, death, aces, jokers, the works. Juicy." He ought to know. He'd helped Tachyon work out the details. What it didn't have was any mention of Gregg Hartmann or James Spector. Ti Malice was villain enough. "You can have an exclusive," Jay promised Digger. "In fact, how's this, I'll arrange for the killer to turn himself over to you, and you can deliver him to the cops."
For a moment, Digger looked tempted. Then his child's face screwed up in a frown. "Do I look stupid or what? The Hartmann. thing is headlines coast to coast, talk shows, books, hell, a Pulitzer for sure, maybe a Nobel. No way am I gonna swap that for some penny-ante Jokertown murder. I mean, gimme a break, Chrysalis? Who cares? She's just another dead joker."
"I'll throw in some money," Jay said.
Digger got indignant. "Hey, I don't take bribes, you got it? You can just keep your goddamned money, the American public has a right to know the truth."
Jay sighed deeply. He was running out of ammunition. "Okay," he said. "Have it your way." He stood up. "Once you run your little scoop, it's going to get real cold out there for wild cards, but if you think you can stand the chill, hey, who am I to argue?" He started for the door.
"Me?" Digger said. "Why should I have to stand the chill?"
Jay turned and looked back at him. "You're an ace, aren't you?" he said innocently. He touched a finger to the side of his nose and raised a meaningful eyebrow.
"But no one knows that," Digger said. Jay smiled.
"You wouldn't," Digger said, horrified. "I told you that in confidence, man. If anyone found out, I could be in a world of shit."
"So true," Jay said sympathetically. "You know, if it was up to me, I'd just as soon keep a lid on it, but…" He shrugged. "The American public has a right to know the truth."
His hand was on the doorknob when Digger called out after him. "Ackroyd."
Jay looked back over his shoulder. "Yeah?"
Downs regarded him thoughtfully. "How much money?" the reporter asked.
Midnight
They stopped at the Red Apple Rest, a twenty-four-hour restaurant on Route 17. Brennan got out and went inside. "I need seventeen cheeseburgers, twelve foot-long hot dogs with chili, three with mustard and sauerkraut, twentysix large fries, fifteen Cokes, ten Seven-Ups, and one large coffee. Black."
"Jesus, mister," the counterman said, "what ya got in your van, a pack of starving animals or something?"
"Just a few friends," Brennan said, laying his money on the counter.
Brennan turned as the counterman went to fill his order, and looked back over the parking lot. The moon had nearly set. Hanging on the rim of the horizon, it looked to Brennan like a skull, smiling. It took little imagination to add eyes of deepest blue and lips of coral red. He smiled back as it slipped below the horizon, and said softly, "Good-bye."