— Excuse Tom Jesus!
— I just meant look I mean being objective Jack facing it honestly instead of this turning it into this Tolstoy play this, to make the whole world know what it lost that’s all I’m saying, this I shall write nothing the world will have to understand all by itself…
— Even take this away wouldn’t you Tom, even try to take this away wouldn’t you.
— All right listen do you know what I found on the floor here cleaning up? Your notes all your notes for this book I put them up here look, footmarks pages torn look at them Jack it was all over before you found this out wasn’t it, before you even went down to the hosp…
— Like that string there, God damned wad of gum on that string out there rain or shine hope they’d get that God damned quarter you couldn’t even let them have that, could you Tom.
— No now wait…
— You hungry Freddie?
— No wait listen can’t you see what I, Jack I stopped at a diner last night on the way down sitting alone at that counter I could feel a, grilled cheese sandwich I could almost feel a head inside mine chewing I could hear it like a hollow, like an old head like an old head inside mine chewing I even looked around to see if anybody else heard it or, or saw it God can’t you see what…
— Look just tell me one…
— Cigarette look at the end of it’s wet teeth separating I mean can’t you see what I…
— Look Tom, do you want any of this God damned veal Marengo or not.
— No I, no…
— You Freddie? What do you, wait what the hell’s going on out there…
— Is that, sounds like somebody at the door…
— First class funeral out front three, four black Cadillacs bastards came a little early didn’t they move your, here get Moody’s out of the way sit right here Freddie vea pasar los cadáveres de sus enemigos how’s that.
— Jack? Man at the door here you’d better talk to him he…
— Sit in the front door watch the bodies of…
— Says he’s a deputy U S marshal Jack he’s got some kind of subpoena for…
— Bring him in, come in Mister Marshal pick up that cup by your foot there pour you some grape drink, want to bring in the can Tom?
— Wait now who’s Mister, sorry somebody taking a bath here?
— No no tub’s free now go right ahead, don’t stand on ceremony here do we Tom hand Mister Marshal one of those little red boxes…
— Jack stop it look this man’s a federal marshal, he’s…
— Drovie my name’s Drovie now which one of you’s Mister, papers right here wait a minute, Urquhart? Mister Teets? Mister Bast? Mister…
— Look Marshal my name is Eigen Thomas Eigen I’m a writer this is Mister Gibbs, whatever this is all about we’re not even…
— Don’t get all hot and bothered friend, SEC just wants your company’s officers and directors downtown to answer a few questions bring along your records…
— Got the Boswell Sisters doing Down on the Delta think they’d like that one Tom? Muddy water used to be my playground, dudu…
— Be quiet Jack look Marshal, whatever this company you’re talking about we don’t even…
— J R Corp isn’t that the name of it? Papers right here yes, see here? J R Corp, now what about that rear apartment is that part of…
— Wouldn’t go back there Marshal got the abominable snowman back there he’d…
— Jack be quiet…
— Be quick, jump over the God damned somebody else at the door…
— Don’t pay any attention to him Marshal he’s just had some news that upset him acting a little difficult but…
— See all kinds in my business friend, like to use your telephone though if you…
— Can’t use it, Tom? Tell him no outgoing calls God damned door here’s ready to, just a minute, Tom? Only take incoming calls show him the phone bill I said just a minute!
— Mister Gibbs? is that…
— Yes just a, Bast…!
— I’m sorry to bother you Mister Gibbs I’ve just…
— No no here wait get the door…
— What are you whispering for what’s…
— Before you go in look there’s a U S marshal in there he’s, wait turn around Christ what’s happened to you!
— No I’m all right what does he want, is it the bomb?
— What bomb he’s got a fistful of subpoenas for this company you’re mixed up with will you tell me what the…
— But I have to get my mail is there any mail for me?
— Roughly sixty pounds now look…
— But Mister Crawley do you know if he got that tape? did he send my…
— He’s delighted yes told me to tell you the sonorous torns of ho, toes of damn it listen…
— But the check he was going to pay me, did he say…
— Said he’d sent it yes some project didn’t work out but he’s a man of his word now look can you tell me what the hell’s…
— Jack? Who’s out there…
— Nobody just the, just the mail Tom be right in look Bast, go across the street watch the front window soon as this marshal leaves I’ll…
— I can’t no I ran into somebody some people they’re waiting for me out there Mister Gibbs if you could…
— Not that funeral now listen…
— No well sort of yes if I can get a ride home to get some clothes, if you could sort of entertain the marshal till they’re gone the cars I mean, if you could look in the mail for me Mister Gibbs that check before anything happens to it…
— I’ll try yes but God damn it some things I have to talk to you about Bast something I, look out wait what the hell is all this?
— You the place order the box lunches?
— Christ bring them in why not, Bast? you all right?
— Not really but if you could look in the mail Mister Gibbs could I take a box lunch?
— Here take two good God don’t look like you can get as far as watch your case, whole God damned thing’s coming apart there watch the stairs…!
— Jack? Who’s this what’s all this…
— Box lunches Tom ordered in some box lunches, not enough veal Marengo to go round if this keeps up here just put them look put them on the God damned floor, want to sign for them Tom? Got another customer here…
— How do you do my name is Bailey, I have a sub…
— Come right in Bailey just step over that’s it, pick up a box lunch go right in join the…
— Whole damn door just came off Jack.
— No place to put it just lean it against, yes? help you?
— Come to do the phone, man.
— What do you mean do the phone.
— Like the tap man I mean do the tap, like my people tell me the tap’s out I come up to replace it, like I mean where’s the chick.
— No more chicks look just do your tap and do it God damned fast waiting for an important call here and I’m wait Bailey this way, go that way the lampshades will get you come in and meet Marshal Drovie, bring in another lunch for the marshal there Tom?
— Hey there Bill how they hanging.
— Hey Bill, you on this one too?
— Civil action thought I’d never find it, sorted out the players yet?
— Looks like Teets and Urquhart here where’s my scorecard, might be Bast there by the…
— Got his picture here from yesterday’s paper, hard to tell what he looks like all these feathers but…
— Look Marshal I just told you my name’s Eigen and this is…
— Who’s that by the window Bill, description of the company president they gave me from some magazine here says steel blue eyes bulldog jaw…
— God damn it wait a minute, him? I mean look at that face Marshal not a God damned thing’s happened there for thirty years, completely uncontaminated by getting on in the world think you’d ever see that face in a God damned board room? Find a trace of one mean small God damned thought there other little bastards trying to take advantage of him Marshal, get his National Park set imperforates for those God damned Deutsches Reich surcharges…