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that’s all. Does this Dane woman smoke?”
    â€œShe does now.”
    O’Leary wiped his eyes, dropped the cigarette butt on top of its ashes, and put away his notebook. “Okay, I guess that’s it. You got a number where you can be reached during the day?”
    Ralph sorted through the cards in his grubby wallet and gave him one engraved on rose-colored stock with a flower in one corner. The arson investigator raised his eyebrows. “A dame runs the joint,” Ralph said.
    â€œThanks for answering my questions, Mr. Poteet.” O’Leary opened the door for him.
    Ralph left after stamping out the fire in the carpet.
    Vinnie was standing at the end of the hall by the stairs. With his hands in the pockets of his fuzzy robe and the light gleaming on his bald head he looked like Henry in the comic strips, except he had a mouth.
    Boy, had he.
    â€œWhat was you moving downstairs this morning, a load of bowling balls?” he asked.
    Ralph had been expecting the question. “I tripped. You ought to replace that runner. It’s been there since FDR.”
    â€œYou ain’t bruised. Something must of broke your fall.”
    â€œMy hat. I got to go to work, Vinnie.”
    â€œI didn’t tell the cop about you being in Lyla’s apartment this morning.”
    â€œWhy not? I got no secrets from cops.” A truck shuddered by on the street outside. Ralph jumped. He’d thought it was thunder.
    â€œWhere’s the camera?”
    He made an embarrassed expression. “Damnedest thing. It was in my car—”
    â€œHell of a mess.” Vinnie was looking at the damaged hallway. “My insurance won’t cover it. I been meaning to kick it up, but the premiums are killing me now. The adult trade’s gone to shit. You seen the stuff them video stores carry? I can’t compete. There should be a law. Any kid can walk right in and rent a movie I couldn’t show my wife.”
    â€œYou married a stag queen, Vinnie. The first time you saw her she was under three guys and a husky.”
    â€œIt was a malamute. That stuff’s strictly PG next to them new videos. The business has gone to shit, all right. I guess peepholing’s up.”
    Here it comes, Ralph thought.
    â€œYes, that was some noise you made this morning, you and your skinny friend,” the landlord continued. His voice was low. “I thought it was them neighborhood vigilantes come back with an army tank. I got a good view of the foyer through my transom. Well, it was as big as a army tank, and there you was sitting on top of it. I hope I never get that fat.”
    â€œSpit it out, Vinnie.”
    â€œI ain’t stupid. I guess I can put together a snooper and a camera and a whore and a dead guy on the stairs. I guess the cops could too. They tie it in with that big bang down the hall, there’s trouble coming.”
    â€œThe guy said it was a gas leak.”
    â€œThat’s how it could stay. If you follow me.”
    â€œVinnie, I was lost when you started.”
    â€œYou got till tonight to find your way back. That’s about as long as I can expect the cops to buy that I forgot all about this morning. Half your action, that’s all I want. What’s half? You know where to find me when you make up your mind. Hell, I’m always here.”
    â€œI’m late for work, Vinnie.”
    He stepped out of the way. “I don’t guess that matters if they throw you in the can.”
    On his way downstairs, Ralph stopped at his apartment, took the roll of film out of its hiding place behind the medicine cabinet, and dropped it into his pocket. He didn’t trust Vinnie and his passkey.
    The car he drove to work was a brand-new red Riviera convertible with white upholstery and a white top. It belonged to a lawyer friend who had asked Ralph to sell it for him while he was serving two years in Jackson for suborning to commit perjury, only Ralph hadn’t