On the television, a man’s hand plucked a Sucrets lozenge from a tin that was beaded with rainwater. A fisherman in a rain slicker unwrapped the tablet and slipped it in his mouth on the deck of a storm-swept trawler. Just as the face vanished from the screen, Keegan felt the shock of recognition. But it was too late. The image was gone. There was no way to be sure. But could it really have been Simon Catling?

NEAR MIDNIGHT, KEEGAN stood at the kitchen window in the dark cottage, absently looking out, slowly turning his glass of bourbon in heedless hands. The scorched kitchen air still smelled of burned Swanson turkey and apple-cranberry cobbler. He jumped when the wall phone rang. It was Lieutenant Moore.

When Keegan heard Moore’s voice on the phone, he almost hung up, but the lieutenant talked fast. He wanted an off-the-record meeting. There were some things Keegan needed to know, but they shouldn’t be seen talking, not with the investigation hanging over both of them. His words were too quick, his voice too insistent, for Keegan to interrupt, let along hang up on the man. The lieutenant would be at the wishing wells in New Chinatown at noon. If Keegan had half a brain in his head, he’d be there, too.

The phone clicked and fell into silence.

Keegan hung the handset back in its cradle and went over to the kitchen’s screen door. He took another sip of whiskey and looked out. A few lights were still on in the downstairs at Ormsby’s place. Eve, it seemed, was also still awake, or maybe it was just the widow, sitting and fretting in the big room. He watched for movement, but the lamps were close to the windows, so there were no shadows.

It occurred to him then that this was the first day all week in which he hadn’t laid eyes on Eve. He had no idea what that might mean.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Monday, August 20, 1962

KEEGAN PARKED DOWN Broadway and walked. Despite the heat, the streets of New Chinatown were bustling. Keegan felt very tall and very conspicuous, though none of the locals who passed by gave him so much as a look.