She sensed that he was trying to take control, talking down to her deliberately. “All right,” she said. She sounded as if she were giving up. They made their good nights and he gathered up his change and left the booth. They had both given up for the time being. He knew he would feel that he had control if she had really said something affirmative, even a lie they could both recognize. This was Tuesday night and the weekend was a long way off. He had not thought seriously beyond tomorrow. There were things he could do, all almost purely mechanical, that could advance this “case.” He did not have to think of them and that was part of his trouble. He was approaching this like an ordinary job, not really awake, and his attitude was spilling over into the rest of his life.

He awakened during the night, thinking at first that he was starting to catch cold, which would make him too restless to sleep, but as his mind cleared he could hear what had penetrated and had brought him to consciousness. It was Norma in her room. There was a bathroom in there adjoining this room and the sounds carried. It was something he had to tell her. He could hear her sniffing and coughing. He turned over on the bed and looked out the window to the ground below. She had the light on; he could see it brightening the lawn, so she was not wandering around, half asleep. He listened for a moment, then could not keep his eyes open, and relaxed. Before he fell asleep again he heard the light switch snap. He was too far into sleep to be able to associate it with anything. In a moment it was a thing behind him, and in another moment, it was nothing at all.

Chapter Sixteen

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Come on, wake up.”

“Mf. Hiya.”

“You had to remember where you were,” she said.

“That’s right.” He sat up. “Why do you women have housecoats that look like war-surplus pup tents?”

“They’re comfortable. I didn’t think you wore pajamas, to tell the truth. Or is that only for visiting?”

“Every night. Get out of here.”

“You’re a hairy one,” she said.

He laughed. “I’ve heard that one before. Wait. What awakened you last night?”

“Could you hear?” She glanced at the wall. “What did you hear?”

“If you had brushed your hair, I would have heard it.”

“Well, I had a dream. Don’t concern yourself. We’re having bacon and eggs, take it or leave it.”