He said finally, “Yeah. There was nothing in it. I tell you this must have been romance, Lowry. I don’t even think the Blair girl had been seeing anybody for some time except this lug. We went over every hotel they generally go to. There wasn’t a thing. Not a single solitary goddam thing, Lowry.”

Lowry locked his hands together. “Seriously, Brady, if I find what you couldn’t, would you at least take a look-see at it? Or do you have your heart set on railroading that poor son of a bitch?”

Brady blew another cloud of smoke arrogantly toward the ceiling.

“Okay, Lonelyhearts,” he said without interest. “I’ll do you that much of a favor. I’ll listen to you if you come up with anything. But you can save yourself the exercise. You won’t find a thing.”

“Let me worry about that, Brady.”

“It’s all yours.”

22

22

There was a fresh liveliness in Lowry’s step as he went to his car again. He drove on a few blocks, pulling up outside of a drugstore. The phone booth was in the back. He waited impatiently until a bulky woman who was monopolizing the phone booth finally found herself able to tear herself away from the telephone. He lifted his hat as he brushed hastily past her and sat down in the booth.

He dialed Terry’s number. She picked up before the phone had finished its first ring.

“Boy!” he exclaimed. “You must have been sitting right on top of the phone.”

“Hello, Ned. I’ve been waiting to hear from you for so long.”

“I’ll pick you up in about twenty minutes,” he told her. “How does this sound? We’ll go for a ride in the country.”

“What?” Terry asked in surprise.

“The fresh air will do you good, Terry,” Lowry said. “Believe me.”

“I don’t get you. Just drop everything and go for a drive?”

“I know it seems heartless at a time like this,” Lowry said. “But perhaps we can mix the pleasure with a little business. It won’t be entirely a joyride. I’ve got something in mind.”

“I figured you had. It isn’t like you to take joyrides for their own sake.”

“Well? Are you with me?”

“I guess so, Ned. I wasn’t doing anything but biting my nails anyway just now. What sort of business do you mean?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“But—”

“Trust me, Terry. And don’t ask questions. You’ll understand soon enough.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll be right over. So long.”

Terry was ready to leave when he arrived at her apartment. The light-colored sports suit she wore seemed to blend with her pallor. She looked trim and neat. But so very pale.

Lowry frowned as he looked at her. “You need some fresh air, young lady,” he said sternly. “If you weren’t so beautiful I’d be tempted to say you need a doctor, Terry.”