"Yes." His throat seemed closed. It was hard to squeeze the words out. "Yes, I know whose initials they are."

"Good. Tomorrow you go in and tell those people you were mistaken, douche bag, and that you never seen AK do anything. Right?"

"If I do that you won't bother us?"

"Smart. Smart, douche bag. If you do that you won't never see us again. If you don't we'll come back and kill you both. You see how easy we done up your old lady. We can do you both just as easy. You believe that?"

"Yes."

"Good. And don't think we won't know. You see how fast we knew what was happening? You see how fast we got there. You believe we can find out whatever you do?"

"Yes."

"You gonna do what we told you to do?"

"Yes."

"Good. Your old lady's got a nice-looking pussy. Be a shame to feed it to the worms."

"I…" There was a click. The flat voice was gone. Newman put the receiver down very carefully.

Janet said, "Was it them?"

Newman nodded.

Janet said, "Call the cops."

Newman shook his head.

"No?" Janet said. "Why the hell not? If you won't, I will."

He shook his head again. "We can't," he said. "Listen." Then he told her about the man with the slicked-back hair and the black woman and Corporal Croft and Lieutenant Vincent. He told her about the picture of Adolph Karl in the book and about seeing Adolph Karl in the lineup. He told her about Croft's warning and promise of protection.

"But they knew so fast. They must have a cop on the payroll," Newman said.

She nodded. "What a fucking mess," she said.

"What could I do. I couldn't just keep jogging when the guy shot the girl."

"I know," she said. "I know."

"I mean, I had to do what I thought was right."

"Yes, always. Sometimes, Aaron, I think you read your own books too much." She shook her head angrily. "Never mind. We can't have a damned argument. We have to think what to do."