— Who Paul.
— The doctor, said you saw the doctor I've been trying for five minutes to find out what happened when you saw the doctor.
— I waited for forty minutes until his nurse took me in and left me naked on a table with my knees pulled up under my chin and a paper sheet over everything but my ass, twenty minutes later he came in behind me and said how do you do Mrs Booth to my shivering ass and then he put a finger…
— No now wait Liz, you… He put his glass down, — what the hell are you talking like that for you don't…
— I wanted to see if you heard me.
— I heard you! He got the glass again, — no God damn reason to talk to me like some wiseass DI what did he say.
— He wants me to have some more tests, he's sending me to…
— Look Liz can't keep stringing it out. I just told you this crash suit comes up the doctor's not in there with all your bad news my companion suit goes out the window, half a million right out the window did you tell him to get his report in fast?
— You don't tell somebody like this what to do Paul, you don't…
— Why don't you! Works for the God damn insurance company doesn't he?
— He does not work for the God damn insurance company, no. The insurance company's doctor is Doctor Terranova, I'm seeing him next week. This is a specialist Jack Orsini sent me to for my…
— Wait did Orsini call me? or his lawyer? Said he was looking into this investment I lined him up for, little cash he wants to lie low for a while did I tell you he just billed the estate forty thousand dollars? Tried to squeeze out that hundred thousand for his foundation when Adolph said no dice he bills him forty for your father instead, professional services rendered last two years of his life? The bottle came down sharply on the rim of the glass, — professional services finally sends the old man right over the side so Adolph just bills it to the estate, forty thousand scribbles a check like he scribbles checks to Yale covering his ass every time he turns around, did he call?
— Adolph?
— Orsini Liz, you don't listen! He wrenched the ice tray, — just asked you if he'd…
— He didn't call no. I told you who called. Chick called. Orsini's still away, I think he's with Edie she said they might go to Acapulco from Mont…
— Now well Christ! The ice tray came down with a crash. — Sitting right here you were sitting up there phone ringing when I came in why the hell didn't you tell me! Told you I've been waiting to hear from him, I pick up the God damn phone you heard me turn down a call from Acapulco why didn't you wait, where you…
— I'm going in to sit down. When is your car conning.
— Be here any minute what time is it, he came on without turning for the clock, picking up ice cubes, sweeping up the mail — Liz…? Shiatsu, Reflexology and The Creative You joined The American Cancer Society in the trash, — this all the mail? Halt by the abrupt blank of the locked door, — those letters for McCandless they were stuck in the door here, what happened to them.
— He came for them.
— What do you mean who came for them.
— Mister McCandless… She was sitting in the wing chair turning pages of Natural History.
— But he, you mean he was here?
— He, yes he came for some things in his room he, and he couldn't get in… she smoothed a tremor through Warriors with their girlfriends and mothers participating in song and dance, — the new lock, he was quite upset.
— Why didn't you tell him the plumber gave the keys to…
— I wasn't here Paul. I went into New York for the doctor, I think I mentioned it.
— Fine great and you lost your purse at Saks how do you know he was here, walks right in I told you to keep the doors locked didn't I?
— It's his house Paul. I'm sure he has a key.
— Walks right in nobody here look I don't like it Liz, a criminal the man's a criminal, yesterday's paper didn't I show you? did I? Up for sentencing next week for felony he grabbed a plea, brought it down sknow what he was doing? No nickel and dime pickpocket he was in there peddling these infrared nightscopes on the wrong side of the fence, kind of guy you want walking in the front door?
She looked up. — Was he, was there a picture of him?
— Picture of him testifying with a bag over his head, still trying to nail his buddies probably why he was trying to get into his room there, pick up the evidence turn them in get off with two years it's not kid stuff Liz. You alone here somebody like that don't know what the hell can happen, get the locks changed keep them locked I don't want him in here.
— It's in the lease Paul that's ridiculous, he has a right to get into that room he's got to get into the house to get in there he could have us put out, we haven't even paid this month's…
— Rent look maybe I won't, maybe I won't. Hold back on it see what happens look, he goes up for two years ten years we don't go down to the bank here and put it in his account how the hell does he know? Up there on the rock pile what the hell can he do? Misprision of treason Liz that's what they had him for he's a God damn traitor, expect me to pay off a God damn traitor?
— Paul honestly, we're not even sure he's the…
— Goes around with a paper bag over his head and these phone calls? Mail from these African countries that weren't there a week ago where you walk down Main Street and some spade cuts your throat for the hell of it? It's not kid stuff Liz how do you know what's in that room, walks right in the house nobody home how do you even know he was here?
— I didn't say nobody was home Paul, I said I wasn't. Madame Socrate he knows Madame Socrate that's where we got her, when I got home she said he'd been here he, she said he was fâché when he couldn't get into the…
— Fashay look got to do something about her Liz, that kind of money can't even answer the phone? She do the windows? He got to the nearest of them, ran the wet streak of a thumb down it — so God damn gloomy out there you can't tell the wait, car coming must be my car where's my bag.
— By the door where you left it.
Lights climbed the alcove windows, glowed past the one where he stood and a black car made the slow turn under the streetlight. — Night like this probably ran off the road somewhere… he turned with the letters he'd been flourishing as though they'd just appeared in his hand, — stuff at B & G Storage say they'll auction it off if the bill's not paid. Liz? Stuff we've got stored at…
— I heard you. What do you think they'll get for your stones.
— Not just stones look don't start that, stuff of yours there from Bedford eighty ninety thousand dollars there they want nine hundred ten dollars, God damn ransom nine hundred and wait, Liz? Just remembered look, have you got any cash?
Running short all I've got's this check on the Pee Dee Citizens Bank not even sure it's good, she spells hundred h u n e r d sat through the whole funeral eating Cheez Doodles, Liz? that fifty I left you?
— You left me money for Madame Socrate.
— Fine great fifty dollars get the God damn windows washed can't even tell the difference, what…
— Well you wanted them cleaned and she, and they're cleaned! People work hard that's what you pay them for, their work that's all they have to sell so you pay them for it or they, or you do it yourself if you can't tell the difference why didn't you do them yourself!