In an awed voice I said, “ He was not there again today. Gee, I wish— ”
“Shut up,” said Charlie sharply.
We went back into my room.
“Sit down,” Charlie said. “We got to figure this out. You said, ‘Shoot yourself,’ and either nodded or swayed forward. But you didn’t shoot yourself. The shot came from—” He shook his head, trying to clear it.
“Let’s have some coffee,” he suggested. “Some hot, black coffee. Have you got— Hey, you’re still wearing that headband. Get us some, but for Heaven’s sake be careful.”
I said, “Bring us two cups of hot black coffee.” And I nodded, but it didn’t work. Somehow I’d known it wouldn’t.
Charlie grabbed the band off my head. He put it on and tried it himself.
I said, “Yehudi’s dead. He shot himself. That thing’s no good anymore. So I’ll make the coffee.”
I put the kettle on the hot plate. “Charlie,” I said, “look, suppose it was Yehudi doing that stuff. Well, how do you know what his limitations were? Look, maybe he could have brought us Lili—”
“Shut up,” said Charlie. “I’m trying to think.”