“Quite a girl.”

“I hear there was a shindig up at Salzer’s place,” I said, watching him. “Looks as if your Sports fund’s going to suffer.”

“I’d cry about that. I don’t have to worry about sport at my age.”

We brooded over each other for a minute or so, then I said, “Anyone report a girl named Gurney missing? She was another of Salzer’s nurses.”

He pulled at his thick nose, shook his head.

“Nope. Another of Salzer’s nurses, did you say?”

“Yeah. Nice girl: got a good body, but maybe you’re a mite old to bother about bodies.”

Bradley said he was a little old for that kind of thing, but he was staring thoughtfully at me now.

“She wouldn’t be any good to you, anyway; she’s dead,” I said.

“Are you trying to tell me something or are you just being tricky?” he asked, an acid note in his voice.