“Well, weren’t you?” Tim asked, a sly grin in his eyes.

“That was the general idea,” I said, scowling, “but how was I to know she’d know?”

“So you’re not going to fix Killeano?” Tim said, surprised. “Then why come back here?”

“I promised I wouldn’t kill him, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to fix him,” I said grimly. “I have to work it differently now. It’ll take longer, but it’ll work out the same way- I have to find someone else to do it for me: Gomez, for instance.”

Davis came back from the telephone.

“Clairbold says Gomez is at the jai alai court right now. He reckons Gomez will make the trip after the game.”

“Okay,” I said.

“He’ll come over here after he’s seen Gomez off,” Davis said. “You’ll like this guy. He’s good.”

I put my feet on the table. “Stick around,” I said. “We may be busy in a little while.”

“Not me,” Davis said hurriedly. “I know when you’re planning to start something. I smell it in the air. Me—I’m going home.”