`Right.' Mendax paused. `Don't know about NorTel though.'

`Mmm, yeah,' Prime Suspect said. Then, as usual, a silence began to descend on the conversation.

`Running out of things to say …' Mendax said finally. They were good enough friends for him to be blunt with Prime Suspect.

`Yeah.'

More silence.

Mendax thought how strange it was to be such good friends with someone, to work so closely with him, and yet to always run out of conversation.

`OK, well, I better go. Things to do,' Mendax said in a friendly voice.

`Yeah, OK. Bye Mendax,' Prime Suspect said cheerfully.

Mendax hung up.

Prime Suspect hung up.