The Old Silent

on, old trout.We're off to see a rerun of The Untouchables.'

'What? Why in God's name would anyone who'd just seen Vivian off want to see Al Capone?'

'Don't be dense. We'll only stay for the credits.'

'That makes sense.' Jury looked down the track. The end of the train was a cinder now.

Trueblood drew a banner in air between thumb and forefinger. ' 'Wardrobe by Armani.' Everyone applauds. Then we leave, go somewhere and get drunk.'

Jury smiled, looked at Karla, whose mouth hitched up on one end. 'You two go along. I'll see you later.'

Trueblood looked at him with concern. 'We'll all get together at Nine-One-Nine. How's that?'

'Hmm? Fine.'

Jury was looking at Melrose and Ellen, who in some sort of twosome metamorphosis had walked over to take the place of Trueblood and Karla. 'Luncheon at the Ritz. What do you say? Agatha's taken herself off to Waterloo. Sorry about that.' Melrose grinned.

Boyishly. It was the first time Jury ever remembered seeing his friend actually grin. 'No, you two go on.'

'Not without you. And I've something for you.' Melrose reached into the deep pocket of his overcoat and brought out the Sony Walkman. He smiled. 'Here.' Then he reached in the other and brought out some tapes. Six of them.

Transformer. Lou Reed; Rock n Roll Animal. Lou Reed; Berlin. Lou Reed; Live in Italy. Lou Reed; Mistrial. Lou Reed; New York. Lou Reed.

'I'm sorry,' said Melrose, 'I couldn't find Metal Machine Music.'

Ellen sighed. 'You've got to be a real Lou Reed fanatic to dig that one. Feedback screams.'

'I dig feedback screams. I'm with you, aren't I?'

'I can't thank you enough,' Jury said, looking at Melrose Plant's enthusiastic face. 'I've got some work to clear up; these'll help.' He held up the tapes.

'Work? For God's sakes, that's all you've been doing! Come with us.'

'Yeah, come on.' One hand pulled on Jury's arm; the other was in Melrose's.

'What is it you say in the U.S.? 'Later days'?'

Ellen smiled. 'Later days, then.'

He shoved both of them gently: 'Go.'

Jury watched them walk away, heads close together.

He turned to look back at the empty track and then in the other direction over the heads of Victoria's crowded railway station. Over there was the old, dependable Underground sign. Jury held on to the tapes Melrose had given him and brought out another tape from his pocket, looked at it, shoved it back.

He might as well go home and put on a little Trane.

I wish I could promise to lie in the night
And think of an orchard's arboreal plight
When slowly (and nobody comes with a light)
Its heart sinks lower under the sod.
But something has to be left to God.

– Robert Frost

'Good-bye and Keep Cold'

You need a Busload of Faith to get by.

– Lou Reed

New York

MARTHA GRIMES

***