Cities of the Red Night

been a major when I last saw him. He hadn't changed much. A little heavier, but the same cold gray eyes and focused attention. When you see him he gives his whole concentration to you. He shook hands without smiling. I can't recall ever seeing him smile. He simply doesn't give himself occasion to do so. I told him I had come about the Everson boy's disappearance.

He nodded. 'I thought you had, and I'm glad you are here. We haven't been able to give enough time to it.'

'You think something may have happened to him?'

Figueres doesn't shrug. He doesn't gesticulate. He just sits there with his eyes focused on you and what is being discussed.

'I don't know. We have checked Progreso and all surrounding towns. We have checked airports and buses. If he had gone off on another dig, he would be that much easier to locate. A blond foreigner off the tourist routes is very conspicuous. We have also checked all the tourist places. Apparently he was a level-headed, serious young man ... no indications of drug use or excessive drinking. Is there any history of amnesia? Psychotic episodes?'

'None that I know of.'

Dead end.

Back at the hotel, Jim and Kiki had turned up very little from questioning the landlady and neighbors. The landlady described Everson as a serious polite young man ... un caballero. He entertained few visitors and these were also serious students. There had been no noise, no drinking, no girls.

I sat down and opened the letter. It was from his twin sister in Minneapolis. It read:

Querido Juanito,

He has visited me again. He says that before you receive this letter He will have contacted you. He says you will then know what has to be done.

Your Ever Loving Sister,

Jane

At three o'clock, I called Inspector Graywood in New York. 'Clem Snide here.'

'Ah yes, Mr. Snide, there have been some developments in Lima. A boy did come to call for another crate and was seen to brush against the duplicate head crate. He was followed to a bicycle rental and repair shop in the Mercado Mayorista. Police searched the shop and found false identity papers in the name of Juan Mateos. The proprietor has been arrested and charged with possession of forged papers and with conspiracy to conceal evidence of a murder. He is being detained in isolation. He claims he did not know what was in the crate. He had been offered a fairly large sum to pick up the crate after it had cleared customs. The crate was to have been brought to his shop. Someone would arrange to pick it up there, and he would be paid an additional and larger sum. The customs agent who passed the crate has also been arrested. He has confessed to accepting a bribe.'

'What about the boy?'

'There was no reason to hold him in connection with this case. However, since he has a record for petty theft and a history of epilepsy, he has been placed in a rehabilitation center in Lima.'

'I wish I could be on the scene.'

'So do I. Otherwise, I doubt if any important arrests will be made. In a country like that, people of wealth are virtually untouchable. People like the Countess de Gulpa. for example....'

'So you know about her?'

'Of course. The description of the man who contacted the customs broker tallies rather closely with your Identikit picture of Marty Blum. I have sent a copy to the Lima police and informed them that he is also wanted in connection with a murder here. Benson, it seems, was a pusher, small-time ... a number of leads but no arrests as yet. Have you found the Everson boy?'

'Not yet and I don't like the looks of it.'

'You think something has happened to him?'