'It looks that way. Abner's convinced.'
'But you're not.'
Regan shook his head. 'No, Willis, I'm not. It doesn't make any difference; I'm not in charge.'
'You want to ask me something,' Parker told him, 'go right ahead. I mean to co- operate.'
'Why?'
'Because I don't want you down on Charles Willis.'
Regan frowned studying him. 'I even think that's the truth,' he said. 'And I don't get it. Why'd you wait so long to tell about Chambers?'
'At first, I figured he couldn't of done it. Then, nobody else turned up that might of, so it had to be him. I figured to begin with if I told about him, you and Younger would grab him and not look anywhere else, because he's served time. But if he really did do the job, I won't want to cover for him. Did you get him yet?'
Regan shook his head. 'He doesn't seem to be around town any more.'
'Well, that figures, if he did it.'
'Everything figures,' Regan said. 'A little late, but it all figures. All the different stories that didn't connect so good before, all of a sudden they all go together like magnets. There's some link-up between you and Abner and the Samuels woman, and I can't find it.'
'I didn't know either of those two before this all happened,' Parker said.
'I believe that, too,' Regan told him. 'That's why I can't figure it out.' He walked around the living- room, looking at the furniture. 'Shardin's the key,' he said, more to himself than Parker. 'He dies, and three old friends come to the funeral, a businessman from Miami and two ex-cons. One of the ex-cons kills the other, and the businessman is all of a sudden buddy-buddy with the local captain of police. And with the girl-friend of the murdered man, let's not forget that. First she identifies him as the guy who killed her man, and then she changes her story, and then she changes it again to this Chambers right around the same time the businessman comes up with Chambers. That's a funny thing, isn't it, Willis? I never heard a word about this man Chambers until this morning, and then I hear it from everywhere.'
'I told Younger yesterday. What about the woman, what did she say?'
Regan gave a sour smile. 'That's right, you weren't there, you wouldn't know. This morning she remembered, Tiftus told her the name of the man who beat him up, and it was Chambers.'
'That's what he told me, too.'
Regan looked at Parker, and then some more at the room. 'I'd like to know how Shardin died,' he said.
'I heard it was a heart attack.'
'I heard the same thing. All right, Willis, I just wanted to know why you took so long to tell us about Chambers, and you had an answer right on tap.'
'It's the truth.'
'I'm sure of it.' Regan shrugged, and turned towards the door. 'It's not my worry any more,' he said. 'Chambers'll be found sooner or later,' and maybe some more will come out at the trial. I can't wait.'
'Fine,' said Parker.
Regan walked across the living-room to the foyer. 'It's been interesting knowing you, Willis,' he said.
There was nothing to say to that. Parker held the door open. Regan paused in the doorway and said, 'I suppose you'll be leaving town now,'
'Probably.'
'Well. Good-bye, Willis.'
'Good-bye.'
FIVE
YOUNGER arrived at three o'clock on the button. Parker didn't wait for him to get out of his Ford and come ring the bell; as soon as he saw Younger pull to a stop at the kerb he picked up his suitcase and walked out of the house.
When he opened the car door Younger said, 'How come the suitcase?'
'We may have to stay over. We're getting a late start.'
'You should have told me, I'd've packed a bag of my own.'
Parker didn't want that. He said, 'You can borrow from me. No problem.' He tossed the suitcase on to the back seat and slid in beside Younger in front. He pulled the door shut and said, 'Let's get out of here.'
'Right.'
Parker nodded at the Plymouth parked down the block. 'You want to wake your boy on the way by?'
'What?'
