If I have to waste my time looking for you, I'm gonna get even grumpier and all of those letters get hand- delivered. You behave yourself, I tear them up. Comprende?'
Aw, man, that's rude. I been strai-' 'No problems if you behave yourself, Robert.'
'Yeah, yeah, sure.'
'Will you?'
'Yeah, yeah. Can I go now? I gotta work.'
Are you hearing me, Robert?'
'I'm hearing. Stay in one place, be a fucking boy scout. No jamming, no scamming. Okay? Can I go?'
'One more thing, Robert. Your lady.'
'Yeah?' said Gabray, in a hard voice that turned him into something more than a sniveling loser. 'What about her?'
'She's gone. Flew the coop. Don't even think about going after her.
And especially don't think about hurting her for talking to me.
Because I woulda found you anyway. You've got no gripe with her.
Gabray's eyes widened. 'Gone? What the-whaddya mean?'
'Gone. She wanted out, Robert.'
A'', shit-' 'She was packing her bags when I spoke to her. Pretty shaken up by your approach to domestic life.'
Gabray said nothing.
Milo said, 'She had enough of being pounded on, Robert.'
Gabray dropped the cigarette and stomped it out hard.
'She lies,' he said. 'Fucking bitch.'
'She made your bail.'
'She owned me. She still owes me.'
'I'et it go, Robert. Think of those letters.'
'Yeah,' said Gabray, tapping his foot. 'Whatever. I'm cool with it.
I got a good attitude about life.'
When we were out of the maze and back on San Pedro, Milo turned on his penlight and studied the Identikit face.
'Think he's reliable?' I said.
'Not very. But in the unlikely event a real suspect ever shows up, this might help.'
I stopped for a red light and glanced at the composite. 'Not very distinctive.'
'Nope.'
I leaned over and gave a closer look. 'It could be Huenengarth, minus the mustache.'
'That so?'
'Huenengarth's younger than the guy Gabray described-midthirties-and his face is a bit fuller. But he's thickly built and his hair's styled like that. His mustache could have been grown since March, and even if not, it's very
