“Another problem is remembering. You’d think the two of them would get together and cancel out, wouldn’t you? But they don’t. I’m always remembering things I want to forget—you know, like what happened last night—and forgetting stuff I need to remember, like somebody owes me twenty.”
“Perhaps we should begin at the beginning, then. I suppose that’s what we ought to have done all along. What is your name?”
“Candy Garth. Listen, I didn’t really do anything so bad, did I? Just shook that girl up a little. When are you going to take these straps off me and let me go?”
“Candy is your legal name?”
“Catherine. Catherine M. Garth, all right? The M is for Margaret.”
“Do you know what day of the week this is?”
“You mean like is it Monday or Tuesday? I guess not. Usually I keep track, but sometimes I forget. See, I don’t have a regular job, and I don’t go to church, so it’s all about the same to me. The stores are open all the time anyway, and so are the bars.”
“Guess, please.”
“You mean just take a stab at it?”
“That’s right.”
“Wednesday. How’s that?”
“And what is the day of the month, please?”
“Well, this is January. I had one hell of a hangover after New Year’s, but that was back a couple of weeks ago anyway. I’d say about the fifteenth.”
“This is Friday the twenty-first, Candy. Where do you live?”
“You mean right now?”
“Yes.”
“I just don’t have what you call a fixed address right now. I’ve been staying with friends.”
“I want to be quite open with you, Candy. When you were admitted here, we went through your purse. We weren’t snooping, we—”
“Oh, God! The kid!”
“Yes?”
“I had a kid with me, Little Ozzie. Is he okay? My God, I forgot all about him.” Candy tried to sit up, the straps indenting her soft flesh, her round face red with the strain.
“Don’t worry about the little fellow. I saw him myself a few minutes ago, and he was just fine.”
“You’ve got him in here?”
“We’re trying to locate his father.”
Candy mumbled something, and Dr. Bob leaned forward. “What did you say?”
“Shut up. I’ve gotta think. Jim sent him to see that doc, but I can’t remember his name.”
“I’m sure it will come to you as we talk.”
“I don’t know where Jim will be either. What’s the time?”
Dr. Bob glanced as his watch. “A quarter to three.”
“Will you still be here at six?”
“I can be, if there’s a reason for it.”
“At six, phone the Consort. Ask for Madame Serpentina’s room. Ozzie ought to be there then. We were going to meet there.”
“Madame Serpentina is rather an odd name.”
“Really. She’s a pretty weird woman too, so I guess it fits her.”
“Is she an American?”
“Why not? Every geek who can get one foot on the beach is American now. She can speak English, if that’s what you mean. Half of them can’t. I don’t think she was born here.”
“You don’t like her, do you?”
“What the hell business of yours is that?” Candy hesitated. “I guess I do, a little. Sometimes. When are you going to take off these straps?”
“Tomorrow. I think I mentioned that.”
“I got to go to the john.”
“When I leave, I’ll send in a nurse and an attendant. Until then, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait. Have I mentioned that we went through your purse? We did. You were carrying no identification whatsoever.”
“There were some of my calling cards in there.”
