Lets quit beating around the bush and put a few cards on the table, Alder said. Yeah. Mason said,Hang it! I wish wed hear from that Harlan woman, but after all, she had a few things to take care of. Mr. Mason, the witness said, this is putting me in a very uncomfortable position. I dont want to testify against my wife in this matter, and I— I thought about Max lying on the cheap green rug with his throat cut.I hope not, I said. I told the EMTs the homes next door were empty. But theyre being renovated and guys might be showing up to work there today. Some of the gas might have gone in there. He had locked the ignition and had taken the keys in with him when he went in. Believe me, he wasnt taking any chances on having me take his car and drive off and leave him out there. He was after information. He wanted to know what I know about that stock that he didnt know, and minutes were precious to him. He was planning on making some more stock purchases this evening if he could. I forgot my phone. I went back for it. The guard saw me leave. Whats wrong? he blurted out. If the lawyer had been completely without any high cards of his own, the columnist pointed out, he would necessarily have had to go into court objecting to this question and that question, moving to strike out answers as not being responsive, engaging in all of the technicalities of a person putting up a last-ditch legal fight. Yes, and he wrote it down. Not if the result includes prison. I have an aversion to small rooms with bars. It was three weeks later, at precisely 6:20 in the morning. Yeah, Dino said. I guess Id be off my feed, too, if Id just shot somebody. A little more Scotch..