that list got killed."
"What’s it got to do with you?" the doctor asked.
"My boss’s daughter got the letter. I explained all this to you last night before you passed into unconsciousness."
Buehler nodded and walked over to his large television set. He turned it on and pressed some buttons behind it. A few moments later, a large Space Invaders’ layout filled the screen. Buehler sat in an armchair with a joystick controller.
"You know, Julian, there’s nothing left in the world for me. Evvie left. All I’ve got left is my bottle and my Space Invaders. And my wealth, my great personal beauty and my charm. And my sneakers. She’s not getting my sneakers."
"Right. Screw Evvie," Digger said.
"So why’d you miss the hospital?"
"I was checking out that letter. I was with the cops. I was interviewing people. I had this tape recorder of mine cooking so much today that my kidney is vibrating. When you get around to testing me, you’re going to find a loose kidney. Did you hear from Evvie?"
"No. Who cares. I’ve fixed it up so you can check into the hospital tomorrow morning. They can still run all the tests, but I’ll just have to mail you some of the results. No, I’ll call in case the news is bad," Buehler said.
"Why don’t you call Evvie and ask her to dinner tonight?"
"Why?" Buehler said. His shoulders swung from side to side as he tried to guide his last tank to a safe spot on the television screen.
"Because it’ll make you feel better. Because I hate to see you slumping around like grim death. Because I’ve got a date," Digger said.
"You sneak. I thought you were working today. All this murder stuff is bullshit, isn’t it?"
"No, it’s true. I’m taking this woman out because I need to get some information out of her," Digger said.
"If she’s got a friend, I’ll get information out of the friend. That way you’ll have twice as much information."
"It won’t work," Digger said. "I do a solo."
After peeling off the tapes that held his microphone wires to his side and unstrapping the tape recorder, Digger called the Araby Casino in Las Vegas and asked for the manager’s office.
"Hello, Gina, this is Digger. Can I get a message to Tamiko?"
"Hello, Digger, how are you? You must have ESP. Koko’s inside with the boss. If you hang on, I’ll have her pick you up."
"You’re a sweetheart, Gina. If I weren’t hooked up with that Nipponese Sicilian, I’d be all over you like nuclear fallout."
"Promises, promises. Hang on. I’ll get her."
Digger heard the telephone go on hold and then he heard clicking as he was being switched from one line to another. But this was Las Vegas and a casino, not some government office, so he knew he wouldn’t be cut off. People who worked in casinos knew what they were doing.
"Hello, Dig," came the small, happy voice. He could picture the beautiful Eurasian woman on the other end of the phone. She was tiny and trim with ice-smooth skin and dark eyes, only a shade lighter than her long, shiny black hair.
"Hi, Koko, how’s my favorite roommate?"
"I’m okay. What’s going on with the medical exams?"
"There’s been a little delay."
"What happened?" she asked.
"Arlo screwed up the reservations for the hospital. I’m going in tomorrow. He sends you his love."
"Mine back. How is he?"
"He’s all twisted. He and Evvie split."
"Oh, damn. Two nice people, Dig."
"Now aren’t you glad you never got serious with me? So we don’t have a painful breakup to look forward to?"
"You know who’s in town?" she said.
"Who?"
"Lieutenant Breslin. Remember, the guy we met in Hollywood with that doctor thing."
"Why the hell didn’t he tell me he was coming?" Digger said. "I promised that my company would comp him. They owe it to him."
"That’s what I was just seeing the boss about. Mr. Needham said he’d take care of it and you can square with him when you get back."
"Tamiko Fanucci, I love you," Digger said. "How is Breslin? He make a run at you yet?"
"Fifteen
"What’s it got to do with you?" the doctor asked.
"My boss’s daughter got the letter. I explained all this to you last night before you passed into unconsciousness."
Buehler nodded and walked over to his large television set. He turned it on and pressed some buttons behind it. A few moments later, a large Space Invaders’ layout filled the screen. Buehler sat in an armchair with a joystick controller.
"You know, Julian, there’s nothing left in the world for me. Evvie left. All I’ve got left is my bottle and my Space Invaders. And my wealth, my great personal beauty and my charm. And my sneakers. She’s not getting my sneakers."
"Right. Screw Evvie," Digger said.
"So why’d you miss the hospital?"
"I was checking out that letter. I was with the cops. I was interviewing people. I had this tape recorder of mine cooking so much today that my kidney is vibrating. When you get around to testing me, you’re going to find a loose kidney. Did you hear from Evvie?"
"No. Who cares. I’ve fixed it up so you can check into the hospital tomorrow morning. They can still run all the tests, but I’ll just have to mail you some of the results. No, I’ll call in case the news is bad," Buehler said.
"Why don’t you call Evvie and ask her to dinner tonight?"
"Why?" Buehler said. His shoulders swung from side to side as he tried to guide his last tank to a safe spot on the television screen.
"Because it’ll make you feel better. Because I hate to see you slumping around like grim death. Because I’ve got a date," Digger said.
"You sneak. I thought you were working today. All this murder stuff is bullshit, isn’t it?"
"No, it’s true. I’m taking this woman out because I need to get some information out of her," Digger said.
"If she’s got a friend, I’ll get information out of the friend. That way you’ll have twice as much information."
"It won’t work," Digger said. "I do a solo."
After peeling off the tapes that held his microphone wires to his side and unstrapping the tape recorder, Digger called the Araby Casino in Las Vegas and asked for the manager’s office.
"Hello, Gina, this is Digger. Can I get a message to Tamiko?"
"Hello, Digger, how are you? You must have ESP. Koko’s inside with the boss. If you hang on, I’ll have her pick you up."
"You’re a sweetheart, Gina. If I weren’t hooked up with that Nipponese Sicilian, I’d be all over you like nuclear fallout."
"Promises, promises. Hang on. I’ll get her."
Digger heard the telephone go on hold and then he heard clicking as he was being switched from one line to another. But this was Las Vegas and a casino, not some government office, so he knew he wouldn’t be cut off. People who worked in casinos knew what they were doing.
"Hello, Dig," came the small, happy voice. He could picture the beautiful Eurasian woman on the other end of the phone. She was tiny and trim with ice-smooth skin and dark eyes, only a shade lighter than her long, shiny black hair.
"Hi, Koko, how’s my favorite roommate?"
"I’m okay. What’s going on with the medical exams?"
"There’s been a little delay."
"What happened?" she asked.
"Arlo screwed up the reservations for the hospital. I’m going in tomorrow. He sends you his love."
"Mine back. How is he?"
"He’s all twisted. He and Evvie split."
"Oh, damn. Two nice people, Dig."
"Now aren’t you glad you never got serious with me? So we don’t have a painful breakup to look forward to?"
"You know who’s in town?" she said.
"Who?"
"Lieutenant Breslin. Remember, the guy we met in Hollywood with that doctor thing."
"Why the hell didn’t he tell me he was coming?" Digger said. "I promised that my company would comp him. They owe it to him."
"That’s what I was just seeing the boss about. Mr. Needham said he’d take care of it and you can square with him when you get back."
"Tamiko Fanucci, I love you," Digger said. "How is Breslin? He make a run at you yet?"
"Fifteen
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