ignored him, waiting for the check.
âLook,â Heineman said, âI know youâve been to Donagherâs house. The policeââ
âAre they your source?â
âIâm not divulging any sources.â
âFine with me. Iâm not divulging any answers.â
The waitress edged her way through the crowd to their table while Heineman got flustered. âLet me pay for your drink at least,â he said angrily. âIâm not doing this well. I just want a story. I donât know what youâve heard about me. This is a tough town to break into. I got this tip and it seems hot; it involves a lot of well-known names. This is a slow news day. Iâm just following up on a possible lead the way any reporter would. I know Iâve got a lot to prove in this town, partly because of, well, what I look like, and partly because of where I work. TV newspeople arenât exactly respected around here. Iâd give my eyeteeth to break a major story within six weeks of arriving, spit in the face of those damn holy print peopleââ
The man was starting to look positively human. His face was getting red, as if his tie had suddenly tightened up and turned into a noose.
âIs this an indication of your usual reportorial finesse?â Spraggue asked, watching the Scotch waver in its glass as Heineman banged his hand on the tabletop.
âDammit, no,â the reporter said. âIâm usually ⦠I mean, Iâm damn good at my job.â
âYes?â
âI should never have done this,â Heineman muttered. He snatched the check off the table, knocking the bar glass to the floor in a shower of golden liquid and broken glass. It missed the elegant tie, the blue shirt, the gray suit, and soaked a paunchy gentleman at the next table. Heineman marched off to the bar, paid the check, and left without a backward glance. He didnât even smile at the waitress, who looked crushed by his indifference. A murmur from the crowd followed him out the door.
There were two telephones in an alcove near the entrance, one in working order. Spraggue waited for a woman in tight jeans to finish relating a tale of automotive repair woes. He fed a dime into the machine, dialed, and got an answer after five rings.
âLet me talk to her, Pierce,â he said.
âCould you possibly call back after seven?â
âDonât give me that. Sheâs playing some game and doesnât want to be disturbed. Disturb her.â
âWell â¦â Pierce sounded hesitant.
âYell at her.â
The sound that came over the receiver managed to be shocked and refined at the same time. A man behind Spraggue coughed, just a gentle reminder that there was only one usable public phone and it was highly sought after.
âI am not playing games.â Maryâs voice came over so strongly that he held the receiver away from his ear. âI was meditating; and you have interrupted me. I will never reach a higher plane of existence if youââ
âDo you remember a little conversation we had about threats on some politicianâs life?â
âI am far from senile.â
âYou didnât happen to give out the information that I was interested in the case? To a newsman?â
âHow could I, not being privy to that information?â
âSomeone did.â
âWill you be on the six oâclock news, dear? Which station?â
âAunt Maryââ
âI admit that I have selfishly enjoyed occasional snooping at your behest.â
âAnd that you would like to see the formation of a firm of private investigators with Spraggue and Hillman on the front door in gold leaf.â
âMy dear, it is late in life for me to consider taking up a new profession and I would insist that the door say Hillman and Spraggue.â
âI thought so.â
âBut I did not abet the media.â
âAn Edward Heineman from