18
PARTISAN REVIEW
"You got the only closeup shot," Charlie said in an even tight
voice. "He and 'Grace' got the real view of it-"
The door slammed shut and they saw him half-running toward
his porch. The Chief shot the car into second and then let it hang
there while he swore:
"Dirty, lousy son of a bitch."
In high the car bounced swiftly down the wet hillside road
toward the turnpike.
"It's like everything else," said Charlie calmly as they accel–
erated. "It's like everything, it's the same as this rain soaking us
up- it's a goddam disease is all."
"All right then," the Chief said, slowing to a stop at the turn–
pike. "All right, all right, all right. A dirty, lousy son of a bitch."
"A curious sick son of a bitch," said Charlie. "A nosey bastard."
He looked down the turnpike on his side. It was clear.
"All right," he told the Chief.
