(lix.)

Pierpont staggered into the office.

"G'morning, Miss Taylor," he mumbled.

Miss Taylor looked up, over the previous morning's New York Post. "You don't look too good this morning, Mister Brandenbury."

He nodded. "Well, y'know..."

She went back to her newspaper. "By the way, your credit card company called. Apparently, you gave them your work number. They said something about possible fraudulent charges."

Pierpont sat down on her desk. "Y'know... I have to admit, I just really don't care."
"You don't?"
"Nope. If it were two years ago, and I didn't have Chet, and I still had Lory..."

He reached up and rubbed his eyes. "I don't think I want to do this anymore. I think I'm just going to retire to the Bahamas until Chet finds me and arrests me."

"Mister Brandenbury! That's ludicrous!"
"So?"



[chapter lx.]