first time that dismissive look went out of his eyes. For the first time Ev felt that Dugan was really seeing him. Everett Hillman, instead of just some crazy old rip who had blown in to fart away part of his morning.
'Perhaps you'd better give me the gist of what you believe,' Dugan said, and took out a pad of paper.
'No. You can just put that pad away.'
Dugan looked at him silently for a moment. He didn't put the pad away, but he put down the pencil.
'Bright thought I was crazy, and I didn't tell him half of what I thought,'
Ev said, 'so I ain't going to tell you any. But here's the thing - I think David's still alive. I don't think he's in Haven anymore, but I think if I went back there I might be able to get an idea on where he is. Now, I have reasons - pretty good ones, I think - to believe that I'm not wanted in Haven. I have reasons to think that if I went back there under most circumstances, I'd most likely disappear like David Brown. Or have an accident like Ruth.'
Butch Dugan's face changed. 'I think,' he said, 'I got to ask you to explain that, Mr Hillman.'
'I ain't going to. I can't. I know what I know, and believe what I believe, but I ain't got a speck of proof. I know how crazy I must sound, but if you look into my face, you'll know one thing, at least: I believe what I'm saying.'
Dugan sighed. 'Mr Hillman, if you were in this business, you'd know how sincere most liars look.' Ev started to say something and Dugan shook his head. 'Forget that. Cheap shot. I've only had about six hours' sleep since Sunday night. I'm getting too old for these marathons. Fact is, I do believe you're sincere. But you're only making ominous sounds, talking around the edges of things. Sometimes people do that when they're scared, but mostly they do it when edges are all they have. Either way, I haven't got time to woo you. I answered your questions; maybe you'd better state your business.'
'Glad to. I came here for two reasons, Trooper Dugan. First one was to make sure there was going to be a lot of cops in Haven tomorrow. Things are less likely to happen when there are a lot of cops around, don't you agree?'
Dugan said nothing, only looked at Ev expressionlessly.
'Second was to tell you I'll be in Haven tomorrow too. I won't be at Ruth's funeral, though. I'm going to have a Very pistol with me, and if, during that funeral, you or any of your men should see a big old star-shell go off in the sky, you'll know I have run afoul of some of that craziness no one will believe. Do you follow me?'
'You said going back to Haven might be ... uh, unhealthy for you.' Dugan's face was still blank, but that didn't matter; Ev knew he had gone back to his original idea: Ev was crazy, after all.
'Under most circumstances, I said. Under these circumstances, I think I can get away with it. Ruth was loved in Haven, which is a fact I don't think I have to tell you. Most of the town will turn out to see her into the ground. I don't know if they still loved her when she died, but that don't matter - they'll turn out anyway.'
'How do you figure that?' Dugan asked. 'Or is that another one of those things you don't want to talk about?'
'No, I don't mind. lt would look wrong if they didn't turn out.'
'To who?'
'To you. To the other policemen who were friends to her and her husband. To the pols from the Penobscot County Democratic Committee. Why, 'twouldn't surprise me if Congressman Brennan sent someone up from Augusta - she worked awful hard for him when he run for office in Washington. She wasn't just local, y'see, and that's part of what they got to deal with.
They're like people who don't want to throw a party but who are stuck doing it just the same. I'm hoping they'll be so busy making things look right - with putting on a good show - that they'll not even know I've been in Haven until I'm gone.'
Butch Dugan crossed his arms over his chest. Ev had been close to the truth - at first Dugan had indulged himself in the fancy that David