Berg said: “Look, Shakkey…” His voice was still casual. “What are you givin’ me? Are you tellin’ me you never left those guns? Are you tellin’ me you weren’t givin’ me a tip-off to the Double Clover Leaf Club? Are you giving it to me on the up-an’-up that you haven’t seen Travis or Lauren in years?”
Shakkey’s voice was almost bored: “Jeez…what do I haveta tell you lies for?”
Berg said: “Yeah?” So someone else had left the guns. He stood looking across the lawn silvered by the moonlight, at the dark shadows caused by the trees on the other side.
He said: “Well, is that goddam funny, or is it? I sort of thought it was the hand of fate, Shakkey, but maybe it wasn’t.”
Shakkey said: “Yeah…and maybe it was.”
Berg drew on his cigarette. He said: “What do you mean by that one?”
Shakkey grinn
