CHAPTER 4Not until evening was Kintyre free to cross the bridge into San Francisco. He had spent hours on Bruce’s uncorrected papers, and talked with Yamamura, who said he would sniff around, and he had called Margery on the phone to see if she was all right. “Come over and take potluck, Bob,” she said. He sensed loneliness. But—hell’s boiling pots, she made him feel cluttered! “I’m afraid I can’t,” he evaded. “Commitments. But take it easy, huh? Go visit someone, go have a cup of espresso, don’t sit home and nest on your troubles. I’ll see you soon.” He poured himself a small drink after hanging up and tossed it off. Then he changed into his darkest suit and got the car rolling. Personally, he would not have placarded a loss on his clothes, but Bruce’s parents were from the Old World.

