I drove, looking for a pay phone and trying not to think of Julia as I had last seen her. A few clouds blew in from the west. My watch ticked on my wrist, next to unseen Frakir. The news on the radio was international and cheerless.

I stopped in a drugstore and used a phone there to try to reach Luke at his motel. He wasn’t in. So I had a club sandwich and a milkshake in the dining area and tried again afterward. Still out.

Okay. Catch him later.

I headed into town. The Browserie, as I recalled, was the name of the bookstore where Rick worked.

I drove by and saw that the place was open. I parked a couple of blocks up the street and walked back. I had been alert all of the way across town, but could not detect any sign that I was being followed.

A cool breeze touched me as I walked, hinting of rain. I saw Rick through the store’s window, seated at his high counter reading a book. There was no one else in sight in the place.

A small bell jangled above the door as I entered, and he looked up. He straightened and his eyes widened as I approached.

“Hi,” I said, pausing then for a moment. “Rick, I don’t know whether you remember me.”

“You’re Merle Corey,” he stated softly.

“Right.” I leaned on the counter and he drew back. “I wondered whether you might be able to help me with a little information.”

“What kind of information?”

“It’s about Julia,” I said.

“Look,” he answered, “I never went near her until after you two had broken up.”

“Huh? No, no, you don’t understand. I don’t care about that. It’s more recent information that I need. She’d been trying to get in touch with me this past week and — ”

He shook his head:

“I haven’t heard from her for a couple of months.”

“Oh?”