“Not particularly.”

“I think there’s a lot to be said for it. Ray’s a Sagittarius.”

“Jesus Christ,” Ray said. He looked at the bills again, gave a small shrug, then folded them once and found them a home in his pocket. Loren watched this procedure somewhat wistfully. He knew he’d get his share later, but still…

Ray gnawed a fingernail. “How’d you get in, Bernie? Fire escape?”

“Front door.”

“Right past the clown downstairs? They’re terrific, these doormen.”

“Well, it’s a large building.”

“Not that large. Still, you do look the part. That clean-cut East Side look and those clothes” I live on the West Side myself, and usually wear jeans. “And I suppose you carried a briefcase, right?”

“Not exactly.” I pointed to my Bloomie’s bag. “That.”

“Even better. Well, I guess you can pick it up and walk right out again. Wait a minute.” He frowned. “We’ll leave first. I like it better that way. Otherwise, why are we taking so much time here, et cetera, and et cetera. But don’t get light-fingered after we split, huh?”

“There’s nothing here to take,” I said.

“I want your word on it, Bernie.”

I avoided laughing. “You’ve got it,” I said solemnly.

“Give us three minutes and then go straight out. But don’t hang around no more’n that, Bernie.”

“I won’t.”

“Well,” he said. He turned and reached for the door, and then Loren Kramer said he had to go to the bathroom. “Jesus Christ,” Ray said.

Loren said, “Bernie? Where is it, do you know?”

“Search me,” I said. “Not literally.”

“Huh?”

“I never got past this desk,” I said. “I suppose the john must be back there somewhere.”

Loren went looking for it while Ray stood there shaking his head. I asked him how long Loren had been his partner. “Too long,” he said.

“I know what you mean.”

“He ain’t a bad kid, Bernie.”

“Seems nice enough.”

“But he’s so damn stupid. And the astrology drives me straight up the wall. You figure there’s anything in that crap?”