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〃Telepathy seems to improve teamwork；〃 Bill mented； and I had to admit it was true。 Sandra and Herb spread out the rug beside Sandra's desk。 Roger and John lifted Detweiller and deposited him face…down at one end of the rug。 Then； working together； they simply rolled him up like a Devil Dog pastry； securing the whole with the heaviest twine the supply closet could provide。
〃Man； he bled a lot；〃 Bill said。 〃That rug's a mess。〃
〃The plant will suck up most of it today and Sunday；〃 I said。
〃You really think so？〃
I really did。 I also thought that I could get up most of the residue with a good application of Genie Rug Cleaner。 The final result might not fool a police forensics specialist； but if the police wind up in here； our butts are probably going to be baked； anyway。 To an ordinary outsider； the remaining stain on Sandra's carpet will look as if someone spilled a pot of coffee there a few months ago。 Maybe the only real question is whether or not Sandra can live with that manta…ray shadow in the place where she earns her daily bread。 If she can't； I suppose I can replace that particular piece of carpet。 Because it's as Roger says： such minimal expenses will soon no longer annoy us。
〃You're sure you can get this truck？〃 Roger called out from Sandra's office。 He was sitting back on his heels and wiping his forehead with his sleeve。 〃What if the guy's gone for the weekend？〃
〃He's home；〃 Bill said； 〃or at least he was an hour and a half ago。 I saw him on my way out。 And for fifty dollars； he'd rent me his grandmother。 He's a nice enough guy； but he's got this little problem。〃 He mimed sniffing； first closing one nostril and then the other。
〃Make sure he's there；〃 Roger said； then turned to John。 〃Body disposal bonuses at Christmas for all of us。 Make a note。〃
〃Sure； just don't put it in your monthly report；〃 John said； and we all laughed。 I suppose that must sound gruesome； but it was the cheeriest； most collegial laughter you ever heard。 I believe that Sandra； with a tiny smear of Carlos Detweiller's blood on her forearm and another on her right palm； laughed hardest of all。
Bill went in his office and got on the phone。 Roger and John moved Carlos； now wrapped in the brown rug remnant； down to the reception area； behind LaShonda's desk。
〃I can see his shoes；〃 Sandra said。 〃They're sticking out a little。〃
〃Don't worry； it'll be okay；〃 Herb said； and just like that I knew that he's been doing the horizontal bop with the lady fair。 Well； mo powah to him； is all dis fella kin say。 Might be no mo playin truck…drivah and l'il girl hitchhikah； praise de Lawd。
〃Nothing's going to be okay until that homicidal idiot's taken care of；〃 Sandra said。 She started to brush her hair back； saw the blood on her hand； and grimaced。
Bill came out of his office； smiling。 〃One old but serviceable panel truck； at our service；〃 he said。 〃Bread pany advertising logos on the sides； very faded。 Riddley； we take it away this afternoon at four…in less than three hours； in other words…and I bring it back later tonight。 No questions asked； although I had to agree to mileage； as well。 Two bits per。 That okay； boss？〃
Roger nodded。 〃This guy lives downstairs from you； right？〃
〃Right。 He's a stockbroker。 Buying vehicles at auction and turning them over is just a sideline。 I think he scams the insurance panies when he can； as well。 I could have gotten a hearse； actually； but that seemed。 。 。 I don't know。 。 。 ostentatious。〃
To me； the idea of taking Detweiller to a Jersey landfill in a hurry…up wagon seemed not ostentatious but downright creepy。 I kept my mouth shut on the subject； however。
〃And this place in Paramus？〃 John asked。 〃It's safe？ Relatively safe？〃
〃According to some of the talk I've heard at Ginelli's game； it's as safe as the grave。〃 Bill saw our faces and grimaced。 〃To coin a phrase。〃
〃All right；〃 Roger said heavily。 〃Sandra's office looks more or less okay。 Let's clean up Herb's and John's and then get the hell out of here。〃
We did it； then adjourned to the cafeteria a block over to get something to eat。 None of us had much in the way of appetite； and Bill left early to conclude negotiations with the fellow downstairs。
Outside the cafeteria； on the curb； John took my arm。 He looked tired but posed。 In better shape than before I left for home； actually。 〃Riddley； are you okay with this？〃
〃Fine with it；〃 I said。
〃Want me to ride along？〃
I thought it over； then shook my head。 〃Three's a crowd。 I'll call you when it's taken care of。 But it may be late。〃
He nodded； started away； then turned back and grinned。 There was something heartbreakingly sweet about it。 〃Wele to the Green Thumb Editorial Society；〃 he said。
I sketched him a little salute。 〃Good to be here。〃
As it was。 And when I got to Bill's place shortly thereafter； the old panel truck was already parked at the curb。 Bill was standing next to it； smoking a cigarette and looking entirely at peace。
〃Let's pick up some cargo and take it to Jersey；〃 he said。
I clapped him on the shoulder。 〃I'm your man；〃 I said。
We arrived back at 490 around quarter to five。 At that hour on a Saturday afternoon； the building was as quiet as it ever gets。 Absolutely dead； to coin another phrase。 John's nemesis lay where we had left him； neatly tied into his bundle of rug。
〃Look at the plant； Riddley；〃 Bill said； but I already had。 Runners had worked their way to the end of the corridor。 There they clustered； barely held back by the garlic John and Roger had rubbed on the sides of the door。 The tips were raised； and I could see them quivering。 I thought of hungry diners looking in a restaurant window； and shivered a little。 If not for the garlic； those advance feelers would already have worked their way into the carpet and around the corpse's feet。 Zenith is on our side； I feel quite sure of that； but neither a stiff dick nor a hungry belly has much in the way of conscience； I'm afraid。
〃Let's get him out of here；〃 I said。
Bill agreed。 〃And make a note to refresh the garlic on that door。 Tomorrow； maybe。〃
〃I don't think garlic will hold it forever；〃 I said。
〃What do you mean？〃
Because we were back under Zenith's telepathic umbrella； I thought my response at him rather than saying it out loud： It's got to grow。 If it can't grow； it'll die。 But before it dies； it might…
Get mean？ Bill finished for me。
I nodded。 Yes； it might get mean。 I'm sure that Detweiller and General Hecksler would say it had gotten fairly mean already。
We carried the rolled…up length of rug down the hall to the elevator； which opened at the touch of a button。 There was no one else in the building to divert it to another location； of that I was positive。 We would have heard their thoughts。
〃We're not going to have any problems at all； are we？〃 I asked Bill as we rode down。 Mr。 Detweiller lay between us； a troublesome fellow soon to take up permanent residence in New Jersey。 〃No little unexpected Hitchcock touches。〃
Bill smiled。 〃I don't think so； Riddley。 We're going to roll all sevens。 Because the force is with us。〃
And so it has been。