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〃I just got him yesterday。〃
She said nothing。
He sat down on the other end of the bench； with Einstein between them。 〃My name's Travis。〃
Unresponsive； she scratched behind Einstein's ears。 The dog made a contented sound。
〃Travis Cornell；〃 he said。
At last she raised her head and looked at him。 〃Nora Devon。〃
〃Glad to meet you。〃
She smiled； but nervously。
Though she wore her hair straight and lank； though she used no makeup； she was quite attractive。 Her hair was dark and glossy； her skin flawless； and her gray eyes were accented with green striations that seemed luminous in the bright May sunshine。
As if sensing his approval and frightened of it； she immediately broke eye contact； lowered her head once more。
He said； 〃Miss Devon 。 。 。 is something wrong？〃
She said nothing。
〃Was that man 。 。 。 bothering you？〃
〃It's all right；〃 she said。
With her head bowed and shoulders hunched； sitting there under a ton…weight of shyness； she looked so vulnerable that Travis could not just get up； walk away； and leave her with her problems。 He said； 〃If that man was bothering you； I think we ought to find a cop…〃
〃No；〃 she said softly but urgently。 She slipped out from under Einstein and got up。
The dog scrambled off the bench to stand beside her； gazing at her with affection。
Rising； Travis said； 〃I don't mean to pry； of course…〃
She hurried away； heading out of the park on a different path from the One the runner had taken。
Einstein started after her but halted and reluctantly returned when Travis called to him。
Puzzled； Travis watched her until she disappeared； an enigmatic and troubled woman in a gray dress as drab and shapeless as the garb of an Amish lady or a member of some other sect that took great pains to cloak the female figure in garments that would not lead a man into temptation。
He and Einstein continued their walk through the park。 Later； they went to the beach； where the retriever seemed astounded by the endless vistas of rolling sea and by the breakers foaming on the sand。 He repeatedly stopped to stare out at the ocean for a minute or two at a time； and he frolicked happily in the surf。 Later still； back at the house； Travis tried to interest Einstein in the books that had caused such excitement last evening； hoping this time to be able to figure out what the dog expected to find in them。 Einstein sniffed without interest at the volumes Travis brought to him…and yawned。
Throughout the afternoon； the memory of Nora Devon returned to Travis with surprising frequency and vividness。 She did not require alluring clothes to capture a man's interest。 That face and those green…flecked gray eyes were enough。
3
After only a few hours of deep sleep； Vincent Nasco took an early…morning flight to Acapulco； Mexico。 He checked into a huge bayfront hotel； a gleaming but soulless high…rise where everything was glass； concrete； and terrazzo。 After he had changed into ventilated white Top…Siders； white cotton pants； and a pale…blue Ban…Lon shirt； he went looking for Dr。 Lawton Haines。
Haines was vacationing in Acapulco。 He was thirty…nine years old； five…eleven； one hundred and sixty pounds； with unruly dark brown hair； and he was purported to look like Al Pacino； except that he had a red birthmark the size of a half…dollar on his forehead。 He came to Acapulco at least twice a year； always stayed at the elegant Hotel Las Brisas on the headland at the eastern end of the bay； and frequently enjoyed long lunches at a restaurant adjacent to the Hotel Caleta； which he favored for its margaritas and its view of Playa de Caleta。
By twelve…twenty in the afternoon； Vince was seated in a rattan chair with fortable yellow and green cushions at a table by the windows in that same restaurant。 He'd spotted Haines on entering。 The doctor was at another window table； three away from Vince； half…screened by a potted palm。 Haines was eating shrimp and drinking margaritas with a stunning blonde。 She was wearing white slacks and a gaily striped tube…top； and half the men in the place were staring at her。
As far as Vince was concerned； Haines looked more like Dustin Hoffman than like Pacino。 He had those bold features of Hoffman's； including the nose。 Otherwise； he was exactly as he'd been described。 The guy was wearing pink Cotton trousers and a pale…yellow shirt and white sandals； which seemed； to Vince； to be taking tropical resort attire to an extreme。
Vince finished a lunch of albondiga soup； seafood enchiladas in salsa verde； and a nonalcoholic margarita； and paid the check by the time Haines and the blonde were ready to leave。
The blonde drove a red Porsche。 Vince followed in a rental Ford； which had too many miles on it； rattled with the exuberance of percussion instruments in a mariachi band； and had fragrant moldy carpet。
At Las Brisas； the blonde dropped Haines in the parking lot； though not until they stood beside her car for at least five minutes； holding each other's asses and soul…kissing in broad daylight。
Vince was dismayed。 He expected Haines to have a stronger sense of propriety。 After all； the man had a doctorate。 If educated people did not uphold traditional standards of conduct； who would？ Weren't they teaching manners and deportment in the universities these days？ No wonder the world got ruder and cruder every year。
The blonde departed in her Porsche； and Haines left the lot in a white Mercedes 560 SL sports coupe。 It sure wasn't a rental； and Vince wondered where the doctor had gotten it。
Haines checked his car with the valet at another hotel； as did Vince。 He tailed the doctor through the lobby； out to the beach； where at first they seemed embarked on an uneventful stroll along the shore。 But Haines settled down beside a gorgeous Mexican girl in a string bikini。 She was dark； superbly proportioned； and fifteen years younger than the doctor。 She was sunbathing on a lounge； her eyes closed。 Haines kissed her throat； startling her。 Evidently； she knew him； for she threw her arms around him； laughing。
Vince walked down the beach and back； then sat on the sand behind Haines and the girl； with a pair of sunbathers interposed between them。 He was not concerned that Haines would notice him。 The doctor seemed to have eyes only for choice female anatomy。 Besides； in spite of his size； Vince Nasco had a knack for fading into the background。
Out on the bay； a tourist was taking a parachute ride； hanging high in the air behind the towboat。 Sun fell like an endless rain of gold doubloons on the sand and the sea。
After twenty minutes； Haines kissed the girl on the lips； and on the slopes of her breasts； then set off back the way he had e。 The girl called out； 〃Tonight at six！〃 And Haines said； 〃I'll be there。〃
Then Haines and Vince went for a pleasure drive。 At first Vince thought Haines had a destination in mind； but after a while it seemed they were just heading aimlessly down the coast road； taking in the scenery。 They passed Revolcadero Beach and kept going； Haines in his white Mercedes； Vince following as far back as he dared in his Ford。
Eventually they came to a scenic overlook； where Haines pulled off the road and parked beside a c