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shell be all right？
yes。
you dont know that。
llewelyn didnt answer。
do you？
i just dont think anybody will bother her。
you dont think？
you need to get out。 just take her with you。
i cant take my mama to a motel。 shes sick if you aint forgot。
what did the sheriff say。
said he was lookin for you； what do you think he said？
what else did he say。
she didnt answer。
carla jean？
she sounded like she was crying。
what else did he say； carla jean？
he said you was fixin to get yourself killed。
well； thats what he would say。
she was quiet a long time。
carla jean？
llewelyn； i dont even want the money。 i just want us to be back like we was。
we will be。
no we wont。 ive thought about it。 its a false god。
yeah。 but its real money。
she said his name again and then she did begin to cry。 he tried to talk to her but she didnt answer。 he stood there listening to her sobbing quietly in odessa。 what do you want me to do？ he said。
she didnt answer。
carla jean？
i want things to be like they was。
if i tell you ill try and fix everthing will you do what i asked you？
yes。 i will。
ive got a number here i can call。 somebody that can help us。
can you trust them？
i dont know。 i just know i cant trust nobody else。 ill call you tomorrow。 i didnt think theyd find you up there or i never would of sent you。 ill call you tomorrow。
he hung up the phone and dialed the mobile number that wells had given him。 it answered on the second ring but it wasnt wells。 i think i got the wrong number； he said。
you dont have the wrong number。 you need to e see me。
who is this？
you know who it is。
moss leaned on the counter； his forehead against his fist。
wheres wells？
he cant help you now。 what kind of a deal did you cut with him？
i didnt cut any kind of a deal。
yes you did。 how much was he going to give you？
i dont know what youre talkin about。
wheres the money。
what did you do with wells。
we had a difference of opinion。 you dont need to concern yourself about wells。 hes out of the picture。 you need to talk to me。
i dont need to talk to you。
i think you do。 do you know where im going？
why would i care where youre goin？
do you know where im going？
moss didnt answer。
are you there？
im here。
i know where you are。
yeah？ where am i？
youre in the hospital at piedras negras。 but thats not where im going。 do you know where im going？
yeah。 i know where youre goin。
you can turn all this around。
why would i believe you？
you believed wells。
i didnt believe wells。
you called him。
so i called him。
tell me what you want me to do。
moss shifted his weight。 sweat stood on his forehead。 he didnt answer。
tell me something。 im waiting。
i could be waitin for you when you get there you know； moss said。 charter a plane。 you thought about that？
that would be okay。 but you wont。
how do you know i wont？
you wouldnt have told me。 anyway； i have to go。
you know they wont be there。
it doesnt make any difference where they are。
so what are you goin up there for。
you know how this is going to turn out； dont you？
no。 do you？
yes。 i do。 i think you do too。 you just havent accepted it yet。 so this is what ill do。 you bring me the money and ill let her walk。 otherwise shes accountable。 the same as you。
i dont know if you care about that。 but thats the best deal youre going to get。 i wont tell you you can save yourself because you cant。
im goin to bring you somethin all right； moss said。 ive decided to make you a special project of mine。 you aint goin to have to look for me at all。
im glad to hear that。 you were beginning to disappoint me。
you wont be disappointed。
good。
you dont have to by god worry about bein disappointed。
he left before daylight dressed in the muslin hospital gown with the overcoat over it。
the skirt of the overcoat was stiff with blood。 he had no shoes。 in the inside pocket of the coat was the money hed folded away there； stiff and bloodstained。
he stood in the street looking toward the lights。 hed no notion where he was。 the concrete cold under his feet。 he made his way down to the corner。 a few cars passed。
he walked down to the lights at the next corner and stopped and leaned with one hand against the building。 he had two white lozenges in his overcoat pocket that hed saved and he took one now； swallowing it dry。 he thought he was going to vomit。 he stood there for a long time。 there was a windowsill there hed have sat on save that it was spiked with pointed iron bars to discourage loiterers。 a cab went by and he raised one hand but it kept going。 he was going to have to go out into the street and after a while he did。 hed been tottering there for some time when another cab passed and he raised his hand and it pulled to the curb。
the driver studied him。 moss leaned on the window。 can you take me across the bridge？
he said。
to the other side。
yes。 to the other side。
you got monies。
yes。 i got monies。
the driver looked dubious。 twenty dollars； he said。
okay。
at the gate the guard leaned down and regarded him where he sat in the dim rear of the cab。 what country were you born in？ he said。
the united states。
what are you bringing in？
not anything。
the guard studied him。 would you mind stepping out here？ he said。
moss pushed down on the doorhandle and leaned on the front seat to ease himself out of the cab。 he stood。
what happened to your shoes？
i dont know。
you dont have any clothes on； do you？
i got clothes on。
the second guard was waving the cars past。 he pointed for the cabdriver。 would you please pull your cab over into that second space there？
the driver put the cab in gear。
would you mind stepping away from the vehicle？
moss stepped away。 the cab pulled into the parking area and the driver cut the engine。
moss looked at the guard。 the guard seemed to be waiting for him to say something but he didnt。
they took him inside and sat him in a steel chair in a small white office。 another man came in and stood leaning against a steel desk。 he looked him over。
how much have you had to drink？
i aint had anything to drink。
what happened to you？
what do you mean？
what happened to your clothes。
i dont know。
do you have any identification？
no。
nothing。
no。
the man leaned back； his arms crossed at his chest。 he said： who do you think gets to go through this gate into the united states of america？
i dont know。 american citizens。
some american citizens。 who do you think decides that？
you do i reckon。
thats correct。 and how do i decide？
i dont know。
i ask questions。 if i get sensible answers then they get to go to america。 if i dont get sensible answers they dont。 is there anything about that that you dont understand？
no sir。
then maybe youd like to start over。
all right。
we need to hear more about why youre out here with no clothes on。
i got a overcoat on。
are you jackin with me？
no sir。
dont jack with me。 are you in the service？
no sir。 im a veteran。
what branch of the service。
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