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he raised his head and looked out across the bajada。 a light wind from the north。 cool。
sunny。 one oclock in the afternoon。 he looked at the man lying dead in the grass。 his good crocodile boots that were filled with blood and turning black。 the end of his life。
here in this place。 the distant mountains to the south。 the wind in the grass。 the quiet。
he latched the case and fastened the straps and buckled them and rose and shouldered the rifle and then picked up the case and the machinepistol and took his bearings by his shadow and set out。
he thought he knew how to get to his truck and he also thought about wandering through the desert in the dark。 there were mojave rattlesnakes in that country and if he got bit out here at night he would in all likelihood be joining the other members of the party and the document case and its contents would then pass on to some other owner。
weighed against these considerations was the problem of crossing open ground in broad daylight on foot with a fully automatic weapon slung across one shoulder and carrying a satchel containing several million dollars。 beyond all this was the dead certainty that someone was going to e looking for the money。 maybe several someones。
he thought about going back and getting the shotgun with the drum magazine。 he was a strong believer in the shotgun。 he even thought about leaving the machinepistol behind。
it was a penitentiary offense to own one。
he didnt leave anything behind and he didnt go back to the trucks。 he set out across country； cutting through the gaps in the volcanic ridges and crossing the flat or rolling country between。 until late in the day he reached the ranch road hed e down that morning in the dark so long ago。 then in about a mile he came to the truck。
he opened the door and stood the rifle in the floor。 he went around and opened the driver door and pushed the lever and slid the seat forward and set the case and the machine…pistol behind it。 he laid the 。45 and the binoculars in the seat and climbed in and pushed the seat back as far as it would go and put the key in the ignition。 then he took off his hat and leaned back and just rested his head against the cold glass behind him and closed his eyes。
when he got to the highway he slowed and rattled over the bars of the cattleguard and then pulled out onto the blacktop and turned on the headlights。 he drove west toward sanderson and he kept to the speed limit every mile of the way。 he stopped at the gas station on the east end of town for cigarettes and a long drink of water and then drove on to the desert aire and pulled up in front of the trailer and shut off the motor。 the lights were on inside。 you live to be a hundred； he said； and there wont be another day like this one。 as soon as he said it he was sorry。
he got his flashlight from the glovebox and climbed out and took the machinepistol and the case from behind the seat and crawled up under the trailer。 he lay there in the dirt looking up at the underside of it。 cheap plastic pipe and plywood。 bits of insulation。 he wedged the h&k up into a corner and pulled the insulation down over it and lay there thinking。 then he crawled back out with the case and dusted himself off and climbed the steps and went in。
she was sprawled across the sofa watching tv and drinking a coke。 she didnt even look up。 three oclock； she said。
i can e back later。
she looked at him over the back of the sofa and looked at the television again。 what have you got in that satchel？
its full of money。
yeah。 thatll be the day。
he went into the kitchen and got a beer out of the refrigerator。
can i have the keys？ she said。
where you goin。
get some cigarettes。
cigarettes。
yes； llewelyn。 cigarettes。 i been settin here all day。
what about cyanide？ how are we fixed for that？
just let me have the keys。 ill set out in the damn yard and smoke。
he took a sip of the beer and went on back into the bedroom and dropped to one knee and shoved the case under the bed。 then he came back。 i got you some cigarettes； he said。 let me get em。
he left the beer on the counter and went out and got the two packs of cigarettes and the binoculars and the pistol and slung the 。270 over his shoulder and shut the truck door and came back in。 he handed her the cigarettes and went on back to the bedroom。
whered you get that pistol？ she called。
at the gettin place。
did you buy that thing？
no。 i found it。
she sat up on the sofa。 llewelyn？
he came back in。 what？ he said。 quit hollerin。
what did you give for that thing？
you dont need to know everthing。
how much。
i told you。 i found it。
no you never done no such a thing。
he sat on the sofa and put his legs up on the coffeetable and sipped the beer。 it dont belong to me； he said。 i didnt buy no pistol。
you better not of。
she opened one of the packs of cigarettes and took one out and lit it with a lighter。
where have you been all day？
went to get you some cigarettes。
i dont even want to know。 i dont even want to know what all you been up to。
he sipped the beer and nodded。 thatll work； he said。
i think its better just to not even know even。
you keep runnin that mouth and im goin to take you back there and screw you。
big talk。
just keep it up。
thats what she said。
just let me finish this beer。 well see what she said and what she didnt say。
when he woke it was 1：06 by the digital clock on the bedside table。 he lay there looking at the ceiling； the raw glare of the vaporlamp outside bathing the bedroom in a cold and bluish light。 like a winter moon。 or some other kind of moon。 something stellar and alien in its light that hed e to feel fortable with。 anything but sleep in the dark。
he swung his feet from under the covers and sat up。 he looked at her naked back。 her hair on the pillow。 he reached and pulled the blanket up over her shoulder and got up and went into the kitchen。
he took the jar of water from the refrigerator and unscrewed the cap and stood there drinking in the light of the open refrigerator door。 then he just stood there holding the jar with the water beading cold on the glass； looking out the window and down the highway toward the lights。 he stood there for a long time。
when he went back to the bedroom he got his shorts off the floor and put them on and went into the bathroom and shut the door。 then he went through into the second bedroom and pulled the case from under the bed and opened it。
he sat in the floor with the case between his legs and delved down into the bills and dredged them up。 the packets were twenty deep。 he shoved them back down into the case and jostled the case on the floor to level the money。 times twelve。 he could do the math in his head。 two point four million。 all used bills。 he sat looking at it。 you have to take this seriously； he said。 you cant treat it like luck。
he closed the bag and redid the fasteners and shoved it under the bed and rose and stood looking out the window at the stars over the rocky escarpment to the north of the town。
dead quiet。 not even a dog。 but it wasnt the money that he woke up abo