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“Think. Terry is devious and inclined to do weird things, but why not a note in the mail? Why not a telephone call? For that matter, why not direct contact at the apartment? Terry’s alone here almost every day, and there wouldn’t have been any problems. Then why a Personal? There’s simply no sense to it.”
    â€œThere may be no sense on the face of it,” said Fanny, “but there may be more to it than the face.”
    â€œI don’t think so.” Jay removed his glasses, polished the lenses on his handkerchief, and replaced them. “Believe me, I know Terry. Anyway, no one has anything to worry about except me, and I’ve developed a kind of immunity. Thanks for your concern, but I’m rather tired. Do you mind?”
    â€œHe means,” said Farley, “will we get the hell out.”
    â€œI know what he means,” Fanny said. “I must say, however, that he is kicking, us out like a perfect gentleman.”

5
    Farley veered off toward his own door.
    â€œFarley,” said Fanny, “get your topcoat on. I’ll be down in a minute.”
    â€œTopcoat?” Judging by the astonishment in Farley’s voice, he might have been ordered to remove his pants. “Why in hell should I put on my topcoat?”
    â€œBecause it’s cold outside, that’s why.”
    â€œIt may be cold outside, little sister, but I’m inside. And inside is where I’m going to stay.”
    â€œPlease don’t drag your heels, Farley. You and Jay may feel inclined to leave things as they are, but I feel differently.”
    â€œOh, butt out, Fan. Can’t you see the poor guy just doesn’t want to make a display of his embarrassment?”
    â€œYes, but it has also occurred to me that Jay’s embarrassment may not be the only consideration in this matter. Or even the primary one.”
    â€œNuts. I admit I was worried at first, but now I’m not. At this moment Terry is loitering at the first corner of the current triangle. Jay’s occupying the second corner; and if you ask me, he knows the occupant of the third corner, if he cared to go there and make a fool of himself.”
    They had been talking in low voices outside Farley’s door. Farley, after making this statement, which he meant to be conclusive, opened his door with the obvious intention of shutting it again between him and Fanny. But Fanny, with other intentions, slipped quickly past him into the room and turned to face him as he shut it in defeat on the space she had been occupying.
    â€œThe first corner is what’s bothering me,” Fanny said. “There are some very suspicious circumstances here, if you ask me.”
    â€œYou mean the Personal?”
    â€œPartly that. Mostly, however, I’m thinking how Ben, the ugly little devil, just happened to go off somewhere a little while before Terry went. They could have met outside. It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if they did.”
    â€œBen and Terry? Little sister, you’re getting brain-fag, or you’ve had too much gin.”
    â€œI’m not, and I haven’t. It’s easy to underestimate Ben. As I know from experience, he can be extremely fascinating when he wants to be. He appeals to the mother instinct.”
    â€œIn that case, you have nothing to worry about. Terry doesn’t have a mother instinct. Look, Terry and Ben were here with me this afternoon. If they had anything cooked up between them, they were the best actors that ever lived.”
    â€œI’m hardly convinced by that. To be honest, brother, you’re not as smart about such things as a lawyer ought to be. Almost anyone could deceive you.”
    â€œDo you agree that the Personal was directed to Terry?”
    â€œIn spite of Jay’s pretense that it was a coincidence, I agree that it probably was.”
    â€œThere you are, then. Why the hell should old Ben resort to such a stratagem when all he had to do