eling？ the man said。
ive felt better。 who are you？
my name is carson wells。
who are you？
i think you know who i am。 i brought you some flowers。
moss turned his head and lay staring at the ceiling。 how many of you people are there？
well； id say theres only one youve got to worry about right now。
you。
yes。
what about that guy that e to the hotel。
we can talk about him。
talk then。
i can make him go away。
i can do that myself。
i dont think so。
youre entitled to your opinions。
if acostas people hadnt shown up when they did i dont think you would have made out so good。
i didnt make out so good。
yes you did。 you made out extremely well。
moss turned his head and looked at the man again。 how long have you been here？
about an hour。
just settin there。
yes。
you dont have much to do； do you？
i like to do one thing at a time； if thats what you mean。
you look dumbern hell settin there。
wells smiled。
why dont you put them damn flowers down。
all right。
he rose and laid the bouquet on the bedside table and sat back in the chair again。
do you know what two centimeters is？
yeah。 its a measurement。
its about three quarters of an inch。
all right。
thats the distance that round missed your liver by。
is that what the doctor told you？
yes。 you know what the liver does？
no。
it keeps you alive。 do you know who the man is who shot you？
maybe he didnt shoot me。 maybe it was one of the mexicans。
do you know who the man is？
no。 am i supposed to？
because hes not somebody you really want to know。 the people he meets tend to have very short futures。 nonexistent； in fact。
well good for him。
youre not listening。 you need to pay attention。 this man wont stop looking for you。
even if he gets the money back。 it wont make any difference to him。 even if you went to him and gave him the money he would still kill you。 just for having inconvenienced him。
i think i done a little more than inconvenience him。
how do you mean。
i think i hit him。
why do you think that？
i sprayed double ought buckshot all over him。 i cant believe it done him a whole lot of good。
wells sat back in the chair。 he studied moss。 you think you killed him？
i dont know。
because you didnt。 he came out into the street and killed every one of the mexicans and then went back into the hotel。 like you might go out and get a paper or something。
he didnt kill ever one of them。
he killed the ones that were left。
you tellin me he wasnt hit？
i dont know。
you mean why would you tell me。
if you like。
is he a buddy of yours？
no。
i thought maybe he was a buddy of yours。
no you didnt。 how do you know hes not on his way to odessa？
why would he go to odessa？
to kill your wife。
moss didnt answer。 he lay on the rough linen looking at the ceiling。 he was in pain and it was getting worse。 you dont know what the hell youre talkin about； he said。
i brought you a couple of photographs。
he rose and laid two photos on the bed and sat back down again。 moss glanced at them。
what am i supposed to make of that？ he said。
i took those pictures this morning。 the woman lived in an apartment on the second floor of one of the buildings you shot up。 the bodys still there。
youre full of shit。
wells studied him。 he turned and looked out the window。 you dont have anything to do with any of this； do you？
no。
you just happened to find the vehicles out there。
i dont know what youre talkin about。
you didnt take the product； did you？
what product。
the heroin。 you dont have it。
no。 i dont have it。
wells nodded。 he looked thoughtful。 maybe i should ask you what you intend to do。
maybe i should ask you。
i dont intend to do anything。 i dont have to。 youll e to me。 sooner or later。 you dont have a choice。 im going to give you my mobile phone number。
what makes you think i wont just disappear？
do you know how long it took me to find you？
no。
about three hours。
you might not get so lucky again。
no； i might not。 but that wouldnt be good news for you。
i take it you used to work with him。
who。
this guy。
yes。 i did。 at one time。
whats his name。
chigurh。
sugar？
chigurh。 anton chigurh。
how do you know i wont cut a deal with him？
wells sat bent forward in the chair with his forearms across his knees； his fingers laced together。 he shook his head。 youre not paying attention； he said。
maybe i just dont believe what you say。
yes you do。
or i might take him out。
are you in a lot of pain？
some。 yeah。
youre in a lot of pain。 it makes it hard to think。 let me get the nurse。
i dont need you to do me no favors。
all right。
what is he supposed to be； the ultimate bad…ass？
i dont think thats how i would describe him。
how would you describe him。
wells thought about it。 i guess id say that he doesnt have a sense of humor。
that aint a crime。
thats not the point。 im trying to tell you something。
tell me。
you cant make a deal with him。 let me say it again。 even if you gave him the money hed still kill you。 theres no one alive on this planet thats ever had even a cross word with him。 theyre all dead。 these are not good odds。 hes a peculiar man。 you could even say that he has principles。 principles that transcend money or drugs or anything like that。
so why would you tell me about him。
you asked about him。
why would you tell me。
i guess because i think if i could get you to understand the position youre in it would make my job easier。 i dont know anything about you。 but i know youre not cut out for this。 you think you are。 but youre not。
well see； wont we？
some of us will。 what did you do with the money？
i spent about two million dollars on whores and whiskey and the rest of it i just sort of blew it in。
wells smiled。 he leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs。 he wore an expensive pair of lucchese crocodile boots。 how do you think he found you？
moss didnt answer。
have you thought about that？
i know how he found me。 he wont do it again。
wells smiled。 well good on you； he said。
yeah。 good on me。
there was a pitcher of water on a plastic tray on the bedside table。 moss no more than glanced at it。
do you want some water？ wells said。
if i want somethin from you youll be the first son of a bitch to know about it。
its called a transponder； wells said。
i know what its called。
its not the only way he has of finding you。
yeah。
i could tell you some things that would be useful for you to know。
well； i go back to what i just said。 i dont need no favors。
youre not curious to know why id tell you？
i know why youd tell me。
which is？
youd rather deal with me than with this sugar guy。
yes。 let me get you some water。
you go to hell。
wells sat quietly with his legs crossed。 moss looked at him。 you think you can scare me with this guy。 you dont know what youre talkin about。 ill take you out with him if thats what you want。
wells smiled。 he gave a little shrug。 he looked down at the toe of his boot and uncrossed his legs and passed the toe under his jeans to dust it and recrossed his legs again。 what do you do？ he said。
what？
what do you do。
im retired。
what did you do before you retired？
im a welder。
acetylene？ mig？ tig？
any of it。 if it can be welded i can weld it。
cast iron？
yes。
i dont mean braze。
i didnt say braze。
pot metal？
what did i say？
were you in nam？
yeah。 i was in nam。
so was i。
so what does that make me？ your buddy？
i was in special forces。
i think you have me confused with somebody who gives a shit what you were in。
i was a lieutenant colonel。
bullshit。
i dont think so。
and what do you do now。
i find people。 settle accounts。 that sort of thing。
youre a hit man。
wells smiled。 a hit man。
whatever you call it。
the sort of people i contract with like to keep a low profile。 they dont like to get involved in things that draw attention。 they dont like things in the paper。
ill bet。
this isnt going to go away。 even if you got lucky and took out one or two people — which is unlikely — theyd just send someone else。 nothing would change。 theyll still find you。 theres nowhere to go。 you can add to your troubles the fact that the people who were delivering the product dont have that either。 so guess who theyre looking at？
not to mention the dea and various other law enforcement agencies。 everybodys list has got the same name on it。 and its the only name on it。 you need to throw me a bone。
i dont really have any reason to protect you。
are you afraid of this guy？
wells shrugged。 wary is the word id use。
you didnt mention bell。
bell。 all right？
i take it you dont think much of him。
i dont think of him at all。 hes a redneck sheriff in a hick town in a hick county。 in a hick state。 let me get the nurse。 youre not very fortable。 this is my number。 i want you to think it over。 what we talked about。
he stood and put a card on the table next to the flowers。 he looked at moss。 you think you wont call me but you will。 just dont wait too long