The Lady in the Lake (Philip Marlowe, #4)

by Raymond Chandler

Andy shook his head. Patton looked at him with a sly grin. “Crabbin’ again, Andy?” “Was nine days, I tell you. I just counted back,” the man in the lion hunter’s hat said morosely. The doctor threw his arms up and walked away, with one hand to his head. He coughed into his handkerchief again and again looked into the handkerchief with passionate attention. Patton winked at me and spat over the railing. “Let’s get on to this one, Andy.” “You ever try to drag a body six feet under water?” “Nope, can’t say I ever did, Andy. Any reason it couldn’t be done with a rope?” Andy shrugged. “If a rope was used, it will show on the corpse. If you got to give yourself away like that, why bother to cover up at all?” “Question of time,” Patton said. “Fellow has his arrangements to make.”