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 that's 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. It's a measurement.
It's about three quarters of an inch.
All right.
That's 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 he's not somebody you really want to know. The people he meets tend to have very short futures. Nonexistent, in fact.
Well good for him.
You're 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 he's 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 you're 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 body's still there.
You're 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 you're 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. You'll come to me. Sooner or later. You dont have a choice. I'm 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.
What's 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. You're 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.
You're 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 that's how I would describe him.
How would you describe him.
Wells thought about it. I guess I'd say that he doesnt have a sense of humor.
That aint a crime.
That's not the point. I'm trying to tell you something.