"Did you draw it up?"

"I did."

"Whose idea was paragraph 3a?"

"Paragraph 3a?"

"Yes. Did you add that little bit of wisdom?"

"I don't really remember-"

"Then let me refresh your memory," Drake said. He picked up the document and started to read. " 'In the event of any claim that I am not of sound mind, there may be an attempt to obtain injunctive relief from the terms of this document. Therefore this document authorizes the payment of fifty thousand dollars per week to NERF while awaiting the judgment of a full trial. Said monies shall be deemed sufficient to pay ongoing costs incurred by NERF and shall by said payment deny injunctive relief.' Did you write this, Evans?"

"I did."

"Whose idea was it?"

"George's."

"George is not a lawyer. He had help."

"Not from me," Evans said. "He more or less dictated that clause. I wouldn't have thought of it."

Drake snorted in disgust. "Fifty thousand a week," he said. "At that rate, it will take us four years to receive the ten-million-dollar grant."

"That's what George wanted the document to say," Evans said.

"But whose idea was it?" Drake said. "If it wasn't you, who was it?"

"I don't know."

"Find out."

"I don't know if I can," Evans said. "I mean, George is dead now, and I don't know who he might have consulted-"

Drake glared at Evans. "Are you with us here, Peter, or not?" He started pacing back and forth. "Because this Vanutu litigation is undoubtedly the most significant lawsuit we have ever filed." He lapsed into his speech-making mode. "The stakes are enormous, Peter. Global warming is the greatest crisis facing mankind. You know that. I know that. Most of the civilized world knows that. We must must act to save the planet, before it is too late." act to save the planet, before it is too late."

"Yes," Evans said. "I know that."

"Do you?" Drake said. "We have a lawsuit, a very important lawsuit, that needs our help. And fifty thousand dollars a week will strangle it."

Evans was sure that was not true. "Fifty thousand is a lot of money," he said, "I don't see why it should strangle-"

"Because it will!" Drake snapped. Drake snapped. "Because I am telling you it will!" "Because I am telling you it will!" He seemed surprised by his own outburst. He gripped the desk, got control of himself. "Look," he said. "We can never forget about our opponents here. The forces of industry are strong, phenomenally strong. And industry wants to be left alone to pollute. It wants to pollute here, and in Mexico, and in China, and wherever else it does its business. The stakes are huge." He seemed surprised by his own outburst. He gripped the desk, got control of himself. "Look," he said. "We can never forget about our opponents here. The forces of industry are strong, phenomenally strong. And industry wants to be left alone to pollute. It wants to pollute here, and in Mexico, and in China, and wherever else it does its business. The stakes are huge."

"I understand," Evans said.

"Many powerful forces are taking an interest in this case, Peter."

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Forces that will stop at nothing to be sure that we lose it."

Evans frowned. What was Drake telling him?

"Their influence is everywhere, Peter. They may have influence with members of your law firm. Or other people you know. People whom you believe you can trust-but you can't. Because they are on the other side, and they don't even know it."

Evans said nothing. He was just looking at Drake.

"Be prudent, Peter. Watch your back. Don't discuss what you are doing with anyone-with anyone anyone-except me. Try not to use your cell phone. Avoid e-mail. And keep an eye out in case you are followed."

"Okay.... But actually I've already been followed," Evans said. "There's a blue Prius-"

"Those were our guys. I don't know what they are doing. I called them off days ago."

"Your guys?"

"Yes. It's a new security firm we've been trying out. They're obviously not very competent."

"I'm confused," Evans said. "NERF has a security firm?"

"Absolutely. For years, now. Because of the danger we face. Please understand me: We are all in danger, We are all in danger, Peter. Don't you understand what this lawsuit means if we win? Trillions of dollars that industry must pay in the coming years, to halt their emissions that are causing global warming. Peter. Don't you understand what this lawsuit means if we win? Trillions of dollars that industry must pay in the coming years, to halt their emissions that are causing global warming. Trillions. Trillions. With those stakes, a few lives don't matter. So: Be very damn careful." With those stakes, a few lives don't matter. So: Be very damn careful."

Evans said that he would. Drake shook his hand.

"I want to know who told George about the paragraph," Drake said. "And I want that money freed up for us to use it as we see fit. This is all riding on you now," he said. "Good luck, Peter."

On his way out of the building, Evans ran into a young man who was sprinting up the stairs. They collided so hard that Evans was almost knocked down. The young man apologized hastily, and continued on his way. He looked like one of the kids working on the conference. Evans wondered what the crisis could be, now.

When he got back outside, he looked down the street. The blue Prius was gone.

He got into the car and drove back to Morton's, to see Sarah.

HOLMBY HILLS.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5.

5:57 P.M.

Traffic was heavy. He crept slowly along Sunset; he had plenty of time to think. The conversation with Drake left him feeling odd. There had been a funny quality to the actual meeting. As if it didn't really need to happen, as if Drake just wanted to make sure he was able to call Evans in, and Evans would come. As if he were asserting his authority. Or something like that.

Anyway, Evans felt, something was off.

And Evans also felt a little strange about the security firm. That just didn't seem right. After all, NERF was one of the good guys. They shouldn't be sneaking around and following people. And Drake's paranoid warnings were somehow not persuasive. Drake was overreacting, as he so often did.

Drake was dramatic by nature. He couldn't help it. Everything was a crisis, everything was desperate, everything was vitally important. He lived in a world of extreme urgency, but it wasn't necessarily the real world.

Evans called his office, but Heather had gone for the day. He called Lowenstein's office and spoke to Lisa. "Listen," he said, "I need your help."

Her voice was lower, conspiratorial. "Of course, Peter."

"My apartment was robbed."

"No-you, too?"

"Yes, me, too. And I really need to talk to the police-"

"Well, yes, you certainly do-my goodness-did they take anything?"

"I don't think so," he said, "but just to file a report, all that-I'm kind of busy right now, dealing with Sarah...it may go later into the night..."

"Well, of course, do you need me to deal with the police about your robbery?"

"Could you?" he said. "It would help so much."

"Why of course, Peter," she said. "Leave it to me." She paused. When she spoke again, it was almost a whisper. "Is there, ah, anything you don't want the police to find?"

"No," he said.

"I mean, it's all right with me, everybody in LA has a few bad habits, otherwise we wouldn't be here-"

"No, Lisa," he said. "Actually, I don't have any drugs, if that's what you mean."

"Oh, no," she said quickly. "I wasn't assuming anything. No pictures or anything like that?"

"No, Lisa."

"Nothing, you know, underage?"

"Afraid not."

"Okay, I just wanted to be sure."

"Well, thanks for doing this. Now to get in through the door-"

"I know," she said, "the key is under the back mat."

"Yes." He paused. "How'd you know that?"

"Peter," she said, sounding a little offended. "You can count on me to know things."

"All right. Well, thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now, what about Margo? How's she doing?" Lisa said.

"She's fine."

"You went to see her?"

"This morning, yes, and-"

"No, I mean at the hospital. Didn't you hear? Margo was coming back from the bank today and walked in while her apartment was being robbed. Three robberies in one day! You, Margo, Sarah! What is going on? Do you know?"

"No," Evans said. "It's very mysterious."

"It is. is."

"But about Margo...?"

"Oh yes. So I guess she decided to fight these guys, which was the wrong thing to do, and they beat her up, maybe knocked her unconscious. She had a black eye, I heard, and while the cops were there interviewing her, she passed out. Got completely paralyzed and couldn't move. And she even stopped breathing."

"You're kidding."

"No. I had a long conversation with the detective who was there. He told me it just came over her, and she was unable to move and was dark blue before the paramedics showed up and took her to UCLA. She's been in intensive care all afternoon. The doctors are waiting to ask her about the blue ring."

"What blue ring?"

"Just before she became paralyzed, she was slurring her words but she said something about the blue ring, or the blue ring of death."

"The blue ring of death," Evans said. "What does that mean?"

"They don't know. She isn't able to talk yet. Does she take drugs?"

"No, she's a health nut," Evans said.

"Well, I hear the doctors say she'll be okay. It was some temporary paralysis."

"I'll go see her later," he said.

"When you do, will you call me afterward? And I'll handle your apartment, don't worry."

It was dark when he got to Morton's house. The security people were gone; the only car parked in front was Sarah's Porsche. She opened the front door when he rang. She had changed into a tracksuit. "Everything all right?" he said.

"Yes," she said. They came into the hallway, and they crossed to the living room. The lights were on, and the room was warm and inviting.

"Where are the security people?"

"They left for dinner. They'll be back."

"They all all left?" left?"

"They'll be back. I want to show you something," she said. She pulled out a wand with an electronic meter attached to it. She ran it over his body, like an airport security check. She tapped his left pocket. "Empty it."