ON THE EVENING of the third day, several hours after I'd returned from my visit to Ben Bugger's sickroom, Robin called. I'd been lying around, watching TV, had switched off the set as the tag line for the six o'clock news blared, and poured myself a triple Chivas.

Grinning anchorman. Overlays of familiar faces.

"Professor arrested in coed's death!"

I'd taken a swallow, was listening to the whiskey whisper in my throat when the phone rang.

"Hi, it's me."

"Hi, you."

"You all right?"

"Serene."

"Guess where I was today?" she said.

"The zoo?"

Silence. "How'd you know that?"

"With San Diego, my first association is always the zoo."

"Well, that's where I was."

"You and the dentist?"

"Me, myself. The dentist has a boyfriend, and they went down to Tijuana for the day. Invited me but..."

"Abandoned," I said. "Sorry. So how're the animals?"

"Fine— I can't believe you guessed the zoo."

"Blind luck."

"Or no one knows me like you do."

"I don't know about that."

"Come join me down here," she said. "I'll rent us a room at the Del Coronado."

"When?" I said.

"The sooner the better— You don't wa............