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ars。 the big overland trucks loomed up in the glasses and drew away。 he squatted on his heels with his elbows on his knees； watching。 then he went back to the motel。
he set his alarm for one oclock and when it went off he got up and showered and dressed and walked out to his truck with his small leather bag and put it behind the seat。
he parked in the motel parking lot and he sat there for some time。 leaning back in the seat and watching in the rearview mirror。 nothing。 the police cars were long gone。 the yellow police tape across the door lifted in the wind and the trucks droned past headed for arizona and california。 he got out and walked up to the door and blew out the lock with his stungun and walked in and shut the door behind him。 he could see the room pretty well by the light through the windows。 small spills of light from the bulletholes in the plywood door。 he pulled the little bedside table over to the wall and stood and took a screwdriver from his rear pocket and began to back the screws out of the louvered steel cover of the airduct。 he set it on the table and reached in and pulled out the bag and stepped down and walked over to the window and looked out at the parking lot。 he took the pistol from behind his belt and opened the door and stepped out and closed it behind him and stooped under the tape and walked down to his truck and got in。
he set the bag in the floor and hed reached for the key to turn on the ignition when he saw the terrell county cruiser pull into the lot in front of the motel office a hundred feet away。 he let go of the key and sat back。 the cruiser pulled into a parking space and the lights went out。 then the motor。 chigurh waited； the pistol in his lap。
when bell got out he took a look around the lot and then walked up to the door at 117 and tried the knob。 the door was unlocked。 he ducked under the tape and pushed the door open and reached and found the wallswitch and turned on the light。
the first thing he saw was the grille and the screws lying on the table。 he shut the door behind him and stood there。 he stepped to the window and looked past the edge of the curtain out at the parking lot。 he stood there for some time。 nothing moved。 he saw something lying in the floor and stepped over and picked it up but he already knew what it was。 he turned it in his hand。 he walked over and sat on the bed and weighed the little piece of brass in his palm。 then he tilted it into the ashtray on the bedside table。
he picked up the telephone but the line was dead。 he put the receiver back in the cradle。
he took his pistol from the holster and flipped open the gate and checked the shells in the cylinder and closed the gate with his thumb and sat with the pistol resting on his knee。
you dont know for sure that hes out there； he said。
yes you do。 you knew it at the restaurant。 thats why you e back here。
well what do you aim to do？
he got up and walked over and switched off the light。 five bulletholes in the door。 he stood with the revolver in his hand； his thumb on the knurled hammer。 then he opened the door and walked out。
he walked to the cruiser。 studying the cars in the lot。 pickup trucks for the most part。
you could always see the muzzleflash first。 just not first enough。 can you feel it when someone is watching you？ a lot of people thought so。 he reached the cruiser and opened the door with his left hand。 the domelight came on。 he stepped in and pulled the door shut and laid the pistol on the seat beside him and got out his key and put it in the ignition and started the car。 then he backed out of the parking space and switched on the lights and swung out of the lot。
when he was out of sight of the motel he pulled over onto the shoulder and took the speaker from the hook and called the sheriffs office。 they sent two cars。 he hung the mike up and put the cruiser in neutral and rolled back down the edge of the highway until he could just see the motel sign。 he looked at his watch。 1：45。 that seven minute time would make it 1：52。 he waited。 at the motel nothing moved。 at 1：52 he saw them e down the highway and tail each other up the offramp with sirens on and lights blazing。 he kept his eyes on the motel。 any vehicle that came out of the lot and headed up the access road hed already determined to run it off the road。
when the cruisers pulled into the motel he started the car and turned on the lights and did a u…turn and went back down the road the wrong way and pulled into the lot and got out。
they went down the parking lot vehicle by vehicle with flashlights and their guns drawn and came back again。 bell was the first one back and he stood leaning against his cruiser。 he nodded to the deputies。 gentlemen； he said。 i think we been outgeneraled。
they holstered their pistols。 he and the chief deputy walked over to the room and bell showed him the lock and the airvent and the lock cylinder。
whats he done that with； sheriff？ the deputy said； holding the cylinder in his hand。
its a long story； bell said。 im sorry to of got you all out here for nothin。
not a problem； sheriff。
you tell the sheriff ill call him from el paso。
yessir； ill sure do it。
two hours later he checked into the rodeway inn on the east side of town and got the key and went to his room and went to bed。 he woke at six as he always did and got up and closed the curtains and went back to bed but he couldnt sleep。 finally he got up and showered and dressed and went down to the coffeeshop and got his breakfast and read the paper。 thered be nothing about moss and the girl yet。 when the waitress came with more coffee he asked her what time they got the evening paper。
i dont know； she said。 i quit readin it。
i dont blame you。 i would if i could。
i quit readin it and i made my husband quit readin it。
is that right？
i dont know why they call it a newspaper。 i dont call that stuff news。
no。
when was the last time you read somethin about jesus christ in the newspaper？
bell shook his head。 i dont know； he said。 i guess id have to say it would be a while。
i guess it would too； she said。 a long while。
hed knocked