“What do you mean, no?”

“If his mob don’t know where he is,” I suggested, “let’s tell them. They blasted him out of the can when Noonan copped him. Think they’d try it again if the news got around that McGraw had picked him up on the quiet?”

“Keep talking,” Reno said.

“If his friends try to crack the hoosegow again, thinking he’s in it, that’ll give the department, including Pete’s specials, something to do. While they’re doing it, you could try your luck in Whiskeytown.”

“Maybe,” he said slowly, “maybe we’ll try just that thing.”

“It ought to work,” I encouraged him, standing up. “I’ll see you⁠—”

“Stick around. This is as good a spot as any while there’s a reader out for you. And we’ll need a good guy like you on the party.”