The Long Goodbye

The next morning, Marlowe goes to his office and deals with a string of uninteresting clients. A few days later, Eileen calls to invite Marlowe to a cocktail party at her husband’s request. Marlowe accepts the invitation. Remembering Lennox, he visits a bar they frequented and stops for a drink.

In the bar, Marlowe is approached by Linda Loring, who eventually reveals herself to be Sylvia Lennox’s sister. They talk about Lennox; Marlowe does not believe that he murdered Sylvia, but Linda does. Linda explains that her father liked Lennox but disliked Sylvia, who he had “written off long ago” (92). Their discussion becomes increasingly heated until Linda warns Marlowe to stay away from her father and her family, otherwise his career will “be extremely short and terminated very suddenly” (93). As she leaves, Marlowe becomes embroiled in an acrimonious dispute between a petty criminal named Chick Agostino and a vice police officer named Big Willie Magoon. Marlowe drives home.

Marlowe attends the cocktail party at the Wades’ home. He meets their butler, a Chilean man named Candy, and talks briefly with Linda and her husband. In private, Wade offers Marlowe a $1,000 per month retainer to live in his house and prevent him from drinking.