The Cold Trail

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Rain worried the glass on Delaney Street A red scarf lay where the alley bends I found one brass key beneath the drain And a matchbook from the Harbor Inn [Chorus] I’m following the cold trail, one clue at a time A bootprint, a false name, a clock stopped at nine You can lock every door, you can swear you’re clean But the truth leaves a mark where the dark has been [Verse 2] The bartender blinked when I said “Marlow” His rag went still in his hand A ferry ticket hid under the till With salt from the eastern strand [Chorus] I’m following the cold trail, one clue at a time A bootprint, a false name, a clock stopped at nine You can lock every door, you can swear you’re clean But the truth leaves a mark where the dark has been [Bridge] At dawn by the freight yard, I heard the latch give You held that same brass key you said you’d never seen I laid out the ticket, the matchbook, the thread And watched your brave story fall apart instead [Final Chorus] I followed the cold trail, one clue at a time The bootprint, the false name, the clock stopped at nine You can lock every door, but the whole town’s seen The truth leaves a mark—and tonight it’s clean [Outro] Rain quit falling on Delaney Street I left one brass key at your feet