rs.toomanywomen-第25章
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bounced because he wanted me around。 The first session with him I stalled a little on the ground that it would be outrageous for me to betray the confidence of a client； but when he got to the point of a certain tone I gave him everything that I knew he would soon be getting elsewhere anyway。 I told him all； or nearly all； about the folks I had been meeting down at Naylor…Kerr； including； of course； such details as the impression Ben Frenkel had been carrying around since December。 When I had tried to loosen Gwynne Ferris up by threatening to tell the cops all and let them take a crack at her I hadn't dreamed I would actually be doing so within ten hours。
Cramer shifted headquarters three times； taking me along。 For half an hour or so he worked outdoors there on Thirty…ninth Street and then moved inside； to the 18th Precinct Station House on Fifty…fourth Street。 Around three o'clock he moved again； to his own hangout； the office of the squad on Twentieth Street； and an hour later made another transfer； this time to the office of Deputy missioner O'Hara at Center Street。 O'Hara himself was there and things had really started to hum。 I was right in the middle of it and was even given the pleasure of an interview with the Deputy！ missioner himself。 From the way he started in on me it was a fair inference that he not only regarded me as a damn liar but also had inside dope to the effect that I had done it all myself； and that when I had got home and joined Wolfe and Cramer in the office at 11：30 I had just e； not from a movie； but from parking the murder car on Ninety…fifth Street。 Since I had already given Cramer all the information I had that could help any； I thought I might as well let O'Hara keep his illusions and fed him a peck or more of miscellaneous lies such as I didn't know how to drive a car and in strict confidence I had not been at a movie； but in a hotel room with the wife of a prominent politician whom I would rather die than name。 Eventually O'Hara caught on and there was quite a scene。
Kerr Naylor's sister had of course been notified； not on the phone； but by dispatching Lieutenant Rowcliff to her house on Sixty…seventh Street。 When Rowcliff returned…we were then at the 18th Precinct Station House…Jasper Pine was with him； having had his sleep broken into after all。 Pine had been taken by Rowcliff； on their way； to identify the body； and since I knew from having done it myself how jolly that was； I didn't blame him for looking a little pale。 He didn't have the appearance of a man overe by grief； but neither did he look like a top executive with everything under control。 Cramer； having learned that both he and his wife disclaimed any knowledge of Kerr Naylor's whereabouts Friday evening and had no idea of what he might have been doing on Thirty…ninth Street； spent only a short time on him and then gave him back to Rowcliff for more talk。 I spoke just sixteen words to him。 As he started away with Rowcliff he confronted me and demanded； 〃Did Naylor tell you what you reported to me？ That he knew who had killed Moore？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃If I had wanted to make something up I could have done better than that。〃
Before the night shift was through I met other acquaintances； after we got down to Centre Street。 Not Hester Livsey。 The dick who was sent for her came back with a report that her mother； with whom she lived in Brooklyn； had stated that her daughter was not there and had not been home that evening because she had gone straight from work to Grand Central to catch a train； to spend the week…end with friends in Westport； Connecticut。 She had furnished the name of the friends； and they had been phoned to。 No answer。 But Cramer and his boys were moving fast and in all directions。 They had phoned the Westport police； who had made a call on the friends and reported back that Hester Livsey was there； snug in bed； having arrived on a train that had reached Westport at one…nine A。M。 Since it takes around seventy minutes； not eight hours； for a train to go from Grand Central to Westport； the caller had insisted on speaking to Miss Livsey and had done so。 She had stated that she had decided to take a later train and that how she had spent the evening in New York was her own business。 Told of the death of Kerr Naylor； she repeated her statement； and said that she knew nothing about Mr。 Naylor and that her association with him was extremely remote； since he was head of a large department and she was merely a stenographer。 Asked if she would return to New York in the morning so the police could talk with her； she refused； saying that she couldn't possibly tell them anything helpful。
There was a report from a sergeant who had had a chat with Sumner Hoff in his apartment in the East Fifties。 Hoff had been able to contribute nothing； but was quite willing； as a responsible citizen； to cooperate with the police in the investigation of a crime…which sounded to me like a distinct and encouraging improvement in his manners。
Bell ringing and door knocking had produced no results at the Greenwich Village room…and…bath tenanted by Rosa Bendini。 In her case there was no mother around to get information from； and no one else in the building knew where Rosa was。 I had a healthy conviction； knowing as I do what a liking for panionship can lead to； that when Rosa showed up her mind would be a blank as to where she had spent Friday night； but that was one of the things I didn't municate to Cramer； not wanting to lower his opinion of American womanhood。 They thought they might find her with her husband； where he lived with his folks on Washington Heights； but no。 Harold Anthony； hauled out of bed； dressed and came down to Centre Street without being asked。 His story was that he hadn't seen Rosa since Wednesday evening； when she had left him and me to fight it out on the sidewalk in front of Wolfe's house； and as for him； he didn't know Kerr Naylor from Adam； and had spent Friday evening at a basketball game at the Garden； where he had gone by his lonesome； and had then walked all the way home…some six miles…to use up energy。
I asked him； 〃So you got some energy back in the short space of forty…eight hours？ After what I took out of you？〃
〃What the hell；〃 he bragged； 〃I'd forgotten about that the next day。 What do they want Rosa for？ Are they fools enough to think she would kill a man？ What have they got？〃
He had actually e clear down to Centre Street at that time of night through anxiety for his wife！ Loyalty is a very fine thing； but it shouldn't be allowed to get the bit between its teeth。 I told him not to worry； the cops were just shaking it all through a sieve。 Regarding his energy； I didn't believe him。 Three of my kidney punches do not kill a man； but neither do they fade utterly from recollection the next day。
But that was along toward the end。 Before that we had had a session with Ben Frenkel； one of the first things after our arrival at O'Hara's office。 At the moment Cramer was seated at the big desk and I was standing behind him； looking over his shoulder at the carbon copy of my reports to Naylor…Kerr； which I had stopped off at Wolfe's office to get。 A dick towed Frenkel in and planted him in a chair at the end of the desk。 I had thought his hair was undisciplined when he came to see me on Thursday； but now no two hairs were parallel。 He was trying to look nowhere and at no one； which really cannot be done unless you go at it with all your might and shut your eyes。
〃Hello there；〃 I said。
He returned no sign of recognition。
Cramer growled at him； 〃You're Benjamin Frenkel？〃
〃Yes； that's my name。〃
〃Are you under the impression that you killed Kerr Naylor？〃
Frenkel gawked at him； then made another try at looking at nothing； and did not speak。
〃Well； are you？〃
Frenkel looked straight at me and cried； 〃You rat！ I told you that in confidence！〃
〃You did not；〃 I denied。 〃I told you I couldn't keep a confession of murder confidential。〃
〃I didn't confess to a murder！〃
〃Then do it now；〃 Cramer urged。 〃Confess now。 e on； let's have it； get it off your chest； you'll feel better。〃
That didn't work at all。 Put straight that way； an invitation to con
