rs.toomanywomen-第39章

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er　Goodwin；　and　you　were　born　in　Canton；　Ohio；　in　nineteen…fourteen。　Your　mother's　maiden　name　was　Leslie。　You　have　two　brothers　and　two　sisters。　No；　no　gypsy。　I'm　a　very　cautious　woman；　Archie；　cautious　and　dependable。〃　She　stood　up；　abruptly；　and　I　must　admit　not　clumsily。　〃The　reason　I　want　to　see　a　list　is　to　make　sure　you're　including　everything。　Let's　sit　on　the　couch　and　talk　about　it。〃
　　We　were　alone；　with　the　whole　floor　to　ourselves。　Fritz　had　gone　to　his　bed　in　the　basement。　I　had　been　up　and　around　all　of　eighteen　hours；　Cecily　probably　not　more　than　twelve。　It　was　not　a　situation　that　could　be　handled　with　half…measures。
　　〃This；〃　I　said；　〃is　dangerous。　Mr。　Wolfe　already　suspects　me。　You'll　have　to　go；　for　my　sake。　If　I　stay　here　alone　with　you　he'll　think　I'm　double…crossing　him　on　this　case　and　he'll　have　my　license　revoked；　and　then　I　couldn't　go　into　business　for　myself　even　if　you　wanted　me　to。　When　this　case　is　finished　we'll　talk。。。and　talk。。。and　talk。。。but　you'll　have　to　go　now；　Mrs。　Pine。〃
　　I　thought　I　might　as　well　clinch　it；　and　added；　〃Cecily。〃
　　
　　Chapter　Twenty…Eight
　　The　next　day；　Friday；　I　got　home　from　Naylor…Kerr　around　five…thirty　and　went　up　to　my　room　to　bathe　and　change。　Gwynne　Ferris　had　maneuvered　me　into　an　agreement　to　try　the　food　and　music　at　the　Silver　Room　at　the　Churchill　that　evening；　and　that　called　for　black　and　white。　I　had　to　step　on　it　because　Wolfe　expected　me　in　the　office　at　six　o'clock；　when　he　would　descend　from　the　plant　rooms；　to　report　on　the　day。　The　report；　God　knows；　would　be　totally　without　nourishment；　but　by　that　time　Wolfe　would　have　weled　an　underfed　straw　to　grab　at；　and　he　would　want　all　details。
　　He　didn't　get　them；　not　then；　for　when　I　got　down　to　the　office　at　five　past　six　Inspector　Cramer　was　there　with　him　and　was　already　off　to　a　good　start。
　　It　was　obvious　from　the　first　growls　I　heard　that　Cramer　had　e　to　try　something　that　he　had　often　tried　before；　and　never　with　any　profit。　He　had　e　to　take　the　lid　off　of　Wolfe　and　look　inside。　That　meant　he　was　all　out　of　everything。　It　had　e　to　snafu　and　he　was　helpless。
　　〃So　you　were　having　Naylor　tailed；〃　he　was　barking。　〃So；　by　God；　you　knew　something　was　going　to　happen　to　him！　I'll　tell　you　what　I　think！　That　Saul　Panzer　is　the　best　tailer　in　New　York。　I　don't　for　a　minute　believe　he　lost　Naylor！　He　don't　lose　'em！　Even　if　he　did；　when　Naylor　came　here；　wouldn't　you　have　had　him　tailed　when　he　left；　since　you　were　interested　in　him？　Of　course　you　would！　I　think　Panzer　was　right　up　with　Naylor　all　that　evening；　right　up　to　the　time　he　was　killed　and　then　some；　right　up　to　the　car　running　over　him　on　Thirty…ninth　Street！〃
　　〃Pfui；〃　Wolfe　muttered。
　　〃Look　at　this。〃　Cramer　put　up　a　finger。　〃One。　You　were　hired　to　smoke　Naylor　out　in　connection　with　the　death　of　Moore。〃　Another　finger。　〃Two。　Goodwin　pressured　him　into　a　deadly　threat　against　someone。〃　A　third　finger。　〃Three。　You　had　your　best　man　on　his　tail。〃　A　finger。　〃Four。　You　kept　Panzer　away　from　me　for　two　days。〃　Thumb。　〃Five。　You　tried　to　sick　us　on　that　Hoff　and　it's　a　phony。〃　The　fingers　made　a　fist。　〃And　six；　you　keep　Goodwin　down　there　to　sit　on　it；　not　doing　a　damn　thing　but　play　with　the　girls！　Look　at　him；　dressed　for　a　party！〃
　　〃I　didn't　know　you　had　noticed　me；〃　I　murmured　politely。　〃Thanks。〃
　　But　Cramer　was　beyond　minding　me。
　　〃Look　at　it！〃　he　bellowed。
　　〃I　am；〃　Wolfe　said　dryly。　〃Is　that　all　there　is？〃
　　Cramer　settled　back；　then　suddenly　jerked　forward　again　and　laid　the　fist　on　Wolfe's　desk。　〃I'm　going　to　e　out　with　it；〃　he　said　slowly　and　emphatically。　〃I've　had　occasion　many　times；　Wolfe；　to　ride　you…or　to　try　to。　But　actually；　and　you　know　it；　I　have　never　accused　you　of　covering　for　a　murderer；　and　I　have　never　considered　you　capable　of　that。〃　He　lifted　the　fist　and　brought　it　down　again。　〃I　do　now。　I　think　you're　capable　of　it；　and　I　think　you're　doing　it。　I　think　you　know　who　killed　Moore　and　Naylor；　and　I　think　you　intend　to　keep　me　from　getting　him。　Is　that　plain　enough？〃
　　〃You　know　what　you're　saying；　Mr。　Cramer。〃
　　〃You're　damn　right　I　do。〃
　　〃Archie。〃　Wolfe's　eyes　came　to　me。　〃Get　him　out　of　my　house。　By　force　if　necessary。〃
　　That　did　not　appeal　to　me。　He　was　a　police　inspector；　he　was　probably　armed；　and　I　had　on　my　best　clothes。
　　I　stayed　in　my　chair。　〃Gentlemen；〃　I　said　sneeringly；　〃I　had　supposed　you　could　take　it；　both　of　you；　but　I　see　I　was　wrong。　You're　both　licked；　that's　all　there　is　to　it；　and　you're　trying　to　take　it　out　on　each　other　by　acting　childish。　Inspector　Cramer；　you　know　damn　well　how　tricky　Mr。　Wolfe　is；　and　you　know　he's　at　least　ten　times　too　tricky　ever　to　go　around…or　rather　sit　around…with　a　murderer　in　his　pocket　with　the　idea　of　guarding　his　health。　You're　just　mad　and　kicking　the　furniture。　Mr。　Wolfe；　you　are　fully　aware　that　he　is　merely　shooting　off　his　mouth；　and　if　you　were　yourself　you　would　be　only　bland　and　offensive　to　him　instead　of　ordering　me　to　make　an　ass　of　myself。　You're　just　sore　and　savage　because　you've　finally　run　into　one　too　slick　for　you。〃
　　I　arose；　crossed　to　the　hall　door；　and　turned。　〃You'll　have　to　excuse　me；　gentlemen；　I've　got　a　date　with　a　suspect。　I'm　a　detective　and　I'm　working　on　a　murder　case。〃
　　I　have　never　learned　how　that　conversation　ended。　Wolfe　never　mentioned　it；　and　when；　somewhat　later；　I　tried　a　question　or　two　about　it　all　I　got　was　a　grunt。
　　Saturday　and　Sunday　it　was　really　pitiful。　Saturday　morning　Wolfe　buzzed　me　to　e　to　his　room　while　he　was　eating　breakfast；　and　when　I　went；　he；　having　remembered　his　taboo　on　talk　of　business　during　meals；　let　me　sit　and　watch　him　gloomily　dispose　of　four　pieces　of　toast　and　a　dish　of　eggs　au　beurre　noir。　When　he　had　finished　he　had　instructions　for　me；　and　they　were　a　knockout。　He　was　sure　going　to　wade　into　it。　I　was　to　spend　my　week…end　getting　Ben　Frenkel；　Harold　Anthony；　Rosa　Bendini；　and　Gwynne　Ferris；　one　at　a　time；　and　bringing　them　to　him！　And　he　was　to　spend　his　week…end　getting　things　out　of　them！
　　So　it　was。　That's　how　we　spent　Saturday　and　Sunday；　with　one　or　two　other　items　worked　in；　such　as　my　going　with　Lieutenant　Rowcliff　to　look　over　Naylor's　papers　and　effects。　Nor　was　Wolfe　merely　making　motions　and　trying　to　pass　the　time。　Saturday　he　spent　three　hours　on　Harold　Anthony　and　four　hours　on　Gwynne　Ferris。　Sunday　he　spent　five　hours　on　Rosa　Bendini　and　six　on　Ben　Frenkel。　He　was　really　digging　and　sweating。　Late　Sunday　evening；　after　Frenkel　had　gone；　he　stayed　motionless　in　his　chair　a　long　while　and　then　remarked　in　a　low　rumble　that　indicated　he　had　caught　it　from　Frenkel。
　　〃I　suppose　I'll　have　to　see　those　other　people。　The　directors　and　executives。　Can　you　have　them　here　tomorrow　morning　at　eleven？〃
　　I　was　busy　at　the　typewriter；　catching　up　on　the　germination　records。　Without　bothering　to　turn　my　head　I　declared　firmly；　〃I　cannot。　They're　busy　supplying　engineers。　They　think　we're　a　false　alarm　as　it　is。　Even　Armstrong…you　know；　the　wiry　little　guy　…even　he　is　beginning　to　suspect　they're　wasting　corporation　funds。〃
　　He　didn't　even　grunt；　let　alone　argue。　I　resumed　on　the　typewriter。　I　finished　with　the　Miltonias　and　started　on　the　Phalaenopsis。　The　minutes　collected　enough　for　an　hour　and　started　on　another　one。　It　was　midnight；　bedtime；　but　I　stayed　on　because　Wolfe　was　leaning　back　with　his　eyes　closed　and　with　his　lips　working…pushing　out；　then　back　in；　then　out　and　in　again…and　I　was　curious　to　learn　if　anything　would　e　of　it。
　　He　stirred　in　his　chair；　sighed　clear　to　his　solar　plexus；　and　opened　his　eyes　to　a　slit。
　　〃Archie。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃You　were　correct。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃I　have；　as　you　put　it；　run　up　against　one　too　slick　for　me。　Either　too　slick　or　too　lucky。　Mr。　Moore　has　been　dead　nearly　four　months；　and　Mr。　Naylor　nine　days；　and　what　have　we　got？〃
　　〃An　expense　account。〃
　　〃Yes。　It　is　wholly　unprecedented。　We　have　one　fact　only　that　might　be　helpful…Miss　Livsey's　promenade　with　Mr。　Naylor…but　we　don't　know　whether　it　is　significant　or　not；　and　no　way　of　finding　out。　We　can't　sort　out　the　real　clues　and　the　false　ones　because　we　have　no　clues　at　all。　Literal