rs.toomanywomen-第43章
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at cubby…hole for any fancy acrobatics。 Ben Frenkel stopped in the middle of a sentence and stood up too。
Hoff looked at him。 〃I want to speak with Goodwin。 When you're through？〃
〃I'm never through；〃 Frenkel declared。 He strode to the door； told us over his shoulder； 〃I never will be through；〃 and was gone。
Hoff started to close the door。 I moved； put out a hand； and swung the door open again。
〃I like to see out；〃 I said。 〃All the pretty girls。 If it's a private talk just keep your voice down。〃
For a second he thought he was going to insist on having the door shut； then he changed his mind。 He went to the chair Frenkel had vacated and sat down。 I would hardly have recognized him for the Hoff I knew。 He looked neither belligerent nor indignant； it was even doubtful if he regarded himself as adequately prepared to handle things。
〃I underestimated you；〃 he said。 〃Either you or Wolfe； or both。〃
〃Don't mention it；〃 I said amiably。 〃As Eve said to Adam； we all make mistakes。〃
〃Are you going to report upstairs and to the police that Miss Livsey told you that she knows who killed Moore and Naylor？〃
So it was improving with age； probably started that way by Gwynne herself。 〃I'm not employed by the city；〃 I asserted。 〃Of course it's usual and proper to report to our client all important developments。〃 I patted my breast pocket。 〃Yes。〃
〃She denies that she told you that。 She denies that she told you anything whatever。〃
I nodded regretfully。 〃I expected that； though I hoped she wouldn't。 She also denied that she took a walk with Naylor for an hour and three minutes the evening he was killed。 She's quite a denier。〃
Hoff wet his lips with his tongue。 He swallowed。 〃You've got the report ready。 There in your pocket。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 I took my lapels； one in each hand； and pulled my coat open wide。 〃On the right； the pocket with the report in it。 On the left； the armpit holster with my Wembly automatic。 Everything in place。〃
He didn't seem impressed by the holster； it was the pocket he was interested in。 Then he came back to my eyes。 His were not as penetrating and intense as Ben Frenkel's； but they were steadier。 〃What；〃 he asked； 〃are you trying to force Miss Livsey to do？〃
I shook my head。 〃That's up to her。 Maybe we're just trying to teach her a lesson； how immoral it is to deny things。〃
〃She〃…he wet his lips again…〃she has told the truth。〃
〃Okay； brother。 You ought to know。〃
〃I do know。 I'm not a rich man； Goodwin。 When it es to money I can't talk big； I have to stick to realities。 I'll give you five thousand dollars cash； I can get it by tomorrow； if you'll just think it over and decide that you misunderstood her。 That wouldn't be difficult； you won't have to revoke； you can just say you misunderstood her。〃
〃Not for five grand I can't。〃
〃But I…〃 He stopped to think。 〃How much？〃
〃Not for money。 I don't like money。 It curls up at the corners。 I could listen to reason if Miss Livsey came in here now； or came with me to see Mr。 Wolfe； and delivered a dime's worth of the truth。 Provided we were satisfied it was a full dime's worth。〃
〃She has told you the truth。〃
〃You ought to know。〃
He was silent。 Slowly his fingers and thumbs closed to make fists； but obviously not with intent to attack or destroy。 They stayed fists for a while； then opened up and were claws； then went loose。
〃For God's sake；〃 he implored； 〃don't you realize what you're doing？ Don't you realize the danger you're putting her in？〃 He was ing close to whimpering。 〃You know what happened to Naylor…don't you know her life isn't safe； not for a minute？ What kind of a coldhearted bastard are you anyhow？〃
I leaned forward to tap him on the knee。 〃Lookit； my friend；〃 I said slowly and distinctly； 〃the score is exactly what you think it is。 It's tied up。 Like it or lump it。〃
He jerked his knee aside as if my fingertip might be rubbing germs on him； went sidewise out of his chair and up； and trotted out of the room。
I had enough now； it seemed to me； to justify blowing a nickel； so after watching Hoff recross the arena to Hester's room I went out and down the aisle to the corner where the phone booths were。
I told Wolfe； briefly； what had happened； and asked if he wanted me to fill it in on the phone。 He said no； that could wait until I got home； and then proceeded to ask questions that amounted to contradicting himself。 He was counting on getting something all right； a good deal more than I was。 Finally he let me go。 As I returned down the aisle three hundred typewriters stopped their clatter； and all the eyes were mine。 It was enough to make Dana Andrews feel self…conscious。
When I reached the door of my room I stopped and stood； but not to prolong the treat for my audience。 The door was closed； and I was sure I had left it wide。 I opened it and went in； and then closed the door behind me when I saw that Hester Livsey was standing there。
I took a step； and she took two； and her right hand took hold of my left arm。
〃Please！〃 she said； her face lifted to me。
I asked her stiffly； 〃Please what？〃
〃Please don't do this to me！〃 Her other hand got my other arm。 〃Don't！ Please！〃
I stood still； neither inviting her hands to stay； nor； by any motion； implying that I didn't want them there。 The nearness； with her face so close that I could see how black her pupils were； was her doing； and if it suited her it suited me。
〃I'm not doing anything to you；〃 I said。 〃I think you're wonderful…〃
〃You are！ You're lying about me！ You're telling a deliberate malicious lie！〃
I nodded。 〃Sure I am。〃 Her breath was sweet。 〃You've never met Saul Panzer； have you？〃
〃What…who…you're just…〃
〃Saul Panzer。 A friend of mine and the best leg…and…eye detective on earth。 He saw you that evening with Naylor。 So you lied。 I admire you so much that I want to do everything you do； I can't bear it not to。 So I lied。〃
She took her hands away and backed up a step。
〃It makes me feel better all over；〃 I said。
〃You admit it's a lie；〃 she said。
〃To you； sure。 Not to anyone else。 It's our first secret； just you and me。 If you don't love me enough to have secrets with me； we can fix it。 We can go to Nero Wolfe and confess we both lied； and tell him the truth。 Shall we？〃
She was breathing hard； as sweet as ever presumably； but I was no longer close enough to get it。
〃You mean it； don't you；〃 she said； not a question。
〃I mean everything I say。 Let's go see Mr。 Wolfe and get it over with。〃
〃I thought…I thought you…〃 She stopped。 Her voice wanted to quiver but her chin didn't。 〃You're terrible。 I thought… you're terrible！〃
She moved to the door； not hurrying； just walking； pulled it open； and went。
Chapter Thirty…Two
At a quarter past eleven that evening； in Nero Wolfe's office； the phone rang。 I answered it； and Fred Durkin's voice told me：
〃The lights are all out and so she's safe in bed。 For Christ's sake； Archie； you don't want me…〃
〃I do；〃 I said firmly； 〃and so does Mr。 Wolfe。 You've got your instructions； and what do you do for a living anyway？ You stick and stick good。〃
I hung up and told Wolfe； 〃Fred says the lights are out。 I'm relieved and I admit it。 I was going to marry her if she hadn't gone partners with Hoff on that damn lie； and I don't care for my share of this at all。 I suppose I'll have a nightmare tonight。〃
Wolfe didn't bother to grunt。
Although I know Wolfe as well as anybody does and a good deal better； I hadn't been able to tell whether my report for the day had given him anything that would pass for the word or gesture or countermove he wanted。 He had received it all； plete； with the attention it deserved； leaning back motionless； with his eyes closed； and had had plenty of questions。 He even wanted to know exactly what Miss Abrams； the receptionist on the thirty…sixth floor； had said when I gave her the report to be taker； in to Jasper Pine。 I had performed that errand at four…thirty； as usual； and she had told me that Pine was engaged at the moment but she would be sure he got it before he left for the day。
That night I had no nightmare
