rc.theladyinthelake-第30章

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　　〃No。　We　know　who　he　was。　Florence　suspected　he　was　a　source　of　Almore's　narcotic　supply。〃　I　said：　〃Could　be。　He　probably　wouldn't　want　to　write　himself　too　many　prescriptions。　Did　you　know　Lavery？〃
　　〃We　never　saw　him。　We　knew　who　he　was。〃
　　〃Ever　occur　to　you　that　Lavery　might　have　been　blackmailing　Almore？〃　It　was　a　new　idea　to　him。　He　ran　his　hand　over　the　top　of　his　head　and　brought　it　down　over　his　face　and　dropped　it　to　his　bony　knee。　He　shook　his　head。
　　〃No。　Why　should　I？〃
　　〃He　was　first　to　the　body；〃　I　said。　〃Whatever　looked　wrong　to　Talley　must　have　been　equally　visible　to　Lavery。〃
　　〃Is　Lavery　that　kind　of　man？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　He　has　no　visible　means　of　support；　no　job。　He　gets　around　a　lot；　especially　with　women。〃
　　〃It's　an　idea；〃　Grayson　said。　〃And　those　things　can　be　handled　very　discreetly。〃　He　smiled　wryly。　〃I　have　e　across　traces　of　them　in　my　work。　Unsecured　loans；　long　outstanding。　Investments　on　the　face　of　them　worthless；　made　by　men　who　would　not　be　likely　to　make　worthless　investments。　Bad　debts　that　should　obviously　be　charged　off　and　have　not　been；　for　fear　of　inviting　scrutiny　from　the　ine　tax　people。　Oh　yes；　those　things　can　easily　be　arranged。〃　I　looked　at　Mrs。　Grayson。　Her　hands　had　never　stopped　working。　She　had　a　dozen　pairs　of　darned　socks　finished。　Grayson's　long　bony　feet　would　be　hard　on　socks。
　　〃What's　happened　to　Tailey？　Was　he　framed？〃
　　〃I　don't　think　there's　any　doubt　about　it。　His　wife　was　very　bitter。　She　said　he　had　been　given　a'　doped　drink　in　a　bar　and　he　had　been　drinking　with　a　policeman。　'She　said　a　police　car　was　waiting　across　the　street　for　him　to　start　driving　and　that　he　was　picked　up　at　once。　Also　that　he　was　given　only　the　most　perfunctory　examination　at　the　jail。〃
　　〃That　doesn't　mean　too　much。　That's　what　he　told　her　after　he　was　arrested。　He'd　tell　her　something　like　that　automatically。〃
　　〃Well；　I　hate　to　think　the　police　are　not　honest；〃　Grayson　said。　〃But　these　things　are　done；　and　everybody　knows　it。〃　I　said：　〃If　they　made　an　honest　mistake　about　your　daughter's　death；　they　would　hate　to　have　Talley　show　them　up。　It　might　mean　several　lost　jobs。　If　they　thought　what　he　was　really　after　was　blackmail；　they　wouldn't　be　too　fussy　about　how　they　took　care　of　him。　Where　is　Talley　now？　What　is　all　boils　down　to　is　that　if　there　was　any　solid　clue；　he　either　had　it　or　was　on　the　track　of　it　and　knew　what　he　was　looking　for。〃　Grayson　said：　〃We　don't　know　where　he　is。　He　got　six　months；　but　that　expired　long　ago。〃
　　〃How　about　his　wife？〃　He　looked　at　his　own　wife。　She　said　briefly：　〃16181/2　Westmore　Street；　Bay　City。　Eustace　and　I　sent　her　a　little　money。　She　was　left　bad　off。〃　I　made　a　note　of　the　address　and　leaned　back　in　my　chair　and　said：　〃Somebody　shot　Lavery　this　morning　in　his　bathroom。〃　Mrs。　Grayson's　pudgy　hands　became　still　on　the　edges　of　the　basket。　Grayson　sat　with　his　mouth　open；　holding　his　pipe　in　front　of　it。　He　made　a　noise　of　clearing　his　throat　softly；　as　if　in　the　presence　of　the　dead。　Nothing　ever　moved　slower　than　his　old　black　pipe　going　back　between　his　teeth。
　　〃Of　course　it　would　be　too　much　to　expect；〃　he　said　and　let　it　hang　in　the　air　and　blew　a　little　pale　smoke　at　it；　and　then　added；　〃that　Dr。　Almore　had　any　connection　with　that。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　think　he　had；〃　I　said。　〃He　certainly　lives　at　a　handy　distance。　The　police　think　my　client's　wife　shot　him。　They　have　a　good　case　too；　when　they　find　her。　But　if　Almore　had　anything　to　do　with　it；　it　must　surely　arise　out　of　your　daughter's　death。　That's　why　I'm　trying　to　find　out　something　about　that。〃　Grayson　said：　〃A　man　who　has　done　one　murder　wouldn't　have　more　than　twenty…five　per　cent　of　the　hesitation　in　doing　another。〃　He　spoke　as　if　he　had　given　the　matter　considerable　study。
　　I　said：　〃Yeah；　maybe。　What　was　supposed　to　be　the　motive　for　the　first　one？〃
　　〃Florence　was　wild；〃　he　said　sadly。　〃A　wild　and　difficult　girl。　She　was　wasteful　and　extravagant；　always　picking　up　new　and　rather　doubtful　friends；　talking　too　much　and　too　loudly；　and　generally　acting　the　fool。　A　wife　like　that　can　be　very　dangerous　to　a　man　like　Albert　S。　Almore。　But　I　don't　believe　that　was　the　prime　motive；　was　it；　Lettie？〃　He　looked　at　his　wife；　but　she　didn't　look　at　him。　She　jabbed　a　darning　needle　into　a　round　ball　of　wool　and　said　nothing。
　　Grayson　sighed　and　went　on：　〃We　had　reason　to　believe　he　was　carrying　on　with　his　office　nurse　and　that　Florence　had　threatened　him　with　a　public　scandal。　He　couldn't　have　anything　like　that；　could　he？　One　kind　of　scandal　might　too　easily　lead　to　another。〃　I　said：　〃How　did　he　do　the　murder？〃
　　〃With　morphine；　of　course。　He　always　had　it；　he　always　used　it。　He　was　an　expert　in　the　use　of　it。　Then　when　she　was　in　a　deep　a　he　would　have　placed　her　in　the　garage　and　started　the　car　motor。　There　was　no　autopsy；　you　know。　But　if　there　had　been；　it　was　known　that　she　had　been　given　a　hypodermic　injection　that　night。〃　I　nodded　and　he　leaned　back　satisfied　and　ran　his　hand　over　his　head　and　down　his　face　and　let　it　fall　slowly　to　his　bony　knee。　He　seemed　to　have　given　a　lot　of　study　to　this　angle　too。
　　I　looked　at　them。　A　couple　of　elderly　people　sitting　there　quietly；　poisoning　their　minds　with　hate；　a　year　and　a　half　after　it　had　happened。　They　would　like　it　if　Almore　had　shot　Lavery。　They　would　love　it。　It　would　warm　them　clear　down　to　their　ankles。
　　After　a　pause　I　said：　〃You're　believing　a　lot　of　this　because　you　want　to。　It's　always　possible　that　she　mitted　suicide；　and　that　the　cover…up　was　partly　to　pro…。　tect　Condy's　gambling　club　and　partly　to　prevent　Almore　having　to　be　questioned　at　a　public　hearing。〃
　　〃Rubbish；〃　Grayson　said　sharply。　〃He　murdered　her　all　right。　She　was　in　bed；　asleep。〃
　　〃You　don't　know　that。　She　might　have　been　taking　dope　herself。　She　might　have　established　a　tolerance　for　it。　The　effect　wouldn't　last　long　in　that　case。　She　might　have　got　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　looked　at　herself　in　the　glass　and　seen　devils　pointing　at　her。　These　things　happen。〃
　　〃I　think　you　have　taken　up　enough　of　our　time；〃　Grayson　said。
　　I　stood　up。　I　thanked　them　both　and　made　a　yard　towards　the　door　and　said：　〃You　didn't　do　anything　more　about　it　after　Talley　was　arrested？〃
　　〃Saw　an　assistant　district　attorney　named　Leach；〃　Grayson　grunted。　〃Got　exactly　nowhere。　He　saw　nothing　to　justify　his　office　in　interfering。　Wasn't　even　interested　in　the　narcotic　angle。　But　Condy's　place　was　closed　up　about　a　month　later。　That　might　have　e　out　of　it　somehow。〃
　　〃That　was　probably　the　Bay　City　cops　throwing　a　little　smoke。　You'd　find　Condy　somewhere　else；　if　you　knew　where　to　look。　With　all　his　original　equipment　intact。〃　I　started　for　the　door　again　and　Grayson　hoisted　himself　out　of　his　chair　and　dragged　across　the　room　after　me。　There　was　a　flush　on　his　yellow　face。
　　〃I　didn't　mean　to　be　rude；〃　he　said。　〃I　guess　Lettie　and　I　oughtn't　to　brood　about　this　business　the　way　we　do。〃
　　〃I　think　you've　both　been　very　patient；〃　I　said。　〃Was　there　anybody　else　involved　in　all　this　that　we　haven't　mentioned　by　name？〃　He　shook　his　head；　then　looked　back　at　his　wife。　Her　hands　were　motionless　holding　the　current　sock　on　the　darning　egg。　Her　head　was　tilted　a　little　to　one　side。　Her　attitude　was　of　listening；　but　not　to　us。
　　I　said：　〃The　way　I　got　the　story；　Dr。　Almore's　office　nurse　put　Mrs。　Almore　to　bed　that　night。　Would　that　be　the　one　he　was　supposed　to　be　playing　around　with？〃　Mrs。　Grayson　said　sharply：　〃Wait　a　minute。　We　never　saw　the　girl。　But　she　had　a　pretty　name。　Just　give　me　a　minute。〃　We　gave　her　a　minute。　〃Mildred　something；〃　she　said；　and　snapped　her　teeth。
　　I　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Would　it　be　Mildred　Haviland；　Mrs。　Grayson？〃　She　smiled　brightly　and　nodded。　〃Of　course；　Mildred　Haviland。　Don't　you　remember；　Eustace？〃　He　didn't　remember。　He　looked　at　us　like　a　horse　that　has　got　into　the　wrong　stable。　He　opened　the　door　and　said：　〃What　does　it　matter？〃
　　〃And　you　said　Talley　was　a　small　man；〃　I　bored　on。　〃He　wouldn't　for　instance　be　a　big　loud　bruiser　with　an　overbearing　manner？〃
　　〃Oh　no；〃　Mrs。　Grayson　said。　〃Mr。　Talley　is　a　man　of　not　more　than　medium　height；　middle…aged；　wi