rc.theladyinthelake-第48章

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hey　were　not；　but　when　he　opened　up　with　the　whole　story；　that　would　be　believed；　because　it　could　be　checked。　So　the　search　began　and　immediately　Lavery　was　shot　dead　in　his　bathroom；　the　very　night　after　I　went　down　to　talk　to　him。　That's　about　all　there　is　to　it；　except　why　she　went　back　to　the　house　the　next　morning。　That's　just　one　of　those　things　that　murderers　seem　to　do。　She　said　he　had　taken　her　money；　but　I　don't　believe　it。　I　think　more　likely　she　got　to　thinking　he　had　some　of　his　own　hidden　away；　or　that　she　had　better　edit　the　job　with　a　cool　head　and　make　sure　it　was　all　in　order　and　pointing　the　right　way；　or　perhaps　it　was　just　what　she　said；　and　to　take　in　the　paper　and　the　milk。　Anything　is　possible。　She　went　back　and　I　found　her　there　and　she　put　on　an　act　that　left　me　with　both　feet　in　my　mouth。〃　Patton　said：　〃Who　killed　her；　son？　I　gather　you　don't　like　Kingsley　for　that　little　job。〃　I　looked　…at　Kingsley　and　said：　〃You　didn't　talk　to　her　on　the　phone；　you　said。　What　about　Miss　Fromsett？　Did　she　think　she　was　talking　to　your　wife？〃　Kingsley　shook　his　head。　〃I　doubt　it。　It　would　be　pretty　hard　to　fool　her　that　way。　All　she　said　was　that　she　seemed　very　changed　and　subdued。　I　had　no　suspicion　then。　I　didn't　have　any　until　I　got　up　here。　When　I　walked　into　this　cabin　last　night；　I　felt　there　was　something　wrong。　It　was　too　clean　and　neat　and　orderly。　Crystal　didh't　leave　things　that　way。　There　would　have　been　clothes　all　over　the　bedroom；　cigarette　stubs　all　over　the　house；　bottles　…and　glasses　all　over　the　kitchen。　There　would　have　been　unwashed　dishes　and　ants　and　flies。　I　thought　Bill's　wife　might　have　cleaned　up；　and　then　I　remembered　that　Bill's　wife　wouldn't　have；　not　on　that　particular　day。　She　had　been　too　busy　quarreling　with　Bill　and　being　murdered；　or　mitting　suicide；　whichever　it　was。　I　thought　about　all　this　in　a　confused　sort　of　way；　but　I　don't　claim　I　actually　made　anything　of　it。〃　Patton　got　up　from　his　chair　and　went　out　on　the　porch。　He　came　back　wiping　his　lips　with　his　tan　handkerchief。　He　sat　down　again；　and　eased　himself　over　on　his　left　hip；　on　account　of　the　hip　holster　on　the　other　side。　He　looked　thoughtfully　at　Degarmo。　Degarmo　stood　against　the　wall；　hard　and　rigid；　a　stone　man。　His　right　hand　still　hung　down　at　his　side；　with　the　fingers　curled。
　　Patton　said：　〃I　still　ain't　heard　who　killed　Muriel。　Is　that　part　of　the　show　or　is　that　something　that　stifi　has　to　be　worked　out？〃　I　said：　〃Somebody　who　thought　she　needed　killing；　somebody　who　had　loved　her　and　hated　her；　somebody　who　was　too　much　of　a　cop　to　let　her　get　away　with　any　more　murders；　but　not　enough　of　a　cop　to　pull　her　in　and　let　the　whole　story　e　out。　Somebody　like　Degarmo。〃
　　
　　
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　　Degarmo　straightened　away　from　the　wall　and　smiled　bleakly。　His　right　hand　made　a　hard　clean　movement　and　was　holding　a　gun。　He　held　it　with　a　lax　wrist；　so　that　it　pointed　down　at　the　floor　in　front　of　him。　He　spoke　to　me　without　looking　at　me。
　　〃I　don't　think　you　have　a　gun；〃　he　said。　〃Patton　has　a　gun　but　I　don't　think　he　can　get　it　out　fast　enough　to　do　him　any　good。　Maybe　you　have　a　little　evidence　to　go　with　that　last　guess。　Or　wouldn't　that　be　important　enough　for　you　to　bother　with？〃
　　〃A　little　evidence；〃　I　said。　〃Not　very　much。　But　it　will　grow。　Somebody　stood　behind　that　green　curtain　in　the　Granada　for　more　than　half　an　hour　and　stood　as　silently　as　only　a　cop　on　a　stake…out　knows　how　to　stand。　Somebody　who　had　a　blackjack。　Somebody　who　knew　I　had　been　hit　with　one　without　looking　at　the　back　of　my　head。　You　told　Shorty；　remember？　Somebody　who　knew　the　dead　girl　had　been　hit　with　one　too；　although　it　wouldn't　have　showed　and　he　wouldn't　have　been　likely　at　that　time　to　have　handled　the　body　enough　to　find　out。　Somebody　who　stripped　her　and　raked　her　body　with　scratches　in　the　kind　of　sadistic　hate　a　man　like　you　might　feel　for　a　woman　who　had　made　a　small　private　hell　for　him。　Somebody　who　has　blood　and　cuticle　under　his　fingernails　right　now；　plenty　enough　for　a　chemist　to　work　on。　I　bet　you　won't　let　Patton　look　at　the　fingernails　of　your　right　hand；　Degarmo。〃　Degarmo　lifted　the　gun　a　little　and　smiled。　A　wide　white　smile。
　　〃And　just　how　did　I　know　where　to　find　her？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Ahnore　saw　her…ing　out　of；　or　going　into　Layery's　house。　That's　what　made　him　so　nervous；　that's　why　he　called　you　when　he　saw　me　hanging　around。　As　to　how　exactly　you　trailed　her　to　the　apartment；　I　don't　know。　I　don't　see　anything　difficult　about　it。　You　could　have　hid　out　in　Almore's　house　and　followed　her；　or　followed　Lavery。　All　that　would　be　routine　work　for　a　copper。〃　Degarmo　nodded　and　stood　silent　for　a　moment；　thinking。　His　face　was　grim；　but　his　metallic　blue　eyes　held　a　light　that　was　almost　amusement。　The　room　was　hot　and　heavy　with　a　disaster　that　could　no　longer　be　mended。　He　seemed　to　feel　it　less　than　any　of　us。
　　〃I　want　to　get　out　of　here；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Not　very　far　maybe；　but　no　hick　cop　is　going　to　put　the　arm　on　me。　Any　objections？〃　Patton　said　quietly：　〃Can't　be　done；　son。　You　know　I　got　to　take　you。　None　of　this　ain't　proved；　but　I　can't　just　let　you　walk　out。〃
　　〃You　have　a　nice　big　belly；　Patton。　I'm　a　good　shot。　How　do　you　figure　to　take　me？〃
　　〃I　been　trying　to　figure；〃　Patton　said　and　rumpled　his　hair　under　his　pushed　back　hat。　〃I　ain't　got　very　far　with　it。　I　don't　want　no　holes　in　my　belly。　But　I　can't　let　you　make　a　monkey　of　me　in　my　own　territory　either。〃
　　〃Let　him　go；〃　I　said。　〃He　can't　get　out　of　these　mountains。　That's　why　I　brought　him　up　here。〃　Patton　said　soberly：　〃Somebody　might　get　hurt　taking　him。　That　wouldn't　be　right。　If　it's　anybody；　it's　got　to　be　me。〃　Degarmo　grinned。　〃You're　a　nice　boy；　Patton；〃　he　said。　〃Look；　I'll　put　the　gun　back　under　my　arm　and　we'll　start　from　scratch。　I'm　good　enough　for　that　too。〃　He　tucked　the　gun　under　his　arm。　He　stood　with　his　arms　hanging；　his　chin　pushed　forward　a　little；　watching。　Patton　chewed　softly；　with　his　pale　eyes　on　Degarmo's　vivid　eyes。
　　〃Fm　sitting　down；〃　he　plained。　〃I　ain't　as　fast　as　you　anyways。　I　just　don't　like　to　look　yellow。〃　He　looked　at　me　sadly。　〃Why　the　hell　did　you　have　to　bring　this　up　here？　It　ain't　any　part　of　my　troubles。　Now　look　at　the　jam　I'm　in。〃　He　sounded　hurt　and　confused　and　rather　feeble。
　　Degarmo　put　his　head　back　a　little　and　laughed。　While　he　was　still　laughing；　his　right　hand　jumped　for　his　gun　again。
　　I　didn't　see　Patton　move　at　all。　The　room　throbbed　with　the　roar　of　his　frontier　Colt。　…　Degarmo's　arm　shot　straight　out　to　one　side　and　the　heavy　Smith　and　Wesson　was　torn　out　of　his　hand　and　thudded　against　the　knotty　pine　wall　behind　him。　He　shook　his　numbed　right　hand　and　looked　down　at　it　with　wonder　in　his　eyes。
　　Patton　stood　up　slowly。　He　walked　slowly　across　the　room　and　kicked　the　revolver　under　a　chair。　He　looked　at　Degarmo　sadly。　Degarmo　was　sucking　a　little　blood　off　his　knuckes。
　　〃You　give　me　a　break；〃　Patton　said　sadly。　〃You　hadn't　ought　ever　to　give　a　man　like　me　a　break。　I　been　a　shooter　more　years　than　you　been　alive；　son。〃　Degarmo　nodded　to　him　and　straightened　his　back　and　started　for　the　door。
　　〃Don't　do　that；〃　Patton　told　him　calmly。
　　Degarmo　kept　on　going。　He　reached　the　door　and　pushed　on　the　screen。　He　looked　back　at　Patton　and　his　face　was　very　white　now。
　　〃I'm　going　out　of　here；〃　he　said。　〃There's　only　one　way　you　can　stop　me。　So　long；　fatty。〃　Patton　didn't　move　a　muscle。
　　Degarmo　went　out　through　the　door。　His　feet　made　heavy　sounds　on　the　porch　and　then　on　the　steps。　I　went　to　the　front　window　and　looked　out。　Patton　stifi　hadn't　moved。　Degarmo　came　down　off　the　steps　and　started　across　the　top　of　the　little　dam。　。　〃He's　crossing　the　dam；〃　I　said。　〃Has　Andy　got　a　gun？〃
　　〃I　don't　figure　he'd　use　one　if　he　had；〃　Patton　said　calmly。　〃He　don't　know　any　reason　why　he　should。〃
　　〃Well；　I'll　be　damned；〃　I　said。
　　Patton　sighed。　〃He　hadn't　ought　to　have　given　me　a　break　like　that；〃　he　said。　〃Had　me　cold。　I　got　to　give　it　back　to　him。　Kind　of　puny　too。　Won't　do　him　a　lot　of　good。〃
　　〃He's　a　killer；〃　I　said。
　　〃He　ain't　that　kind　of　killer；〃　Patton　said。　〃You　lock　your　car？〃　I　nodded。　〃Andy's　ing　down　to　the　other