rc.theladyinthelake-第5章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃You　ought　to　do　well　at　that；〃　I　said。
　　〃Yeah。　So　long；　snooper。　And　don't　bother　to　e　back。　I　won't　be　at　home。〃　I　went　over　to　the　door　and　pulled　it　open。　It　stuck　on　the　lower　sill；　from　the　beach　moisture。　When　I　had　'it　open；　I　looked　back　at　him。　'He　was　standing　there　narrow…eyed；　full　of　muted　thunder。
　　〃I　may　have　to　e　back；〃　I　said。　〃But　it　won't　be　just　to　swap　gags。　It　will　be　because　I　find　something　out　that　needs　talking　over。〃
　　〃So　you　still　think　I'm　lying；〃　he　said　savagely。
　　〃I　think　you　have　something　on　your　mind。　I've　looked　at　too　many　faces　not　to　know。　It　may　not　be　any　of　my　business。　If　it　is；　you're　likely　to　have　to　throw　me　out　again。〃
　　〃A　pleasure；〃　he　said。　〃And　next　time　bring　somebody　to　drive　you　home。　In　case　you　land　on　your　fanny　and　knock　your　brains　out。〃　Then　without　any　rhyme　or　reason　that　I　could　see；　he　spat　on　the　rug　in　front　of　his　feet。
　　It　jarred　me。　It　was　like　watching　the　veneer　peel　off　and　leave　a　tough　kid　in　an　alley。　Or　like　hearing　an　apparently　refined　woman　start　expressing　herself　in　fourletter　words。
　　〃So　long；　beautiful　hunk；〃　I　said；　and　left　him　standing　there。　I　closed　the　door；　had　to　jerk　it　to　get　it　shut；　and　went　up　the　path　to　the　street。　I　stood　on　the　sidewalk　looking　at　the　house　across　the　way。
　　
　　
　　4
　　
　　It　was　a　wide　shallow　house　with　rose　stucco　wails　faded　out　to　a　pleasant　pastel　shade　and　trimmed　with　dull　green　at　the　window　frames。　The　roof　was　of　green　tiles；　round　rough　ones。　There　was　a　deeply　inset　front　door　framed　in　a　mosaic　of　multi…colored　pieces　of　tiling　and　a　small　flower　garden　in　front；　behind　a　low　stucco　wall　topped　by　an　iron　railing　which　the　beach　moisture　had　begun　to　corrode。　Outside　the　wall　to　the　left　was　the　three…car　garage；　with　a　door　opening　inside　the　yard　and　a　concrete　path　going　from　there　to　a　side　door　of　the　house。
　　Set　into　the　gate　post　was　a　bronze　tablet　which　read：　〃Albert　S。　Almore；　M。D。〃　While　I　was　standing　there　staring　across　the　street；　the　black　Cadillac　I　had　already　seen　came　purring　around　the　corner　and　then　down　the　block。　It　slowed　and　started　to　sweep　outwards　to　get　turning　space　to　go　into　the　garage；　decided　my　car　was　in　the　way　of　that；　and　went　on　to　the　end　of　the　road　and　turned　in　the　widened…out　space　in　front　of　the　ornamental　iron　railing。　It　came　back　slowly　and　went　into　the　empty　third　of　the　garage　across　the　way。
　　The　thin　man　in　sun　glasses　went　along　the　sidewalk　to　the　house；　carrying　a　double…handled　doctor's　bag。　Halfway　along　he　slowed　down　to　stare　across　at　me。　I　went　along　towards　my　car。　At　the　house　he　used　a　key　and　as　he　opened　the　door　he　looked　across　at　me　again。
　　I　got　into　the　Chrysler　and　sat　there　smoking　and　trying　to　make　up　my　mind　whether　it　was　worth　while　hiring　somebody　to　pull　a　tail　on　Lavery。　I　decided　it　wasn't；　not　the　way　things　looked　so　far。
　　CUrtains　moved　at　a　lower　window　close　to　the　side　door　Dr。　Almore　had　gone　in　at。　A　thin　hand　held　them　aside　and　I　caught　the　glint　of　light　on　glasses。　They　were　held　aside　for　quite　some　time；　before　they　fell　together　again。
　　I　looked　along　the　street　at　Lavery's　house。　From　this　angle　I　could　see　that　his　service　porch　gave　on　a　ifight　of　painted　wooden　steps　to　a　sloping　concrete　walk　and　a　flight　of　concrete　steps　ending　in　the　paved　alley　below。
　　I　looked　across　at　Dr。　Almore's　house　again；　wondering　idly　if　he　knew　Lavery　and　how　well。　He　probably　knew　him；　since　theirs　were　the　only　two　houses　in　the　block。　But　being　a　doctor；　he　wouldn't　tell　me　anything　about　him。　As　I　looked；　the　curtains　which　had　been　lifted　apart　were　now　pletely　drawn　aside。
　　The　middle　segment　of　the　triple　window　they　had　masked　had　no　screen。　Behind　it；　Dr。　Almore　stood　staring　across　my　way；　with　a　sharp　frown　on　his　thin　face。　I　shook　cigarette　ash　out　of　the　window　and　he　turned　abruptly　and　sat　down　at　a　desk。　His　double…handled　bag　was　on　the　desk　in　front　of　him。　He　sat　rigidly；　drumming　on　the　desk　beside　the　bag。　His　hand　reached　for　the　telephone；　touched　it　and　came　away　again。　He　lit　a　cigarette　and　shook　the　match　violently；　then　strode　to　the　window　and　stared　out　at　me　some　more。
　　This　was　interesting；　if　at　all；　only　because　he　was　a　doctor。　Doctors；　as　a　rule；　are　the　least　curious　of　men。　While　they　are　still　internes　they　hear　enough　secrets　to　last　them　a　lifetime。　Dr。　Almore　seemed　interested　in　me。　More　than　interested；　bothered。
　　I　reached　down　to　turn　the　ignition　key；　then　Lavery's　front　door　opened　and　I　took　my　hand　away　and　leaned　back　again。　Lavery　came　briskly　up　the　walk　of　his　house；　shot　a　glance　down　the　street　and　turned　to　go　into　his　garage。　He　was　dressed　as　I　had　seen　him。　He　had　a　rough　towel　'and　a　steamer　rug　over　his　arm。　I　heard　the　garage　door　lift　up；　then　the　car　door　open　and　shut；　then　the　grind　and　cough　of　the　starting　car。　It　backed　up　the　steep　incline　to　the　street；　white　steamy　exhaust　pouring　from　its　rear　end。　It　was　a　cute　little　blue　convertible；　with　the　top　folded　down　and　Lavery's　sleek　dark　head　just　rising　above　it。　He　was　now　wearing　a　natty　pair　of　sun…goggles　with　very　wide　white　sidebows。　The　convertible　swooped　off　down　the　block　and　danced　around　the　corner。
　　There　was　nothing　in　that　for　me。　Mr。　Christopher　Lavery　was　bound　for　the　edge　of　the　broad　Pacific；　to　lie　in　the　sun　and　let　the　girls　see　what　they　didn't　necessarily　have　to　go　on　missing。
　　I　gave　my　attention　back　to　Dr。　Almore。　He　was　on　the　telephone　now；　not　talking；　holding　it　to　his　ear；　smoking　and　waiting。　Then　he　leaned　forward　as　you　do　when　the　voice　es　back；　listened；　hung　up　and　wrote　something　on　a　pad　in　front　of　him。　Then　a　heavy　book　with　yellow　sides　appeared　on　his　desk　and　he　opened　it　just　about　in　the　middle。　While　he　was　doing　this　he　gave　one　quick　look　out　of　the　window；　straight　at　the　Chrysler。
　　He　found　his　place　in　the　book；　leaned　down　over　it　and　quick　puffs　of　smoke　appeared　in　the　air　over　the　pages。　He　wrote　something　else；　put　the　book　away；　and　grabbed　the　telephone　again。　He　dialed；　waited；　began　to　speak　quickly　pushing　his　head　down　and　making　gestures　in　the　air　with　his　cigarette。　He　finished　his　call　and　hung　up。　He　leaned　back　and　sat　there　brooding；　staring　down　at　his　desk；　but　not　f　orgetting　to　look　out　of　the　window　every　half　minute。　He　was　waiting；　and　I　waited　with　him；　for　no　reason　at　all。　Doctors　make　many　phone　calls；　talk　to　many　people。　Doctors　look　out　of　their　front　windows；　doctors　frown；　doctors　show　nervousness；　doctors　have　things　on　their　mind　and　show　the　strain。　Doctors　are　just　people；　born　to　sorrow；　fighting　the　long　grim　fight　like　the　rest　of　us。
　　But　there　was　something　about　the　way　this　one　behaved　that　intrigued　me。　I　looked　at　my　watch；　decided　it　was　time　to　get　something　to　eat；　lit　another　cigarette　and　didn't　move。
　　It　took　about　five　minutes。　Then　a　green　sedan　whisked　around　the　corner　and　bore　down　the　block。　It　coasted　to　a　stop　in　front　of　Dr。　Almore's　house　and　its　tall　buggywhip　aerial　quivered。　A　big　man　with　dusty　blond　hair　got　out　and　went　up　to　Dr。　Almore's　front　door。　He　rang　the　bell　and　leaned　down　to　strike　a　match　on　the　step。　His　head　came　around　and　he　stared　across　the　street　exactly　at　where　I　was　sitting。
　　The　door　opened　and　he　went　into　the　house。　An　invisible　hand　gathered　the　curtains　at　Dr。　Almore's　study　window　and　blanked　the　room。　I　sat　there　and　stared　at　the　sundarkened　lining　of　the　curtains。　More　time　trickled　by。
　　The　front　door　opened　again　and　the　big　man　loafed　casually　down　the　steps　and　through　the　gate。　He　snapped　his　cigarette　end　off　into　the　distance　and　rumpled　his　hair。　He　shrugged　once；　pinched　the　end　of　his　chin；　and　walked　diagonally　across　the　street。　His　steps　in　the　quiet　were　leisurely　and　distinct。　Dr。　Almore's　cUrtains　moved　apart　again　behind　him。　Dr。　Almore　stood　in　his　window　and　watched。
　　A　large　freckled　hand　appeared　on　the　sill　of　the　car　door　at　my　elbow。　A　large　face；　deeply…lined；　hung　above　it。
　　The　man　had　eyes　of　metallic　blue。　He　looked　at　me　solidly　and　spoke　in　a　deep　harsh　voice。
　　〃Waiting　for　somebody？〃　he　asked。