raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第16章

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　 I　was　sitting　in　the　corner　of　the　davenport　by　the　window。　I　put　in　my　nickel's　worth；　saying：　〃Suppose　he　had　locked　himself　out　of　Phillips'　apartment　before　he　thought　of　ditching　the　gun？　Suppose；　ing　out　of　the　shock　of　his　murder；　he　found　himself　in　the　hall　still　holding　the　murder　gun。　He　would　want　to　ditch　it　fast。　Then　if　Hench's　door　was　open　and　he　had　heard　them　go　out　along　the　hall〃
　 Breeze　looked　at　me　briefly　and　grunted：　〃I'm　not　saying　it　isn't　so。　I'm　just　considering。〃　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　Hench。　〃So　now；　if　this　turns　out　to　be　the　gun　that　killed　Anson；　we　got　to　try　and　trace　your　gun。　While　we　do　that　we　got　to　have　you　and　the　young　lady　handy。　You　understand　that；　of　course？〃
　 Hench　said：　〃You　don't　have　any　boys　that　can　bounce　me　hard　enough　to　make　me　tell　it　different。〃
　 〃We　can　always　try；〃　Breeze　said　mildly。　〃And　we　might　just　as　well　get　started。〃
　 He　stood　up；　turned　and　swept　the　crumpled　newspapers　off　the　chair　on　to　the　floor。　He　went　over　to　the　door；　then　turned　and　stood　looking　at　the　girl　on　the　bed。　〃You　all　right；　sister；　or　should　I　call　for　a　matron？〃
　 The　girl　on　the　bed　didn't　answer　him。
　 Hench　said：　〃I　need　a　drink。　I　need　a　drink　bad。〃
　 〃Not　while　I'm　watching　you；〃　Breeze　said　and　went　out　of　the　door。
　 Hench　moved　across　the　room　and　put　the　neck　of　a　bottle　into　his　mouth　and　gurgled　liquor。　He　lowered　the　bottle；　looked　at　what　was　left　in　it　and　went　over　to　the　girl。　He　pushed　her　shoulder。
　 〃Wake　up　and　have　a　drink；〃　he　growled　at　her。
　 The　girl　stared　at　the　ceiling。　She　didn't　answer　him　or　show　that　she　had　heard　him。
　 〃Let　her　alone；〃　I　said。　〃Shock。〃
　 Hench　finished　what　was　in　the　bottle；　put　the　empty　bottle　down　carefully　and　looked　at　the　girl　again；　then　turned　his　back　on　her　and　stood　frowning　at　the　floor。　〃Jeeze；　I　wish　I　could　remember　better；〃　he　said　under　his　breath。
　 Breeze　came　back　into　the　room　with　a　young　fresh…faced　plainclothes　detective。　〃This　is　Lieutenant　Spangler；〃　he　said。　〃He'll　take　you　down。　Get　going；　huh？〃
　 Hench　went　back　to　the　bed　and　shook　the　girl's　shoulder。　〃Get　on　up；　babe。　We　gotta　take　a　ride。〃
　 The　girl　turned　her　eyes　without　turning　her　head；　and　looked　at　him　slowly。　She　lifted　her　shoulders　off　the　bed　and　put　a　hand　under　her　and　swung　her　legs　over　the　side　and　stood　up；　stamping　her　right　foot；　as　if　it　was　numb。
　 〃Tough；　kidbut　you　know　how　it　is；〃　Hench　said。　The　girl　put　a　hand　to　her　mouth　and　bit　the　knuckle　of　her　little　finger；　looking　at　him　blankly。　Then　she　swung　the　hand　suddenly　and　hit　him　in　the　face　as　hard　as　she　could。　Then　she　half　ran　out　of　the　door。
　 Hench　didn't　move　a　muscle　for　a　long　moment。　There　was　a　confused　noise　of　men　talking　outside；　a　confused　noise　of　cars　down　below　in　the　street。　Hench　shrugged　and　cocked　his　heavy　shoulders　back　and　swept　a　slow　look　around　the　room；　as　if　he　didn't　expect　to　see　it　again　very　soon；　or　at　all。　Then　he　went　out　past　the　young　fresh…faced　detective。
　 The　detective　went　out。　The　door　closed。　The　confused　noise　outside　was　dimmed　a　little　and　Breeze　and　I　sat　looking　at　each　other　heavily。
　
　
　11
　
　 After　a　while　Breeze　got　tired　of　looking　at　me　and　dug　a　cigar　out　of　his　pocket。　He　slit　the　cellophane　band　with　a　knife　and　trimmed　the　end　of　the　cigar　and　lit　it　carefully；　turning　it　around　in　the　flame；　and　holding　the　burning　match　away　from　it　while　he　stared　thoughtfully　at　nothing　and　drew　on　the　cigar　and　made　sure　it　was　burning　the　way　he　wanted　it　to　burn。
　 Then　he　shook　the　match　out　very　slowly　and　reached　over　to　lay　it　on　the　sill　of　the　open　window。　Then　he　looked　at　me　some　more。
　 〃You　and　me；〃　he　said；　〃are　going　to　get　along。〃
　 〃That's　fine；〃　I　said。
　 〃You　don't　think　so；〃　he　said。　〃But　we　are。　But　not　because　I　took　any　sudden　fancy　to　you。　It's　the　way　I　work。　Everything　in　the　clear。　Everything　sensible。　Everything　quiet。　Not　like　that　dame。　That's　the　kind　of　dame　that　spends　her　life　looking　for　trouble　and　when　she　finds　it；　it's　the　fault　of　the　first　guy　she　can　get　her　fingernails　into。〃
　 〃He　gave　her　a　couple　of　shiners；〃　I　said。　〃That　wouldn't　make　her　love　him　too　much。〃
　 〃I　can　see；〃　Breeze　said；　〃that　you　know　a　lot　about　dames。〃
　 〃Not　knowing　a　lot　about　them　has　helped　me　in　my　business；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　open…minded。〃
　 He　nodded　and　examined　the　end　of　his　cigar。　He　took　a　piece　of　paper　out　of　his　pocket　and　read　from　it。　〃Delmar　B。　Hench；　45；　bartender；　unemployed。　Maybelle　Masters；　26；　dancer。　That's　all　I　know　about　them。　I've　got　a　hunch　there　ain't　a　lot　more　to　know。〃
　 〃You　don't　think　he　shot　Anson？〃　I　asked。
　 Breeze　looked　at　me　without　pleasure。　〃Brother；　I　just　got　here。〃　He　took　a　card　out　of　his　pocket　and　read　from　that。　〃James　B。　Pollock；　Reliance　Indemnity　pany；　Field　Agent。　What's　the　idea？〃
　 〃In　a　neighborhood　like　this　it's　bad　form　to　use　your　own　name；〃　I　said。　〃Anson　didn't　either。〃
　 〃What's　the　matter　with　the　neighborhood？〃
　 〃Practically　everything；〃　I　said。
　 〃What　I　would　like　to　know；〃　Breeze　said；　〃is　what　you　know　about　the　dead　guy？〃
　 〃I　told　you　already。〃
　 〃Tell　me　again。　People　tell　me　so　much　stuff　I　get　it　all　mixed　up。〃
　 〃I　know　what　it　says　on　his　card；　that　his　name　is　George　Anson　Phillips；　that　he　claimed　to　be　a　private　detective。　He　was　outside　my　office　when　I　went　to　lunch。　He　followed　me　downtown；　into　the　lobby　of　the　Hotel　Metropole。　I　led　him　there。　I　spoke　to　him　and　he　admitted　he　had　been　following　me　and　said　it　was　because　he　wanted　to　find　out　if　I　was　smart　enough　to　do　business　with。　That's　a　lot　of　baloney；　of　course。　He　probably　hadn't　quite　made　up　his　mind　what　to　do　and　was　waiting　for　something　to　decide　him。　He　was　on　a　jobhe　saidhe　had　got　leery　of　and　he　wanted　to　join　up　with　somebody；　perhaps　somebody　with　a　little　more　experience　than　he　had；　if　he　had　any　at　all。　He　didn't　act　as　if　he　had。〃
　 Breeze　said：　〃And　the　only　reason　he　picked　on　you　is　that　six　years　ago　you　worked　on　a　case　in　Ventura　while　he　was　a　deputy　up　there。〃
　 I　said；　〃That's　my　story。〃
　 〃But　you　don't　have　to　get　stuck　with　it；〃　Breeze　said　calmly。　〃You　can　always　give　us　a　better　one。〃
　 〃It's　good　enough；〃　I　said。　〃I　mean　it's　good　enough　in　the　sense　that　it's　bad　enough　to　be　true。〃
　 He　nodded　his　big　slow　head。
　 〃What's　your　idea　of　all　this？〃　he　asked。
　 〃Have　you　investigated　Phillips'　office　address？〃
　 He　shook　his　head；　no。
　 〃My　idea　is　you　will　find　out　he　was　hired　because　he　was　simple。　He　was　hired　to　take　this　apartment　here　under　a　wrong　name；　and　to　do　something　that　turned　out　to　be　not　what　he　liked。　He　was　scared。　He　wanted　a　friend；　he　wanted　help。　The　fact　that　he　picked　me　after　so　long　a　time　and　such　little　knowledge　of　me　showed　he　didn't　know　many　people　in　the　detective　business。〃
　 Breeze　got　his　handkerchief　out　and　mopped　his　head　and　face　again。　〃But　it　don't　begin　to　show　why　he　had　to　follow　you　around　like　a　lost　pup　instead　of　walking　right　up　to　your　office　door　and　in。〃
　 〃No；〃　I　said；　〃it　doesn't。〃
　 〃Can　you　explain　that？〃
　 〃No。　Not　really。〃
　 〃Well；　how　would　you　try　to　explain　it？〃
　 〃I've　already　explained　it　in　the　only　way　I　know　how。　He　was　undecided　whether　to　speak　to　me　or　not。　He　was　waiting　for　something　to　decide　him。　I　decided　by　speaking　to　him。〃
　 Breeze　said：　〃That　is　a　very　simple　explanation。　It　is　so　simple　it　stinks。〃
　 〃You　may　be　right；〃　I　said。
　 〃And　as　the　result　of　this　little　hotel　lobby　conversation　this　guy；　a　total　stranger　to　you；　asks　you　to　his　apartment　and　hands　you　his　key。　Because　he　wants　to　talk　to　you。〃
　 I　said；　〃Yes。〃
　 〃Why　couldn't　he　talk　to　you　then？〃
　 〃I　had　an　appointment；〃　I　said。
　 〃Business？〃
　 I　nodded。
　 〃I　see。　What　you　working　on？〃
　 I　shook　my　head　and　didn't　answer。
　 〃This　is　murder；〃　Breeze　said。　〃You're　going　to　have　to　tell　me。〃
　 I　shook　my　head　again。　He　flushed　a　little。
　 〃Look；〃　he　said　tightly；　〃you　got　to。〃
　 〃I'm　sorry；　Breeze；〃　I　said。　〃But　so　far　as　things　have　gone；　I'm　not　convinced　of　that。〃
　 〃Of　course　you　know　I　can　throw　you　in　the　can　as　a　material　witness；〃　he　said　casual