raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第21章

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the　match　out　and　laid　it　down　beside　the　crumpled　cellophane　on　the　glass　top　of　the　cocktail　table。　Then　he　leaned　back　and　pulled　up　one　leg　of　his　pants　and　smoked　peacefully。　Every　motion　had　been　exactly　as　it　had　been　when　he　lit　a　cigar　in　Hench's　apartment；　and　exactly　as　it　always　would　be　whenever　he　lit　a　cigar。　He　was　that　kind　of　man；　and　that　made　him　dangerous。　Not　as　dangerous　as　a　brilliant　man；　but　much　more　dangerous　than　a　quick　excitable　one　like　Spangler。
　 〃I　never　saw　Phillips　before　today；〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　count　that　he　said　he　saw　me　up　in　Ventura　once；　because　I　don't　remember　him。　I　met　him　just　the　way　I　told　you。　He　tailed　me　around　and　I　braced　him。　He　wanted　to　talk　to　me；　he　gave　me　his　key；　I　went　to　his　apartment；　used　the　key　to　let　myself　in　when　he　didn't　answeras　he　had　told　me　to　do。　He　was　dead。　The　police　were　called　and　through　a　set　of　events　or　incidents　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　me；　a　gun　was　found　under　Hench's　pillow。　A　gun　that　had　been　fired。　I　told　you　this　and　it's　true。〃
　 Breeze　said：　〃When　you　found　him　you　went　down　to　the　apartment　manager；　guy　named　Passmore；　and　got　him　to　go　up　with　you　without　telling　him　anybody　was　dead。　You　gave　Passmore　a　phony　card　and　talked　about　jewelry。〃
　 I　nodded。　〃With　people　like　Passmore　and　apartment　houses　like　that　one；　it　pays　to　be　a　little　on　the　cagey　side。　I　was　interested　in　Phillips。　I　thought　Passmore　might　tell　me　something　about　him；　if　he　didn't　know　he　was　dead；　that　he　wouldn't　be　likely　to　tell　me；　if　he　knew　the　cops　were　going　to　bounce　in　on　him　in　a　brief　space　of　time。　That's　all　there　was　to　that。〃
　 Breeze　drank　a　little　of　his　drink　and　smoked　a　little　of　his　cigar　and　said：　〃What　i'd　like　to　get　in　the　clear　is　this。　Everything　you　just　told　us　might　be　strictly　the　truth；　and　yet　you　might　not　be　telling　us　the　truth。　If　you　get　what　I　mean。〃
　 〃Like　what？〃　I　asked；　getting　perfectly　well　what　he　meant。
　 He　tapped　on　his　knee　and　watched　me　with　a　quiet　up　from　under　look。　Not　hostile；　not　even　suspicious。　Just　a　quiet　man　doing　his　job。
　 〃Like　this。　You're　on　a　job。　We　don't　know　what　it　is。　Phillips　was　playing　at　being　a　private　dick。　He　was　on　a　job。　He　tailed　you　around。　How　can　we　know；　unless　you　tell　us；　that　his　job　and　your　job　don't　tie　in　somewhere？　And　if　they　do；　that's　our　business。　Right？〃
　 〃That's　one　way　to　look　at　it；〃　I　said。　〃But　it's　not　the　only　way；　and　it's　not　my　way。〃
　 〃Don't　forget　this　is　a　murder　case；　Marlowe。〃
　 〃I'm　not。　But　don't　you　forget　I've　been　around　this　town　a　long　time；　more　than　fifteen　years。　I've　seen　a　lot　of　murder　cases　e　and　go。　Some　have　been　solved；　some　couldn't　be　solved；　and　some　could　have　been　solved　that　were　not　solved。　And　one　or　two　or　three　of　them　have　been　solved　wrong。　Somebody　was　paid　to　take　a　rap；　and　the　chances　are　it　was　known　or　strongly　suspected。　And　winked　at。　But　skip　that。　It　happens；　but　not　often。　Consider　a　case　like　the　Cassidy　case。　I　guess　you　remember　it；　don't　you？〃
　 Breeze　looked　at　his　watch。　〃I'm　tired；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　forget　the　Cassidy　case。　Let's　stick　to　the　Phillips　case。〃
　 I　shook　my　head。　〃I'm　going　to　make　a　point；　and　it's　an　important　point。　Just　look　at　the　Cassidy　case。　Cassidy　was　a　very　rich　man；　a　multimillionaire。　He　had　a　grown　up　son。　One　night　the　cops　were　called　to　his　home　and　young　Cassidy　was　on　his　back　on　the　floor　with　blood　all　over　his　face　and　a　bullet　hole　in　the　side　of　his　head。　His　secretary　was　lying　on　his　back　in　an　adjoining　bathroom；　with　his　head　against　the　second　bathroom　door；　leading　to　a　hail；　and　a　cigarette　burned　out　between　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand；　just　a　short　burned　out　stub　that　had　scorched　the　skin　between　his　fingers。　A　gun　was　lying　by　his　right　hand。　He　was　shot　in　the　head；　not　a　contact　wound。　A　lot　of　drinking　had　been　done。　Four　hours　had　elapsed　since　the　deaths　and　the　family　doctor　had　been　there　for　three　of　them。　Now；　what　did　you　do　with　the　Cassidy　case？〃
　 Breeze　sighed。　〃Murder　and　suicide　during　a　drinking　spree。　The　secretary　went　haywire　and　shot　young　Cassidy。　I　read　it　in　the　papers　or　something。　Is　that　what　you　want　me　to　say？〃
　 〃You　read　it　in　the　papers；〃　I　said；　〃but　it　wasn't　so。　What's　more　you　knew　it　wasn't　so　and　the　D。A。　knew　it　wasn't　so　and　the　D。A。's　investigators　were　pulled　off　the　case　within　a　matter　of　hours。　There　was　no　inquest。　But　every　crime　reporter　in　town　and　every　cop　on　every　homicide　detail　knew　it　was　Cassidy　that　did　the　shooting；　that　it　was　Cassidy　that　was　crazy　drunk；　that　it　was　the　secretary　who　tried　to　handle　him　and　couldn't　and　at　last　tried　to　get　away　from　him；　but　wasn't　quick　enough。　Cassidy's　was　a　contact　wound　and　the　secretary's　was　not。　The　secretary　was　left…handed　and　he　had　a　cigarette　in　his　left　hand　when　he　was　shot。　Even　if　you　are　right…handed；　you　don't　change　a　cigarette　over　to　your　other　hand　and　shoot　a　man　while　casually　holding　the　cigarette。　They　might　do　that　on　Gang　Busters；　but　rich　men's　secretaries　don't　do　it。　And　what　were　the　family　and　the　family　doctor　doing　during　the　four　hours　they　didn't　call　the　cops？　Fixing　it　so　there　would　only　be　a　superficial　investigation。　And　why　were　no　tests　of　the　hands　made　for　nitrates？　Because　you　didn't　want　the　truth。　Cassidy　was　too　big。　But　this　was　a　murder　case　too；　wasn't　it？〃
　 〃The　guys　were　both　dead；〃　Breeze　said。　〃What　the　hell　difference　did　it　make　who　shot　who？〃
　 〃Did　you　ever　stop　to　think；〃　I　asked；　〃that　Cassidy's　secretary　might　have　had　a　mother　or　a　sister　or　a　sweetheartor　all　three？　That　they　had　their　pride　and　their　faith　and　their　love　for　a　kid　who　was　made　out　to　be　a　drunken　paranoiac　because　his　boss's　father　had　a　hundred　million　dollars？〃
　 Breeze　lifted　his　glass　slowly　and　finished　his　drink　slowly　and　put　it　down　slowly　and　turned　the　glass　slowly　on　the　glass　top　of　the　cocktail　table。　Spangler　sat　rigid；　all　shining　eyes　and　lips　parted　in　a　sort　of　rigid　half　smile。
　 Breeze　said：　〃Make　your　point。〃
　 I　said：　〃Until　you　guys　own　your　own　souls　you　don't　own　mine。　Until　you　guys　can　be　trusted　every　time　and　always；　in　all　times　and　conditions；　to　seek　the　truth　out　and　find　it　and　let　the　chips　fall　where　they　mayuntil　that　time　es；　I　have　a　right　to　listen　to　my　conscience；　and　protect　my　client　the　best　way　I　can。　Until　I'm　sure　you　won't　do　him　more　harm　than　you'll　do　the　truth　good。　Or　until　I'm　hauled　before　somebody　that　can　make　me　talk。〃
　 Breeze　said：　〃You　sound　to　me　just　a　little　like　a　guy　who　is　trying　to　hold　his　conscience　down。〃
　 〃Hell；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　have　another　drink。　And　then　you　can　tell　me　about　that　girl　you　had　me　talk　to　on　the　phone。〃
　 He　grinned：　〃That　was　a　dame　that　lives　next　door　to　Phillips。　She　heard　a　guy　talking　to　him　at　the　door　one　evening。　She　works　days　as　an　usherette。　So　we　thought　maybe　she　ought　to　hear　your　voice。　Think　nothing　of　it。〃
　 〃What　kind　of　voice　was　it？〃
　 〃Kind　of　a　mean　voice。　She　said　she　didn't　like　it。〃
　 〃I　guess　that's　what　made　you　think　of　me；〃　I　said。　I　picked　up　the　three　glasses　and　went　out　to　the　kitchen　with　them。
　
　
　16
　
　 When　I　got　out　there　I　had　forgotten　which　glass　was　which；　so　I　rinsed　them　all　out　and　dried　them　and　was　starting　to　make　more　drinks　when　Spangler　strolled　out　and　stood　just　behind　my　shoulder。
　 〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　not　using　any　cyanide　this　evening。〃
　 〃Don't　get　too　foxy　with　the　old　guy；〃　he　said　quietly　to　the　back　of　my　neck。　〃He　knows　more　angles　than　you　think。〃
　 〃Nice　of　you；〃　I　said。
　 〃Say；　I'd　like　to　read　up　on　that　Cassidy　case；〃　he　said。　〃Sounds　interesting。　Must　have　been　before　my　time。〃
　 〃It　was　a　long　time　ago；〃　I　said。　〃And　it　never　happened。　I　was　just　kidding。〃　I　put　the　glasses　on　the　tray　and　carried　them　back　into　the　living　room　and　set　them　around。　I　took　mine　over　to　my　chair　behind　the　chess　table。
　 〃Another　phony；〃　I　said。　〃Your　sidekick　sneaks　out　to　the　kitchen　and　gives　me　advice　behind　your　back　about　how　careful　I　ought　to　keep　on　account　of　the　angles　you　know　that　I　don't　think　you　know。　He　has　just　the　right　face　for　it。　Friendly　and　open　and　an　easy　blusher。〃
　 Span