raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第26章

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　 His　face　turned　white。　〃I　love　my　wife；〃　he　said。　〃We've　only　been　married　eight　months。　I　don't　want　any　divorce。　She's　a　swell　girl　and　she　knows　what　time　it　is；　as　a　rule。　But　I　think　she's　playing　with　a　wrong　number　at　the　moment。〃
　 〃Wrong　in　what　way？〃
　 〃I　don't　know。　That's　what　I　want　found　out。〃
　 〃Let　me　get　this　straight；〃　I　said。　〃Are　you　hiring　me　on　a　jobor　off　a　job　I　already　have。〃
　 Prue　chuckled　again　against　the　wall。
　 Morny　poured　himself　some　more　brandy　and　tossed　it　quickly　down　his　throat。　Color　came　back　into　his　face。　He　didn't　answer　me。
　 〃And　let　me　get　another　thing　straight；〃　I　said。　〃You　don't　mind　your　wife　playing　around；　but　you　don't　want　her　playing　with　somebody　named　Vannier。　Is　that　it？〃
　 〃I　trust　her　heart；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃But　I　don't　trust　her　judgment。　Put　it　that　way。〃
　 〃And　you　want　me　to　get　something　on　this　man　Vannier？〃　
　 〃I　want　to　find　out　what　he　is　up　to。〃
　 〃Oh。　Is　he　up　to　something？〃
　 〃I　think　he　is。　I　don't　know　what。〃
　 〃You　think　he　isor　you　want　to　think　he　is？〃
　 He　stared　at　me　levelly　for　a　moment；　then　he　pulled　the　middle　drawer　of　his　desk　out；　reached　in　and　tossed　a　folded　paper　across　to　me。　I　picked　it　up　and　unfolded　it。　It　was　a　carbon　copy　of　a　gray　billhead。　Cal…Western　Dental　Supply　pany；　and　an　address。　The　bill　was　for　30　lbs。　Kerr's　Crystobolite　15。75；　and　25　lbs。　White's　Albastone；　7。75；　plus　tax。　It　was　made　out　to　H。　R。　Teager；　Will　Call；　and　stamped　Paid　with　a　rubber　stamp。　It　was　signed　for　in　the　corner：　L。G。　Vannier。
　 I　put　it　down　on　the　desk。
　 〃That　fell　out　of　his　pocket　one　night　when　he　was　here；〃　Morny　said。　〃About　ten　days　ago。　Eddie　put　one　of　his　big　feet　on　it　and　Vannier　didn't　notice　he　had　dropped　it。〃
　 I　looked　at　Prue；　then　at　Morny；　then　at　my　thumb。　〃Is　this　supposed　to　mean　something　to　me？〃
　 〃I　thought　you　were　a　smart　detective。　I　figured　you　could　find　out。〃
　 I　looked　at　the　paper　again；　folded　it　and　put　it　in　my　pocket。　〃I'm　assuming　you　wouldn't　give　it　to　me　unless　it　meant　something；〃　I　said。
　 Morny　went　to　the　black　and　chromium　safe　against　the　wall　and　opened　it。　He　came　back　with　five　new　bills　spread　out　in　his　fingers　like　a　poker　hand。　He　smoothed　them　edge　to　edge；　riffled　them　lightly；　and　tossed　them　on　the　desk　in　front　of　me。
　 〃There's　your　five　C's；〃　he　said。　〃Take　Vannier　out　of　my　wife's　life　and　there　will　be　the　same　again　for　you。　I　don't　care　how　you　do　it　and　I　don't　want　to　know　anything　about　how　you　do　it。　Just　do　it。〃
　 I　poked　at　the　crisp　new　bills　with　a　hungry　finger。　Then　I　pushed　them　away。　〃You　can　pay　me　whenand　ifI　deliver；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　take　my　payment　tonight　in　a　short　interview　with　Miss　Conquest。〃
　 Morny　didn't　touch　the　money。　He　lifted　the　square　bottle　and　poured　himself　another　drink。　This　time　he　poured　one　for　me　and　pushed　it　across　the　desk。
　 〃And　as　for　this　Phillips　murder；〃　I　said；　〃Eddie　here　was　following　Phillips　a　little。　You　want　to　tell　me　why？〃
　 〃No。〃
　 〃The　trouble　with　a　case　like　this　is　that　the　information　might　e　from　somebody　else。　When　a　murder　gets　into　the　papers　you　never　know　what　will　e　out。　If　it　does；　you'll　blame　me。〃
　 He　looked　at　me　steadily　and　said：　〃I　don't　think　so。　I　was　a　bit　rough　when　you　came　in；　but　you　shape　up　pretty　good。　I'll　take　a　chance。〃
　 〃Thanks；〃　I　said。　〃Would　you　mind　telling　me　why　you　had　Eddie　call　me　up　and　give　me　the　shakes？〃
　 He　looked　down　and　tapped　on　the　desk。　〃Linda's　an　old　friend　of　mine。　Young　Murdock　was　out　here　this　afternoon　to　see　her。　He　told　her　you　were　working　for　old　lady　Murdock。　She　told　me。　I　didn't　know　what　the　job　was。　You　say　you　don't　take　divorce　business；　so　it　couldn't　be　that　the　old　lady　hired　you　to　fix　anything　like　that　up。〃　He　raised　his　eyes　on　the　last　words　and　stared　at　me。　I　stared　back　at　him　and　waited。
　 〃I　guess　I'm　just　a　fellow　who　likes　his　friends；〃　he　said。　〃And　doesn't　want　them　bothered　by　dicks。〃
　 〃Murdock　owes　you　some　money；　doesn't　he？〃　
　 He　frowned。　〃I　don't　discuss　things　like　that。〃　He　finished　his　drink；　nodded　and　stood　up。　〃I'll　send　Linda　up　to　talk　to　you。　Pick　your　money　up。〃
　 He　went　to　the　door　and　out。　Eddie　Prue　unwound　his　long　body　and　stood　up　and　gave　me　a　dim　gray　smile　that　meant　nothing　and　wandered　off　after　Morny。
　 I　lit　another　cigarette　and　looked　at　the　dental　supply　pany's　bill　again。　Something　squirmed　at　the　back　of　my　mind；　dimly。　I　walked　to　the　window　and　stood　looking　out　across　the　valley。　A　car　was　winding　up　a　hill　towards　a　big　house　with　a　tower　that　was　half　glass　brick　with　light　behind　it。　The　headlights　of　the　car　moved　across　it　and　turned　in　toward　a　garage。　The　lights　went　out　and　the　valley　seemed　darker。
　 It　was　very　quiet　and　quite　cool　now。　The　dance　band　seemed　to　be　somewhere　under　my　feet。　It　was　muffled；　and　the　tune　was　indistinguishable。
　 Linda　Conquest　came　in　through　the　open　door　behind　me　and　shut　it　and　stood　looking　at　me　with　a　cold　light　in　her　eyes。
　
　
　19
　
　 She　looked　like　her　photo　and　not　like　it。　She　had　the　wide　cool　mouth；　the　short　nose；　the　wide　cool　eyes；　the　dark　hair　parted　in　the　middle　and　the　broad　white　line　between　the　parting。　She　was　wearing　a　white　coat　over　her　dress；　with　the　collar　turned　up。　She　had　her　hands　in　the　pockets　of　the　coat　and　a　cigarette　in　her　mouth。
　 She　looked　older；　her　eyes　were　harder；　and　her　lips　seemed　to　have　forgotten　to　smile。　They　would　smile　when　she　was　singing；　in　that　staged　artificial　smile。　But　in　repose　they　were　thin　and　tight　and　angry。
　 She　moved　over　to　the　desk　and　stood　looking　down；　as　if　counting　the　copper　ornaments。　She　saw　the　cut　glass　decanter；　took　the　stopper　out；　poured　herself　a　drink　and　tossed　it　down　with　a　quick　flip　of　the　wrist。
　 〃You're　a　man　named　Marlowe？〃　she　asked；　looking　at　me。　She　put　her　hips　against　the　end　of　the　desk　and　crossed　her　ankles。
　 I　said　I　was　a　man　named　Marlowe。
　 〃By　and　large；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　quite　sure　I　am　not　going　to　like　you　one　damned　little　bit。　So　speak　your　piece　and　drift　away。〃
　 〃What　I　like　about　this　place　is　everything　runs　so　true　to　type；〃　I　said。　〃The　cop　on　the　gate；　the　shine　on　the　door；　the　cigarette　and　check　girls；　the　fat　greasy　sensual　Jew　with　the　tall　stately　bored　showgirl；　the　well…dressed；　drunk　and　horribly　rude　director　cursing　the　barman；　the　silent　guy　with　the　gun；　the　night　club　owner　with　the　soft　gray　hair　and　the　B…picture　mannerisms；　and　now　youthe　tall　dark　torcher　with　the　negligent　sneer；　the　husky　voiqe；　the　hard…boiled　vocabulary。〃
　 She　said：　〃Is　that　so？〃　and　fitted　her　cigarette　between　her　lips　and　drew　slowly　on　it。　〃And　what　about　the　wise…cracking　snooper　with　the　last　year's　gags　and　the　e…hither　smile？〃
　 〃And　what　gives　me　the　right　to　talk　to　you　at　all？〃　I　said。
　 〃I'll　bite。　What　does？〃
　 〃She　wants　it　back。　Quickly。　It　has　to　be　fast　or　there　will　be　trouble。〃
　 〃I　thought〃　she　started　to　say　and　stopped　cold。　I　watched　her　remove　the　sudden　trace　of　interest　from　her　face　by　monkeying　with　her　cigarette　and　bending　her　face　over　it。　〃She　wants　what　back；　Mr。　Marlowe？〃
　 〃The　Brasher　Doubloon。〃
　 She　looked　up　at　me　and　nodded；　rememberingletting　me　see　her　remembering。
　 〃Oh；　the　Brasher　Doubloon。〃
　 〃I　bet　you　pletely　forgot　it；〃　I　said。
　 〃Well；　no。　I've　seen　it　a　number　of　times；〃　she　said。　〃She　wants　it　back；　you　said。　Do　you　mean　she　thinks　I　took　it？〃
　 〃Yeah。　Just　that。〃
　 〃She's　a　dirty　old　liar；〃　Linda　Conquest　said。　
　 〃What　you　think　doesn't　make　you　a　liar；〃　I　said。　〃It　only　sometimes　makes　you　mistaken。　Is　she　wrong？〃
　 〃Why　would　I　take　her　silly　old　coin？〃
　 〃Wellit's　worth　a　lot　of　money。　She　thinks　you　might　need　money。　I　gather　she　was　not　too　generous。〃
　 She　laughed；　a　tight　sneering　little　laugh。　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃Mrs。　Elizabeth　Bright　Murdock　would　not　rate　as　very　generous。〃
　 〃Maybe　you　just　took　it　for　spite；　kind　of；〃　I　said　hopefully。
　 〃Maybe　I　ought　to　slap　your　face。〃　She　killed　her　cigarette　in　Morny's　copper　goldfish　bowl；　speared　the　crushed　stub　absently　with　the　letter　opener　and　dropped　it　into　the　wastebasket。
　 〃Passing　on　from　that　to　p