raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第29章

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　Why　should　you？〃
　 〃That's　my　business；　isn't　it？〃
　 〃No。　You　can't　fob　the　cops　off　that　way。　You　have　to　satisfy　them　that　you　are　being　frank　and　open　and　have　nothing　to　hide。　As　long　as　they　think　you　are　hiding　something　they　never　let　up。　Give　them　a　reasonable　and　plausible　story　and　they　go　away　cheerful。　And　the　most　reasonable　and　plausible　story　is　always　the　truth。　Any　objection　to　telling　it？〃
　 〃Every　possible　objection；〃　she　said。　〃But　it　doesn't　seem　to　make　much　difference。　Do　we　have　to　tell　them　that　I　suspected　my　daughter…in…law　of　stealing　the　coin　and　that　I　was　wrong？〃
　 〃It　would　be　better。〃
　 〃And　that　it　has　been　returned　and　how？〃
　 〃It　would　be　better。〃
　 〃That　is　going　to　humiliate　me　very　much。〃
　 I　shrugged。
　 〃You're　a　callous　brute；〃　she　said。　〃You're　a　cold…blooded　fish。　I　don't　like　you。　I　deeply　regret　ever　having　met　you。〃
　 〃Mutual；〃　I　said。
　 She　reached　a　thick　finger　to　a　key　and　barked　into　the　talking　box。　〃Merle。　Ask　my　son　to　e　in　here　at　once。　And　I　think　you　may　as　well　e　in　with　him。〃
　 She　released　the　key；　pressed　her　broad　fingers　together　and　let　her　hands　drop　heavily　to　her　thighs。　Her　bleak　eyes　went　up　to　the　ceiling。
　 Her　voice　was　quiet　and　sad　saying：　〃My　son　took　the　coin。　Mr。　Marlowe。　My　son。　My　own　son。〃
　 I　didn't　say　anything。　We　sat　there　glaring　at　each　other。　In　a　couple　of　minutes　they　both　came　in　and　she　barked　at　them　to　sit　down。
　
　
　21
　
　 Leslie　Murdock　was　wearing　a　greenish　slack　suit　and　his　hair　looked　damp；　as　if　he　had　just　been　taking　a　shower。　He　sat　hunched　forward；　looking　at　the　white　buck　shoes　on　his　feet；　and　turning　a　ring　on　his　finger。　He　didn't　have　his　long　black　cigarette　holder　and　he　looked　a　little　lonely　without　it。　Even　his　mustache　seemed　to　droop　a　little　more　than　it　had　in　my　office。
　 Merle　Davis　looked　just　the　same　as　the　day　before。　Probably　she　always　looked　the　same。　Her　copper　blond　hair　was　dragged　down　just　as　tight；　her　shell…rimmed　glasses　looked　just　as　large　and　empty；　her　eyes　behind　them　just　as　vague。　She　was　even　wearing　the　same　one…piece　linen　dress　with　short　sleeves　and　no　ornament　of　any　kind；　not　even　earrings。
　 I　had　the　curious　feeling　of　reliving　something　that　had　already　happened。
　 Mrs。　Murdock　sipped　her　port　and　said　quietly：
　 〃All　right；　son。　Tell　Mr。　Marlowe　about　the　doubloon。　I'm　afraid　he　has　to　be　told。〃
　 Murdock　looked　up　at　me　quickly　and　then　dropped　his　eyes　again。　His　mouth　twitched。　When　he　spoke　his　voice　had　the　toneless　quality；　a　flat　tired　sound；　like　a　man　making　a　confession　after　an　exhausting　battle　with　his　conscience。
　 〃As　I　told　you　yesterday　in　your　office　I　owe　Morny　a　lot　of　money。　Twelve　thousand　dollars。　I　denied　it　afterwards；　but　it's　true。　I　do　owe　it。　I　didn't　want　mother　to　know。　He　was　pressing　me　pretty　hard　for　payment。　I　suppose　I　knew　I　would　have　to　tell　her　in　the　end；　but　I　was　weak　enough　to　want　to　put　it　off。　I　took　the　doubloon；　using　her　keys　one　afternoon　when　she　was　asleep　and　Merle　was　out。　I　gave　it　to　Morny　and　he　agreed　to　hold　it　as　security　because　I　explained　to　him　that　he　couldn't　get　anything　like　twelve　thousand　dollars　for　it　unless　he　could　give　its　history　and　show　that　it　was　legitimately　in　his　possession。〃
　 He　stopped　talking　and　looked　up　at　me　to　see　how　I　was　taking　it。　Mrs。　Murdock　had　her　eyes　on　my　face；　practically　puttied　there。　The　little　girl　was　looking　at　Murdock　with　her　lips　parted　and　an　expression　of　suffering　on　her　face。
　 Murdock　went　on。　〃Morny　gave　me　a　receipt；　in　which　he　agreed　to　hold　the　coin　as　collateral　and　not　to　convert　it　without　notice　and　demand。　Something　like　that。　I　don't　profess　to　know　how　legal　it　was。　When　this　man　Morningstar　called　up　and　asked　about　the　coin　I　immediately　became　suspicious　that　Morny　either　was　trying　to　sell　it　or　that　he　was　at　least　thinking　of　selling　it　and　was　trying　to　get　a　valuation　on　it　from　somebody　who　knew　about　rare　coins。　I　was　badly　scared。〃
　 He　looked　up　and　made　a　sort　of　face　at　me。　Maybe　it　was　the　face　of　somebody　being　badly　scared。　Then　he　took　his　handkerchief　out　and　wiped　his　forehead　and　sat　holding　it　between　his　hands。
　 〃When　Merle　told　me　mother　had　employed　a　detectiveMerle　ought　not　to　have　told　me；　but　mother　has　promised　not　to　scold　her　for　it〃　He　looked　at　his　mother。　The　old　warhorse　clamped　her　jaws　and　looked　grim。　The　little　girl　had　her　eyes　still　on　his　face　and　didn't　seem　to　be　very　worried　about　the　scolding。　He　went　on：　〃then　I　was　sure　she　had　missed　the　doubloon　and　had　hired　you　on　that　account。　I　didn't　really　believe　she　had　hired　you　to　find　Linda。　I　knew　where　Linda　was　all　the　time。　I　went　to　your　office　to　see　what　I　could　find　out。　I　didn't　find　out　very　much。　I　went　to　see　Morny　yesterday　afternoon　and　told　him　about　it。　At　first　he　laughed　in　my　face；　but　when　I　told　him　that　even　my　mother　couldn't　sell　the　coin　without　violating　the　terms　of　Jasper　Murdock's　will　and　that　she　would　certainly　set　the　police　on　him　when　I　told　her　where　the　coin　was；　then　he　loosened　up。　He　got　up　and　went　to　the　safe　and　got　the　coin　out　and　handed　it　to　me　without　a　word。　I　gave　him　back　his　receipt　and　he　tore　it　up。　So　I　brought　the　coin　home　and　told　mother　about　it。〃
　 He　stopped　talking　and　wiped　his　face　again。　The　little　girl's　eyes　moved　up　and　down　with　the　motions　of　his　hand。
　 In　the　silence　that　followed　I　said：　〃Did　Morny　threaten　you？〃
　 He　shook　his　head。　〃He　said　he　wanted　his　money　and　he　needed　it　and　I　had　better　get　busy　and　dig　it　up。　But　he　wasn't　threatening。　He　was　very　decent；　really。　In　the　circumstances。〃
　 〃Where　was　this？〃
　 〃At　the　Idle　Valley　Club；　in　his　private　office。〃
　 〃Was　Eddie　Prue　there？〃
　 The　little　girl　tore　her　eyes　away　from　his　face　and　looked　at　me。　Mrs。　Murdock　said　thickly：　〃Who　is　Eddie　Prue？〃
　 〃Morny's　bodyguard；〃　I　said。　〃I　didn't　waste　all　my　time　yesterday；　Mrs。　Murdock。〃　I　looked　at　her　son；　waiting。
　 He　said：　〃No；　I　didn't　see　him。　I　know　him　by　sight；　of　course。　You　would　only　have　to　see　him　once　to　remember　him。　But　he　wasn't　around　yesterday。〃
　 I　said：　〃Is　that　all？〃
　 He　looked　at　his　mother。　She　said　harshly：　〃Isn't　it　enough？〃
　 〃Maybe；〃　I　said。　〃Where　is　the　coin　now？〃
　 〃Where　would　you　expect　it　to　be？〃　she　snapped。
　 I　almost　told　her；　just　to　see　her　jump。　But　I　managed　to　hold　it　in。　I　said：　〃That　seems　to　take　care　of　that；　then。〃
　 Mrs。　Murdock　said　heavily：　〃Kiss　your　mother；　son；　and　run　along。〃
　 He　got　up　dutifully　and　went　over　and　kissed　her　on　the　forehead。　She　patted　his　hand。　He　went　out　of　the　room　with　his　head　down　and　quietly　shut　the　door。　I　said　to　Merle：　〃I　think　you　had　better　have　him　dictate　that　to　you　just　the　way　he　told　it　and　make　a　copy　of　it　and　get　him　to　sign　it。〃
　 She　looked　startled。　The　old　woman　snarled：
　 〃She　certainly　won't　do　anything　of　the　sort。　Go　back　to　your　work；　Merle。　I　wanted　you　to　hear　this。　But　if　I　ever　again　catch　you　violating　my　confidence；　you　know　what　will　happen。〃
　 The　little　girl　stood　up　and　smiled　at　her　with　shining　eyes。　〃Oh　yes；　Mrs。　Murdock。　I　never　will。　Never。　You　can　trust　me。
　 〃I　hope　so；〃　the　old　dragon　growled。　〃Get　out。〃
　 Merle　went　out　softly。
　 Two　big　tears　formed　themselves　in　Mrs。　Murdock's　eyes　and　slowly　made　their　way　down　the　elephant　hide　of　her　cheeks；　reached　the　corners　of　her　fleshy　nose　and　slid　down　her　lip。　She　scrabbled　around　for　a　handkerchief；　wiped　them　off　and　then　wiped　her　eyes。　She　put　the　handkerchief　away；　reached　for　her　wine　and　said　placidly：
　 〃I'm　very　fond　of　my　son；　Mr。　Marlowe。　Very　fond。　This　grieves　me　deeply。　Do　you　think　he　will　have　to　tell　this　story　to　the　police？〃
　 〃I　hope　not；〃　I　said。　〃He'd　have　a　hell　of　a　time　getting　them　to　believe　it。〃
　 Her　mouth　snapped　open　and　her　teeth　glinted　at　me　in　the　dim　light。　She　closed　her　lips　and　pressed　them　tight。　scowling　at　me　with　her　head　lowered。
　 〃Just　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　she　snapped。
　 〃Just　what　I　said。　The　story　doesn't　ring　true。　It　has　a　fabricated；　over…simple　sound。　Did　he　make　it　up　himself　or　did　you　think　it　up　and　teach　it　to　him？〃
　 〃Mr。　Marlowe；〃　she　sa