raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第6章

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　 〃Threats？〃
　 He　nodded。
　 〃Tell　him　to　go　fly　a　kite；〃　I　said。　〃What　kind　of　lad　is　he？　Tough？〃
　 He　looked　up　again；　his　face　being　brave。　〃I　suppose　he　is。　I　suppose　they　all　are。　He　used　to　be　a　screen　heavy。　Good　looking　in　a　flashy　way；　a　chaser。　But　don't　get　any　ideas。　Linda　just　worked　there；　like　the　waiters　and　the　band。　And　if　you　are　looking　for　her；　you'll　have　a　hard　time　finding　her。〃
　 I　sneered　at　him　politely。
　 〃Why　would　I　have　a　hard　time　finding　her？　She's　not　buried　in　the　back　yard；　I　hope。〃
　 He　stood　up　with　a　flash　of　anger　in　his　pale　eyes。　Standing　there　leaning　over　the　desk　a　little　he　whipped　his　right　hand　up　in　a　neat　enough　gesture　and　brought　out　a　small　automatic；　about　。25　caliber　with　a　walnut　grip。　It　looked　like　the　brother　of　the　one　I　had　seen　in　the　drawer　of　Merle's　desk。　The　muzzle　looked　vicious　enough　pointing　at　me。　I　didn't　move。
　 〃If　anybody　tries　to　push　Linda　around；　he'll　have　to　push　me　around　first；〃　he　said　tightly。
　 〃That　oughtn't　to　be　too　hard。　Better　get　more　gununless　you're　just　thinking　of　bees。〃
　 He　put　the　little　gun　back　in　his　inside　pocket。　He　gave　me　a　straight　hard　look　and　picked　his　gloves　up　and　started　for　the　door。
　 〃It's　a　waste　of　time　talking　to　you；〃　he　said。　〃All　you　do　is　crack　wise。〃
　 I　said：　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　and　got　up　and　went　around　the　desk。　〃It　might　be　a　good　idea　for　you　not　to　mention　this　interview　to　your　mother；　if　only　for　the　little　girl's　sake。〃
　 He　nodded。　〃For　the　amount　of　information　I　got；　it　doesn't　seem　worth　mentioning。〃
　 〃That　straight　goods　about　your　owing　Morny　twelve　grand？〃
　 He　looked　down；　then　up；　then　down　again。　He　said：　〃Anybody　who　could　get　into　Alex　Morny　for　twelve　grand　would　have　to　be　a　lot　smarter　than　I　am。〃
　 I　was　quite　close　to　him。　I　said：　〃As　a　matter　of　fact　I　don't　even　think　you　are　worried　about　your　wife。　I　think　you　know　where　she　is。　She　didn't　run　away　from　you　at　all。　She　just　ran　away　from　your　mother。〃
　 He　lifted　his　eyes　and　drew　one　glove　on。　He　didn't　say　anything。
　 〃Perhaps　she'll　get　a　job；〃　I　said。　〃And　make　enough　money　to　support　you。〃
　 He　looked　down　at　the　floor　again；　turned　his　body　to　the　right　a　little　and　the　gloved　fist　made　a　tight　unrelaxed　arc　through　the　air　upwards。　I　moved　my　jaw　out　of　the　way　and　caught　his　wrist　and　pushed　it　slowly　back　against　his　chest；　leaning　on　it。　He　slid　a　foot　back　on　the　floor　and　began　to　breathe　hard。　It　was　a　slender　wrist。　My　fingers　went　around　it　and　met。
　 We　stood　there　looking　into　each　other's　eyes。　He　was　breathing　like　a　drunk；　his　mouth　open　and　his　lips　pulled　back。　Small　round　spots　of　bright　red　flamed　on　his　cheeks。　He　tried　to　jerk　his　wrist　away；　but　I　put　so　much　weight　on　him　that　he　had　to　take　another　short　step　back　to　brace　himself。　Our　faces　were　now　only　inches　apart。
　 〃How　e　your　old　man　didn't　leave　you　some　money？〃　I　sneered。　〃Or　did　you　blow　it　all？〃
　 He　spoke　between　his　teeth；　stifi　trying　to　jerk　loose。　〃If　it's　any　of　your　rotten　business　and　you　mean　Jasper　Murdock；　he　wasn't　my　father。　He　didn't　like　me　and　he　didn't　leave　me　a　cent。　My　father　was　a　man　named　Horace　Bright　who　lost　his　money　in　the　crash　and　jumped　out　of　his　office　window。〃
　 〃You　milk　easy；〃　I　said；　〃but　you　give　pretty　thin　milk。　I'm　sorry　for　what　I　said　about　your　wife　supporting　you。　I　just　wanted　to　get　your　goat。〃
　 I　dropped　his　wrist　and　stepped　back。　He　still　breathed　hard　and　heavily。　His　eyes　on　mine　were　very　angry；　but　he　kept　his　voice　down。
　 〃Well；　you　got　it。　If　you're　satisfied；　I'll　be　on　my　way。〃
　 〃I　was　doing　you　a　favor；〃　I　said。　〃A　gun　toter　oughtn't　to　insult　so　easily。　Better　ditch　it。〃
　 〃That's　my　business；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　sorry　I　took　a　swing　at　you。　It　probably　wouldn't　have　hurt　much；　if　it　had　connected。〃
　 〃That's　all　right。〃
　 He　opened　the　door　and　went　on　out。　His　steps　died　along　the　corridor。　Another　screwball。　I　tapped　my　teeth　with　a　knuckle　in　time　to　the　sound　of　his　steps　as　long　as　I　could　hear　them。　Then　I　went　back　to　the　desk；　looked　at　my　pad；　and　lifted　the　phone。
　
　
　4
　
　 After　the　bell　had　rung　three　times　at　the　other　end　of　the　line　a　light　childish　sort　of　girl's　voice　filtered　itself　through　a　hank　of　gum　and　said：　〃Good　morning。　Mr。　Morningstar's　office。〃
　 〃Is　the　old　gentleman　in？〃
　 〃Who　is　calling；　please？〃　
　 〃Marlowe。〃
　 〃Does　he　know　you；　Mr。　Marlowe？〃
　 〃Ask　him　if　he　wants　to　buy　any　early　American　gold　coins。〃
　 〃Just　a　minute；　please。〃
　 There　was　a　pause　suitable　to　an　elderly　party　in　an　inner　office　having　his　attention　called　to　the　fact　that　somebody　on　the　telephone　wanted　to　talk　to　him。　Then　the　phone　clicked　and　a　man　spoke。　He　had　a　dry　voice。　You　might　even　call　it　parched。
　 〃This　is　Mr。　Morningstar。〃
　 〃I'm　told　you　called　Mrs。　Murdock　in　Pasadena；　Mr。　Morningstar。　About　a　certain　coin。〃
　 〃About　a　certain　coin；〃　he　repeated。　〃Indeed。　Well？〃
　 〃My　understanding　is　that　you　wished　to　buy　the　coin　in　question　from　the　Murdock　collection。〃
　 〃Indeed？　And　who　are　you；　sir？〃
　 〃Philip　Marlowe。　A　private　detective。　I'm　working　for　Mrs。　Murdock。〃
　 〃Indeed；〃　he　said　for　the　third　time。　He　cleared　his　throat　carefully。　〃And　what　did　you　wish　to　talk　to　me　about；　Mr。　Marlowe？〃
　 〃About　this　coin。〃
　 〃But　I　was　informed　it　was　not　for　sale。〃
　 〃I　still　want　to　talk　to　you　about　it。　In　person。〃
　 〃Do　you　mean　she　has　changed　her　mind　about　selling？〃
　 〃No。〃
　 〃Then　I'm　afraid　I　don't　understand　what　you　want；　Mr。　Marlowe。　What　have　we　to　talk　about？〃　He　sounded　sly　now。
　 I　took　the　ace　out　of　my　sleeve　and　played　it　with　a　languid　grace。　〃The　point　is；　Mr。　Morningstar；　that　at　the　time　you　called　up　you　already　knew　the　coin　wasn't　for　sale。〃
　 〃Interesting；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃How？〃
　 〃You're　in　the　business；　you　couldn't　help　knowing。　It's　a　matter　of　public　record　that　the　Murdock　collection　cannot　be　sold　during　Mrs。　Murdock's　lifetime。〃
　 〃Ah；〃　he　said。　〃Ah。〃　There　was　a　silence。　Then；　〃At　three　o'clock；〃　he　said；　not　sharp；　but　quick。　〃I　shall　be　glad　to　see　you　here　in　my　office。　You　probably　know　where　it　is。　Will　that　suit　you？〃
　 〃I'll　be　there；〃　I　said。
　 I　hung　up　and　lit　my　pipe　again　and　sat　there　looking　at　the　wall。　My　face　was　stiff　with　thought；　or　with　something　that　made　my　face　stiff。　I　took　Linda　Murdock's　photo　out　of　my　pocket；　stared　at　it　for　a　while；　decided　that　the　face　was　pretty　monplace　after　all；　locked　the　photo　away　in　my　desk。　I　picked　Murdock's　second　match　out　of　my　ashtray　and　looked　it　over。　The　lettering　on　this　one　read：　TOP　ROW　W。　D。　WRIGHT　'36。
　 I　dropped　it　back　in　the　tray；　wondering　what　made　this　important。　Maybe　it　was　a　clue。
　 I　got　Mrs。　Murdock's　check　out　of　my　wallet；　endorsed　it；　made　out　a　deposit　slip　and　a　check　for　cash；　got　my　bank　book　out　of　the　desk；　and　folded　the　lot　under　a　rubber　band　and　put　them　in　my　pocket。
　 Lois　Magic　was　not　listed　in　the　phone　book。
　 I　got　the　classified　section　up　on　the　desk　and　made　a　list　of　the　half　dozen　theatrical　agencies　that　showed　in　the　largest　type　and　called　them。　They　all　had　bright　cheerful　voices　and　wanted　to　ask　a　lot　of　questions；　but　they　either　didn't　know　or　didn't　care　to　tell　me　anything　about　a　Miss　Lois　Magic；　said　to　be　an　entertainer。
　 I　threw　the　list　in　the　waste　basket　and　called　Kenny　Haste；　a　crime　reporter　on　the　Chronicle。
　 〃What　do　you　know　about　Alex　Morny？〃　I　asked　him　when　we　were　through　cracking　wise　at　each　other。
　 〃Runs　a　plushy　night　club　and　gambling　joint　in　Idle　Valley；　about　two　miles　off　the　highway　back　towards　the　hills。　Used　to　be　in　pictures。　Lousy　actor。　Seems　to　have　plenty　of　protection。　I　never　heard　of　him　shooting　anybody　on　the　public　square　at　high　noon。　Or　at　any　other　time　for　that　matter。　But　I　wouldn't　like　to　bet　on　it。〃
　 〃Dangerous？〃
　 〃I'd　say　he　might　be；　if　necessary。　All　those　boys　have　been　to　picture　shows　and　know　how　night　club　bosses　are　supposed　to　act。　He　has　a　bodyguard　who　is　quite　a　character。　His　name's　Eddie　Prue；　he's　about　six　feet　five　inches　tall　and　thin　as　an　honest　alibi。　He　has　a　frozen　eye；　the　result　of　a　war　wound。〃
　 〃Is　Morny　dang