rs.inthebestfamelies-第15章

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oll　my　own；　and　the　sergeant　had　generously　said　that　the　Police　Department　would　contribute　the　phone　call；　I　asked　the　dick　if　he　understood　that　I　didn't　care　to　be　tailed；　and　he　replied　that　I　needn't　worry　because　he　was　going　back　to　35th　Street　to　see　Nero　Wolfe。　I　didn't　care　much　for　that；　but　said　nothing　because　I　hadn't　yet　decided　exactly　what　to　say。　So　when　I　found　a　place　on　Lexington　Avenue　for　a　sandwich　and　a　malted；　I　went　first　to　a　phone　booth；　called　the　house；　and　told　Fritz　to　leave　the　chain　bolt　on；　tell　callers　that　Wolfe　was　out　of　the　city　and　no　more；　and　admit　no　one。
　　Being　on　the　move　did　help。　Having　decided；　while　touring　the　park　and　avenues；　what　my　immediate　trouble　was；　I　now；　on　my　way　to　Birchvale；　got　the　whole　thing　into　focus。　Considering　the　entire　picture；　including　the　detail　of　putting　the　house　up　for　sale　and　the　lack　of　even　one　little　hint　for　me；　let　alone　a　blueprint；　it　was　by　no　means　a　bet　that　Wolfe　had　merely　dived　into　a　foxhole。　Look　how　free　Marko　had　been　with　his　poor…youngfriending。　It　was　not　inconceivable　that　Wolfe　had　decided　to　chuck　it　for　good。　A　hundred　times　and　more；　when　things　or　people…frequently　me…didn't　suit　him；　he　had　told　me　about　the　house　he　owned　in　Egypt　and　how　pleasant　it　would　be　to　live　there。　I　had　always　brushed　it　off。　I　now　realized　that　a　man　who　is　eccentric　enough　to　threaten　to　go　and　live　in　Egypt　is　eccentric　enough　to　do　it；　especially　when　it　gets　to　the　point　where　he　opens　a　package　of　sausage　and　has　to　run　for　his　life。
　　Therefore　I　would　be　a　dimwit　to　assume　that　this　was　merely　time　out　to　gather　ammunition　and　make　plans。　Nor　could　I　assume　that　it　wasn't。　I　couldn't　assume　anything。　Was　he　gone　for　good；　or　was　he　putting　on　a　charade　that　would　make　all　his　other　performances　look　like　piker　stuff　in　parison？　Presumably　I　was　to　answer　that　question；　along　with　others；　by　the　light　of　experience　guided　by　intelligence；　and　I　did　not　appreciate　the　pliment。　If　I　was　finally　and　permanently　on　my　own；　very　well；　I　would　make　out。　But　apparently　I　was　sdll　drawing　pay；　so　what？　The　result　of　my　getting　the　whole　picture　into　focus　was　that　as　I　turned　in　at　the　entrance　to　Birchvale　I　was　sorer　than　ever。
　　I　was　stopped　at　the　entrance　by　one　of　Noonan's　colleagues；　there　on　guard；　and　was　allowed　to　proceed　up　the　curving　drive　only　after　I　had　shown　him　four　documents。　Parking　in　a　space　at　the　side　of　the　house　that　was　bordered　by　evergreens；　I　walked　around　to　the　front　door　and　was　admitted　by　a　maid　who　looked　pale　and　puffy。　She　didn't　say　anything；　just　held　the　door　open；　but　a　man　was　there　too；　one　of　the　county　boys　whom　I　knew　by　sight　but　not　by　name。　He　said；　〃This　way；〃　and　led　me　to　the　right；　to　the　same　small　room　I　had　seen　before。
　　Ben　Dykes；　sitting　there　at　the　table　with　a　stack　of　papers；　grunted　at　me；　〃So　you　finally　got　here。〃
　　〃I　told　Archer　two　o'clock。　It's　one…fifty…eight。〃
　　〃Uh…huh。　Sit　down。〃
　　I　sat。　The　door　was　standing　open；　but　no　sound　of　any　kind　came　to　my　ears　except　the　rustling　of　the　papers　Dykes　was　going　through。
　　〃Is　the　case　solved？〃　I　inquired　courteously。　〃It's　so　damn　quiet。　In　New　York　they　make　more　noise。　If　you…〃
　　I　stopped　because　I　was　being　answered。　A　typewriter　started　clicking　somewhere。　It　was　faint；　from　a　distance；　but　unmistakably　a　typewriter；　with　a　professional　at　it。
　　〃I　suppose　Archer　knows　I'm　here；〃　I　stated。
　　〃Don't　work　up　a　lather；〃　Dykes　advised　me　without　looking　up。
　　I　shrugged；　stretched　my　legs　and　crossed　my　ankles；　and　tried　to　see　what　his　papers　were。　I　was　too　far　away　to　get　any　words；　but　from　various　aspects　I　finally　concluded　that　they　were　typewritten　signed　statements　of　the　family；　guests；　and　servants。　Not　being　otherwise　engaged　at　the　moment；　I　would　have　been　glad　to　help　Dykes　with　them；　but　I　doubted　if　it　was　worth　the　breath　to　make　an　offer。　After　the　strain　of　trying　to　identify　the　papers；　my　eyes　went　shut；　and　for　the　first　time　I　was　aware　how　sleepy　I　was。　I　thought　I　had　better　open　my　eyes；　and　then　decided　it　would　show　more　strength　of　will　if　I　kept　awake　with　them　shut。　。　。
　　Someone　was　using　my　head　for　a　cocktail　shaker。　Resenting　it；　I　jerked　away　and　made　a　gesture　of　protest　with　my　fist　dosed；　following　up　by　opening　my　eyes　and　jumping　to　my　feet。　Backing　away　from　me　was　a　skinny　guy　with　a　long　neck。　He　looked　both　startled　and　angry。
　　〃Sorry；〃　I　told　him。　〃I　guess　I　dozed　off　a　second。〃
　　〃You　dozed　off　forty　minutes；〃　Dykes　declared。　He　was　still　at　the　table　with　the　papers；　and　standing　beside　him　was　District　Attorney　Archer。
　　〃That　leaves　me；〃　I　said；　〃still　behind　seven　hours　and　more。〃
　　〃We　want　a　statement；〃　Archer　said　impatiently。
　　〃The　sooner　the　better；〃　I　agreed；　and　pulled　my　chair　up。　Archer　sat　at　the　end　of　the　table　at　my　left；　Dykes　across　from　me；　and　the　skinny　guy；　with　a　notebook　and　pen；　at　the　other　end。
　　〃First；〃　Archer　said；　〃repeat　what　you　told　us　last　night　about　Mrs。　Rackham's　visit　to　Wolfe's　office　with　Leeds。〃
　　〃But；〃　I　objected；　〃that'll　take　half　an　hour；　and　you're　busy。　That's　routine。　I　assure　yuu　it　won't　vary。〃
　　〃Go　ahead。　I　want　to　hear　it；　and　I　have　questions。〃
　　I　yawned　thoroughly；　rubbed　my　eyes　with　the　heels　of　my　palms；　and　started。　At　first　it　was　fuzzy；　but　it　flowed　easy　after　a　minute　or　two；　and　it　would　have　been　a　pleasure　to　have　them　pare　it　with　a　record　from　the　previous　recital　if　there　had　been　one。
　　Archer　had　some　questions；　and　Dykes　one　or　two。　At　the　end　Archer　asked　me；　〃Will　you　swear　to　that；　Goodwin？〃
　　〃Sure；　glad　to。　If　you'll　pay　the　notary　fee。〃
　　〃Go　and　type　it；　Cheney。〃
　　The　skinny　guy　got　up；　with　his　notebook；　and　left。　After　the　door　was　closed　Archer　spoke。
　　〃You　might　as　well　know　it；　Goodwin；　you've　been　contradicted。　Mr。　Rackham　says　you're　lying　about　his　wife's　conversation　with　Wolfe。〃
　　〃Yeah？　How　does　he　know？　He　wasn't　there。〃
　　〃He　says　that　she　couldn't　possibly　have　said　what　you　report　because　it　wasn't　true。　He　says　that　there　was　no　question　or　misunderstanding　about　money　between　them。　He　also　says　that　she　told　him　that　she　suspected　her　financial　affairs　were　being　mishandled　by　Mr。　Hammond　of　the　Metropolitan　Trust　pany；　and　that　she　was　going　to　consult　Nero　Wolfe　about　it。〃
　　〃Well。〃　I　yawned。　〃That's　interesting。　Leeds　is　on　my　side。　Who's　on　his？〃
　　〃No　one　so　far。〃
　　〃Have　you　tried　it　out　on　Leeds？〃
　　〃Yes。　As　you　say；　he's　on　your　side。　He　has　signed　a　statement。　So　has　Mr。　Rackham。〃
　　〃What　does　Hammond　say？〃
　　〃I　haven't…〃　Archer　paused；　regarding　me。　〃Perhaps　I　shouldn't　have　told　you　that。　You　will　keep　it　to　yourself。　It's　a　delicate　matter；　to　approach　a　responsible　officer　of　a　reputable　bank　on　a　thing　like　that。〃
　　〃Right；〃　I　agreed。　〃It's　also　a　delicate　matter　to　call　a　millionaire　a　damn　liar…that　is；　delicate　for　you。　Not　for　me。　I　hereby　call　him　a　damn　liar。
　　I　suppose　he　is　a　millionaire？　Now？〃
　　Archer　and　Dykes　exchanged　glances。　〃Save　it　if　you　want　to；〃　I　said　understandingly。　〃Leeds　will　tell　me。　If　he　knows。　Does　he？〃
　　〃Yes。　The　will　was　read　to　the　family　today。　I　was　present。　There　are　a　number　of　bequests　to　servants　and　distant　relatives；　Mrs。　Frey　gets　this　place　and　a　million　dollars。　Leeds　gets　half　a　million。　Lina　Darrow　gets　two　hundred　thousand。　The　rest　goes　to　Mr。　Rackham。〃
　　〃I　see。　Then　he's　a　millionaire；　so　it's　delicate。　Even　so；　he's　a　damn　liar　and　it's　two　to　one。　I'll　sign　that　statement　in　triplicate　if　you　want　it。　Beyond　that　what　can　I　say？〃
　　〃I　want　to　make　it　three　to　one。〃　Archer　leaned　to　me。　〃Listen；　Goodwin。　I　have　great　respect　for　Nero　Wolfe's　talents；　I　have　reason　to；　as　you　know。　But　I　do　not　intend　to　let　his　whims　interfere　with　the　functions　of　my　office。　I　want　a　statement　from　him　supporting　yours　and　Leed's；　and　I　mean　to　have　it　without　delay。　I　sent　a　man　to　get　it。　This　morning　at　eleven　o'clock　he　was　told　that　Wolfe　wasn't　available　and　that　you　weren't　there　and　your　whereabouts　were　not　known。　That　was　when　an　alarm　was　spread　for　you。　I　had　a　phone　call　from　my　man　an　hour　ago