rs.inthebestfamelies-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃To　Birchvale？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃What　time？〃
　　〃Say　eight…thirty。〃
　　〃I'll　be　there。〃
　　You　can't　beat　that；　I　thought　to　myself　as　I　hung　up；　for　the　first　ining　call　to　a　new　office…making　a　deal　with　a　client　who　has　just　inherited　a　country　estate　and　a　million　monetary　units。　Then；　fearing　that　if　it　kept　up　like　that　I　might　get　swamped；　I　closed　the　office　for　the　day　and　headed　for　Sulka's　to　buy　a　tie。
　　
　　11
　　ON　MY　previous　visit　to　Birchvale　I　had　got　the　impression　that　Annabel　Frey　had　her　head　on　right　side　up；　and　her　conduct　that　Monday　evening　strengthened　it。　For　one　thing；　she　had　had　sense　enough　not　to　gather　that　bunch　around　a　dining　table　but　invite　them　for　half…past　eight。　With　the　kind　of　attitudes　and　emotions　that　were　crisscrossing　among　those　six　people；　an　attempt　to　feed　them　at　the　same　trough　would　have　resulted　in　an　acidosis　epidemic。
　　In　her　first　phone　call；　Wednesday；　she　had　indicated　that　it　was　not　a　tete…a…tete　she　had　in　mind；　so　I　was　expecting　to　find　pany；　probably　the　widower　and　the　cousin；　but　to　my　surprise　it　was　a　full　house。　They　were　all　there　when　I　was　shown　into　the　big　living　room。　Annabel　Frey；　as　hostess　there　now；　came　to　meet　me　and　gave　me　her　hand。　The　other　five　gave　me　nothing　but　dirty　looks。　I　saw　right　off　that　my　popularity　index　was　way　down；　so　I　merely　stood；　gave　them　a　cool　collective　greeting；　and　lifted　a　brow　at　my　hostess。
　　〃It's　not　you；　Goodwin；〃　the　politician　Pierce　assured　me；　but　in　a　raspy　tone。　〃It's　simply　the　strain　of　this　unbearable　situation。　We　haven't　been　all　together　like　this　since　that　terrible　night。〃　He　glared　at　Annabel。　〃It　was　a　mistake　to　get　us　here。〃
　　〃Then　why　did　you　e？〃　Barry　Rackham　demanded；　really　nasty。　〃Because　you　were　afraid　not　to；　like　the　rest　of　us。　We　all　hated　to　e；　but　we　were　all　afraid　to　stay　away；　A　bunch　of　cowards…except　one；　of　course。
　　You　can't　blame　that　one　for　ing。〃
　　〃Nonsense；〃　said　Dana　Hammond；　the　banker。　The　look　he　was　giving　Rackham　was　just　the　opposite　of　the　kind　of　look　a　banker　is　supposed　to　give　a　millionaire。　〃It　has　nothing　to　do　with　cowardice。　Not　with　me。　By　circumstances　beyond　my　control　I　am　forced　into　an　association　that　is　hateful　to　me。〃
　　〃Have　they；〃　Lina　Darrow　asked　him　sweetly；　〃finished　with　the　audit　of　your　department？〃
　　〃They　haven't　finished　anything；〃　Calvin　Leeds　growled；　and　I　didn't　know　he　was　aiming　at　her　until　he　went　on。　〃Not　even　with　wondering　what　you　see　in　Barry　Rackham　all　of　a　sudden…if　it　is　sudden。〃
　　Rackham　was　out　of　his　chair；　moving　toward　Leeds；　snarling；　〃You　can　eat　that；　Cal；　or…〃
　　〃Oh；　stop　it！〃　Annabel　stepped　to　head　Rackham　off。　She　whirled；　taking　them　in。　〃My　God；　isn't　it　bad　enough　without　this？〃　She　appealed　to　me。　〃I　didn't　know　this　was　how　it　would　be！〃　To　Rackham；　〃Sit　down；　Barry！〃
　　Rackham　backed　up　and　sat。　Lina　Darrow；　who　had　been　standing；　went　and　stretched　out　on　a　couch；　detaching　herself。　The　others　stayed　put；　with　Annabel　and　me　on　our　feet。　I　have　had　plenty　of　contacts　with　groups　of　people；　all　kinds；　who　have　suddenly　had　a　murder　explode　among　them；　but　I　don't　think　I　have　ever　seen　a　bunch　blown　quite　so　high。
　　Annabel　said；　〃I　didn't　want　to　have　Mr。　Goodwin　e　and　discuss　it　just　with　me。　I　didn't　want　any　of　you　to　think…I　mean；　all　I　wanted　was　to　find　out；　for　all　of　us。　I　thought　it　would　be　best　for　all　of　us　to　be　here。〃
　　〃All　of　us？〃　Pierce　asked　pointedly。　〃Or　all　but　one？〃
　　〃It　was　a　mistake；　Annabel；〃　Hammond　told　her。　〃You　can　see　it　was。〃
　　〃Exactly　what；〃　Rackham　inquired；　〃was　your　idea　in　sending　for　Goodwin？〃
　　〃I　want　him　to　work　for　us。　We　can't　let　it　go　on　this　way；　you　all　know　we　can't；　I'll　pay　him；　but　he'll　be　working　for　all　of　us。〃
　　〃All　but　one；〃　Pierce　insisted。
　　'Very　well；　all　but　one！　As　it　is　now；　it　isn't　all　but　one；　it's　all　of　us！〃
　　Lina　Darrow　sang　out　from　the　couch；　〃Is　Mr。　Goodwin　giving　a　guarantee？〃
　　I　had　taken　a　chair。　Annabel　dropped　into　one　facing　me　and　put　it　to　me。　〃What　about　it？　Can　you　do　anything？〃
　　〃I　can't　give　a　guarantee；〃　I　told　her。
　　〃Of　course　not。　Can　you　do　anything？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　don't　know　how　it　stands。　Shall　I　try　sketching　it？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Stop　me　if　I　go　wrong。　It's　true　I　was　here　when　it　happened；　but　that's　no　help　except　what　I　actually　saw　and　heard。　Does　everyone　know　what　I　was　here　for？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Then　they　understand　why　I　wasn't　much　interested　in　anyone　but　Rackham。　And　you　and　Miss　Darrow；　of　course；　but　that　interest　wasn't　professional。　It　looks　to　me　like　a　case　that　will　probably　never　be　solved　by　exhibits　or　testimony　on　facts。　The　cops　have　had　plenty　of　good　men　on　it；　and　if　they　had　got　anything　usable　on　footprints　or　fingerprints；　or　getting　the　steak　knife　from　the　drawer；　or　alibis　or　timetables；　or　something　like　shoes　that　had　been　worn　in　the　woods；　someone　would　have　been　arrested　long　ago。　And　they've　had　it　for　a　month；　so　no　kind　of　routine　would　be　any　good　now；　and　that's　all　most　detective　work　amounts　to。　Motive　is　no　help；　with　four　of　you　inheriting　piles　from　two　hundred　grand　up；　and　the　other　two　possibly　counting　on　marrying　one　of　the　piles。　Only　I　must　say；　in　the　atmosphere　here　tonight；　courtship　doesn't　seem　to　be　on　the　program。〃
　　〃It　isn't；〃　Annabel　asserted。
　　I　glanced　at　Hammond　and　Pierce；　but　neither　of　them　seemed　to　want　the　floor。
　　〃So；〃　I　continued；　〃unless　the　cops　have　got　a　trap　set　that　you　don't　know　about；　it's　one　of　those　things。　You　never　can　tell。　It　would　be　a　waste　of　money　to　pay　me　to　go　over　the　ground　the　cops　have　covered…or　any　other　detective　except　Nero　Wolfe；　and　he's　not　around。　There's　only　one　way　to　use　me；　or　anyhow　only　one　way　to　start；　and　stand　a　chance　of　getting　your　money's　worth；　and　that　would　be　to　give　me　a　good　eight　or　ten　hours　with　each　of　you　six　people；　each　one　separately。　I　have　watched　and　listened　to　Nero　Wolfe　a　good　many　years　and　I　can　now　do　a　fair　imitation。　It　might　possibly　rum　out　to　be　worth　it　to　all　of　you…except　one；　as　Mr。　Pierce　would　say。〃
　　I　flipped　a　hand。　〃That's　the　best　suggestion　I　can　offer。　With　nothing　like　a　guarantee。〃
　　Annabel　said；　〃No　one　would　tell　you　everything　you　asked。　I　haven't　myself；　to　the　police。〃
　　〃Sure。　I　understand　that。　That's　part　of　it。〃
　　〃You　would　be　working　for　me…for　us。　It　would　be　confidential。〃
　　〃Things　that　weren't　used　would　be　confidential。　Nothing　that　was　evidence　would　be。〃
　　Annabel　sat　and　regarded　me。　She　had　had　her　fingers　twisted　tight　together；　and　now　she　loosened　them　and　then　they　twisted　again。　〃I　want　to　ask　you　something；　Mr。　Goodwin。　Do　you　think　one　of　us　killed　Mrs。Rackham？〃
　　〃I　do　now。　I　don't　know　what　I　would　think　after　I　had　worked　at　it。〃
　　〃Do　you　think　you　know　which　one？〃
　　〃Nope。　I'm　impartial。〃
　　〃All　right。　You　can　start　with　me。〃　She　turned　her　head。　〃Unless　one　of　you　would　rather　first？〃
　　No　one　moved　or　spoke。　Then　Calvin　Leeds：　〃Count　me　out；　Annabel。　Not　with　Goodwin。　Let　him　tell　us　first　where　Nero　Wolfe　is　and　why。〃
　　〃But　Cal…you　won't？〃
　　〃Not　with　him　I　won't。〃
　　〃Dana？〃
　　Hammond　looked　unhappy。　He　got　up　and　went　to　her。　〃Annabel；　this　was　a　mistake。　The　whole　idea　was　no　good。　What　can　Goodwin　do　that　the　police　couldn't　do？　I　doubt　i￡　you　have　any　conception　of　how　a　private　detective　works。〃
　　〃He　can　try。　Will　you　help；　Dana？〃
　　〃No。　I　hate　to　refuse；　but　I　must〃
　　〃Oliver？　Will　you？〃
　　〃Well。〃　The　statesman　was　frowning；　not　at　her；　at　me。　〃This　seems　to　me　to　be　a　case　of　all　or　none。　I　don't　see　how　anything　could　be　acplished…〃
　　〃Then　you　refuse　me　too？〃
　　〃Under　the　circumstances　I　have　no　other　course。〃
　　〃I　see。　You　won't　even　give　me　a　straight　no。　Barry？〃
　　〃Certainly　not。　Goodwin　has　lied　to　the　police　about　my　wife's　visit　to　Wolfe。　I　wouldn't　give　him　eight　seconds；　let　alone　eight　hours。〃
　　Annabel　left　her　chair　and　went　toward　the　couch。　〃Lina；　I　guess　it's　up　to　the　women。　You　and　me。　She　was　darned　good　to　us；　Lina…both　of　us。　What　about　it？〃
　　〃Darling；〃　Lina　Darrow　said。　She　sat　up。　〃Darling　A