rs.inthebestfamelies-第26章

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I　had　told　him　I　was　soon　leaving　for　a　month's　vacation；　and　he　hadn't　felt　like　giving　a　name；　but　I　thought　I　recognized　the　voice　and　had　agreed　to　see　him。　When　he　walked　in　on　the　dot；　at　3：15；I　was　glad　to　know　that　my　memory　for　voices　was　holding　up。　It　was　my　old　cellmate；　Max　Christy。
　　I　got　up　and　we　shook。　He　put　his　panama　on　the　desk　and　glanced　around。　His　black　mop　was　cut　a　little　shorter　than　it　had　been　in　April；　but　the　jungle　of　his　eyebrows　hadn't　been　touched；　and　his　shoulders　looked　just　as　broad　in　gray　tropical　worsted。　I　invited　him　to　sit　and　he　did。
　　〃I　must　apologize；〃　I　said；　〃for　never　settling　for　that　breakfast。　It　was　a　life…saver。〃
　　He　waved　it　away。　〃The　pleasure　was　mine。　How's　it　going？〃
　　〃Oh…no　plaints。　You？〃
　　〃I've　been　extremely　busy。〃　He　got　out　a　handkerchief　and　dabbed　at　his　face　and　neck。　〃I　certainly　sweat。　Sometimes　I　think　it's　stupid；　this　constant　back　and　forth；　push　and　shove。〃
　　〃I　hear　you　mentioned　around。〃
　　〃Yes；　I　suppose　so。　You　never　phoned　me。　Did　you？〃　〃The　number；〃　I　said；　〃is　Churchill　five；　three　two　three　two。〃
　　〃But　you　never　called　it。〃
　　〃No；　sir；〃　I　admitted；　''I　didn't。　One　thing　and　another　kept　ing　up；　and　then　I　didn't　care　much　for　your　line　about　if　I　got　taken　in　and　my　being　given　a　trial。　I　am　by　no　means　a　punk；　and　the　ink　on　my　license　dried　long　ago。　Here；　look　behind　my　ears。〃
　　He　threw　back　his　head　and　haw…hawed；　then　shut　it　off　and　told　me　soberly；　〃You　got　me　wrong；　Goodwin。　I　only　meant　we'd　have　to　go　slow　on　account　of　your　record。〃　He　used　the　handkerchief　on　his　forehead。　〃I　certainly　do　sweat。　Since　then　your　name　has　been　discussed　a　little；　and　I　assure　you；　you　are　not　regarded　as　a　punk。　We　have　noticed　that　you　seem　to　have　plenty　of　jobs　since　you　opened　this　office；　but　so　trivial　for　a　man　like　you。　Why　did　you　turn　down　the　offer　from　the　Feds？〃
　　〃Oh；　they　keep　such　long　hours。〃
　　He　nodded。　〃And　you　don't　like　harness；　do　you？〃
　　〃I've　never　tried　it　and　don't　intend　to。〃
　　〃What　have　you　got　on　hand　now？　Anything　important？〃
　　〃Nothing　whatever；　important　or　otherwise。　I　told　you　on　the　phone；　I'm　taking　a　vacation。　Sailing　Saturday。〃
　　He　regarded　me　disapprovingly。　〃You　don't　need　a　vacation。　If　anybody　needs　a　vacation　it's　me；　but　I　don't　get　one。　I've　got　a　job　for　you。〃
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃Not　right　now。　When　I　get　back　maybe。〃
　　〃It　won't　wait　till　you　get　back。　There's　a　man　we　want　tailed　and　we're　short　of　personnel；　and　he's　tough。　We　had　two　good　men　on　him；　and　he　spotted　both　of　them。　You　would　need　at　least　two　helpers；　three　would　be　better。　You　use　men　you　know；　handle　that　yourself；　and　pay　them　and　expenses　out　of　the　five　hundred　a　day　you'll　get。〃
　　I　whistled。　〃What's　so　hot　about　it？〃
　　〃Nothing。　It's　not　hot。〃
　　〃Then　who's　the　subject；　the　Mayor？〃
　　〃I'm　not　naming　him。　Perhaps　I　don't　even　know。　It's　merely　a　straight　tailing　job；　but　it　has　to　be　watertight　and　no　leaks。　You　can　net　three　hundred　a　day　easy。〃
　　〃Not　without　a　hint　who　he　is　or　what　he　looks　like。〃　I　waved　it　away。
　　〃Forget　it。　I'd　like　to　oblige　an　old　cellmate；　but　my　vacation　starts　Saturday。〃
　　〃Your　vacation　can　wait。　This　can't。　At　ten　o'clock　tonight　you'll　be　walking　west　on　Sixty…seventh　Street　halfway　between　First　and　Second　Avenues。　A　car　will　pick　you　up；　with　a　man　in　it　that　wants　to　ask　you　some　questions。　If　your　answers　suit　him　he'll　tell　you　about　the　job…and　it's　your　big　chance；　Goodwin。　It's　your　chance　for　your　first　dip　into　the　biggest　river　of　fast　dough　that　ever　flowed。〃
　　〃What　the　hell；〃　I　protested；　〃you're　not　offering　me　a　job；　you're　just　giving　me　a　chance　to　apply　for　one　I　don't　want。〃
　　It　was　perfectly　true　at　that　point；　and　it　was　still　true　ten　minutes　later；　when　Max　Christy　left；　that　I　didn't　want　the　job；　but　I　did　want　to　apply　for　it。　It　wasn't　that　I　had　a　hunch　that　the　man　in　the　car　who　wanted　to　ask　me　some　questions　would　be　Arnold　Zeck；　but　the　way　it　had　been　staged　gave　me　the　notion　that　it　was　just　barely　possible；　and　the　opportunity；　slim　as　it　was；　was　too　good　to　miss。　It　would　be　interesting　to　have　a　chat　with　Zeck；　besides；　he　might　give　me　an　excuse　to　take　a　poke　at　him　and　I　might　happen　to　inadvertendy　break　his　neck。　So　I　told　Christy　that　I　would　be　walking　on　67th　Street　at　ten　that　evening　as　suggested。　I　had　to　break　a　date　to　do　it；　but　even　if　the　chance　was　only　one　in　a　million　I　wanted　it。
　　To　get　that　point　settled　and　out　of　the　way；　the　man　who　wanted　to　quiz　me　was　not　Arnold　Zeck。　It　was　not　even　a　long　black　Cadillac；　it　was　only　a　'48　Chevvy　two…door　sedan。
　　It　was　a　hot　August　night；　and　as　I　walked　along　that　block　I　was　sweating　a　little　myself；　especially　my　left　armpit　under　the　holster。　There　was　a　solid　string　of　parked　cars　at　the　curb；　and　when　the　Chewy　stopped　and　its　door　opened　and　my　name　was　called；　not　loud；　I　had　to　squeeze　between　bumpers　to　get　to　it。　As　I　climbed　in　and　pulled　the　door　shut　the　man　in　the　front　seat；　behind　the　wheel；　swiveled　his　head　for　a　look　at　me　and　then；　with　no　greeting；　went　back　to　his　chauffeuring；　and　the　car　started　forward。
　　My　panion　on　the　back　seat　muttered　at　me；　〃Maybe　you　ought　to　show　me　something。〃
　　I　got　out　my　display　case　and　handed　it　to　him　with　the　license…detective；　not　driver's…uppermost。　When　we　stopped　for　a　light　at　Second　Avenue　he　inspected　it　with　the　help　of　a　street　lamp；　and　returned　it。　I　was　already　sorry　I　had　wasted　an　evening。　Not　only　was　he　not　Zeck；　he　was　no　one　I　had　ever　seen　or　heard　of；　though　I　was　fairly　well　acquainted；　at　least　by　sight；　with　the　high　brass　in　the　circles　that　Max　Christy　moved　in。　This　bird　was　a　plete　stranger。　With　more　skin　supplied　for　his　face　than　was　needed；　it　had　taken　up　the　slack　in　pleats　and　wrinkles；　and　that　may　have　accounted　for　his　sporting　a　pointed　brown　beard；　since　it　must　be　hard　to　shave　pleats。
　　As　the　car　crossed　the　avenue　and　continued　west；　I　told　him；　〃I　came　to　oblige　Max　Christy…if　suggestions　might　help　any。　I'll　only　be　around　till　Saturday。〃
　　He　said；　〃My　name's　Roeder；〃　and　spelled　it。
　　I　thanked　him　for　the　confidence。　He　broadened　it。　〃I'm　from　the　West　Coast；　in　case　you　wonder　how　I　rate。　I　followed　something　here　and　found　it　was　tied　in　with　certain　operations。　I'd　just　as　soon　leave　it　to　local　talent　and　go　back　home；　but　I'm　hooked　and　I　have　to　stick。〃　Either　he　preferred　talking　through　his　nose　or　that　was　the　only　way　he　knew。　〃Christy　told　you　we　want　a　man　tailed？〃
　　〃Yes。　I　explained　that　I'm　not　available。〃
　　〃You　have　got　to　be　available。　There's　too　much　involved。〃　He　was　twisted　around　to　face　me。　〃It'll　be　harder　than　ever　now；　because　he's　on　guard。　It's　been　messed　up。　They　say　if　anyone　can　do　it　you　can；　especially　with　the　help　of　a　couple　of　men　that　Nero　Wolfe　used。　You　can　get　them；　can't　you？〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　can　get　them；　but　I　can't　get　me。　I　won't　be　here。〃
　　〃You're　here　now。　You　can　start　tomorrow。　As　Christy　told　you；　five　Cs　a　day。　It's　a　straight　tailing　job；　where　you're　working　for　a　man　named　Roeder　from　Los　Angeles。　The　cops　might　not　like　it　too　well　if　you　tied　in　with　a　local　like　Wilts　or　Brownie　Costigan；　but　what's　wrong　with　me？　You　never　heard　of　me　before。　You're　in　business　as　a　private　detective。　I　want　to　hire　you；　at　a　good　price；　to　keep　a　tail　on　a　man　named　Rackham　and　report　to　me　on　his　movements。　That's　all；　a　perfectly　legitimate　job。〃
　　We　had　crossed　Park　Avenue。　The　light　was　dim　enough　that　I　didn't　have　to　be　concerned　about　my　face　showing　a　reaction　to　the　name　Rackham。　The　reaction　inside　me　was　my　affair。
　　〃How　long　would　it　last？〃　I　inquired。
　　〃I　don't　know。　A　day；　a　week；　possibly　two。〃
　　〃What　if　something　hot　develops？　A　detective　doesn't　take　a　tailing　job　sight　unseen。　You　must　have　told　me　why　you　were　curious　about　Rackham。　What　did　you　tell　me？〃
　　Roeder　smiled。　I　could　just　see　the　pleats　tightening。　〃That　I　suspected　my　business　partner　had　e　east　to　make　a　deal　with　him；　freezing　me　out。〃
　　〃That　could　be　all　right　if　you'll　fill　it　in。　But　why　all　the　mystery？　Why　didn't　you　e　t