rs.inthebestfamelies-第40章

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g。　I　got　a　glance　from　her　but　nothing　more；　not　even　a　nod；　as　she　took　the　chair　Dykes　pulled　up。
　　〃Miss　Darrow；〃　Archer　told　her；　gently　but　firmly；　〃you　understand　that　there　is　probably　no　chance　of　getting　your　story　corroborated　except　through　Mr。　Goodwin。　You　haven't　been　brought　in　here　to　face　him　for　the　purpose　of　disconcerting　or　discrediting　him；　but　merely　so　he　can　be　informed　first…hand。〃　Archer　turned　to　me。　〃Miss　Darrow　came　to　us　last　evening　or　her　own　accord。　No　pressure　of　any　kind　has　been　used　with　her。　Is　that　correct；　Miss　Darrow？　I　wish　you　would　confirm　that　to　Mr。　Goodwin。〃
　　〃Yes。〃　She　lifted　her　eyes　to　me；　and　though　they　had　obviously　had　a　hard　night；　I　still　insist　they　were　fine。　She　went　on；　〃I　came　voluntarily。　I　came　because…the　way　Barry　Rackham　treated　me。　He　refused　to　marry　me。　He　treated　me　very　badly。　Finally…yesterday　it　was　too　much。〃
　　Archer　and　Dykes　were　both　gazing　at　her　fixedly。　Archer　prodded　her。
　　〃Go　on；　please。　Miss　Darrow。　Tell　him　the　main　facts。〃
　　She　was　trying　the　clamp　on　her　jaw　to　make　sure　it　was　working　right。
　　Satisfied；　she　released　it。　〃Barry　and　I　had　been　friendly；　a　little；　before　Mrs。Rackham's　death。　Nothing　but　just　a　little　friendly。　That's　all　it　meant　to　me；　or　I　thought　it　was；　and　I　thought　it　was　the　same　with　him。　That's　how　it　was　when　we　went　to　the　country　for　the　Easter　weekend。　She　had　told　me　we　wouldn't　do　any　work　there；　answer　any　mail　or　anything；　but　Saturday　at　noon　she　sent　for　me　to　e　to　her　room。　She　was　crying　and　was　so　distressed　she　could　hardly　talk。〃
　　Lina　paused。　She　was　keeping　her　eyes　straight　at　mine。　〃I　can　rattle　this　off　now；　Mr。　Goodwin。　I've　already　told　it　now。〃
　　〃That　always　makes　it　easier；〃　I　agreed。　〃Go　right　ahead。〃
　　She　did。　〃Mrs。　Rackham　said　she　had　to　talk　about　it　with　someone；　and　she　wanted　to　with　her　daughter…in…law；　Mrs。　Frey；　but　she　just　couldn't；　so　there　was　only　me。　She　said　she　had　gone　to　see　Nero　Wolfe　the　day　before；　to　ask　him　to　find　out　where　her　husband　was　getting　money　from；　and　he　had　agreed　to　do　it。　Mr。　Wolfe　had　phoned　her　that　evening。　Friday　evening；　and　told　her　that　he　had　already　partly　succeeded。　He　had　learned　that　her　husband　was　connected　with　something　that　was　criminal。　He　was　helping　somebody　with　things　that　were　against　the　law；　and　he　was　getting　well　paid　for　it。　Mr。　Wolfe　advised　her　to　keep　it　to　herself　until　he　had　more　details。　He　said　his　assistant；　Mr。　Goodwin；　would　e　up　Saturday　afternoon；　and　might　have　more　to　report　then。〃
　　〃And　that　Goodwin　knew　all　about　it？〃　Archer　asked。
　　〃Well；　naturally　she　took　that　for　granted。　She　didn't　say　that　Mr。　Wolfe　told　her　in　so　many　words　that　Mr。　Goodwin　knew　all　about　it；　but　if　he　was　his　assistant　and　helping　with　it；　naturally　she　would　think　so。　Anyway　that　didn't　seem　to　be　important　then；　because　she　had　told　it　all　to　her　husband。　They　used　the　same　bedroom　at　Birchvale；　and　she　said　that　after　they　had　gone　to　bed　she　simply　couldn't　help　it。　She　didn't　tell　me　their　conversation；　what　they　said　to　each　other；　but　they　had　had　a　violent　quarrel。　She　had　told　him　they　would　have　to　separate；　she　was　through　with　him；　and　she　would　have　Mr。　Wolfe　go　on　with　his　investigation　and　get　proof　of　what　he　had　done。　Mrs。　Rackham　had　a　very　strong　character；　and　she　hated　to　be　deceived。　But　the　next　day　she　wasn't　sure　she　really　meant　it；　that　she　really　wanted　to　part　from　him。　That　was　why　she　wanted　to　talk　about　it　with　someone。　I　think　the　reason　she　didn't　want　to　talk　with　Mrs。　Frey…〃
　　〃If　you　don't　mind；　Miss　Darrow；〃　Archer　suggested　gently；　〃just　the　facts　now。
　　〃Yes；　of　course。〃　She　sent　him　a　glance　and　returned　to　me。　〃I　told　her　I　thought　she　was　pletely　wrong。　I　said　that　if　her　husband　had　been　untrue　to　her；　or　anything　like　that；　that　would　be　different；　but　after　all　he　hadn't　done　wrong　to　her；　only　to　other　people　and　himself；　and　that　she　should　try　to　help　him　instead　of　destroying　him。　At　the　very　least；　I　said；　she　should　wait　until　she　knew　all　the　details　of　what　he　had　done。　I　think　that　was　what　she　wanted　to　hear；　but　she　didn't　say　so。　She　was　very　stubborn。　Then；　that　afternoon；　I　did　something　that　I　will　regret　all　my　life。　I　went　to　Barry　and　told　him　she　had　told　me　about　it；　and　said　I　was　sure　it　would　e　out　all　right　if　he　would　meet　her　halfway…tell　her　the　whole　thing；　tell　her　he　was　sorry；　as　he　certainly　should　be…and　no　more　foolishness　in　the　future。　And　Barry　said　he　loved　me。〃
　　She　weakened　a　little　there　for　the　first　time。　She　dropped　her　eyes。　I　had　been　boring　at　her　with　as　steady　and　sharp　a　gaze　as　I　had　in　me；　but　up　to　that　point　she　had　met　it　full　and　fair。
　　〃So　then？〃　I　asked。
　　Her　eyes　lifted　and　she　marched　on。　〃He　said　he　didn't　want　it　to　e　out　all　right　because　he　loved　me。　Shall　I　try　to　tell　you　what　I…how　I　felt！〃
　　〃Not　now。　Just　what　happened。〃
　　〃Nothing　happened　then。　That　was　in　the　middle　of　the　afternoon。　I　didn't　tell　Barry　I　loved　him…I　didn't　even　know　I　loved　him　then。　I　got　away　from　him。　Later　we　gathered　in　the　living　room　for　cocktails；　and　you　and　Mr。　Leeds　came；　and　we　played　that　game…you　remember。〃
　　〃Yep；　I　do。〃
　　〃And　dinner；　and　television　afterward；　and…〃
　　〃Excuse　me。　That　is　mon　knowledge。　Skip　to　later；　when　the　cops　had　e。　Did　you　tell　them　all　this？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃　〃Because　I　didn't　think　it　would　be　fair　to　Barry。　I　didn't　think　he　had　killed　her；　and　I　didn't　know　what　criminal　things　he　had　helped　with；　and　I　thought　it　wouldn't　be　fair　to　tell　that　about　him　when　all　I　knew　was　what　Mrs。　Rackham　had　told　me。〃　The　fine　eyes　flashed　for　the　first　time。　〃Oh；　I　know　the　next　part。　Then　why　am　I　telling　it　now？　Because　I　know　more　about　him　now…a　great　deal　more！　I　don't　know　that　he　killed　Mrs。　Rackham；　but　I　know　he　could　have；　he　is　cruel　and　selfish　and　unscrupulousthere　is　nothing　he　wouldn't　do。　I　suppose　you　think　I'm　vindictive；　and　maybe　I　am；　but　it　doesn't　matter　what　you　think　about　me　as　long　as　I'm　telling　the　truth。　What　the　criminal　things　were　that　he　did；　and　whether　he　killed　his　wife…1　don't　know　anything　about　it；　that's　your　part。〃
　　〃Not　mine；　sister。　I'm　not　a　cop。〃
　　She　turned　to　the　others。　〃Yours；　then！〃
　　This　would　have　been　a　good　moment　for　me　to　take　time　out　to　read　my　signed　statement；　since　I　could　have　used　a　few　minutes　for　some　good　healthy　thinking。　Here　was　a　situation　that　was　new　to　me。　About　all　that　Barry　Rackham's　ticket　to　the　electric　chair　needed　was　my　endorsement；　and　I　thought　he　had　it　ing　to　him。　All　I　had　to　do　was　tell　the　truth。　I　could　say　that　I　had　no　knowledge　whatever　of　the　phone　call　Nero　Wolfe　was　purported　to　have　made　to　Mrs。　Rackham；　but　that　it　was　conceivable　that　he　had　made　such　a　call　without　mentioning　it　to　me；　since　he　had　often　withheld　information　from　me　regarding　his　actions　and　intentions。　You　couldn't　beat　that　for　truth。　In　various　occasions　I　had　used　all　my　wits　to　help　pin　it　on　a　murderer；　and　here　it　would　take　no　wit　at　all；　merely　tossing　in　a　couple　of　facts；　But　if　I　let　it　go　at　that；　it　was　a　cinch　that　before　the　sun　went　down　Rackham　would　be　locked　up；　and　that　would　ruin　everything。　The　program　sunk；　the　months　all　wasted；　the　one　chance　gone；　Zeck　sailing　on　with　the　authority　of　his　superior　intellect；　and　Wolfe　and　me　high　and　dry。　My　wits　had　a　new　job；　and　quick。　I　liked　to　think　that　they　had　done　their　share　once　or　twice　in　getting　a　murderer　corralled；　now　it　was　up　to　them　to　do　more　than　their　share　in　keeping　a　murderer　running　loose　and　free　to　keep　appointments。　Truth　was　not　enough。
　　There　was　no　time　to　draw　a　sketch　and　see　how　I　liked　it。　All　three　of　them　were　looking　at　me；　and　Archer　was　saying；　〃You　can　see；　Goodwin；　why　I　wanted　you　to　read　your　statement　and　see　if　you　left　anything　out。〃
　　〃Yeah。〃　I　was　regretful。　〃I　can　also　see　you　holding　your　breath；　and　I　don't　blame　you。　If　I　now　say　that's　right；　I　forgot；　Wolfe　did　phone　Mrs。Rackham　that　Friday　evening　and　tell　her　that；　you've　got　all　you　need　and　hallelujah…1　would　love　to　help　out；　but　I　like　to　stick　to　the　truth　as　far　as　practical。〃
　　〃The