rs.inthebestfamelies-第42章

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le　feature；　do　you　remember　that　gathering　that　evening？　Did　either　Rackham　or　his　wife　act　like　people　who　were　riding　the　kind　of　storm　you　describe？　Don't　ask　me；　I　could　be　prejudiced；　ask　all　the　others。〃
　　I　left　her　for　Archer。　〃I　could　go　on　for　an　hour；　but　don't　tell　me　you　need　it。　I　don't　wonder　you　grabbed　at　it；　it　looked　as　if　it　might　possibly　be　the　break　you　had　been　hoping　for；　and　besides；　she　had　fixed　it　up　with　some　trimmings　that　might　be　very　juicy；　like　the　crap　about　me　working　for　Rackham。　I　have　not　and　am　not；　and　I　have　none　of　his　dough。　Must　I　punch　more　holes　in　it？〃
　　Archer　was　studying　me。　〃Is　it　your　contention　that　Miss　Darrow　invented　all　this？〃
　　〃It　is。〃
　　〃Why？〃
　　I　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know。　Do　you　want　me　to　guess？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Well…my　best　one　first。　Have　you　noticed　her　eyes…the　deep　light　in　them？　I　think　she's　trying　to　take　over　for　you。　She　liked　Mrs。　Rackham；　and　when　she　got　left　that　two　hundred　grand　it　went　to　her　head。　She　thought　Rackham　had　killed　her…I　don't　know　whether　it　was　a　hunch　or　what…and　when　time　passed　and　it　looked　as　if　he　wasn't　going　to　get　tagged　for　it；　she　decided　it　was　her　duty　or　mission；　or　whatever　word　she　uses　for　it；　to　step　in。　Having　the　two　hundred　grand；　she　could　afford　a　hobby　for　a　while。　That　was　when　she　started　to　put　the　eyes　on　Rackham。　I　expect　she　thought　she　could　get　him　into　a　state　where　he　would　dump　it　all　out　for　her；　and　then　she　would　not　only　know　she　was　right　but　would　also　be　able　to　plete　her　mission。　But　the　months　went　by　and　he　never　dumped；　and　it　probably　got　a　little　embarrassing；　and　she　got　fanatic　about　it；　and　she　must　even　have　got　desperate；　judging　by　the　performance　she　finally　ended　up　with。　She　decided　Rackham　was　guilty；　that　part　was　all　right；　and　the　only　thing　lacking　was　evidence；　so　it　was　up　to　her　to　furnish　it。〃
　　I　leaned　forward　at　her。　〃It's　not　enough　to　want　to　do　a　good　deed；　you　damn　fool。　Wanting　is　fine；　but　you　also　need　some　slight　idea　of　how　to　go　about　it。　It　didn't　bother　you　that　one　by…product　was　making　me　out　a　cheap　crook；　did　it？　Many　thanks　sincerely　yours。〃
　　She　dropped　her　head　into　her　hands　to　cover　her　face；　and　convulsions　began。
　　They　sat　and　looked　at　her。　I　looked　at　them。　Archer　was　pulling　jerkily　at　his　lower　lip。　Dykes　was　shaking　his　head；　his　lips　pressed。
　　〃I　suggest；〃　I　said　modestly；　raising　my　voice　to　carry　over　the　noise　Lina　Darrow　was　making；　〃that　when　she　quiets　down　it　might　pay　to　find　out　if　Rackham　has　told　her　anything　that　might　help。　That　item　about　his　getting　dough　from　gambling　or　rackets　could　be　true；　if　they　actually　got　intimate　enough　for　him　to　tell　her　the　story　of　his　life。〃
　　They　kept　their　eyes　on　her。　She　was　crying　away　what　had　looked　like　a　swell　chance　to　wrap　up　a　tough　one；　and　I　wouldn't　have　been　surprised　if　they　had　burst　into　tears　too。　I　pushed　back　my　chair　and　stood　up。
　　〃If　you　get　anything　that　I　can　be　of　any　help　on；　give　me　a　ring。　I'll　have　a　crowded　afternoon；　but　word　will　reach　me。〃
　　I　walked　out。
　　
　　19
　　AS　I　hit　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　the　courthouse　my　watch　said　11：17。　It　was　sunny　and　warm；　and　people　looked　as　if　they　felt　pleased　with　the　way　things　were　going。　I　did　not。　In　another　few　minutes　they　would　have　Lina　Darrow　talking　again；　and　whether　she　gave　it　to　them　straight　this　time　or　tried　her　hand　on　a　revised　version；　they　might　decide　any　minute　that　they　wanted　to　talk　with　Barry　Rackham；　and　that　could　lead　to　anything。　The　least　it　could　lead　to　was　delay；　and　my　nerves　were　in　no　condition　for　it。
　　I　dived　across　the　street　to　a　drugstore；　found　a　booth；　and　dialed　Roeder's　number。　No　answer。　I　went　to　where　my　car　was　parked；　got　in；　and　headed　for　the　parkway。
　　On　my　way　back　to　Manhattan　I　stopped　four　times　to　find　a　phone　and　dial　Roeder's　number；　and　the　fourth　try；　at　i　i6th　Street；　I　got　him。　I　told　him　where　I　was。　He　asked　what　they　had　wanted　at　White　Plains。
　　〃Nothing　much；　just　to　ask　some　questions　about　a　lead　they　had　got。　I'm　going　to　the　Churchill　to　fix　it　to　go　ahead　with　that　date　today。〃
　　〃You　can't。　It　has　been　postponed　until　tomorrow　at　the　other　end。　Arrange　it　for　tomorrow。〃
　　〃Can't　you　switch　it　back　to　today　at　your　end？〃
　　〃It　would　be　difficult　and　therefore　inadvisable。〃　I　considered　how　to　put　it；　in　view　of　the　fact　that　there　was　no　telling　who　or　how　many　might　hear　me。　〃There　is　a　possibility；〃　I　said；　〃that　the　Churchill　will　have　a　vacant　suite　tomorrow。　So　my　opinion　is　that　it　would　be　even　more　inadvisable　to　postpone　it。　I　don't　know；　but　I　have　an　idea　that　it　may　be　today　or　never。〃
　　A　silence。　Then；　〃How　long　will　it　take　you　to　get　to　your　office？〃
　　〃Fifteen　minutes；　maybe　twenty。〃
　　〃Go　there　and　wait。〃
　　I　returned　to　the　car；　drove　to　a　parking　lot　on　Third　Avenue　in　the　upper　Forties；　left　the　car　there；　and　made　steps　to　Madison　Avenue　and　up　to　1019。　I　sat　down；　stood　at　the　window；　sat　down；　and　stood　at　the　window。　I　wouldn't　ring　the　phone…answering　service　because　I　wanted　my　line　free；　but　after　a　few　minutes　I　began　thinking　I　better　had；　in　case　Roeder　had　tried　for　me　before　I　arrived。　The　debate　on　that　was　getting　hot　when　the　ring　came　and　I　jumped　for　it。
　　It　was　Roeder。　He　asked　me　through　his　nose；　〃Have　you　phoned　the　Churchill？〃
　　〃No；　I　was　waiting　to　hear　from　you。〃
　　〃I　hope　you　will　have　no　trouble。　It　has　been　arranged　for　today　at　four　o'clock。〃
　　I　felt　a　tingle　in　my　spine。　My　throat　wanted　to　tighten；　but　I　wouldn't　let　it。　〃I'll　do　my　best。　In　my　car？〃
　　〃No。　I'll　have　a　car。　I'll　stop　in　front　of　your　office　building　precisely　at　two　forty…five。〃
　　〃It　might　be　better　to　make　it　the　Churchill。〃
　　〃No。　Your　building。　If　you　have　to　reach　me　I'll　be　here　until　two…thirty。　I　hope　you　won't　have　to。〃
　　〃I　do　too。〃
　　I　pressed　the　button　down；　held　it　for　three　breaths；　and　dialed　the　Churchill's　number。　It　was　only　ten　to　one；　so　surely　I　would　get　him。
　　I　did。　As　soon　as　he　heard　my　name　he　started　yapping　about　the　message　I　had　sent　him；　but　I　didn't　want　to　try　to　fix　it　on　the　phone；　so　I　merely　said　I　had　managed　to　call　off　the　trip　out　of　town　and　was　ing　to　see　him。　He　said　he　didn't　want　to　see　me。　I　said　I　didn't　want　to　see　him　either；　but　we　were　both　stuck　with　this　and　I　would　be　there　at　one…thirty。
　　At　a　fountain　service　down　on　a　side　street　I　ate　three　corned…beef　sandwiches　and　three　glasses　of　milk　without　knowing　how　they　tasted；　humed　my　tongue　on　hot　coffee；　and　then　walked　to　the　Churchill　and　took　the　elevator　to　the　tower。
　　Rackham　was　eating　lunch；　and　it　was　pitiful。　Apparently　he　had　done　all　right　with　a　big　glass　of　clam　juice；　since　the　glass　was　empty　and　I　couldn't　see　where　the　contents　had　been　thrown　at　anything；　but　all　he　did　in　my　presence　was　peck　at　things…some　wonderful　broiled　ham；　hashed　brown　potatoes；　an　artichoke　with　anchovy　sauce；　and　half　a　melon。　He　swallowed　perhaps　five　bites　altogether；　while　I　sat　at　a　distance　with　a　magazine；　not　wanting　to　disturb　his　meal。　When；　arriving；　I　had　told　him　that　the　appointment　with　Zeck　was　set　for　four　o'clock；　he　had　just　glared　at　me　with　no　ment。　Now；　as　he　sat　staring　at　his　coffee　without　lifting　the　cup；　I　got　up　and　crossed　to　a　chair　near　him　and　remarked　that　we　would　ride　up　to　Westchester　with　Roeder。
　　I　don't　think　I　handled　it　very　well；　that　talk　with　Barry　Rackham；　as　he　sat　and　let　his　coffee　get　cold　and　tried　to　pretend　to　himself　that　he　still　intended　to　eat　the　melon。　It　happened　that　he　had　already　decided　that　his　only　way　out　was　to　e　to　some　kind　of　an　understanding　with　Arnold　Zeck；　but　if　he　had　been　balky　I　doubt　if　I　would　have　been　able　to　manage　it。　I　was　so　damned　edgy　that　it　was　all　I　could　do　to　sit　still。　It　had　been　a　long　spring　and　summer；　those　five　months；　and　here　was　the　day　that　would　give　us　the　answer。　So　there　are　two　reasons　why　I　don't　report　in　detail　what　Rackham　and　I　said　there　that　afternoon：　first；　I　doubt　if　it　affected　the　oute　any；　one　way　or　another；　and　second；　I　don't　remember　a　word　of　it。　Except　that　I　finally　said　it　was　t