rs.inthebestfamelies-第46章

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along　the　line　again。　〃I　think　I　have。　Now　if　you'll　tell　me　what　you　want…you；　Mrs。　Frey；　it　was　you　who　phoned　me。〃
　　Annabel　looked　at　the　DA。　〃Shouldn't　you；　Mr。　Archer？〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃No；　you　tell　him。〃
　　She　concentrated；　at　Wolfe。　〃Well；　as　I　said；　there　are　two　problems。　One　is　that　it　seems　to　be　supposed　that　Barry　Rackham　killed　his　wife；　but　it　hasn't　been　proven；　and　now　that　he　is　dead　how　can　it　be　proven　so　that　everyone　will　know　it　and　the　rest　of　us　will　be　entirely　free　of　any　suspicion？　Mr。　Archer　says　there　is　no　official　suspicion　of　us；　but　that　isn't　enough。〃
　　〃It　is　gratifying；　though；〃　Wolfe　murmured。
　　〃Yes；　but　it　isn't　gratifying　to　have　some　of　the　people　who　say　they　are　your　friends　looking　at　you　as　they　do。〃　Annabel　was　earnest　about　it。　〃Then　the　second　problem　is　this。　The　law　will　not　allow　a　man　who　mits　a　murder　to　profit　by　it。　If　Barry　Rackham　killed　his　wife　he　can't　inherit　property　from　her；　no　matter　what　her　will　said。　But　it　has　to　be　legally　proven　that　he　killed　her；　and　unless　that　is　done　her　will　stands；　and　what　she　left　to　him　will　go　to　his　heirs。〃
　　She　made　a　gesture。　〃It　isn't　that　we　want　it…the　rest　of　us。　It　can　go　to　the　state　or　to　charity…we　don't　care。　But　we　think　it's　wrong　and　a　shame　for　it　to　go　to　his　people；　whoever　will　inherit　from　him。　It's　not　only　immoral；　it's　illegal。　It　can't　be　stopped　by　convicting　him　of　murder；　because　he's　dead　and　can't　be　tried。　My　lawyer　and　Mr。　Archer　both　say　we　can　bring　action　and　get　it　before　a　court；　but　then　we'll　have　to　have　evidence　that　he　killed　her；　and　Mr。　Archer　says　he　hasn't　been　able　to　get　it　from　you；　and　he　hasn't　got　it。　But　surely　you　can　get　it；　or　anyhow　you　can　try。
　　You　see；　that　would　solve　both　problems；　to　have　a　court　rule　that　his　heirs　can't　inherit　because　he　murdered　her。〃
　　〃You　have　stated　it　admirably；〃　Archer　declared。
　　〃We　don't　want　any　of　it；〃　Lina　blurted。
　　〃My　interest；〃　Pierce　put　in；　〃is　only　to　have　the　truth　fully　and　universally　known　and　acknowledged。〃
　　〃That；〃　Wolfe　said；　〃will　take　more　than　me。　I　am　by　no　means　up　to　that。　And　not　only　my　capacities；　but　the　circumstances　themselves；　restrict　me　to　a　much　more　modest　ambition。　I　can　get　you　one　of　the　things　you　want；　removal　of　all　suspicion　from　the　innocent；　but　the　other；　having　Mrs。　Rackham's　bequest　to　her　husband　set　aside；　is　beyond　me。〃
　　They　all　frowned　at　him；　in　their　various　fashions。　Hammond；　the　banker；　protested；　〃That　doesn't　seem　to　make　sense。　What　acplishes　one　acplishes　the　other。　If　you　prove　that　Rackham　killed　his　wife…〃
　　〃But　I　can't　prove　that。〃　Wolfe　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　sorry；　but　it　can't　be　done。　It　is　true　that　Rackham　deserved　to　die；　and　as　a　murderer。　He　killed　a　woman　here　in　New　York　three　years　ago；　a　woman　named　Delia　Montrose…one　of　Mr。　Cramer's　unsolved　cases；　Rackham　ran　his　car　over　her。　That　was　how　Zeck　originally　got　a　noose　on　Rackham；　by　threatening　to　expose　him　for　the　murder　he　did　mit。　As　you　know；　Mr。　Archer；　I　penetrated　some　distance…not　very　far；　but　far　enough…into　Zeck's　confidence；　and　I　learned　a　good　deal　about　his　methods。　I　doubt　if　he　ever　had　conclusive　evidence　that　Rackham　bad　killed　Delia　Montrose；　but　Rackham；　conscious　of　his　guilt；　hadn't　the　spine　to　demand　a　showdown。　Murderers　seldom　have。　Then　Rackharo　got　a　spine；　suddenly　and　fortuitously；　by　being　a　millionaire；　he　thought　then　he　could　fight　it；　he　defied　Zeck；　and　Zeck；　taking　his　time；　retorted　by　threatening　to　expose　Rackham　for　the　murder　of　his　wife。　The　threat　was　dangerous　and　effective　even　without　authentic　evidence　to　support　it；　there　could　of　course　be　no　authentic　evidence　that　Rackham　killed　his　wife；　because　he　didn't。〃
　　They　all　froze；　still　wearing　the　frowns。　Knowing　Wolfe　as　I　did；　I　had　suspected　that　was　ing；　so　I　was　taking　them　all　in　to　get　the　impact；　but　there　wasn't　much　to　choose。　After　the　first　shock　they　all　began　to　make　noises；　then　words　came；　and　then；　as　the　full　beauty　of　it　hit　them；　the　words　petered　out。
　　〃All　but　Archer's。　You　have　signed　a　statement；〃　he　told　Wolfe；　〃to　the　effect　that　Zeck　told　Rackham　he　could　produce　evidence　that　would　convict　him　of　murder；　and　that　Rackham　thereupon　shot　Zeck。　Now　you　say；　in　contradiction…〃
　　〃There　is　no　contradiction；〃　Wolfe　declared。　〃The　fact　of　Rackham's　innocence　would　have　been　no　defense　against　evidence　manufactured　by　Zeck；　and　Rackham　knew　it。　Innocent　as　he　was…of　this　murder；　that　is…he　knew　what　Zeck　was　capable　of。〃
　　〃You　have　said　that　you　think　Rackham　killed　his　wife；　but　that　you　have　no　proof。〃
　　〃I　have　not；〃　Wolfe　snapped。　〃Read　your　transcripts。〃
　　〃I　shall。　And　you　now　say　that　you　think　Rackham　did　not　kill　his　wife？〃
　　〃Not　that　I　think　he　didn't。　I　know　he　didn't；　because　I　know　who　did。〃
　　Wolfe　flipped　a　hand。　〃I've　known　that　from　the　beginning。　That　night　in　April；　when　Mr。　Goodwin　phoned　me　that　Mrs。　Rackham　had　been　murdered；　I　knew　who　had　murdered　her。　But　I　also　knew　that　the　interests　of　Arnold　Zeck　were　involved　and　I　dared　not　move　openly。　So　I…but　you　know　all　about　that。〃　Wolfe　turned　to　me。　〃Archie。　Precautions　may　not　be　required；　but　you　might　as　well　take　them。〃
　　I　opened　a　desk　drawer　and　got　out　the　Grisson　。38。　My　favorite　Colt；　taken　from　me　in　Zeck's　garage　antechamber；　was　gone　forever。　After　a　glance　at　the　cylinder　I　dropped　the　Grisson　in　my　side　pocket　and　as　I　did　so　lifted　my　head　to　the　audience。　As　if　they　had　all　been　on　one　circuit；　the　six　pairs　of　eyes　left　me　and　went　to　Wolfe。
　　〃I　don't　like　this；〃　Archer　said　in　a　tight　voice。　〃I　am　here　officially；　and　I　don't　like　it。　I　want　to　speak　to　you　privately。〃
　　Wolfe　shook　his　head。　〃It's　much　better　this　way；　Mr。　Archer；　believe　me。　We're　not　in　your　county；　and　you're　free　to　leave　if　it　gets　too　much　for　you；　but…〃
　　〃I　don't　want　to　leave。　I　want　a　talk　with　you。　If　you　knew；　that　night；　who　had　killed　Mrs。　Rackham；　I　intend　to…〃
　　〃It　is；〃　Wolfe　said　cuttingly；　〃of　no　importance　what　you　intend。　You　have　had　five　months　to　implement　your　intentions；　and　where　are　you？　I　admit　that　up　to　three　days　ago　I　had　one　big　advantage　over　you；　but　not　since　then…not　since　I　told　you　of　the　package　I　got　with　a　cylinder　of　tear　gas　in　it；　and　of　the　phone　call　from　Mr。　Zeck。　That　brought　you　even　with　me。　It　was　after　noon　on　a　Friday　that　Mrs。　Rackham　left　here　after　hiring　me。　It　was　the　next　morning；　Saturday；　that　I　received　that　package　and　the　phone　call　from　Zeck。　How　had　he　learned　about　it？　Apparently　he　even　knew　the　amount　of　the　check　she　had　given　me。　How？　From　whom？〃
　　I　was　not　really　itching　to　shoot　anybody。　So　I　got　up　and　unobtrusively　moved　around　back　of　them；　to　the　rear　of　the　chair　that　was　occupied　by　Calvin　Leeds。　Wolfe　was　proceeding。
　　〃It　was　not　inconceivable　that　Mrs。　Rackham　had　told　someone　else　about　it；　her　daughter…in…law　or　her　secretary；　or　even　her　husband；　but　it　was　most　unlikely；　in　view　of　her　insistence　on　secrecy。　She　said　she　had　confided　in　no　one　except　her　cousin；　Calvin　Leeds。〃　Wolfe's　head　jerked　right　and　he　snapped；　〃That's　correct；　Mr。　Leeds？〃
　　Being　back　of　Leeds；　I　couldn't　see　his　face；　but　there　was　no　difficulty　about　hearing　him；　since　he　spoke　much　too　loud。
　　〃Certainly；〃　he　said。　〃Up　to　then…before　she　came　to　see　you…certainly。〃
　　〃Good；〃　Wolfe　said　approvingly。　〃You're　already　drawing　up　your　lines　of　defense。　You'll　need　them。〃
　　〃What　you're　doing；〃　Leeds　said；　still　too　loud；　〃if　I　understand　you…you're　intimating　that　I　told　Zeck　about　my　cousin's　ing　here　and　hiring　you。　You're　intimating　that　in　front　of　witnesses。〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　Wolfe　agreed。　〃But　it's　not　vital　to　me；　I　mention　it　chiefly　to　explain　why　I　suspected　you　of　duplicity；　and　of　being　involved　in　some　way　with　Arnold　Zeck　even　before　Mr。　Goodwin　left　here　that　day　to　go　up　there。　It　draws　attention　to　you；　no　doubt　of　that；　but　it　is　not　primary　evidence　that　you　murdered　your　cousin。　The　proof　that　it　was　you　who　killed　her　was　given　to　me　on　the　phone　that　night　by　Mr。　Goodwin。〃
　　There　were　stirrings　and　little　noises。　Leeds　ignored　them。
　　〃So；〃　he　s