rc.theladyinthelake-第23部分

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rchief　on　the　bed。〃　She　moved　very　slightly　in　her　chair。　Her　eyes　were　perfectly　empty　now。　Her　face　was　as　cold　as　a　carving。
　　〃And　did　you　expect　me　to　be　able　to　give　you　information　about　that？〃　she　asked　me　bitterly。
　　〃Look；　Miss　Fromsett；　I'd　like　to　be　smooth　and　distant　and　subtle　about　all　this　too。　I'd　like　to　play　this　sort　of　game　just　once　the　way　somebody　like　you　would　like　it　to　be　played。　But　nobody　will　let　me…not　the　clients；　nor　the　cops；　nor　the　people　I　play　against。　However　hard　I　try　to　be　nice　I　always　end　up　with　my　nose　in　the　dirt　and　my　thumb　feeling　for　somebody's　eye。〃　She　nodded　as　if　she　had　only　just　barely　heard　me。　〃When　was　he　shot？〃　she　asked；　and　then　shuddered　slightly　again。；　〃This　morning；　I　suppose。　Not　long　after　he　got　up。　I　said　he　had　just　shaved　and　was　going　to　take　a　shower。〃
　　〃That；〃　she　said；　〃would　probably　have　been　quite　late。　I've　been　here　since　eight…thirty。〃
　　〃I　didn't　think　you　shot　him。〃
　　〃Awfully　kind　of　you；〃　she　said。　〃But　it　is　my　handkerchief；　isn't　it？　Although　not　my　perfume。　But　I　don't　suppose　policemen　are　very　sensitive　to　quality　in　perfume…or　in　anything　else。〃
　　〃No…and　that　goes　for　private　detectives　too；〃　I　said。　〃Are　you　enjoying　this　a　lot？〃
　　〃God；〃　she　said；　and　put　the　back　of　her　hand　hard　against　her　mouth。
　　〃He　was　shot　at　five　or　six　times；〃　I　said。　〃And　missed　all　but　twice。　He　was　cornered　in　the　shower　stall。　It　was　a　pretty　grim　scene；　I　should　think。　There　was　a　lot　of　hate　on　one　side　of　it。　Or　a　pretty　cold…blooded　mind。〃
　　〃He　was　quite　easy　to　hate；〃　she　said　emptily。　〃And　poisonously　easy　to　love。　Women…even　decent　women…make　such　ghastly　mistakes　about　men。〃
　　〃All　you're　telling　me　is　that　you　once　thought　you　loved　him；　but　not　any　more；　and　that　you　didn't　shoot　him。〃
　　〃Yes。〃　Her　voice　was　light　and　dry　now；　like　the　perfume　she　didn't　like　to　wear　at　the　office。　〃I'm　sure　you'll　respect　the　confidence。〃　She　laughed　shortly　and　bitterly。　〃Dead；〃　she　said。　〃The　poor；　egotistical；　cheap；　nasty；　handsome；　treacherous　guy。　Dead　and　cold　and　done　with。　No；　Mr。　Marlowe；　I　didn't　shoot　him。〃　I　waited；　letting　her　work　it　out　of　her。　After　a　moment　she　said　quietly：　〃Does　Mr。　Kingsley　know？〃　I　nodded。
　　〃And　the　police；　of　course。〃
　　〃Not　yet。　At　least　not　from　me。　I　found　him。　The　house　door　wasn't　quite　shut。　I　went　in。　I　found　him。〃　She　picked　the　pencil　up　and　poked　at　the　'handkerchief　again。　〃Does　Mr。　Kingsley　know　about　this　scented　rag？〃
　　〃Nobody　knows　about　that；　except　you　and　I；　and　whoever　put　it　there。〃
　　〃Nice　of　you；〃　she　said　dryly。　〃And　nice　of　you　to　think　what　you　thought。〃
　　〃You　have　a　certain　quality　of　aloofness　and　dignity　that　I　like；〃　I　said。　〃But　don't　run　it　into　the　ground。　What　would　you　expect　me　to　think？　Do　I　pull　the　hankie　out　from　under　the　pillow　and　sniff　it　and　hold　it　out　and　say；　'Well；　well；　Miss　Adrienne　Fromsett's　initials　and　all。　Miss　Fromsett　must　have　known　Lavery；　perhaps　very　intimately。　Let's　say；　just　for　the　book；　as　intimately　as　my　nasty　little　mind　can　conceive。　And　that　would　be　pretty　damn　intimately。　But　this　is　cheap　synthetic　sandalwood　and　Miss　Fromsett　wouldn't　use　cheap　scent。　And　this　was　under　Lavery's　pillow　and　Miss　Fromsett　just　never　keeps　her　hankies　under　a　man's　pillow。　Therefore　this　has　absolutely　nothing　to　do　with　Miss　Fromsett。　It's　just　an　optical　delusion。'〃
　　〃Oh　shut　up；〃　she　said。
　　I　grinned。
　　〃What　kind　of　girl　do　you　think　I　am？〃　she　snapped。
　　〃I　came　in　too　late　to　tell　you。〃　She　flushed；　but　delicately　and　all　over　her　face　this　time。　Then；　〃Have　you　any　idea　who　did　it？〃
　　〃Ideas；　but　that's　all　they　are。　I'm　afraid　the　police　are　going　to　find　it　simple。　Some　of　Mrs。　Kingsley's　clothes　are　hanging　in　Lavery's　closet。　And　when　they　know　the　whole　story…including　what　happened　at　Little　Fawn　Lake　yesterday…I'm　afraid　they'll　just　reach　for　the　handcuffs。　They　have　to　find　her　first。　But　that　won't　be　so　hard　for　them。〃
　　〃Crystal　Kingsley；〃　she　said　emptily。　〃So　he　couldn't　be　spared　even　that。〃　I　said：　〃It　doesn't　have　to　be。　It　could　be　an　entirely　different　motivation；　something　we　know　nothing　about。　It　could　have　been　somebody　like　Dr。　Almore。〃　She　looked　up　quickly；　then　shook　her　head。　〃It　could　be；〃　I　insisted。　'…'We　don't　know　anything　against　it。　He　was　pretty　nervous　yesterday　for　a　man　who　has　nothing　to　be　afraid　of。　But；　of　course；　it　isn't　only　the　guilty　who　are　afraid。〃　I　stood　up　and　tapped　on　the　edge　of　the　desk　looking　down　at　her。　She　had　a　lovely　neck。　She　pointed　to　the　handkerchief。
　　〃What　about　that？〃　she　asked　dully。
　　〃If　it　was　mine；　I'd　wash　that　cheap　scent　out　of　it。〃
　　〃It　has　to　mean　something；　doesn't　it？　It　might　mean　a　lot。〃　I　laughed。　〃I　don't　think　it　means　anything　at　all。　Women　are　always　leaving　their　handkerchiefs　around。　A　fellow　like　Lavery　would　collect　them　and　keep　them　in　a　drawer　with　a　sandalwood　sachet。　Somebody　would　find　the　stock　and　take　one　out　to　use。　Or　he　would　lend　them；　enjoying　the　reactions　to　the　other　girls'　initials。　I'd　say　he　was　that　kind　of　a　heel。　Goodby；　Miss　Fromsett；　and　thanks　for　talking　to　me。〃　I　started　to　go；　then　I　stopped　and　asked　her：　〃Did　you　hear　the　name　of　the　reporter　down　there　who　gave　Brownwell　all　his　information？〃　She　shook　her　head。
　　〃Or　the　name　of　Mrs。　Almore's　parents？〃
　　〃Not　that　either。　But　I　could　probably　find　that　out　for　you。　I'd　be　glad　to　try。〃
　　〃How？〃
　　〃Those　things　are　usually　printed　in　death　notices；　aren't　they？　There　is　pretty　sure　to　have　been　a　death　notice　in　the　Los　Angeles　papers。〃
　　〃That　would　be　very　nice　of　you；〃　I　said。　I　ran　a　finger　along　the　edge　of　the　desk　and　looked　at　her　sideways。　Pale　ivory　skin；　dark　arid　lovely　eyes；　hair　as　light　as　hair　can　be　and　as　dark　as　night　can　be。
　　I　walked　back　down　the　room　and　out。　The　little　blonde　at　the　PBX　looked　at　me　expectantly；　her　small'　red　lips　parted；　waiting　for　more　fun。
　　I　didn't　have　any　more。　I　went　on　out。
　　
　　
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　　No　police　cars　stood　in　front　of　Lavery's　house；　nobody　hung　around　on　the　sidewalk　and　when　I　pushed　the　front　door　open　there　was　no　smell　of　cigar　or　cigarette　smoke　inside。　The　sun　had　gone　away　from　the　windows　and　a　fly　buzzed　softly　over　one　of　the　liquor　glasses。　I　went　down　to　the　end　and　hung　over　the　railing　that　led　downstairs。　Nothing　moved　in　Mr。　Lavery's　house。　Nothing　made　sound　except　very　faintly　down　below　in　the　bathroom　the　quiet　trickle　of　water　dripping　on　a　dead　man's　shoulder。
　　I　went　to　the　telephone　and　looked　up　the　number　of　the　police　department　in　the　directory。　I　dialed　and　while　I　was　waiting　for　an　answer；　I　took　the　little　automatic　out　of　my　pocket　and　laid　it　on　the　table　beside　the　telephone。
　　When　the　male　voice　said：　〃Bay　City　Police…Smoot　talking；〃　I　said：　〃There's　been　a　shooting　at　623　Altair　Street。　Man　named　Lavery　lives　there。　He's　dead。〃
　　〃Six…two…three　Altair。　Who　are　you？〃
　　〃The　name　is　Marlowe。〃
　　〃You　right　there　in　the　house？〃
　　〃Right。〃
　　〃Don't　touch　anything　at　all。〃　I　hung　up；　sat　down　on　the　davenport　and　waited。
　　Not　very　long。　A　siren　whined　far　off；　growing　louder　with　great　surges　of　sound。　Tires　screamed　at　a　corner；　and　the　siren　wail　died　to　a　metallic　growl；　then　to　silence；　and　the　tires　screamed　again　in　front　of　the　house。　The　Bay　City　police　conserving　rubber。　Steps　hit　the　sidewalk　and　I　went　over　to　the　front　door　and　opened　it。
　　Two　uniformed　cops　barged　into　the　room。　They　were　the　usual　large　size　and　they　had　the　usual　weathered　faces　and　suspicious　eyes。　One　of　them　had　a　carnation　tucked　under　his　cap；　behind　his　right　ear。　The　other　one　was　older；　a　little　gray　and　grim。　They　stood　and　looked　at　me　warily；　then　the　older　one　said　briefly：　〃All　right；　where　is　it？〃
　　〃Downstairs　in　the　bathroom；　behind　the　shower　curtain。〃
　　〃You　stay　here　with　him；　Eddie。〃　He　went　rapidly　along　the　room　and　disappeared。　The　other　one　looked　at　me　steadily　and　said　out　of　the　corner　of　his　mouth：　〃Don't　make　any　false　moves；　buddy。〃　I　sat　down　on　the　davenport　again。　The　cop　ranged　the　room　with　his　eyes。　There　were　sounds　below　stairs；　feet　walking。　The　cop　with　me　suddenly　spotted　the　gun'　lying　on　the　telephone　table。　He　charged　at　it　violently；　like　a　downfield　blocker。
　　〃This　the　death　gun？〃　he　almost　shouted。
　　〃I　should　imagine　so。　It's　been　fired。〃
　　〃Ha！〃　He　leaned　over　the　gun；　baring　his　teeth　at　me；　and　put　his　hand　to　his　holster。　His　finger　tickled　the　flap　off　the　stud　and　he　grasped　the　butt　of　the　black　revolver。
　　〃You　should　what？〃　he　barked。
　　〃I　should　imagine　so。〃
　　〃That's　very　good；〃　he　sneered。　〃That's　very　good　indeed。〃
　　〃It's　not　that　good；〃　I　said。
　　He　reeled　back　a　little。　His　eyes　were　being　careful　of　me。　〃What　you　shoot　him　for？〃　he　growled。
　　〃I've　wondered　and　wondered。〃
　　〃Oh；　a　wisenheimer。〃
　　〃Let's　just　sit　down　and　wait　for　the　homicide　boys；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　reserving　my　defense。〃
　　〃Don't　give　me　none　of　that；〃　he　said。
　　〃I'm　not　giving　you　any　of　anything。　If　I　had　shot　him；　I　wouldn't　be　here。　I　wouldn't　have　called　up。　You　wouldn't　have　found　the　gun。　Don't　wo