rc.theladyinthelake-第24部分

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　　〃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　work　so　hard　on　the　case。　You　won't　be　on　it　more　than　ten　minutes。〃　His　eyes　looked　hurt。　He　took　'his　cap　off　and　the　carnation　dropped　to　the　floor。　He　bent　and　picked　it　up　and　twirled　it　between　his　fingers；　then　dropped　it　behind　the　fire　screen。
　　〃Better　not　do　that；〃　I　told　him。　〃They　might　think　it's　a　clue　and　waste　a　lot　of　time　on　it。〃
　　〃Aw　hell。〃　He　bent　over　the　screen　and　retrieved　the　carnation　and　put　it　in　his　pocket。　〃You　know　all　the　answers；　don't　you；　buddy？〃　The　other　cop　came　back　up　the　stairs；　looking　grave。　He　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　and　looked　at　his　wrist　watch　and　made　a　note　in　a　notebook　and　then　looked　out　of　the　front　windows；　holding　the　venetian　blinds　to　one　side　to　do　it。
　　The　one　who　had　stayed　with　me　said：　〃Can　I　look　now？〃
　　〃Let　it　lie；　Eddie。　Nothing　in　it　for　us。　You　call　the　coroner？〃
　　〃I　thought　homicide　would　do　that。〃
　　〃Yeah；　that's　right。　Captain　Webber　will　be　on　it　and　he　likes　to　do　everything　himself。〃　He　looked　at　me　and　said：　〃You're　a　man　named　Marlowe？〃　I　said　I　was　a　man　named　Marlowe。
　　〃He's　a　wise　guy；　knows　all　the　answers；〃　Eddie　said。
　　The　older　one　looked　at　me　absently；　looked　at　Eddie　absently；　spotted　the　gun　lying　on　the　telephone　table　and　looked　at　that　not　at　all　absently。
　　〃Yeah；　that's　the　death　gun；〃　Eddie　said。　〃I　ain't　touched　it。〃　The　other　nodded。　〃The　boys　are　not　so　fast　today。　What's　your　line；　mister？　Friend　of　his？〃　He　made　athumb　towards　the　floor。
　　〃Saw　him　yesterday　for　the　first　time。　I'm　a　private　operative　from　L。A。〃
　　〃Oh。〃　He　looked　at　me　very　sharply。　The　other　cop　looked　at　me　with　deep　suspicion。
　　〃Cripes；　that　means　everything　will　be　all　balled　up；〃　he　said。
　　That　was　the　first　sensible　remark　he　had　made。　I　grinned　at　him　affectionately。
　　The　older　cop　looked　out　of　the　front　window　again。　〃That's　the　Almore　place　across　the　street；　Eddie；〃　he　said。
　　Eddie　went　and　looked　with　him。　〃Sure　is；〃　he　said。　〃You　can　read　the　plate。　Say；　this　guy　downstairs　might　be　the　guy〃
　　〃Shut　up；〃　the　other　one　said　and　dropped　the　venetian　blind。　They　both　turned　around　and　stared　at　me　woodenly。
　　A　car　came　down　the　block　and　stopped　and　a　door　slammed　and　more　steps　came　down　the　walk。　The　older　of　the　prowl　car　boys　opened　the　door　to　two　men　in　plain　clothes；　one　of　whom　I　already　knew。
　　
　　
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　　The　one　who　came　first　was　a　small　man　for　a　cop；　middle…aged；　thin…faced；　with　a　permanently　tired　expression。　His　nose　was　sharp　and　bent　a　little　to　one　side；　as　if　somebody　had　given　it　the　elbow　one　time　when　it　was　into　something。　His　blue　pork　pie　hat　was　set　very　square　on　his　head　and　chalk…white　hair　showed　under　it。　He　wore　a　dull　brown　suit　and　his　hands　were　in　the　side　pockets　of　the　jacket；　with　the　thumbs　outside　the　seam。
　　The　man　behind　him　was　Degarmo；　the　big　cop　with　the　dusty　blond　hair　and　the　metallic　blue　eyes　and　the　savage；　lined　face　who　had　not　liked　my　being　in　front　of　Dr。　Almore's　house。
　　The　two　uniformed　men　looked　at　the　small　man　and　touched　their　caps。
　　〃The　body's　in　the　basement；　Captain　Webber。　Been　shot　twice　after　a　couple　of　misses；　looks　like。　Dead　quite　some　time。　This　party's　name　is　Marlowe。　He's　a'　private　eye　from　Los　Angeles。　I　didn't　question　him　beyond　that。〃
　　〃Quite　right；〃　Webber　said　sharply。　He　had　a　suspicious　voice。　He　passed　a　suspicious　eye　over　my　face　and　nodded　briefly。　〃I'm　Captain　Webber；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　Lieutenant　Degarmo。　We'll　look　at　the　body　first。〃　He　went　along　the　room。　Degarmo　looked　at　me　as　if　he　had　never　seen　me　before　and　followed　him。　They　went　downstairs；　the　older　of　the　two　prowl　car　men　with　them。　The　cop　called　Eddie　and　I　stared　each　other　down　for　a　while。
　　I　said：　〃This　is　right　across　the　street　from　Dr。　Almore's　place；　isn't　it？〃　All　the　expression　went　out　of　his　face。　There　hadn't　been　much　to　go。　〃Yeah。　So　what？〃
　　〃So　nothing；〃　I　said。
　　He　was　silent。　The　voices　came　up　from　below；　blurred　and　indistinct。　The　cop　cocked　his　ear　and　said　in　a　more　friendly　tone：　〃You　remember　that　one？〃
　　〃A　little。〃　He　laughed。　〃They　killed　that　one　pretty；〃　he　said。　〃They　wrapped　it　up　and　hid　it　in　back　of　the　shelf。　The　top　shelf　in　the　bathroom　closet。　The　one　you　can't　reach　without　standing　on　a　chair。〃
　　〃So　they　did；〃　I　said。　〃I　wonder　why。〃　The　cop　looked　at　me　sternly。　〃There　was　good　reasons；　pal。　Don't　think　there　wasn't。　You　know　this　Lavery　well？〃
　　〃Not　well。〃
　　〃On　to　him　for　something？〃
　　〃Working　on　him　a　little；〃　I　said。　〃You　knew　him？〃　The　cop　called　Eddie　shook　his　head。　〃Nope。　I　just　remembered　it　was　a　guy　from　this　house　found　Almore's　wife　in　the　garage　that　night。〃
　　〃Lavery　may　not　have　been　here　then；〃　I　said。
　　〃How　long's　he　been　here？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。
　　〃Would　be　about　a　year　and　a　half；〃　the　cop　said；　musingly。　〃The　L。A。　papers　give　it　any　play？〃
　　〃Paragraph　on　the　Home　Counties　page；〃　I　said；　just　to　be　moving　my　mouth。
　　He　scratched　his　ear　and　listened。　Steps　were　ing　back　up　the　stairs。　The　cop's　face　went　blank　and　he　moved　away　from　me　and　straightened　up。
　　Captain　Webber　hurried　over　to　the　telephone　and　dialed　the　number　and　spoke；　then　held　the　phone　away　from　his　ear　and　looked　back　over　his　shoulder。
　　〃Who's　deputy　coroner　this　week；　Al？〃
　　〃Ed　Garland；〃　the　big　lieutenant　said　woodenly。
　　〃Call　Ed　Garland；〃　Webber　said　into　the　phone。　〃Have　him　e　over　right　away。　And　tell　the　flash　squad　to　step　on　it。〃　He　put　the　phone　down　and　barked　sharply：　〃Who　handled　this　gun？〃　I　said：　〃I　did。〃　He　came　over　and　teetered　on　his　heels　in　front　of　me　and　pushed　his　small　sharp　chin　up　at　me。　He　held　the　gun　delicately　on　a　handkerchief　in　his　hand。
　　〃Don't　you　know　enough　not　to　handle　a　weapon　found　at　the　scene　of　a　crime？〃
　　〃Certainly；〃　I　said。　〃But　when　I　handled　it　I　didn't　know　there　had　been　a　crime。　I　didn't　know　the　gun　had　been　fired。　It　was　lying　on　the　stairs　and　I　thought　it　had　been　dropped。〃
　　〃A　likely　story；〃　Webber　said　bitterly。　〃You　get　a　lot　of　that　sort　of　thing　in　your　business？〃
　　〃A　lot　of　what　sort　of　thing？〃　He　kept　his　hard　stare　on　me　and　didn't　answer。
　　I　said：　〃How　would　it　be　for　me　to　tell　you　my　story　as　it　happened？〃　He　bridled　at　me　like　a　cockerel。　〃Suppose　you　answer　my　questions　exactly　as　I　choose　to　put　them。〃　I　didn't　say　anything　to　that。　Webber　swivelled　sharply　and　said　to　the　two　uniformed　men：　〃You　boys　can　get　back　to　your　car　and　check　in　with　the　dispatcher。〃　They　saluted　and　went　out；　closing　the　door　softly　until；　it　stuck；　then　getting　as　mad　at　it　as　anybody　else。　Webber　listened　until　their　car　went　away。　Then　he　put　the　bleak　and　callous　eye　on　me　once　more。
　　〃Let　me　see　your　identification。〃　I　handed　him　my　wallet　and　he　rooted　in　it。　Degarmo　sat　in　a　chair　and　crossed　his　legs　and　stared　up　blankly　at　the　ceiling。　He　got　a　match　out　of　his　pockt　and　chewed　the　end　of　it。　Webber　gave　me　back　my　wallet。　I　put　it　away。
　　〃People　in　your　line　make　a　lot　of　trouble；〃　he　said。
　　〃Not　necessarily；〃　I　said。
　　He　raised　his　voice。　It　had　been　sharp　enough　before。　〃I　said　they　made　a　lot　of　trouble；　and　a　lot　of　trouble　is　what　I　meant。　But　get　this　straight。　You're　not　going　to　make　any　in　Bay　City。〃　I　didn't　answer　him。　He　jabbed　a　forefinger　at　me。
　　〃You're　from　the　big　town；〃　he　said。　〃You　think　you're　tough　and　you　think　you're　wise。　Don't　worry。　We　can　handle　you。　We're　a　small　place；　but　we're　very　pact。　We　don't　have　any　political　tug…of…war　down　here。　We　work　on　the　straight　line　and　we　work　fast。　Don't　worry　about　us；　mister。〃
　　〃I'm　not　worrying；〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　have　anything　to　worry　about。　I'm　just　trying　to　make　a　nice　clean　dollar。〃
　　〃And　don't　give　me　any　of　the　ifip　talk；〃　Webber　said。　〃I　don't　like　it。〃　Degarmo　brought　his　eyes　down　from　the　ceiling　and　curled　a　forefinger　to　stare　at　the　nail。　He　spoke　in　a　heavy　bored　voice。
　　〃Look；　chief；　the　fellow　downstairs　is　called　Lavery。　He's　dead。　I　knew　him　a　little。　He　was　a　chaser。〃
　　〃What　of　it？〃　Webber　snapped；　not　looking　away　from　me。
　　〃The　whole　set…up　indicates　a　dame；〃　Degarmo　said。　〃You　know　what　these　private　eyes　work　at。　Divorce　stuff。　Suppose　we'd　let　him　tie　into　it；　instead　of　just　trying　to　scare　him　dumb。〃
　　〃If　I'm　scaring　him；〃　Webber　said；　〃I'd　like　to　know　it。　I　don't　see　any　signs　of　it。〃　He　walked　over　to　the　front　window　and　yanked　the　venetian　blind　up。　Light　poured　into　the　room　almost　dazzlingly；　after　the　long　dimness。　He　came　back　bouncing　on　his　heels　and　poked　a　thin　hard　finger　at　me　and　said：　〃Talk。〃　I　said；　〃I'm　working　for　a　Los　Angeles　business　man　who　can't　take　a　lot　of　loud　publicity。　That's　why　he　hired　me。　A　month　ago　his　wife　ran　off　and　later　a　telegram　came　which　indicated　she　had　gone　with　Lavery。　But　my　client　met　Lavery　in　town　a　couple　of　days　ago　and　he　denied　it。　The　client　believed　him　enough　to　get　worried。　It　seems　the　lady　is　pretty　reckless。　She　might　have　taken　up　w