rc.theladyinthelake-第33部分

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　before　the　barman　threw　him　out。　I　bought　a　paper　and　looked　through　it　to　see　if　there　were　any　interesting　murders。　There　were　not。
　　I　folded　it　and　looked　up　as　a　slim；　brown…haired　girl　in　coal　black　slacks　and　a　yellow　shirt　and　a　long　gray　coat　came　out　of　somewhere　and　passed　the　booth　without　looking　at　me。　I　tried　to　make　up　my　mind　whether　her　face　was　familiar　or　just　such　a　standard　type　of　lean；　rather　hard；　prettiness　that　I　must　have　seen　it　ten　thousand　times。　She　went　out　of　the　street　door　around　the　screen。　Two　minutes　later　the　little　Mexican　boy　came　back　in；　shot　a　quick　look　at　the　barman；　and　scuttled　over　to　stand　in　front　of　me。
　　〃Mister；〃　he　said；　his　great　big　eyes　shining　with　mischief。　Then　he　made　a　beckoning　sign　and　scuttled　out　again。
　　I　finished　my　drink　and　went　after　him。　The　girl　in　the　gray　coat　and　yellow　shirt　and　black　slacks　was　standing　in　front　of　the　gift　shop；　looking　in　at　the　window。　Her　eyes　moved　as　I　went　out。　I　went　and　stood　beside　her。
　　She　looked　at　me　again。　Her　face　was　white　and　tired。　Her　hair　looked　darker　than　dark　brown。　She　looked　away　and　spoke　to　the　window。
　　〃Give　me　the　money；　please。〃　A　little　mist　formed　on　the　plate　glass　from　her　breath。
　　I　said：　〃I'd　have　to　know　who　you　are。〃
　　〃You　know　who　I　am；〃　she　said　softly。　〃How　much　did　you　bring？〃
　　〃Five　hundred。〃
　　〃It's　not　enough；〃　she　said。　〃Not　nearly　enough。　Give　it　to　me　quickly。　I've　been　waiting　half　of　eternity　for　somebody　to　get　here。〃
　　〃Where　can　we　talk？〃
　　〃We　don't　have　to　talk。　Just　give　me　the　money　and　go　the　other　way。〃
　　〃It's　not　that　simple。　I'm　doing　this　at　quite　a　risk。　I'm　at　least　going　to　have　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　what　goes　on　where　I　stand。〃
　　〃Damn　you；〃　she　said　acidly；　〃why　couldn't　he　e　himself？　I　don't　want　to　talk。　I　want　to　get　away　as　soon　as　lean。〃
　　〃You　didn't　want　him　to　e　himself。　He　understood　that　you　didn't　even　want　to　talk　to　him　on　the　phone。〃
　　〃That's　right；〃　she　said　quickly　and　tossed　her　head。　〃But　you've　got　to　talk　to　me；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　not　as　easy　as　he　is。　Either　to　me　or　to　the　law。　There's　no　way　out　of　it。　I'm　a　private　detective　and　I　have　to　have　some　protection　too。〃
　　〃Well；　isn't　he　charming；〃　she　said。　〃Private　detective　and　all。〃　Her　voice　held　a　low　sneer。
　　〃He　did　the　best　he　knew　how。　It　wasn't　easy　for　him　to　know　what　to　do。〃
　　〃What　do　you　want　to　talk　about？〃
　　〃You；　and　what　you've　been　doing　and　where　you've　been　and　what　you　expect　to　do。　Things　like　that。　Little　things；　but　important。〃　She　breathed　on　the　glass　of　the　shop　window　and　waited　while　the　mist　of　her　breath　disappeared。
　　〃I　think　it　would　be　much　better；〃　she　said　in　the　same　cool　empty　voice；　〃for　you　to　give　me　the　money　and　let　me　work　things　out　for　myself。〃
　　〃No。〃　She　gave　me　another　sharp　sideways　glance。　She　shrugged　the　shoulders　of　the　gray　coat　impatiently。
　　〃Very　well；　if　it　has　to　be　that　way。　I'm　at　the　Granada；　two　blocks　north　on　Eighth。　Apartment　618。　Give　me　ten　minutes。　I'd　rather　go　in　alone。〃
　　〃I　have　a　car。〃
　　〃I'd　rather　go　alone。〃　She　turned　quickly　and　walked　away。
　　She　walked　back　to　the　corner　and　crossed　the　boulevard　and　disappeared　along　the　block　under　a　line　of　pepper　trees。　I　went　and　sat　in　the　Chrysler　and　gave　her　her　ten　minutes　before　I　started　it。
　　The　Granada　was　an　ugly　gray　building　on　a　corner。　The　plate　glass　entrance　door　was　level　with　the　street。　I　drove　around　the　corner　and　saw　a　milky　globe　with　_Garage_　painted　on　it。　The　entrance　to　the　garage　was　down　a　ramp　into　the　hard　rubber…smelling　silence　of　parked　cars　in　rows。　A　lanky　Negro　came　out　of　a　glassed…in　office　and　looked　the　Chrysler　over。
　　〃How　much　to　leave　this　here　a　short　time？　I'm　going　upstairs。〃　He　gave　me　a　shady　leer。　〃Kinda　late；　boss。　She　needs　a　good　dustin'　too。　Be　a　dollar。〃
　　〃What　goes　on　here？〃
　　〃Be　a　dollar；〃　he　said　woodenly。
　　I　got　out。　He　gave　me　a　ticket。　I　gave　him　the　dollar。　Without　asking　him　he　said　the　elevator　was　in　back　of　the　office；　by　the　Men's　Room。
　　I　rode　up　to　the　sixth　floor　and　looked　at　numbers　on　doors　and　listened　to　stillness　and　smelled　beach　air　ing　in　at　the　end　of　corridors。　The　place　seemed　decent　enough。　There　would　be　a　few　happy　ladies　in　any　apartment　house。　That　would　explain　the　lanky　Negro's　dollar。　A　great　judge　of　character；　that　boy。
　　I　came　to　the　door　of　Apartment　618　and　stood　outside　it　a　moment　and　then　kicked　softly。
　　
　　
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　　She　still　had　the　gray　coat　on。　She　stood　back　from　the　door　and　I　went　past　her　into　a　square　room　with　twin　wall　beds　and　a　minimum　of　uninteresting　furniture。　A　small　lamp　on　a　window　table　made　a　dim　yellowish　light。　The　window　behind　it　was　open。
　　The　girl　said：　〃Sit　down　and　talk　then。〃　She　closed　the　door　and　went　to　sit　in　a　gloomy　Boston　rocker　across　the　room。　I　sat　down　on　a　thick　davenport。　There　was　a　dull　green　curtain　hanging　across　an　open　door　space；　at　one　end　of　the　davenport。　That　would　lead　to　dressing　room　and　bathroom。　There　was　a　closed　door　at　the　other　end。　That　would　be　the　kitchenette。　That　would　be　all　there　was。
　　The　girl　crossed　her　ankles　and　leaned　her　head　back　against　the　chair　and　looked　at　me　under　long　beaded　lashes。　Her　eyebrows　were　thin　and　arched　and　as　brown　as　her　hair。　It　was　a　quiet；　secret　face。　It　didn't　look　like　the　face　of　a　woman　who　would　waste　a　lot　of　motion。
　　〃I　got　a　rather　different　idea　of　you；〃　I　said；　〃from　Kingsley。〃　Her　lips　twisted　a　little。　She　said　nothing。
　　〃From　Lavery　too；〃　I　said。　〃It　just　goes　to　show　that　we　talk　different　languages　to　different　people。〃
　　〃I　haven't　time　for　this　sort　of　talk；〃　she　said。　〃What　is　it　you　have　to　know？〃
　　〃He　hired　me　to　find　you。　I've　been　working　on　it。　I　supposed　you　would　know　that。〃
　　〃Yes。　His　office　sweetie　told　me　that　over　the　phone。　She　told　me　you　would　be　a　man　named　Marlowe。　She　told　me　about　the　scarf。〃　I　took　the　scarf　off　my　neck　and　folded　it　up　and　slipped　it　into　a　pocket。　I　said：　〃So　I　know　a　little　about　your　movements。　Not　very　much。　I　know　you　left　your　car　at　the　Prescott　Hotel　in　San　Bernardino　and　that　you　met　Lavery　there。　I　know　you　sent　a　wire　from　El　Paso。　What　did　you　do　then？〃
　　〃All　I　want　from　you　is　the　money　he　sent。　I　don't　see　that　my　movements　are　any　of　your　business。〃
　　〃I　don't　have　to　argue　about　that；〃　I　said。　〃It's　a　question　of　whether　you　want　the　money。〃
　　〃Well；　we　went　to　El　Paso；〃　she　said；　in　a　tired　voice。　〃I　thought　of　marrying　him　then。　So　I　sent　that　wire。　You　saw　the　wire？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Well；　I　changed　my　mind。　I　asked　him　to　go　home　and　leave　me。　He　made　a　scene。〃
　　〃Did　he　go　home　and　leave　you？〃
　　〃Yes。　Why　not？〃
　　〃What　did　you　do　then？〃
　　〃I　went　to　Santa　Barbara　and　stayed　there　a　few　days。　Over　a　week　in　fact。　Then　to　Pasadena。　Same　thing。　Then　to　Hollywood。　Then　I　came　down　here。　That's　all。〃
　　〃You　were　alone　all　this　time？〃　She　hesitated　a　little　and　then　said：　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Not　with　Lavery…any　part　of　it？〃
　　〃Not　after　he　went　home。〃
　　〃What　was　the　idea？〃
　　〃Idea　of　what？〃　Her　voice　was　a　little　sharp。
　　〃Idea　of　going　to　these　places　and　not　sending　any　word。　Didn't　you　know　he　would　be　very　anxious？〃
　　〃Oh；　you　mean　my　husband；〃　she　said　coolly。　〃I　don't　think　I　worried　much　about　him。　He'd　think　I　was　in　Mexico；　wouldn't　he？　As　for　the　idea　of　it　all…well；　I　just　had　to　think　things　out。　My　life　had　got　to　be　a　hopeless　tangle。　I　had　to　be　somewhere　quite　alone　and　try　to　straighten　myself　out。〃
　　〃Before　that；〃　I　said；　〃you　spent　a　month　at　Little　Fawn　Lake　trying　to　straighten　it　out　and　not　getting　anywhere。　Is　that　it？〃　She　looked　down　at　her　shoes　and　then　up　at　me　and　nodded　earnestly。　The　wavy　brown　hair　surged　forward　along　her　cheeks。　She　put　her　left　hand　up　and　pushed　it　back　and　then　rubbed　her　temple　with　one　finger。
　　〃I　seemed　to　need　a　new　place；〃　she　said。　〃Not　necessarily　an　interesting　place。　Just　a　strange　place。　Without　associations。　A　place　where　I　would　be　very　much　alone。　Like　a　hotel。〃
　　〃How　are　you　getting　on　with　it？〃
　　〃Not　very　well。　But　I'm　not　going　back　to　Derace　Kingsley。　Does　he　want　me　to？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　But　why　did　you　e　down　here；　to　the　town　where　Lavery　was？〃　She　bit　a　knuckle　and　looked　at　me　over　her　hand。
　　〃I　wanted　to　see　him　again。　He's　all　mixed　up　in　my　mind。　I'm　not　in　love　with　him；　and　yet…well；　I　suppose　in　a　way　I　am。　But　I　don't　think　I　want　to　marry　him。　Does　that　make　sense？〃
　　〃That　part　of　it　makes　sense。　But　staying　away　from　home　in　a　lot　of　crummy　hotels　doesn't。　You've　lived　your　own　life　for　years；　as　I　understand　it。〃
　　〃I　had　to　be　alone；　to…to　think　things　out；〃　she　said　a　little　desperately　and　bit　the　knuckle　again；　hard。　〃Won't　you　please　give　me　the　money　and　go　away？〃
　　〃Sure。　Right　away。　But　wasn't　there　any　other　reason　for　your　going　away　from　Little　Fawn　Lake　just　then？　Anything　connected　with　Muriel　Chess；　for　instance？〃　She　looked　surprised。　But　anyone　can　look　surprised。　〃Good　heavens；　what　would　there　be？　That　frozen…faced　little　drip…what　is　she　to　me？〃
　　〃I　thought　you　might　have　had　a　fight　with　h