rc.theladyinthelake-第37部分

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　　〃We'll　help　you　to　remember；〃　Degarmo　said。　〃We'll　take　you　up　back　in　the　bills　a　few　miles　where　you　can　be　quiet　and　look　at　the　stars　and　remember。　You'll　remember　all　right。〃　Shorty　said：　〃That　ain't　no　way　to　talk；　lieutenant。　Why　don't　we　just　go　back　to　the　Hall　and　play　this　the　way　it　says　in　the　rule　book？〃
　　〃To　hell　with　the　rule　book；〃　Degarmo　said。　〃I　like　this　guy。　I　want　to　have　one　long　sweet　talk　with　him。　He　just　needs　a　little　coaxing；　Shorty。　He's　just　bashful。〃
　　〃I　don't　want　any　part　of　it；〃　Shorty　said。
　　〃What　do　you　want　to　do；　Shorty？〃
　　〃I　want　to　go　back　to　the　Hall。〃
　　〃Nobody's　stopping　you；　kid。　You　want　to　walk？〃　Shorty　was　silent　for　a　moment。　〃That's　right；〃　he　said　at　last；　quietly。　〃I　want　to　walk。〃　He　opened　the　car　door　and　stepped　out　on　to　the　curbing。　〃And　I　guess　you　know　I　have　to　report　all　this；　lieutenant。〃
　　〃Right；〃　Degarmo　said。　〃Tell　Webber　I　was　asking　for　him。　Next　time　he　buys　a　hamburger；　tell　him　to　turn　down　an　empty　plate　for　me。〃
　　〃That　don't　make　any　sense　to　me；〃　the　small　cop　said。　He　slammed　the　car　door　shut。　Degarmo　let　the　clutch　in　and　gunned　the　motor　and　hit　forty　in　the　first　block　and　a　half。　In　the　third　block　he　hit　fifty。　He　slowed　down　at　the　boulevard　and　turned　east　and　began　to　cruise　along　at　a　legal　speed。　A　few　late　cars　drifted　by　both　ways；　but　for　the　most　part　the　world　lay　in　the　cold　silence　of　early　morning。
　　After　a　little　while　we　passed　the　city　limits　and　Degarmo　spoke。　〃Let's　hear　you　talk；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Maybe　we　can　work　this　out。〃　The　car　topped　a　long　rise　and　dipped　down　to　where　the　boulevard　wound　through　the　parklike　grounds　of　the　veterans'　hospital。　The　tall　triple　electroliers　had　halos　from　the　beach　fog　that　had　drifted　in　during　the　night。　I　began　to　talk。
　　〃Kingsley　came　over　to　my　apartment　tonight　and　said　he　had　heard　from　his　wife　over　the　phone。　She　wanted　some　money　quick。　The　idea　was　I　was　to　take　it　to　her　and　get　her　out　of　whatever　trouble　she　was　in。　My　idea　was　a　little　different。　She　was　told　how　to　identify　me　and　I　was　to　be　at　the　Peacock　Lounge　at　Eighth　and　Arguello　at　fifteen　minutes　past　the　hour。　Any　hour。〃　Degarmo　said　slowly：　〃She　had　to　breeze　and　that　meant　she　had　something　to　breeze　from；　such　as　murder。〃　He　lifted　his　hands　lightly　and　let　them　fall　on　the　wheel　again。
　　〃I　went　down　there；　hours　after　she　had　called。　I　had　been　told　her　hair　was　dyed　brown。　She　passed　me　going　out　of　the　bar；　but　I　didn't　know　her。　I　had　never　seen　her　in　the　flesh。　All　I　had　seen　was　what　looked　like　a　pretty　good　snapshot；　but　could　be　that　and　still　not　a　very　good　likeness。　She　sent　a　Mexican　kid　in　to　call　me　out。　She　wanted　the　money　and　no　conversation。　I　wanted　her　story。　Finally　she　saw　she　would　have　to　talk　a　little　and　told　me　she　was　at　the　Granada。　She　made　me　wait　ten　minutes　before　I　followed　her　over。〃　Degarmo　said：　〃Time　to　fix　up　a　plant。〃
　　〃There　was　a　plant　all　right；　but　I'm　not　sure　she　was　in　on　it。　She　didn't　want　me　to　e　up　there；　didn't　want　to　talk。　Yetishe　ought　to　have　known　I　would　insist　on　some　explanation　before　I　gave　up　the　money；　so　her　reluctance　could　have　been　just　an　act；　to　make　me　feel　that　I　was　controlling　the　situation。　She　could　act　all　right。　I　found　that　out。　Anyhow　I　went　and　we　talked。　Nothing　she　said　made　very　much　sense　until　we　talked　about　Lavery　getting　shot。　Then　she　made　too　much　sense　too　quick。　I　told　her　I　was　going　to　turn　her　over　to　the　police。〃　Westwood　Village；　dark　except　for　one　all　night　service　station　and　a　few　distant　windows　in　apartment　houses；　slid　away　to　the　north　of　us。
　　〃So　she　pulled　a　gun；〃　I　said。　〃I　think　she　meant　to　use　it；　but　she　got　too　close　to　me　and　I　got　a　headlock　on　her。　While　we　were　wrestling　around；　somebody　came　out　from　behind　a　green　curtain　and　slugged　me。　When　I　came　out　of　that　the　murder　was　done。〃　Degarmo　said　slowly：　〃You　get　any　kind　of　a　look　at　who　slugged　you？〃
　　〃No。　I　felt　or　half　saw　he　was　a　man　and　a　big　one。　And　this　lying　on　the　davenport；　mixed　in　with　clothes。〃　I　reached　Kingsley's　yellow　and　green　scarf　out　of　my　pocket　and　draped　it　over　his　knee。　〃I　saw　Kingsley　wearing　this　earlier　this　evening；〃　I　said。
　　Degarmo　looked　down　at　the　scarf。　He　lifted　it　under　the　dashlight。　〃You　wouldn't　forget　that　too　quick；〃　he　said。　〃It　steps　right　up　and　smacks　you　in　the　eye。　Kingsley；　huh？　Well；　I'm　damned。　What　happened　then？〃
　　〃Knocking　on　the　door。　Me　still　woozy　in　the　head；　not　too　bright　and　a　bit　panicked。　I　had　been　flooded　with　gin　and　my　shoes　and　coat　stripped　off　and　maybe　I　looked　and　smelled　a　little　like　somebody　who　would　yank　a　woman's　clothes　off　and　strangle　her。　So　I　got　out　through　the　bathroom　window；　cleaned　myself　up　as　well　as　I　could；　and　the　rest　you　know。〃　Degarmo　said：　〃Why　didn't　you　lie　dormy　in　the　place　you　climbed　into？〃
　　〃What　was　the　use？　I　guess　even　a　Bay　City　cop　would　have　found　the　way　I　had　gone　in　a　little　while。　If　I　had　any　chance　at　all；　it　was　to　walk　before　that　was　discovered。　If　nobody　was　there　who　knew　me；　I　had　a　fair　chance　of　getting　out　of　the　building。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Degarmo　said。　〃But　I　can　see　where　you　didn't　lose　much　trying。　What's　your　idea　of　the　motivation　here？〃
　　〃Why　did　Kingsley　kill　her…if　he　did？　That's　not　hard。　She　had　been　cheating　on　him；　making　him　a　lot　of　trouble；　endangering　his　job　and　now　she　had　killed　a　man。　Also；　she　had　money　and　Kingsley　wanted　to　marry　another　woman。　He　might　have　been　afraid　that　with　money　to　spend　she　would　beat　the　rap　and　be　left　laughing　at　him。　If　she　didn't　beat　the　rap；　and　got　sent　up；　her　money　would　be　just　as　thoroughly　beyond　his　reach。　He'd　have　to　divorce　her　to　get　rid　of　her。　There's　plenty　of　motive　for　murder　in　all　that。　Also　he　saw　a　chance　to　make　me　the　goat。　It　wouldn't　stick；　but　it　would　make　confusion　and　delay。　If　murderers　didn't　think　they　could　get　away　with　their　murders；　very　few　would　be　mitted。〃　Degarmo　said：　〃All　the　same　it　could　be　somebody　else；　somebody　who　isn't　in　the　picture　at　all。　Even　if　he　went　down　there　to　see　her；　it　could　still　be　somebody　else。　Somebody　else　could　have　killed　Lavery　too。〃
　　〃If　you　like　it　that　way。〃　He　turned　his　head。　〃I　don't　like　it　any　way　at　all。　But　if　I　crack　the　case；　I'll　get　by　with　a　reprimand　from　the　police　board。　If　I　don't　crack　it；　I'll　be　thumbing　a　ride　out　of　town。　You　said　I　was　dumb。　Okay；　I'm　dumb。　Where　does　Kingsley　live？　One　thing　I　know　is　how　to　make　people　talk。〃
　　〃965　Carson　Drive；　Beverly　Hills。　About　five　blocks　on　you　turn　north　to　the　foothills。　It's　on　the　left　side；　just　below　Sunset。　I've　never　been　there；　but　I　know　how　the　block　numbers　run。〃　He　handed　me　the　green　and　yellow　scarf。　〃Tuck　that　back　into　your　pocket　until　we　want　to　spring　it　on　him。〃
　　
　　
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　　It　was　a　two…storied　white　house　with　a　dark　roof。　bright　moonlight　lay　against　its　wall　like　a　fresh　coat　of　paint。　There　were　wrought　iron　grilles　against　the　lower　halves　of　the　front　windows　A　level　lawn　swept　up　to　the　front　door；　which　was　set　diagonally　into　the　angle　of　a　jutting　wall。　All　the　visible　windows　were　dark。
　　Degarmo　got　out　of　the　car　and　walked　along　the　parkway　and　looked　back　along　the　drive　to　the　garage。　He　moved　down　the　driveway　and　the　corner　of　the　house　hid　him。　I　heard　the　sound　of　a　garage　door　going　up；　then　the　thud　as　it　was　lowered　again。　He　reappeared　at　the　corner　of　the　house；　shook　his　head　at　me；　and　walked　across　the　grass　to　the　front　door。　He　leaned　his　thumb　on　the　bell　and　juggled　a　cigarette　out　of　his　pocket　with　one　hand　and　put　it　between　his　lips。
　　He　turned　away　from　the　door　to　light　it　and　the　flare　of　the　match　cut　deep　lines　into　his　face。　After　a　while　there　was　light　on　the　fan　over　the　door。　The　peep　hole　in　the　door　swung　back。　I　saw　Degarmo　holding　up　his　shield。　Slowly　and　as　if　unwillingly　the　door　was　opened。　He　went　in。
　　He　was　gone　four　or　five　minutes。　Light　went　on　behind　various　windows；　then　off　again。　Then　he　came　out　of…　the　house　and　while　he　was　walking　back　to　the　car　the　light　went　off　in　the　fan　and　the　whole　house　was　again　as　dark　as　we　had　found　it。
　　He　stood　beside　the　car　smoking　and　looking　off　down　the　curve　of　the　street。
　　〃One　small　car　in　the　garage；〃　he　said。　〃The　cook　says　it's　hers。　No　sign　of　Kingsley。　They　say　they　haven't　seen　him　since　this　morning。　I　looked　in　all　the　rooms。　I　guess　they　told　the　truth。　Webber　and　a　print　man　were　there　late　this　afternoon　and　the　dusting　powder　is　still　all　over　the　main　bedroom。　Webber　would　be　getting　prints　to　check　against　what　we　found　in　Lavery's　house。　He　didn't　tell　me　what　he　got。　Where　would　he　be…Kingsley？〃
　　〃Anywhere；〃　I　said。　〃On　the　road；　in　a　hotel；　in　a　Turkish　bath　getting　the　kinks　out　of　his　nerves。　But　we'll　have　to　try　his　girl　friend　first。　Her　name　is　Fromsett　and　she　lives　at　the　Bryson　Tower　on　Sunset　Place。　That's　away　downtown；　near　Bullock's　Wilshire。〃
　　〃She　does　what？〃　Degarmo　asked；　getting　in　under　the　wheel。
　　〃She　holds　the　fort　in　this　office　and　holds　his　hand　out　of　office　hours。　She's　no　office　cutie；　though。　She　has　brains　and　style。〃
　　〃Th