rc.theladyinthelake-第43部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


handkerchief。　He　sat　down　again；　and　eased　himself　over　on　his　left　hip；　on　account　of　the　hip　holster　on　the　other　side。　He　looked　thoughtfully　at　Degarmo。　Degarmo　stood　against　the　wall；　hard　and　rigid；　a　stone　man。　His　right　hand　still　hung　down　at　his　side；　with　the　fingers　curled。
　　Patton　said：　〃I　still　ain't　heard　who　killed　Muriel。　Is　that　part　of　the　show　or　is　that　something　that　stifi　has　to　be　worked　out？〃　I　said：　〃Somebody　who　thought　she　needed　killing；　somebody　who　had　loved　her　and　hated　her；　somebody　who　was　too　much　of　a　cop　to　let　her　get　away　with　any　more　murders；　but　not　enough　of　a　cop　to　pull　her　in　and　let　the　whole　story　e　out。　Somebody　like　Degarmo。〃
　　
　　
　　40
　　
　　Degarmo　straightened　away　from　the　wall　and　smiled　bleakly。　His　right　hand　made　a　hard　clean　movement　and　was　holding　a　gun。　He　held　it　with　a　lax　wrist；　so　that　it　pointed　down　at　the　floor　in　front　of　him。　He　spoke　to　me　without　looking　at　me。
　　〃I　don't　think　you　have　a　gun；〃　he　said。　〃Patton　has　a　gun　but　I　don't　think　he　can　get　it　out　fast　enough　to　do　him　any　good。　Maybe　you　have　a　little　evidence　to　go　with　that　last　guess。　Or　wouldn't　that　be　important　enough　for　you　to　bother　with？〃
　　〃A　little　evidence；〃　I　said。　〃Not　very　much。　But　it　will　grow。　Somebody　stood　behind　that　green　curtain　in　the　Granada　for　more　than　half　an　hour　and　stood　as　silently　as　only　a　cop　on　a　stake…out　knows　how　to　stand。　Somebody　who　had　a　blackjack。　Somebody　who　knew　I　had　been　hit　with　one　without　looking　at　the　back　of　my　head。　You　told　Shorty；　remember？　Somebody　who　knew　the　dead　girl　had　been　hit　with　one　too；　although　it　wouldn't　have　showed　and　he　wouldn't　have　been　likely　at　that　time　to　have　handled　the　body　enough　to　find　out。　Somebody　who　stripped　her　and　raked　her　body　with　scratches　in　the　kind　of　sadistic　hate　a　man　like　you　might　feel　for　a　woman　who　had　made　a　small　private　hell　for　him。　Somebody　who　has　blood　and　cuticle　under　his　fingernails　right　now；　plenty　enough　for　a　chemist　to　work　on。　I　bet　you　won't　let　Patton　look　at　the　fingernails　of　your　right　hand；　Degarmo。〃　Degarmo　lifted　the　gun　a　little　and　smiled。　A　wide　white　smile。
　　〃And　just　how　did　I　know　where　to　find　her？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Ahnore　saw　her…ing　out　of；　or　going　into　Layery's　house。　That's　what　made　him　so　nervous；　that's　why　he　called　you　when　he　saw　me　hanging　around。　As　to　how　exactly　you　trailed　her　to　the　apartment；　I　don't　know。　I　don't　see　anything　difficult　about　it。　You　could　have　hid　out　in　Almore's　house　and　followed　her；　or　followed　Lavery。　All　that　would　be　routine　work　for　a　copper。〃　Degarmo　nodded　and　stood　silent　for　a　moment；　thinking。　His　face　was　grim；　but　his　metallic　blue　eyes　held　a　light　that　was　almost　amusement。　The　room　was　hot　and　heavy　with　a　disaster　that　could　no　longer　be　mended。　He　seemed　to　feel　it　less　than　any　of　us。
　　〃I　want　to　get　out　of　here；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Not　very　far　maybe；　but　no　hick　cop　is　going　to　put　the　arm　on　me。　Any　objections？〃　Patton　said　quietly：　〃Can't　be　done；　son。　You　know　I　got　to　take　you。　None　of　this　ain't　proved；　but　I　can't　just　let　you　walk　out。〃
　　〃You　have　a　nice　big　belly；　Patton。　I'm　a　good　shot。　How　do　you　figure　to　take　me？〃
　　〃I　been　trying　to　figure；〃　Patton　said　and　rumpled　his　hair　under　his　pushed　back　hat。　〃I　ain't　got　very　far　with　it。　I　don't　want　no　holes　in　my　belly。　But　I　can't　let　you　make　a　monkey　of　me　in　my　own　territory　either。〃
　　〃Let　him　go；〃　I　said。　〃He　can't　get　out　of　these　mountains。　That's　why　I　brought　him　up　here。〃　Patton　said　soberly：　〃Somebody　might　get　hurt　taking　him。　That　wouldn't　be　right。　If　it's　anybody；　it's　got　to　be　me。〃　Degarmo　grinned。　〃You're　a　nice　boy；　Patton；〃　he　said。　〃Look；　I'll　put　the　gun　back　under　my　arm　and　we'll　start　from　scratch。　I'm　good　enough　for　that　too。〃　He　tucked　the　gun　under　his　arm。　He　stood　with　his　arms　hanging；　his　chin　pushed　forward　a　little；　watching。　Patton　chewed　softly；　with　his　pale　eyes　on　Degarmo's　vivid　eyes。
　　〃Fm　sitting　down；〃　he　plained。　〃I　ain't　as　fast　as　you　anyways。　I　just　don't　like　to　look　yellow。〃　He　looked　at　me　sadly。　〃Why　the　hell　did　you　have　to　bring　this　up　here？　It　ain't　any　part　of　my　troubles。　Now　look　at　the　jam　I'm　in。〃　He　sounded　hurt　and　confused　and　rather　feeble。
　　Degarmo　put　his　head　back　a　little　and　laughed。　While　he　was　still　laughing；　his　right　hand　jumped　for　his　gun　again。
　　I　didn't　see　Patton　move　at　all。　The　room　throbbed　with　the　roar　of　his　frontier　Colt。　…　Degarmo's　arm　shot　straight　out　to　one　side　and　the　heavy　Smith　and　Wesson　was　torn　out　of　his　hand　and　thudded　against　the　knotty　pine　wall　behind　him。　He　shook　his　numbed　right　hand　and　looked　down　at　it　with　wonder　in　his　eyes。
　　Patton　stood　up　slowly。　He　walked　slowly　across　the　room　and　kicked　the　revolver　under　a　chair。　He　looked　at　Degarmo　sadly。　Degarmo　was　sucking　a　little　blood　off　his　knuckes。
　　〃You　give　me　a　break；〃　Patton　said　sadly。　〃You　hadn't　ought　ever　to　give　a　man　like　me　a　break。　I　been　a　shooter　more　years　than　you　been　alive；　son。〃　Degarmo　nodded　to　him　and　straightened　his　back　and　started　for　the　door。
　　〃Don't　do　that；〃　Patton　told　him　calmly。
　　Degarmo　kept　on　going。　He　reached　the　door　and　pushed　on　the　screen。　He　looked　back　at　Patton　and　his　face　was　very　white　now。
　　〃I'm　going　out　of　here；〃　he　said。　〃There's　only　one　way　you　can　stop　me。　So　long；　fatty。〃　Patton　didn't　move　a　muscle。
　　Degarmo　went　out　through　the　door。　His　feet　made　heavy　sounds　on　the　porch　and　then　on　the　steps。　I　went　to　the　front　window　and　looked　out。　Patton　stifi　hadn't　moved。　Degarmo　came　down　off　the　steps　and　started　across　the　top　of　the　little　dam。　。　〃He's　crossing　the　dam；〃　I　said。　〃Has　Andy　got　a　gun？〃
　　〃I　don't　figure　he'd　use　one　if　he　had；〃　Patton　said　calmly。　〃He　don't　know　any　reason　why　he　should。〃
　　〃Well；　I'll　be　damned；〃　I　said。
　　Patton　sighed。　〃He　hadn't　ought　to　have　given　me　a　break　like　that；〃　he　said。　〃Had　me　cold。　I　got　to　give　it　back　to　him。　Kind　of　puny　too。　Won't　do　him　a　lot　of　good。〃
　　〃He's　a　killer；〃　I　said。
　　〃He　ain't　that　kind　of　killer；〃　Patton　said。　〃You　lock　your　car？〃　I　nodded。　〃Andy's　ing　down　to　the　other　end　of　the　dam；〃　I　said。　〃Degarmo　has　stopped　him。　He's　speakingto　him。〃
　　〃He'll　take　Andy's　car　maybe；〃　Patton　said　sadly。
　　〃Weil；　I'll　be　damned；〃　I　said　again。　I　looked　back　at　Kingsley。　He　had　his　head　in　his　hands　and　he　was　staring　at　the　floor。　I　turned　back　to　the　window。　Degarmo　was　out　of　sight　beyond　the　rise。　Andy　was　half　way　across　the　dam；　ing　slowly；　looking　back　over　'his　shoulder　now　and　then。　The　sound　of　a　starting　car　came　distantly。　Andy　looked　up　at　the　cabin；　then　turned　back　and　started　to　run　back　along　the　dam。　…　The　sound　of　the　motor　died　away。　When　it　was　quite　gone；　Patton　said：　〃Well；　I　guess　we　better　go　back　to　the　office　and　do　some　telephoning。〃　Kingsley　got　up　suddenly　and　went　out　to　the　kitchen　and　came　back　with　a　bottle　of　whiskey。　He　poured　himself　a　stiff　drink　and　drank　it　standing。　He　waved　a　hand　at　it　and　walked　heavily　out　of　the　room。　I　heard　bed　springs　creak。
　　Patton　and　I　went　quietly　out　of　the　cabin。
　　
　　
　　41
　　
　　Patton　had　just　finished　putting　his　calls　through　to　block　the　highways　when　a　call　came　through　from　the　sergeant　in　charge　of　the　guard　detail　at　Puma　Lake　dam。　We　went　out　…and　got　into　Patton's　car　and　Andy　drove　very　fast　along　the　lake　road　through　the　village　and　along　the　lake　shore　back　to　the　big　dam　at　the　end。　We　were　waved　across　the　dam　where　the　sergeant　was　waiting　in　a　jeep　beside　the　headquarters　hut。
　　The　sergeant　waved　his　arm　and　started　the　jeep　and　we　followed　him　a　couple　of　hundred　feet　along　the　highway　to　where　a　few　soldiers　stood　on　the　edge　of　the　canyon　looking　down。　Several　cars　had　stopped　there　and　a　cluster　of　people　was　grouped　near　the　soldiers。　The　sergeant　got　out　of　the　jeep　and　Patton　and　Andy　and　I　climbed　out　of　the　official　car　and　went　over　by　the　sergeant。
　　〃Guy　didn't　stop　for　the　sentry；〃　the　sergeant　said；　and　there　was　…bitterness　in　his　voice。　〃Damn　near　knocked　him　off　the　road。　The　sentry　in　the　middle　of　the　bridge　had　to　jump　fast　to　get　missed。　The　one　at　this　end　had　enough。　He　called　the　guy　to　halt。　Guy　kept　going。〃　The　sergeant　chewed　his　gum　and　looked　down　into　the　canyon。
　　〃Orders　are　to　shoot　in　a　case　like　that；〃　he　said。　〃The　sentry　shot。〃　He　pointed　down　to　the　grooves　in　the　shoulder　at　the　edge　of　the　drop。　〃This　is　where　he　went　off。〃　A　hundred　feet　down　in　the　canyon　a　small　coupe　was　smashed　against　the　side　of　a　huge　granite　boulder。　It　was　almost　upside　down；　leaning　a　little。　There　were　three　men　down　there。　They　had　moved　the　car　enough　to　lift　something　out。
　　Something　that　had　been　a　man。







3