rc.theladyinthelake-第5部分

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ed　for　the　telephone；　touched　it　and　came　away　again。　He　lit　a　cigarette　and　shook　the　match　violently；　then　strode　to　the　window　and　stared　out　at　me　some　more。
　　This　was　interesting；　if　at　all；　only　because　he　was　a　doctor。　Doctors；　as　a　rule；　are　the　least　curious　of　men。　While　they　are　still　internes　they　hear　enough　secrets　to　last　them　a　lifetime。　Dr。　Almore　seemed　interested　in　me。　More　than　interested；　bothered。
　　I　reached　down　to　turn　the　ignition　key；　then　Lavery's　front　door　opened　and　I　took　my　hand　away　and　leaned　back　again。　Lavery　came　briskly　up　the　walk　of　his　house；　shot　a　glance　down　the　street　and　turned　to　go　into　his　garage。　He　was　dressed　as　I　had　seen　him。　He　had　a　rough　towel　'and　a　steamer　rug　over　his　arm。　I　heard　the　garage　door　lift　up；　then　the　car　door　open　and　shut；　then　the　grind　and　cough　of　the　starting　car。　It　backed　up　the　steep　incline　to　the　street；　white　steamy　exhaust　pouring　from　its　rear　end。　It　was　a　cute　little　blue　convertible；　with　the　top　folded　down　and　Lavery's　sleek　dark　head　just　rising　above　it。　He　was　now　wearing　a　natty　pair　of　sun…goggles　with　very　wide　white　sidebows。　The　convertible　swooped　off　down　the　block　and　danced　around　the　corner。
　　There　was　nothing　in　that　for　me。　Mr。　Christopher　Lavery　was　bound　for　the　edge　of　the　broad　Pacific；　to　lie　in　the　sun　and　let　the　girls　see　what　they　didn't　necessarily　have　to　go　on　missing。
　　I　gave　my　attention　back　to　Dr。　Almore。　He　was　on　the　telephone　now；　not　talking；　holding　it　to　his　ear；　smoking　and　waiting。　Then　he　leaned　forward　as　you　do　when　the　voice　es　back；　listened；　hung　up　and　wrote　something　on　a　pad　in　front　of　him。　Then　a　heavy　book　with　yellow　sides　appeared　on　his　desk　and　he　opened　it　just　about　in　the　middle。　While　he　was　doing　this　he　gave　one　quick　look　out　of　the　window；　straight　at　the　Chrysler。
　　He　found　his　place　in　the　book；　leaned　down　over　it　and　quick　puffs　of　smoke　appeared　in　the　air　over　the　pages。　He　wrote　something　else；　put　the　book　away；　and　grabbed　the　telephone　again。　He　dialed；　waited；　began　to　speak　quickly　pushing　his　head　down　and　making　gestures　in　the　air　with　his　cigarette。　He　finished　his　call　and　hung　up。　He　leaned　back　and　sat　there　brooding；　staring　down　at　his　desk；　but　not　f　orgetting　to　look　out　of　the　window　every　half　minute。　He　was　waiting；　and　I　waited　with　him；　for　no　reason　at　all。　Doctors　make　many　phone　calls；　talk　to　many　people。　Doctors　look　out　of　their　front　windows；　doctors　frown；　doctors　show　nervousness；　doctors　have　things　on　their　mind　and　show　the　strain。　Doctors　are　just　people；　born　to　sorrow；　fighting　the　long　grim　fight　like　the　rest　of　us。
　　But　there　was　something　about　the　way　this　one　behaved　that　intrigued　me。　I　looked　at　my　watch；　decided　it　was　time　to　get　something　to　eat；　lit　another　cigarette　and　didn't　move。
　　It　took　about　five　minutes。　Then　a　green　sedan　whisked　around　the　corner　and　bore　down　the　block。　It　coasted　to　a　stop　in　front　of　Dr。　Almore's　house　and　its　tall　buggywhip　aerial　quivered。　A　big　man　with　dusty　blond　hair　got　out　and　went　up　to　Dr。　Almore's　front　door。　He　rang　the　bell　and　leaned　down　to　strike　a　match　on　the　step。　His　head　came　around　and　he　stared　across　the　street　exactly　at　where　I　was　sitting。
　　The　door　opened　and　he　went　into　the　house。　An　invisible　hand　gathered　the　curtains　at　Dr。　Almore's　study　window　and　blanked　the　room。　I　sat　there　and　stared　at　the　sundarkened　lining　of　the　curtains。　More　time　trickled　by。
　　The　front　door　opened　again　and　the　big　man　loafed　casually　down　the　steps　and　through　the　gate。　He　snapped　his　cigarette　end　off　into　the　distance　and　rumpled　his　hair。　He　shrugged　once；　pinched　the　end　of　his　chin；　and　walked　diagonally　across　the　street。　His　steps　in　the　quiet　were　leisurely　and　distinct。　Dr。　Almore's　cUrtains　moved　apart　again　behind　him。　Dr。　Almore　stood　in　his　window　and　watched。
　　A　large　freckled　hand　appeared　on　the　sill　of　the　car　door　at　my　elbow。　A　large　face；　deeply…lined；　hung　above　it。
　　The　man　had　eyes　of　metallic　blue。　He　looked　at　me　solidly　and　spoke　in　a　deep　harsh　voice。
　　〃Waiting　for　somebody？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　〃Am　I？〃
　　〃I'll　ask　the　questions。〃
　　〃Well；　I'll　be　damned；〃　I　said。　〃So　that's　the　answer　to　the　pantomime。〃
　　〃What　pantomime？〃　He　gave　me　a　hard　level　unfriendly　stare　from　his　very　blue　eyes。
　　I　pointed　across　the　street　with　my　cigarette。　〃Nervous　Nellie　and　the　telephone。　Calling　the　cops；　after　first　getting　my　name　from　the　Auto　Club；　probably；　then　looking　it　up　in　the　city　directory。　What　goes　on？〃
　　〃Let　me　see　your　driver's　license。〃　I　gave　him　back　his　stare。　〃You　fellows　ever　flash　a　buzzer…or　is　acting　tough　all　the　identification　you　need？〃
　　〃If　I　have　to　get　tough；　fellow；　you'll　know　it。〃　I　leaned　down　and　turned　my　ignition　key　and　pressed　the　starter。　The　motor　caught　and　idled　down。
　　〃Cut　that　motor；〃　he　said　savagely；　and　put　his　foot　on　the　runningboard。
　　I　cut　the　motor　again　and　leaned　back　and　looked　at　him。
　　〃God　damn　it；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　want　me　to　drag　you　out　of　there　and　bounce　you　on　the　pavement？〃　I　got　my　wallet　out　and　handed　it　to　him。　He　drew　the　celluloid　pocket　out　and　looked　at　my　driver's　license；　then　turned　the　pocket　over　and　looked　at　the　photostat　of　my　other　license　on　the　back。　He　rammed　it　contemptuously　back　into　the　wallet　and　handed　me　the　wallet：　I　put　it　away。　His　hand　dipped　and　came　up　with　a　blue　and　gold　police　badge。
　　〃Degarmo；　detective…lieutenant；〃　he　said　in　his　heavy　brutal　voice。
　　〃Pleased　to　meet　you；　lieutenant。〃
　　〃Skip　it。　Now　tell　why　you're　down　here　casing　Almore's　place。〃
　　〃I'm　not　casing　Almore's　place；　as　you　put　it；　lieutenant。　I　never　heard　of　Dr。　Almore　and　I　don't　know　of　any　reason　why　I　should　want　to　case　his　house。〃　He　turned　his　head　to　spit。　I　was　meeting　the　spitting　boys　today。
　　〃What's　your　grift　then？　We　don't　like　peepers　down　here。　We　don't　have　one　in　town。〃
　　〃Is　that　so？〃
　　〃Yeah；　that's　so。　So　e　on；　talk　it　up。　Unless　you　want　to　ride　down　to　the　clubhouse　and　sweat　it　out　under　the　bright　lights。〃　I　didn't　answer　him。
　　〃Her　folks　hire　you？〃　he　asked　suddenly。
　　I　shook　my　head。
　　〃The　last　boy　that　tried　it　ended　up　'on　the　road　gang；　sweetheart。〃
　　〃I　bet　it's　good；〃　I　said；　〃if　only　I　could　guess。　Tried　what？〃
　　〃Tried　to　put　the　bite　on　him；〃　he　said　thinly。
　　〃Too　bad　I　don't　know　how；〃　I　said。　〃He　looks　like　an　easy　man　to　bite。〃
　　〃That　line　of　talk　don't　buy　you　anything；〃　he　said。
　　〃All　right；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　put　it　this　way。　I　don't　know　Dr。　Almore；　never　heard　of　him；　and　I'm　not　interested　in　him。　I'm　down　here　visiting　a　friend　and　looking　at　the　view。　If　I'm　doing　anything　else；　it　doesn't　happen　to　be　any　of　your　business。　If　you　don't　like　that；　the　best　thing　to　do　is　take　it　down　to　headquarters　and　see　the　day　captain。〃　He　moved　a　foot　heavily　on　the　running…board　and　looked　doubtful。　〃Straight　goods？〃　he　asked　slowly。
　　〃Straight　goods。〃
　　〃Aw　hell；　the　guy's　screwy；〃　he　said　suddenly　and　looked　back　over　his　shoulder　at　the　house。　〃He　ought　to　see　a　doctor。〃　He　laughed；　without　any　amusement　in　the　laugh。　He　took　his　foot　off　my　running…board　and　rumpled　his　wiry　hair。
　　〃Go　on…beat　it；〃　he　said。　〃Stay　off　our　reservation；　and　you　won't　make　any　enemies。〃　I　pressed　the　starter　again。　When　the　motor　was　idling　gently　I　said：　〃How's　Al　Norgaard　these　days？〃　He　stared　at　me。　〃You　know　Al？〃
　　〃Yeah。　He　and　I　worked　on　a　case　down　here　a　couple　of　years　ago…when　Wax　was　chief　of　police。〃
　　〃Al's　in　the　mifitary　police。　I　wish　I　was；〃　he　said　bitterly。　He　started　to　walk　away　and　then　swung　sharply　on　his　heel。　〃Go　on；　beat　it　before　I　change　my　mind；〃　he　snapped。
　　He　walked　heavily　across　the　street　and　through　Dr。　Almore's　front　gate　again。
　　I　let　the　clutch　in　and　drove　away。　On　the　way　back　to　the　city；　I　listened　to　my　thoughts。　They　moved　fitfully　in　and　out；　like　Dr。　Almore's　thin　nervous　hands　pulling　at　the　edges　of　his　curtains。
　　Back　in　Los　Angeles　I　ate　lunch　and　went　up　to　my　office　in　the　Cahuenga　Building　to　see　what　mail　there　was。　I　called　Kingsley　from　there。
　　〃I　saw　Lavery；〃　I　told　him。　〃He　told　me　just　enough　dirt　to　sound　frank。　I　tried　to　needle　him　a；　little；　but　nothing　came　of　it。　I　stifi　like　the　idea　that　they　quarreled　and　split　up　and　that　he　hopes　to　fix　it　up　with　her　yet。〃
　　〃Then　he　must　know　where　she　is；〃　Kingsley　said。
　　〃He　might；　but　it　doesn't　follow。　By　the　way　a　rather　curious　thing　happened　to　me　on　Lavery's　street。　There　are　only　two　houses。　The　other　belongs　to　a　Dr。　Almore。〃　I　told　him　briefly　about　the　rather　curious　thing。
　　He　was　silent　for　a　moment　at　the　end　and　then　he　said：　〃Is　this　Dr。　Albert　Almore？〃
　　〃Yes？〃
　　〃He　was　Crystal's　doctor　for　a　time。　He　came　to　the　house　several　times　when　she　was…well；　when　she　had　been　overdrinking。　I　thought　him　a　little　too　quick　with　a　hypodermic　needle。　His　wife…let　me　see；　there　was　something　about　his　wife。　Oh　yes；　she　mitted　suicide。〃　I　said；　〃When？〃
　　〃I　don't　remember。　Quite　a　long　time　ago。　I　never　knew　them　socially。　What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃　I　told　him　I　was　going