rs.inthebestfamelies-第14部分

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　　〃First；〃　Archer　said；　〃repeat　what　you　told　us　last　night　about　Mrs。　Rackham's　visit　to　Wolfe's　office　with　Leeds。〃
　　〃But；〃　I　objected；　〃that'll　take　half　an　hour；　and　you're　busy。　That's　routine。　I　assure　yuu　it　won't　vary。〃
　　〃Go　ahead。　I　want　to　hear　it；　and　I　have　questions。〃
　　I　yawned　thoroughly；　rubbed　my　eyes　with　the　heels　of　my　palms；　and　started。　At　first　it　was　fuzzy；　but　it　flowed　easy　after　a　minute　or　two；　and　it　would　have　been　a　pleasure　to　have　them　pare　it　with　a　record　from　the　previous　recital　if　there　had　been　one。
　　Archer　had　some　questions；　and　Dykes　one　or　two。　At　the　end　Archer　asked　me；　〃Will　you　swear　to　that；　Goodwin？〃
　　〃Sure；　glad　to。　If　you'll　pay　the　notary　fee。〃
　　〃Go　and　type　it；　Cheney。〃
　　The　skinny　guy　got　up；　with　his　notebook；　and　left。　After　the　door　was　closed　Archer　spoke。
　　〃You　might　as　well　know　it；　Goodwin；　you've　been　contradicted。　Mr。　Rackham　says　you're　lying　about　his　wife's　conversation　with　Wolfe。〃
　　〃Yeah？　How　does　he　know？　He　wasn't　there。〃
　　〃He　says　that　she　couldn't　possibly　have　said　what　you　report　because　it　wasn't　true。　He　says　that　there　was　no　question　or　misunderstanding　about　money　between　them。　He　also　says　that　she　told　him　that　she　suspected　her　financial　affairs　were　being　mishandled　by　Mr。　Hammond　of　the　Metropolitan　Trust　pany；　and　that　she　was　going　to　consult　Nero　Wolfe　about　it。〃
　　〃Well。〃　I　yawned。　〃That's　interesting。　Leeds　is　on　my　side。　Who's　on　his？〃
　　〃No　one　so　far。〃
　　〃Have　you　tried　it　out　on　Leeds？〃
　　〃Yes。　As　you　say；　he's　on　your　side。　He　has　signed　a　statement。　So　has　Mr。　Rackham。〃
　　〃What　does　Hammond　say？〃
　　〃I　haven't…〃　Archer　paused；　regarding　me。　〃Perhaps　I　shouldn't　have　told　you　that。　You　will　keep　it　to　yourself。　It's　a　delicate　matter；　to　approach　a　responsible　officer　of　a　reputable　bank　on　a　thing　like　that。〃
　　〃Right；〃　I　agreed。　〃It's　also　a　delicate　matter　to　call　a　millionaire　a　damn　liar…that　is；　delicate　for　you。　Not　for　me。　I　hereby　call　him　a　damn　liar。
　　I　suppose　he　is　a　millionaire？　Now？〃
　　Archer　and　Dykes　exchanged　glances。　〃Save　it　if　you　want　to；〃　I　said　understandingly。　〃Leeds　will　tell　me。　If　he　knows。　Does　he？〃
　　〃Yes。　The　will　was　read　to　the　family　today。　I　was　present。　There　are　a　number　of　bequests　to　servants　and　distant　relatives；　Mrs。　Frey　gets　this　place　and　a　million　dollars。　Leeds　gets　half　a　million。　Lina　Darrow　gets　two　hundred　thousand。　The　rest　goes　to　Mr。　Rackham。〃
　　〃I　see。　Then　he's　a　millionaire；　so　it's　delicate。　Even　so；　he's　a　damn　liar　and　it's　two　to　one。　I'll　sign　that　statement　in　triplicate　if　you　want　it。　Beyond　that　what　can　I　say？〃
　　〃I　want　to　make　it　three　to　one。〃　Archer　leaned　to　me。　〃Listen；　Goodwin。　I　have　great　respect　for　Nero　Wolfe's　talents；　I　have　reason　to；　as　you　know。　But　I　do　not　intend　to　let　his　whims　interfere　with　the　functions　of　my　office。　I　want　a　statement　from　him　supporting　yours　and　Leed's；　and　I　mean　to　have　it　without　delay。　I　sent　a　man　to　get　it。　This　morning　at　eleven　o'clock　he　was　told　that　Wolfe　wasn't　available　and　that　you　weren't　there　and　your　whereabouts　were　not　known。　That　was　when　an　alarm　was　spread　for　you。　I　had　a　phone　call　from　my　man　an　hour　ago。　He　had　gone　back　to　Wolfe's　house　and　had　been　told　that　Wolfe　was　out　of　the　city；　and　that　was　all　he　could　get。〃
　　Archer　made　a　hand　into　a　fist；　resting　on　the　table。　〃I　won't　stand　for　it；　Goodwin。　This　is　the　toughest　one　I've　had　in　my　county　since　I　took　office；　and　I　won't　stand　for　it。　Whatever　else　he　is；　he's　a　fat　conceited　peacock　and　it's　time　somebody　called　him。　There's　a　phone　you　can　use。　Two　hours　from　now；　unless　he's　here　and　talking　to　me；　there'll　be　a　warrant　for　his　arrest　as　a　material　witness。　There's　the　phone。〃
　　〃I　doubt　if　you　could　paste　material　witness　on　him。　He　hasn't　been　anywhere　near　here。〃
　　〃Nuts；〃　Ben　Dykes　growled。　〃Don't　be　a　sap。　She　takes　troubles　to　him　Friday　and　gets　murdered　Saturday。〃
　　I　decided　to　take　the　plunge。　The　way　I　felt；　it　would　have　been　a　pleasure　to　let　them　go　ahead　with　a　warrant；　but　if　I　tried　to　stall　I　would　need　a　very　fancy　excuse　tomorrow　when　they　saw　the　ad　in　the　Gazette。　So　I　thought　what　the　hell；　now　is　as　good　a　time　as　any；　and　told　them。
　　〃I　can't　phone　him　because　I　don't　know　where　he　is。〃
　　〃Ha　ha；〃　Dykes　said。　〃Ha　ha　ha。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　I　admitted；　〃it　could　be　a　gag。　But　it　isn't。　I　don't　know　whether　he's　out　of　the　city　or　not。　All　I　know　is　that　he　left　the　house　last　night；　while　I　was　up　here；　and　he　hasn't　e　back…no；　that　isn't　true。　I　also　know　that　he　called　on　a　friend　of　his　named　Vukcic　and　arranged　for　his　plants　to　be　moved　out　and　his　cook　to　take　another　job。　And　he　gave　Vukcic　a　power　of　attorney。　And　he　sent　an　ad　to　the　Gazette　announcing　his　retirement　from　the　detective　business。〃
　　Dykes　did　not　ha…ha　again。　He　merely　sat　and　frowned　at　me。　Archer；　his　lips　puckered；　had　his　eyes　focused　on　me；　but　as　if　he　was　trying　to　see　not　me　but　through　me。　That　went　on　for　seconds；　and　I　got　unfortable。　I　can　meet　a　pair　of　eyes　all　right；　but　not　two　pairs　at　once；　one　in　front　and　one　off　to　the　left。
　　Finally　Dykes　turned　his　head　to　tell　Archer；　〃This　makes　it　nice。〃
　　Archer　nodded；　not　taking　his　regard　from　me。　〃It's　hard　to　believe；　Goodwin。〃
　　〃I'll　say　it　is。　For　him　to…〃
　　〃No；　no。　It's　hard　to　believe　that　Wolfe　and　you　would　try　anything　as　fantastic　as　this。　Obviously　he　was　absolutely　pelled　to。　You　phoned　him　from　Leed's　place　last　night；　as　soon　as　you　could　get　to　a　phone　after　Mrs。Rackham　was　murdered。　That　was…〃
　　〃Excuse　me；〃　I　said　firmly。　〃Not　as　soon　as　I　could　get　to　a　phone　after　Mrs。　Rackham　was　murdered。　As　soon　as　I　could　get　to　a　phone　after　I　found　out　she　had　been　murdered。〃
　　〃Very　well。　We're　not　in　court。〃　He　was　leaning　at　me。　〃That　was　shortly　after　midnight。　What　did　you　say　to　him？〃
　　〃I　told　him　what　had　happened。　I　reported；　as　fully　as　I　could　in　the　time　I　had；　everything　from　my　arrival　here　up　to　then。　If　the　operator　listened　in　you　can　check　with　her。　I　asked　if　I　should　limit　my　talk　with　the　cops　to　events　here　and　leave　the　rest　for　him　to　tell；　and　he　said　no；　I　should　withhold　nothing；　including　all　details　of　Mrs。　Rackham's　talk　with　him。　That　was　all。　As　you　know；　I　followed　instructions。〃
　　〃Jesus；〃　Dykes　said。　〃Son；　it　looks　like　your　turn　to　sweat　has　e。〃
　　Archer　ignored　him。　〃And　after　telling　you　to　withhold　nothing　from　the　police；　Wolfe　suddenly　decides；　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　that　he　has　had　enough　of　detective　work；　sends　an　ad　to　a　newspaper　announcing　his　retirement；　calls　on　a　friend　to　arrange　for　the　care　of　his　orchids…and　what　did　he　do　then？　I　was　so　engrossed　I　may　have　missed　something。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　he　did。　He　walked　out。　He　disappeared。〃
　　I　was　aware；　of　course；　of　how　it　sounded。　It　was　pletely　cuckoo。　It　was　all　rayon　and　a　yard　wide。　I　damn　near　made　it　even　worse　by　telling　them　about　the　sausage　and　the　tear　gas；　of　course　without　letting　on　that　we　knew　who　had　sent　it；　but　realized　in　time　how　that　would　go　over　in　the　circumstances。　That　would　have　made　a　hit。　But　I　had　to　say　or　do　something；　and　decided　to　produce　evidence；　so　I　reached　to　my　pocket　for　it。
　　〃He　left　notes　on　the　table　in　his　bedroom；〃　I　said；　〃for　Fritz　and　Theodore　and　me。　Here's　mine。〃
　　I　handed　it　to　Archer。　He　read　it　and　passed　it　to　Dykes；　Dykes　read　it　twice　and　returned　it　to　Archer；　who　stuck　it　in　his　pocket。　〃Jesus；〃　Dykes　said　again；　looking　at　me　in　a　way　I　didn't　like。　〃This　is　really　something。　I've　always　thought　Nero　Wolfe　had　a　lot　on　the　ball；　and　you　too　in　a　way；　but　this　is　about　the　worst　I　ever　saw。　Really。〃　He　turned　to　Archer。　〃It's　plain　what　happened。〃
　　〃It　certainly　is。〃　Archer　made　a　fist。　〃Goodwin；　I　don't　ask　you　to　tell　me。
　　I'll　tell　you。　When　you　found　Mrs。　Rackham　there　dead；　you　and　Leeds　agreed　on　a　tale　about　the　visit　to　Nero　Wolfe。　Leeds　came　here　to　break　the　news。　You　went　to　his　place　to　phone　Wolfe　and　report；　both　the　murder　and　the　tale　you　and　Leeds　had　agreed　on…or　maybe　Wolfe　knew　that　already；　since　you　had　pretended　to　investigate　the　dog　poisoning。　In　any　case；　Wolfe　knew　something　that　he　didn't　dare　to　try　to　cover　and　that；　equally；　he　didn't　dare　to　reveal。　What　made　it　unbearably　hot　was　the　murder。　So　he　arranged　to　disappear；　and　we　haven't　got　him；　and　it　may　take　a　day　or　a　week　to　find　him。　But　we've　got　you。〃
　　The　fist　hit　the　table；　not　hard。　〃You　know　where　Wolfe　is。　You　know　what　he　knows　that　he　had　to　run　away　from。　It　is　vital　information　required　by　me　in　my　investigation　of　a　murder。　Surely　you　must　see　that　your　position　is　untenable；　you　can't　possibly　get　away　with　it。　Twenty　Nero　Wolfes　couldn't　bring　you　out　of　this　with　a　whole　skin。　Even　if　he's　cooking　up　one　of　his　flashy　surprises；　even　if　he　walks　into　my　office　tomorrow　with　the　murderer　and　the　evidence　to　convict　him；　I　will　not　stand　for　this。　There　is　no　written　record　of　what　you　said　last　night。　I'll　get　the　stenographer　back　in　here　and　we'll　tear　up　his　notebook　and　what　he　has　typed；　and　you　can　start　from　scratch。〃
　　〃Better　grab　it；　son；〃　Dykes　said；　p