rs.inthebestfamelies-第37部分

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to　mention　other　criminal　things；　whatever　they　were。　Didn't　it　occur　to　you　that　he　might　be　kidding　you　along　for　security　reasons？〃
　　〃Yes；　I…yes；　it　did；　but　I　didn't　want　to　believe　it。　He　said　he　loved　me。　He　made　love　to　me…and　I　wanted　him　for　my　husband。〃　She　decided　that　wasn't　adequate　and　improved　on　it。　〃I　wanted　him　so　much！〃　she　exclaimed。
　　〃I'll　bet　you　did。〃　I　tried　not　to　sound　sarcastic。　〃How　do　you　feel　about　it　now？　Do　you　think　he　ever　loved　you？〃
　　〃No；　I　don't！　I　think　he　was　heartless　and　cruel。　I　think　he　was　afraid　of　me。　He　just　wanted　me　not　to　tell　what　I　knew。　And　I　began　to　suspect…the　way　he　acted…and　yesterday　I　insisted　that　we　must　be　married　immediately；　this　week；　and　when　I　insisted　he　lost　his　temper　and　he　was…he　was　hateful。〃
　　〃I　know　he's　got　a　temper。　Was　there　any　urgent　reason　for　wanting　to　get　married　quick；　like　expecting　a　visitor　from　heaven；　for　instance　a　baby？〃
　　She　flushed　and　appealed　to　Archer。　〃Do　I　have　to　let　him　insult　me？〃
　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　I　said　stiffly；　〃but　you　seem　to　be　pretty　sensitive　for　a　woman　who　was　hell…bent　to　marry　a　murderer。　Did…〃
　　〃I　didn't　know　he　was　a　murderer！　I　only　knew　if　I　told　about　what　Mrs。　Rackham　told　me　and　what　he　told　me…I　knew　he　would　be　suspected　even　more　than　he　was。〃
　　〃Uh…huh。　When　the　blowup　came　yesterday；　did　you　threaten　to　tell　what　you　knew？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　I　goggled　at　her。　〃You　know；　sister；〃　I　declared；　〃you　should　have　spent　more　time　thinking　this　through。　You　are　unquestionably　the　bummest　liar　I　have　ever　run　across。　I　thought　maybe…〃
　　Dykes　broke　in。　〃She　says　Rackham　probably　figured　he　wasn't　in　much　danger；　so　many　months　had　passed。〃
　　〃Yeah？　That's　partly　what　I　mean。　Whatever　she　says；　what　about　Rackham？　He's　not　boob　enough　to　figure　like　that。　He　would　know　damn　well　that　five　months　is　nothing　in　the　life　of　a　murder。　He　has　his　choice　between　marrying　this　attractive　specimen　or　having　her　run　to　you　with　the　ink　for　his　death　warrant；　and　not　only　does　he　act　heartless　and　cruel；　he　actually　opens　the　door　for　her　to　go！　This　guy　who　had　it　in　him　to　sneak　into　the　woods　at　night　with　a　knife　to　stab　his　wife　to　death　and　a　fighting　dog…he　just　opens　the　door　for　this　poor　pretty　creature　to　tell　the　world　about　it！　My　God；　you　would　buy　that？〃
　　〃You　can't　tell　about　people；〃　Archer　said。　〃And　she　has　details。　Take　the　detail　of　the　phone　call　Wolfe　made　to　Mrs。　Rackham　and　what　he　told　her　about　her　husband。　Not　even　a　good　liar　would　have　that　detail；　let　alone　a　bum　one。〃
　　〃Nuts。〃　I　was　disgusted。　〃No　such　phone　call　was　made；　and　Mrs。　Rackham　never　said　it　was。　As　for　Rackham's　having　been　in　with　crooks；　either　he　wasn't　and　sister　here　invented　it；　in　which　case　you'd　better　watch　your　step；　or　he　was；　and　sister　here　got　his　tongue　loosened　enough　for　him　to　tell　her　about　it。　I'm　perfectly　willing　to　believe　she　is　capable　of　that；　however　bum　a　liar　she　may　be。〃
　　〃You　say　Wolfe　didn't　make　that　call　to　Mrs。　Rackham？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃And　he　didn't　learn　that　Rackham's　ine　came　from　a　connection　with　criminal　activities？〃
　　〃My　God；　Mrs。　Rackham　didn't　leave　our　office　until　after　noon　that　Friday。　And　he　called　her　that　evening　to　tell　her？　When　he　hadn't　moved　a　finger　to　start　an　inquiry；　and　I　hadn't　either？　He　was　good；　but　not　that　good。〃　I　turned　to　Lina。　〃I　thought　maybe　you　had　had　a　coach　for　this；　possibly　got　in　with　some　professionals　yourself；　but　not　now；　the　way　you　tell　it。　Obviously　this　is　your　own　baby…I　beg　your　pardon　if　you　don't　want　babies　mentioned…say　your　own　script…and　it　is　indeed　a　lulu。　Framing　a　man　for　murder　is　no　job　for　an　amateur。　Aside　from　the　idea　of　Rackham's　preferring　a　jury　trial　to　you；　which　if　I　may　get　personal　is　plain　loco；　look　at　other　features。　If　it　had　been　the　way　you　say；　what　would　Wolfe　and　I　have　done　after　I　phoned　him　that　night　and　told　him　Mrs。Rackham　had　got　it？　Our　only　interest　was　the　fee　she　had　paid　us。　Why　didn't　we　just　hand　it　all　to　the　cops？　Another　little　feature；　do　you　remember　that　gathering　that　evening？　Did　either　Rackham　or　his　wife　act　like　people　who　were　riding　the　kind　of　storm　you　describe？　Don't　ask　me；　I　could　be　prejudiced；　ask　all　the　others。〃
　　I　left　her　for　Archer。　〃I　could　go　on　for　an　hour；　but　don't　tell　me　you　need　it。　I　don't　wonder　you　grabbed　at　it；　it　looked　as　if　it　might　possibly　be　the　break　you　had　been　hoping　for；　and　besides；　she　had　fixed　it　up　with　some　trimmings　that　might　be　very　juicy；　like　the　crap　about　me　working　for　Rackham。　I　have　not　and　am　not；　and　I　have　none　of　his　dough。　Must　I　punch　more　holes　in　it？〃
　　Archer　was　studying　me。　〃Is　it　your　contention　that　Miss　Darrow　invented　all　this？〃
　　〃It　is。〃
　　〃Why？〃
　　I　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know。　Do　you　want　me　to　guess？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Well…my　best　one　first。　Have　you　noticed　her　eyes…the　deep　light　in　them？　I　think　she's　trying　to　take　over　for　you。　She　liked　Mrs。　Rackham；　and　when　she　got　left　that　two　hundred　grand　it　went　to　her　head。　She　thought　Rackham　had　killed　her…I　don't　know　whether　it　was　a　hunch　or　what…and　when　time　passed　and　it　looked　as　if　he　wasn't　going　to　get　tagged　for　it；　she　decided　it　was　her　duty　or　mission；　or　whatever　word　she　uses　for　it；　to　step　in。　Having　the　two　hundred　grand；　she　could　afford　a　hobby　for　a　while。　That　was　when　she　started　to　put　the　eyes　on　Rackham。　I　expect　she　thought　she　could　get　him　into　a　state　where　he　would　dump　it　all　out　for　her；　and　then　she　would　not　only　know　she　was　right　but　would　also　be　able　to　plete　her　mission。　But　the　months　went　by　and　he　never　dumped；　and　it　probably　got　a　little　embarrassing；　and　she　got　fanatic　about　it；　and　she　must　even　have　got　desperate；　judging　by　the　performance　she　finally　ended　up　with。　She　decided　Rackham　was　guilty；　that　part　was　all　right；　and　the　only　thing　lacking　was　evidence；　so　it　was　up　to　her　to　furnish　it。〃
　　I　leaned　forward　at　her。　〃It's　not　enough　to　want　to　do　a　good　deed；　you　damn　fool。　Wanting　is　fine；　but　you　also　need　some　slight　idea　of　how　to　go　about　it。　It　didn't　bother　you　that　one　by…product　was　making　me　out　a　cheap　crook；　did　it？　Many　thanks　sincerely　yours。〃
　　She　dropped　her　head　into　her　hands　to　cover　her　face；　and　convulsions　began。
　　They　sat　and　looked　at　her。　I　looked　at　them。　Archer　was　pulling　jerkily　at　his　lower　lip。　Dykes　was　shaking　his　head；　his　lips　pressed。
　　〃I　suggest；〃　I　said　modestly；　raising　my　voice　to　carry　over　the　noise　Lina　Darrow　was　making；　〃that　when　she　quiets　down　it　might　pay　to　find　out　if　Rackham　has　told　her　anything　that　might　help。　That　item　about　his　getting　dough　from　gambling　or　rackets　could　be　true；　if　they　actually　got　intimate　enough　for　him　to　tell　her　the　story　of　his　life。〃
　　They　kept　their　eyes　on　her。　She　was　crying　away　what　had　looked　like　a　swell　chance　to　wrap　up　a　tough　one；　and　I　wouldn't　have　been　surprised　if　they　had　burst　into　tears　too。　I　pushed　back　my　chair　and　stood　up。
　　〃If　you　get　anything　that　I　can　be　of　any　help　on；　give　me　a　ring。　I'll　have　a　crowded　afternoon；　but　word　will　reach　me。〃
　　I　walked　out。
　　
　　19
　　AS　I　hit　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　the　courthouse　my　watch　said　11：17。　It　was　sunny　and　warm；　and　people　looked　as　if　they　felt　pleased　with　the　way　things　were　going。　I　did　not。　In　another　few　minutes　they　would　have　Lina　Darrow　talking　again；　and　whether　she　gave　it　to　them　straight　this　time　or　tried　her　hand　on　a　revised　version；　they　might　decide　any　minute　that　they　wanted　to　talk　with　Barry　Rackham；　and　that　could　lead　to　anything。　The　least　it　could　lead　to　was　delay；　and　my　nerves　were　in　no　condition　for　it。
　　I　dived　across　the　street　to　a　drugstore；　found　a　booth；　and　dialed　Roeder's　number。　No　answer。　I　went　to　where　my　car　was　parked；　got　in；　and　headed　for　the　parkway。
　　On　my　way　back　to　Manhattan　I　stopped　four　times　to　find　a　phone　and　dial　Roeder's　number；　and　the　fourth　try；　at　i　i6th　Street；　I　got　him。　I　told　him　where　I　was。　He　asked　what　they　had　wanted　at　White　Plains。
　　〃Nothing　much；　just　to　ask　some　questions　about　a　lead　they　had　got。　I'm　going　to　the　Churchill　to　fix　it　to　go　ahead　with　that　date　today。〃
　　〃You　can't。　It　has　been　postponed　until　tomorrow　at　the　other　end。　Arrange　it　for　tomorrow。〃
　　〃Can't　you　switch　it　back　to　today　at　your　end？〃
　　〃It　would　be　difficult　and　therefore　inadvisable。〃　I　considered　how　to　put　it；　in　view　of　the　fact　that　there　was　no　telling　who　or　how　many　might　hear　me。　〃There　is　a　possibility；〃　I　said；　〃that　the　Churchill　will　have　a　vacant　suite　tomorrow。　So　my　opinion　is　that　it　would　be　even　more　inadvisable　to　postpone　it。　I　don't　know；　but　I　have　an　idea　that　it　may　be　today　or　never。〃
　　A　silence。　Then；　〃How　long　will　it　take　you　to　get　to　your　office？〃
　　〃Fifteen　minutes；　maybe　twenty。〃
　　〃Go　there　and　wait。〃
　　I　returned　to　the　car；　drove　to　a　parking　lot　on　Third　Avenue　in　the　upper　Forties；　left　the　car　there；　and　made　steps　to　Madison　Avenue　and　up　to　1019。　I　sat　down；　stood　at　the　window；　sat　down；　and　stood　at　the　window。　I　wouldn't　ring　the　phone…answering　service　because　I　wanted　my　line　free；　but　after　a　few　minutes　I　began　thinking