rs.inthebestfamelies-第4部分

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　Zeck　or　Whosis　or　X；　he　was　still　the　man　who；　some　ten　months　ago；　had　arranged　for　two　guys　with　an　SM　and　a　tommy　gun　to　open　up　on　Wolfe's　plant　rooms　from　a　roof　across　the　street；　thereby　ruining　ten　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　glass　and　equipment　and　turning　eight　thousand　valuable　orchid　plants　into　a　good　start　on　a　post　heap。　That　had　been　intended　just　for　a　warning。
　　Now　he　was　telling　us　to　lay　off　of　Barry　Rackham。　That　probably　meant　that　without　turning　a　finger　we　had　found　the　answer　to　Mrs。　Rackham's　question…where　was　her　husband　getting　his　pocket　money？　He　had　got　inside　the　circle　of　Arnold　Zeck's　operations；　about　which　Wolfe　had　once　remarked　that　all　of　them　were　illegal　and　some　of　them　were　morally　repulsive。　And　Zeck　didn't　want　any　snooping　around　one　of　his　men。　That　was　almost　certainly　the　sketch；　but　whether　it　was　or　not；　the　fact　remained　that　we　had　run　smack　into　Zeck　again；　which　was　fully　as　bad　as　having　a　gob　of　Darst　sausage　turn　into　a　cylinder　of　tear　gas。
　　〃He　likes　to　time　things　right；　damn　him；〃　I　plained。　〃He　likes　to　make　things　dramatic。　He　had　someone　within　range　of　this　house　to　see　the　package　being　delivered；　and　when　I　left　the　front　door　open　and　then　went　and　stood　on　the　stoop　that　showed　that　the　package　had　been　opened；　and　as　soon　as　he　got　the　word　he　phoned。　Hell；　he　might　even…〃
　　I　stopped　because　I　saw　that　I　was　talking　to　myself。　Wolfe　wasn't　hearing　me。　He　still　sat　gazing　at　the　corner　of　the　blotter。　I　shut　my　trap　and　sat　and　gazed　at　him。　It　was　a　good　five　minutes　before　he　spoke。
　　〃Archie；〃　he　said；　looking　at　me。
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃How　many　cases　have　we　handled　since　last　July？〃
　　〃All　kinds？　Everything？　Oh；　forty。〃
　　〃I　would　have　thought　more。　Very　well；　say　forty。　We　crossed　this　man's　path　inadvertently　two　years　ago；　and　again　last　year。　He　and　I　both　deal　with　crime；　and　his　net　is　spread　wide；　so　that　may　be　taken　as　a　reasonable　expectation　for　the　future；　once　a　year；　or　in　one　out　of　every　forty　cases　that　e　to　us；　we　will　run　into　him。　This　episode　will　be　repeated。〃　He　aimed　a　thumb　at　the　phone。　〃That　thing　will　ring；　and　that　confounded　voice　will　presume　to　dictate　to　us。　If　we　obey　the　dictate　we　will　be　maintaining　this　office　and　our　means　of　livelihood　only　by　his　sufferance。　If　we　defy　it　we　shall　be　constantly　in　a　state　of　trepidant　vigilance；　and　one　or　both　of　us　will　probably　get　killed。　Well？〃
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃It　couldn't　be　made　plainer。　I　don't　care　much　for　either　one。〃
　　〃Neither　do　I。〃
　　〃If　you　got　killed　I'd　be　out　of　a　job；　and　if　I　got　killed　you　might　as　well　retire。〃　I　glanced　at　my　wristwatch。　〃The　hell　of　it　is　we　haven't　got　a　week　to　decide。　It's　twelve…twenty；　and　I'm　expected　at　the　Hillside　Kennels　at　three　o'clock；　and　I　have　to　eat　lunch　and　shave　and　change　my　clothes。　That　is；　if　I　go。　If　I　go？〃
　　〃Precisely。〃　Wolfe　sighed。　〃That's　the　point。　Two　years　ago；　in　the　Orchard　case；　I　took　to　myself　the　responsibility　of　ignoring　this　man's　threat。　Last　year；　in　the　Kane　case；　I　did　the　same。　This　time　I　don't　want　to　and　I　won't。　Basic　policy　is　my　affair；　I　know　that；　but　I　am　not　going　to　tell　you　that　in　order　to　earn　your　pay　you　must　go　up　there　today　and　look　at　Mr。　Rackham。　If　you　prefer；　you　may　phone　and　postpone　it；　and　we'll　consider　the　matter　at　greater　length。〃
　　I　had　my　brows　raised　at　him。　〃I'll　be　damned。　Put　it　on　me；　huh？〃
　　〃Yes；　My　nerve　is　gone。　If　public　servants　and　other　respected　citizens　take　orders　from　this　man；　why　shouldn't　I？〃
　　〃You　damn　faker；〃　I　said　indulgently。　〃You　know　perfectly　well　that　I　would　rather　eat　soap　than　have　you　think　I　would　knuckle　under　to　that　son　of　a　bitch；　and　I　know　that　you　would　rather　put　horseradish　on　oysters　than　have　me　think　you　would。　I　might　if　you　didn't　know　about　it；　and　you　might　if　I　didn't　know　about　it；　but　as　it　is　we're　stuck。〃
　　Wolfe　sighed　again；　deeper。　〃I　take　it　that　you're　going？〃
　　〃I　am。　But　under　one　condition；　that　the　trepidant　vigilance　begins　as　of　now。　That　you　call　Fritz　in；　and　Theodore　down　from　the　plant　rooms；　and　tell　them　what　we're　up　against；　and　the　chain　bolts　are　to　be　kept　constantly　on　both　doors；　and　you　keep　away　from　windows；　and　nothing　and　no　one　is　to　be　allowed　to　enter　when　I'm　not　here。〃
　　〃Good　heavens；〃　he　objected　sourly；　〃that's　no　way　to　live。〃
　　〃You　can't　tell　till　you　try　it。　In　ten　years　you　may　like　it　fine。〃　I　buzzed　the　plant　rooms　on　the　house　phone　to　get　Theodore。
　　Wolfe　sat　scowling　at　me。
　　
　　3
　　WHEN；　swinging　the　car　off　Taconic　State　Parkway　to　hit　Route　100；　my　dash　clock　said　only　2：40；　I　decided　to　make　a　little　detour。　It　would　be　only　a　couple　of　miles　out　of　my　way。　So　at　Pines　Bridge　I　turned　right；　instead　of　left　across　the　bridge。　It　wouldn't　serve　my　purpose　to　make　for　the　entrance　to　the　estate　where　EASTCREST　was　carved　on　the　great　stone　pillar；　since　all　I　would　see　there　was　a　driveway　curving　up　through　the　woods；　and　I　turned　off　a　mile　short　of　that　to　climb　a　bumpy　road　up　a　hill。　At　the　top　the　road　went　straight　for　a　stretch　between　meadows；　and　I　eased　the　car　off　onto　the　grass；　stopped；　and　took　the　binoculars　and　aimed　them　at　the　summit　of　the　next　hill；　somewhat　higher　than　the　one　I　was　on；　where　the　roof　and　upper　walls　of　a　stone　mansion　showed　above　the　trees。
　　Now；　in　early　April；　with　no　leaves　yet；　and　with　the　binoculars；　I　could　see　most　of　the　mansion　and　even　something　of　the　surrounding　grounds；　and　a　couple　of　men　moving　about。
　　That　was　Eastcrest；　the　legal　residence　of　the　illegal　Arnold　Zeck…but　of　course　there　are　many　ways　of　being　illegal。　One　is　to　drive　through　a　red　light。　Another　is　to　break　laws　by　proxy　only；　for　money　only；　get　your　cut　so　it　can't　be　traced；　and　never　try　to　buy　a　man　too　cheap。　That　was　what　Zeck　had　been　doing　for　more　than　twenty　years…and　there　was　Eastcrest。
　　All　I　was　after　was　to　take　a　look；　just　case　it　from　a　hilltop。　I　had　never　seen　Zeck；　and　as　far　as　I　knew　Wolfe　hadn't　either。　Now　that　we　were　headed　at　him　for　the　third　time；　and　this　time　it　might　be　for　keeps；　I　thought　I　should　at　least　see　his　roof　and　count　his　chimneys。　That　was　all。
　　He　had　been　too　damn　remote　and　mysterious。　Now　I　knew　he　had　four　chimneys；　and　that　the　one　on　the　south　wing　had　two　loose　bricks。
　　I　turned　the　car　around　and　headed　down　the　hill；　and；　if　you　care　to　believe　it；　I　kept　glancing　in　the　mirror　to　see　if　something　showed　up　behind。　That　was　how　far　gone　I　was　on　Zeck。　It　was　not　healthy　for　my　self…respect；　it　was　bad　for　my　nerves；　and　I　was　good　and　tired　o￡　it。
　　Mrs。　Rackham's　place；　Birchvale；　was　only　five　miles　from　there；　the　other　side　of　Mount　Kisco；　but　I　made　a　wrong　turn　and　didn't　arrive　until　a　quarter　past　three。　The　entrance　to　her　estate　was　adequate　but　not　imposing。　I　went　on　by；　and　before　I　knew　it　there　was　a　neat　little　sign　on　the　left：
　　
　　HILLSIDE　KENNELS。
　　Doberman　Pinschers。
　　
　　The　gate　opening　was　narrow　and　so　was　the　drive；　and　I　kept　going　on　past　the　house　to　a　bare　rectangle　in　the　rear；　not　very　well　graveled；　and　maneuvered　into　a　er　close　to　a　wooden　building。　As　I　climbed　out　a　voice　came　from　somewhere；　and　then　a　ferocious　wild　beast　leaped　from　behind　a　hush　and　started　for　me　like　a　streak　of　lightning。　I　froze　except　for　my　right　arm；　which　sent　my　hand　to　my　shoulder　holster　automatically。
　　A　female　voice　sounded　sharp　in　mand。　〃Back！〃
　　The　beast；　ten　paces　from　me；　whirled　on　a　dime；　trotted　swiftly　to　the　woman　who　had　appeared　at　the　edge　of　the　rectangle；　whirled　again　and　stood　facing　me；　concentrating　with　all　its　might　on　looking　beautiful　and　dangerous。　I　could　have　plugged　it　with　pleasure。　I　do　not　like　dogs　that　assume　you're　guilty　until　you　prove　you're　innocent。　I　like　democratic　dogs。
　　A　man　had　appeared　beside　the　woman。　They　advanced。
　　She　spoke。　〃Mr。　Goodwin？　Mr。　Leeds　had　to　go　on　an　errand；　but　he'll　be　back　soon。　I'm　Annabel　Frey。〃　She　came　to　me　and　offered　a　hand；　and　I　took　it。
　　This　was　my　first　check　on　an　item　of　information　furnished　us　by　Mrs。Rackham；　and　I　gave　her　an　A　for　accuracy。　She　had　said　that　her　daughterin…law　was　very　beautiful。　Some　might　have　been　inclined　to　argue　it；　for　instance　those　who　don't　like　eyes　so　far　apart　or　those　who　prefer　pink　skin　to　dark；　but　I'm　not　so　finicky　about　details。　The　man　stepped　up；　and　she　pronounced　his　name；　Hammond；　and　we　shook。　He　was　a　stocky　middleaged　specimen　in　a　bright　blue　shirt；　a　tan　jacket；　and　gray　slacks…a　hell　of　a　bination。　I　was　wearing　a　mixed　tweed　made　by　Fradick；　with　an　offwhite　shirt　and　a　maroon　tie。
　　〃I'll　sit　in　my　car；〃　I　told　them；　〃to　wait　for　Mr。　Leeds。　With　the　livestock　around　loose　like　that。〃
　　She　laughed。　〃Duke　isn't　loose；　he's　with　me。　He　wouldn't　have　touched　you。　He　would　have　stopped　three　paces　off；　springing　distance；　and　waited　for　me。　Don't　you　like　dogs？〃
　　〃It　depends　on　the　dog。　You　might　as　well　ask　if　I　like　lemon　pie。　With　a　dog　who　thinks　of　space　between　him　and　me　only　in　terms　of　springing　distance；　my　attitude　is　strictly　one　of　trepidant　vigilance。〃
　　〃My　Lord。〃　She　blinked　lon