rs.inthebestfamelies-第6部分

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　were　so　good　that　it　was　hard　to　recognize　it；　although　he　was　only　about　my　age。　He　was　also　about　my　size；　with　broad　shoulders　and　a　homely　honest　face；　and　a　draw　on　his　smile　as　swift　as　a　flash　bulb。　I　made　a　note　to　look　up　whether　I　lived　in　his　assembly　district。　If　he　got　the　breaks　the　only　question　about　him　was　how　far　and　how　soon。
　　If　in　addition　to　his　own　equipment　and　talents　he　acquired　Lina　Darrow　as　a　partner；　it　would　probably　be　farther　and　sooner。　She　was；　I　would　have　guessed；　slightly　younger　than　Annabel　Frey…twenty…six　maybe…and　I　never　saw　a　finer　pair　of　eyes。　She　was　obviously　underplaying　them；　or　rather　what　was　back　of　them。　When　I　was　questioning　her　she　pretended　I　had　her　in　a　er；　while　her　eyes　gave　it　away　that　she　could　have　waltzed　all　around　me　if　she　wanted　to。　I　didn't　know　whether　she　thought　she　was　kidding　somebody；　or　was　just　practicing；　or　had　some　serious　reason　for　passing　herself　off　as　a　fiub。
　　Barry　Rackham　had　me　stumped　and　also　annoyed。　Either　I　was　dumber　than　Nero　Wolfe　thought　I　was；　and　twice　as　dumb　as　I　thought　I　was；　or　he　was　smarter　than　he　looked。　New　York　was　full　of　him；　and　he　was　full　of　New　York。　Go　into　any　Madison　Avenue　bar　between　five　and　six…thirty　and　there　would　be　six　or　eight　of　him　there：　not　quite　young　but　miles　from　being　old；　masculine　all　over　except　the　fingernails；　some　tired　and　some　fresh　and　ready；　depending　on　the　current　status；　and　all　slightly　puffy　below　the　eyes。　I　knew　him　from　A　to　Z；　or　thought　I　did；　but　I　couldn't　make　up　my　mind　whether　he　knew　what　I　was　there　for；　and　that　was　the　one　concrete　thing　I　had　hoped　to　get　done。　If　he　knew；　the　question　whether　he　was　on　Zeck's　payroll　was　answered；　if　he　didn't；　that　question　was　still　open。
　　And　I　still　hadn't　been　able　to　decide　when；　at　the　dinner　table；　we　had　finished　the　dessert　and　got　up　to　go　elsewhere　for　coffee。　At　first　I　had　thought　he　couldn't　possibly　be　wise；　when　I　had　him　sized　up　for　a　dummy　who　had　had　the　good　luck　to　catch　Mrs。　Rackham's　eye　somewhere　and　then　had　happened　to　take　the　only　line　she　would　fall　for；　but　further　observation　had　made　me　reconsider。　His　handling　of　his　wife　had　character　in　it；　it　wasn't　just　yes　or　no。　At　the　dinner　table　he　had　an　exchange　with　Pierce　about　rent　control；　and　without　seeming　to　try　he　got　the　statesman　so　tangled　up　he　couldn't　wiggle　loose。　Then　he　had　a　good　laugh；　took　the　other　side　of　the　argument；　and　made　a　monkey　out　of　Dana　Hammond。
　　I　decided　I'd　better　start　all　over。
　　On　the　way　back　to　the　living　room　for　coffee；　Lina　Darrow　joined　me。
　　〃Why　did　you　take　it　out　on　me？〃　she　demanded。
　　I　said　I　didn't　know　I　had。
　　〃Certainly　you　did。　Trying　to　indict　me　for　dog　poisoning。　You　went　after　me　much　harder　than　you　did　the　others。〃　Her　fingers　were　on　the　inside　of　my　arm；　lightly。
　　〃Certainly；〃　I　conceded。　〃Nothing　new　to　you；　was　it？　A　man　going　after　you　harder　than　the　others？〃
　　〃Thanks。　But　I　mean　it。　Of　course　you　know　I'm　just　a　working　girl。〃
　　〃Sure。　That's　why　I　was　tougher　with　you。　That；　and　because　I　wondered　why　you　were　playing　dumb。〃
　　The　statesman　Pierce　broke　us　up　then；　as　we　entered　the　living　room；　and　I　didn't　fight　for　her。　We　collected　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　fireplace　for　coffee；　and　there　was　a　good　deal　of　talk　about　nothing；　and　after　a　while　somebody　suggested　television；　and　Barry　Rackham　went　and　turned　it　on。
　　He　and　Annabel　turned　out　lights。　As　the　rest　of　us　got　settled　in　favorably　placed　seats；　Mrs。　Rackham　left　us。　A　little　later；　as　I　sat　in　the　semi…darkness　scowling　at　a　cosmetic　mercial；　some　obscure　sense　told　me　that　danger　was　approaching　and　I　jerked　my　head　around。　It　was　right　there　at　my　elbow：　a　Doberman　pinscher；　looking　larger　than　normal　in　that　light；　staring　intently　past　me　at　the　screen。
　　Mrs。　Rackham；　just　behind　it；　apparently　misinterpreting　my　quick　movement；　spoke　hastily　and　loudly　above　the　noise　of　the　broadcast。　〃Don't　try　to　pat　him！〃
　　〃I　won't；〃　I　said　emphatically。
　　〃He'll　behave；〃　she　assured　me。　〃He　loves　television。〃　She　went　on　with　him；　farther　forward。　As　they　passed　Calvin　Leeds　the　affectionate　pet　halted　for　a　brief　sniff；　and　got　a　stroke　on　the　head　in　response。　No　one　else　was　honored。
　　Ninety　minutes　of　video　got　us　to　half…past　ten；　and　got　us　nothing　else；　especially　me。　I　was　still　on　the　fence　about　Barry　Rackham。　Television　is　raising　hell　with　the　detective　business。　It　used　to　be　that　a　social　evening　at　someone's　house　or　apartment　was　a　fine　opportunity　for　picking　up　lines　and　angles；　moving　around；　watching　and　talking　and　listening；　but　with　a　television　session　you　might　as　well　be　home　in　bed。　You　can't　see　faces；　and　if　someone　does　make　a　remark　you　can't　hear　it　unless　it's　a　scream；　and　you　can't　even　start　a　private　inquiry；　such　as　finding　out　where　a　young　widow　stands　now　on　skepticism。　In　a　movie　theater　at　least　you　can　hold　hands。
　　However；　I　did　finally　get　what　might　have　been　a　nibble。　The　screen　had　been　turned　off；　and　we　had　all　got　up　to　stretch；　and　Annabel　had　offered　to　drive　Leeds　and　me　home；　and　Leeds　had　told　her　that　we　would　rather　walk；　when　Barry　Rackham　moseyed　over　to　me　and　said　be　hoped　the　television　hadn't　bored　me　too　much。　I　said　no；　just　enough。
　　〃Think　you'll　get　anywhere　on　your　job　for　Leeds？〃　he　asked；　jiggling　his　highball　glass　to　make　the　ice　tinkle。
　　I　lifted　my　shoulders　and　let　them　drop。　〃I　don't　know。　A　month's　gone　by。〃
　　He　nodded。　〃That's　what　makes　it　hard　to　believe。〃
　　〃Yeah；　why？〃
　　〃That　he　would　wait　a　month　and　then　decide　to　blow　himself　to　a　fee　for　Nero　Wolfe。　Everybody　knows　that　Wolfe　es　high。　I　wouldn't　have　thought　Leeds　could　afford　it。〃　Rackham　smiled　at　me。　〃Driving　back　tonight？〃
　　〃No；　I'm　staying　over。〃
　　〃That's　sensible。　Night　driving　is　dangerous；　I　think。　The　Sunday　traffic　won't　be　bad　this　time　of　year　if　you　leave　early。〃　He　touched　my　chest　with　a　forefinger。　〃That's　it；　leave　early。〃　He　moved　off。
　　Annabel　was　yawning；　and　Dana　Hammond　was　looking　at　her　as　if　that　was　exactly　what　he　had　e　to　Birchvale　for；　to　see　her　yawn。　Lina　Darrow　was　looking　from　Barry　Rackham　to　me　and　back　again；　and　pretending　she　wasn't　looking　anywhere　with　those　eyes。　The　Doberman　pinscher　was　standing　tense；　and　Pierce；　from　a　safe　ten　feet…one　more　than　springing　distance…was　regarding　it　with　an　expression　that　gave　me　a　more　sympathetic　feeling　for　him　than　I　ever　expected　to　have　for　a　statesman。
　　Calvin　Leeds　and　Mrs。　Rackham　were　also　looking　at　the　dog；　with　a　quite　different　expression。
　　〃At　least　two　pounds　overweight；〃　Leeds　was　saying。　〃You　feed　him　too　much。〃
　　Mrs。　Rackham　protested　that　she　didn't。
　　〃Then　you　don't　run　him　enough。〃
　　〃I　know　it；〃　she　admitted。　〃I　will　from　now　on；　I'll　be　here　more。　I　was　busy　today。　I'll　take　him　out　now。　It's　a　perfect　night　for　a　good　walk…Barry；　do　you　feel　like　walking？〃
　　He　didn't。　He　was　nice　about　it；　but　he　didn't。　She　broadened　the　invitation　to　take　in　the　group；　but　there　were　no　takers。　She　offered　to　walk　Leeds　and　me　home；　but　Leeds　said　she　would　go　too　slow；　and　he　should　have　been　in　bed　long　ago　since　his　rising　time　was　six　o'clock。　He　moved；　and　told　me　to　e　on　if　I　was　ing。
　　We　said　good　night　and　left。
　　The　outdoor　air　was　sharper　now。　There　were　a　few　stars　but　no　moon；　and　alone　with　no　flashlight　I　would　never　have　been　able　to　keep　that　trail　through　the　woods　and　might　have　made　the　Hillside　Kennels　clearing　by　dawn。　For　Leeds　a　flashlight　would　have　been　only　a　nuisance。　He　strode　along　at　the　same　gait　as　in　the　daytime；　and　I　stumbled　at　his　heels；　catching　my　toes　on　things；　teetering　on　roots　and　pebbles；　and　once　going　clear　down。　I　am　not　a　deerstalker　and　don't　want　to　be。　As　we　approached　the　kennels　Leeds　called　out；　and　the　sound　came　of　many　movements；　but　not　a　bark。　Who　wants　a　dog；　let　alone　thirty　or　forty；　not　even　human　enough　to　bark　when　you　e　home？
　　Leeds　said　that　since　the　poisoning　he　always　took　a　look　around　before　going　to　bed；　and　I　went　on　in　the　house　and　up　to　the　little　room　where　I　had　put　my　bag。　I　was　sitting　on　the　bed　in　pajamas；　scratching　the　side　of　my　neck　and　considering　Barry　Rackham's　last…minute　remarks；　when　Leeds　entered　downstairs　and　came　up　to　ask　if　I　was　fortable。　I　told　him　I　soon　would　be；　and　he　said　good　night　and　went　down　the　short　hall　to　his　room。
　　I　opened　a　window；　turned　out　the　light；　and　got　into　bed；　but　in　three　minutes　I　saw　it　wasn't　working。　My　practice　is　to　empty　my　head　simultaneously　with　dropping　it　on　the　pillow。　If　something　sticks　and　doesn't　want　to　e　out　I'll　give　it　up　to　three　minutes　but　no　more。　Then　I　act。
　　This　time；　of　course；　it　was　Barry　Rackham　that　stuck。　I　had　to　decide　that　he　knew　what　I　was　there　for　or　that　he　didn't；　or；　as　an　alternative；　decide　definitely　that　I　wouldn't　try　to　decide　until　tomorrow。　I　got　out　of　bed　and　went　and　sat　on　a　chair。
　　It　may　have　taken　five　minutes；　or　it　could　have　been　fifteen；　I　don't　know。　Anyhow　it　didn't　acplish　anything　except　getting　Rackham　unstuck　from　my　head　for　the　night；　for　the　best　I　could　do　was