rc.theladyinthelake-第17节

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iscovered。〃　I　nodded　and　said；　〃Have　some　coffee？〃
　　〃No　thanks。　I　had　breakfast　two　hours　ago。〃　I　got　my　coffee　and　sat　down　across　the　room　from　him。
　　〃They　asked　us　to　look　you　up；〃　he　said。　〃Give　them　a　line　on　you。〃
　　〃Sure。〃
　　〃So　we　did　that。　Seems　like　you　have　a　clean　bill　of　health　so　far　as　we　are　concerned。　Kind　of　coincidence　a　man　in　your　line　would　be　around　when　the　body　was　found。〃
　　〃I'm　like　that；〃　I　said。　〃Lucky。〃
　　〃So　I　just　thought　I'd　drop　around　and　say　howdy。〃
　　〃That's　fine。　Glad　to　know　you；　lieutenant。〃
　　〃Kind　of　coincidence；〃　he　said　again；　nodding。　〃You　up　there　on　business；　so　to　speak？〃
　　〃If　I　was；〃　I　said；　〃my　business　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　girl　who　was　drowned；　so　far　as　I　know。〃
　　〃But　you　couldn't　be　sure？〃
　　〃Until　you've　finished　with　a　case；　you　can't　ever　be　quite　sure　what　its　ramifications　are；　can　you？〃
　　〃That's　right。〃　He　circled　his　hat　brim　through　his　fingers　again；　like　a　bashful　cowboy。　There　was　nothing　bashful　about　his　eyes。　〃I'd　like　to　feel　sure　that　if　these　ramifications　you　speak　of　happened　to　take　in　this　drowned　woman's　affairs；　you　would　put　us　wise。〃
　　〃I　hope　you　can　rely　on　that；〃　I　said。
　　He　bulged　his　lower　lip　with　his　tongue。　〃We'd　like　a　little　more　than　a　hope。　At　the　present　time　you　don't　care　to　say？〃
　　〃At　the　present　time　I　don't　know　anything　that　Patton　doesn't　know。〃
　　〃Who's　he？〃
　　〃The　constable　up　at　Puma　Point。〃　The　lean　serious　man　smiled　tolerantly。　He　cracked　a　knuckle　and　after　a　pause　said：　〃The　San　Berdoo　D。　A。　will　likely　want　to　talk　to　you…before　the　inquest。　But　that　won't　be　very　soon。　Right　now　they're　trying　to　get　a　set　of　prints。　We　lent　them　a　technical　man。〃
　　〃That　will　be　tough。　The　body's　pretty　far　gone。〃
　　〃It's　done　all　the　time；〃　he　said。　〃They　worked　out　the　system　back　in　New　York　where　they're　all　the　time　pulling　in　floaters。　They　cut　patches　of　skin　off　the　fingers　and　harden　them　in　a　tanning　solution　and　make　stamps。　It　works　well　enough　as　a　rule。〃
　　〃You　think　this　woman　had　a　record　of　some　kind？〃
　　〃Why；　we　always　take　prints　of　a　corpse；〃　he　said。　〃You　ought　to　know　that。〃　I　said：　〃I　didn't　know　the　lady。　If　you　thought　I　did　and　that　was　why　I　was　up　there；　there's　nothing　to　it。〃
　　〃But　you　wouldn't　care　to　say　just　why　you　were　up　there；〃　he　persisted。
　　〃So　you　think　I'm　lying　to　you；〃　I　said。
　　He　spun　his　hat　on　a　bony　forefinger。　〃You　got　me　wrong；　Mr。　Marlowe。　We　don't　think　anything　at　all。　What　we　do　is　investigate　and　find　out。　This　stuff　is　just　routine。　You　ought　to　know　that。　You　been　around　long　enough。〃　He　stood　up　and　put　his　hat　on。　〃You　might　let　me　know　if　you　have　to　leave　town。　I'd　be　obliged。〃　I　said　I　would　and　went　to　the　door　with　him。　He　went　out　with　a　duck　of　his　head　and　a　sad　half…smile。　I　watched　him　drift　languidly　down　the　hall　and　punch　the　elevator　button。
　　I　went　back　out　to　the　dinette　to　see　if　there　was　any　more　coffee。　There　was　about　two…thirds　of　a　cup。　I　added　cream　and　sugar　and　carried　my　cup　over　to　the　telephone。　I　dialed　Police　Headquarters　downtown　and　asked　for　the　Detective　Bureau　and　then　for　Lieutenant　Floyd　Greer。
　　The　voice　said：　〃Lieutenant　Greer　is　not　in　the　office。　Anybody　else　do？〃
　　〃De　Soto　in？〃
　　〃Who？〃　I　repeated　the　name。
　　〃What's　his　rank　and　department？〃
　　〃Plain　clothes　something　or　other。〃
　　〃Hold　the　line。〃　I　waited。　The　burring　male　voice　came　back　after　a　while　and　said：　〃What's　the　gag？　We　don't　have　a　De　Soto　on　the　roster。　Who's　this　talking？〃　I　hung　up；　finished　my　coffee　and　dialed　the　number　of　Derace　Kingsley's　office。　The　smooth　and　cool　Miss　Fromsett　said　he　had　just　e　in　and　put　me　through　without　a　murmur。
　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　loud　and　forceful　at　the　beginning　of　a　fresh　day。　〃What　did　you　find　out　at　the　hotel？〃
　　〃She　was　there　all　right。　And　Lavery　met　her　there。　The　hop　who　gave　me　the　dope　brought　Lavery　into　it　himself；　without　any　prompting　from　me。　He　had　dinner　with　her　and　went　with　her　in　a　cab　to　the　railroad　station。〃
　　〃Well；　I　ought　to　have　known　he　was　lying；〃　Kingsley　said　slowly。　〃I　got　the　impression　he　was　surprised　when　I　told　him　about　the　telegram　from　El　Paso。　I　was　just　letting　my　impression　get　too　sharp。　Anything　else？〃
　　〃Not　there。　I　had　a　cop　calling　on　me　this　morning；　giving　me　the　usual　looking　over　and　warning　me　not　to　leave　town　without　letting　him　know。　Trying　to　find　out　why　I　went　to　Puma　Point。　I　didn't　tell　him　and　as　he　wasn't　even　aware　of　Jim　Patton's　existence；　it's　evident　that　Patton　didn't　tell　anybody。〃
　　〃Jim　would　do　his　best　to　be　decent　about　it；〃　Kingsley　said。　〃Why　were　you　asking　me　last　night　about　some　name…Mildred　something　or　other？〃　I　told　him；　making　it　brief。　I　told　him　about　Muriel　Chess's　car　and　clothes　being　found　and　where。
　　〃That　looks　bad　for　Bill；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　Coon　Lake　myself；　but　it　would　never　have　occurred　to　me　to　use　that　old　woodshed…or　even　that　there　was　an　old　woodshed。　It　not　only　looks　bad；　it　looks　premeditated。〃
　　〃I　disagree　with　that。　Assuming　he　knew　the　country　well　enough　it　wouldn't　take　him　any　time　to　search　his　mind　for　a　likely　hiding　place。　He　was　very　restricted　as　to　distance。〃
　　〃Maybe。　What　do　you　plan　to　do　now？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Go　up　against　Lavery　again；　of　course。〃　He　agreed　that　that　was　the　thing　to　do。　He　added：　〃This　other；　tragic　as　it　is；　is　really　no　business　of　ours；　is　it？〃
　　〃Not　unless　your　wife　knew　something　about　it。〃　His　voice　sounded　sharply；　saying：　〃Look　here；　Marlowe；　I　think　I　can　understand　your　detective　instinct　to　tie　everything　that　happens　into　one　pact　knot；　but　don't　let　it　run　away　with　you。　Life　isn't　like　that　at　all…not　life　as　I　have　known　it。　Better　leave　the　affairs　of　the　Chess　family　to　the　police　and　keep　your　brains　working　on　the　Kingsley　family。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　I　said。
　　〃I　don't　mean　to　be　domineering；〃　he　said。
　　I　laughed　heartily；　said　goodby；　and　hung　up。　I　finished　dressing　and　went　down　to　the　basement　for　the　Chrysler。　I　started　for　Bay　City　again。
　　
　　
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　　I　drove　past　the　intersection　of　Altair　Street　to　where　the　cross　street　continued　to　the　edge　of　the　canyon　and　ended　in　a　semi…circular　parking　place　with　a　sidewalk　and　a　white　wooden　guard　fence　around　it。　I　sat　there　in　the　car　a　little　while；　thinking；　looking　out　to　sea　and　admiring　the　blue　gray　fall　of　the　foothills　towards　the　ocean。　I　was　trying　to　make　up　my　mind　whether　to　try　handling　Lavery　with　a　feather　or　go　on　using　the　back　of　my　hand　and　edge　of　my　tongue。　I　decided　I　could　lose　nothing　by　the　soft　approach。　If　that　didn't　produce　for　me…and　I　didn't　think　it　would…nature　could　take　its　course　and　we　could　bust　up　the　furniture。
　　The　paved　alley　that　ran　along　halfway　down　the　hill　below　the　houses　on　the　outer　edge　was　empty。　Below　that；　on　the　next　hillside　street；　a　couple　of　kids　were　throwing　a　boomerang　up　the　slope　and　chasing　it　with　the　usual　amount　of　elbowing　and　mutual　insult。　Farther　down　still　a　house　was　enclosed　in　trees　and　a　red　brick　wall。　There　was　a　glimpse　of　washing　on　the　line　in　the　backyard　and　two　pigeons　strutted　along　the　slope　of　the　roof　bobbing　their　heads。　A　blue　and　tan　bus　trundled　along　the　street　in　front　of　the　brick　house　and　stopped　and　a　very　old　man　got　off　with　slow　care　and　settled　himself　firmly　on　the　ground　and　tapped　with　a　heavy　cane　before　he　started　to　crawl　back　up　the　slope。
　　The　air　was　clearer　than　yesterday。　The　morning　was　full　of　peace。　I　left　the　car　where　it　was　and　walked　along　Altair　Street　to　No。　623。
　　The　venetian　blinds　were　down　across　the　front　windows　and　the　place　had　a　sleepy　look。　I　stepped　down　over　the　Korean　moss　and　punched　the　bell　and　saw　that　the　door　was　not　quite　shut。　It　had　dropped　in　its　frame；　as　most　of　our　doors　do；　and　the　spring　bolt　hung　a　little　on　the　lower　edge　of　the　lock　plate。　I　remembered　that　it　had　wanted　to　stick　the　day　before；　when　I　was　leaving。
　　I　gave　the　door　a　little　push　and　it　moved　inward　with　a　light　click。　The　room　beyond　was　dim；　but　there　was　some　light　from　west　windows。　Nobody　answered　my　ring。　I　didn't　ring　'again。　I　pushed　the　door　a　little　wider　and　stepped　inside。
　　The　room　had　a　hushed　warm　smell；　the　smell　of　late　morning　in　a　house　not　yet　opened　up。　The　bottle　of　Vat　69　on　the　round　table　by　the　davenport　was　almost　empty　and　another　full　bottle　waited　beside　it。　The　copper　ice　bucket　had　a　little　water　in　the　bottom。　Two　glasses　had　been　used；　and　half　a　siphon　of　carbonated　water。
　　I　fixed　the　door　about　as　I　had　found　it　and　stood　there　and　listened。　If　Lavery　was　away　I　thought　I　would　take　a　chance　and　frisk　the　joint。　I　didn't　have　anything　much　on　him；　but　it　was　probably　enough　to　keep　him　from　calling　the　cops。
　　In　the　silence　time　passed。　It　passed　in　the　dry　whirr　of　the　electric　clock　on　the　mantel；　in　the　far…off　toot　of　an　auto　horn　on　Aster　Drive；　in　the　hornet　drone　of　a　plane　over　the　foothills　across　the　canyon；　in　the　sudden　lurch　and　growl　of　the　electric　refrigerator　in　the　kitchen。
　　I　went　farther　into　the　room　and　stood　peering　around　and　listening　and　hearing　nothing　except　those