rc.theladyinthelake-第34节

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　That　frozen…faced　little　drip…what　is　she　to　me？〃
　　〃I　thought　you　might　have　had　a　fight　with　her…about　Bill。〃
　　〃Bill？　Bifi　Chess？〃　She　seemed　even　more　surprised。　Almost　too　surprised。
　　〃Bill　claims　you　made　a　pass　at　him。〃　She　put　her　head　back　and　let　out　a　tinny　and　unreal　laugh。　〃Good　heavens；　that　muddy…faced　boozer？〃　Her　face　sobered　suddenly。　〃What's　happened？　Why　all　the　mystery？〃
　　〃He　might　be　a　muddy…faced　boozer；〃　I　said。　〃The　police　think　he's　a　murderer　too。　Of　his　wife。　She's　been　found　drowned　in　the　lake。　After　a　month。〃　She　moistened　her　lips　and　held　her　head　on　one　side；　staring　at　me　fixedly。　There　was　a　quiet　little　silence。　The　damp　breath　of　the　Pacific　slid　into　the　room　around　us。
　　〃I'm　not　too　surprised；〃　she　said　slowly。　〃So　it　came　to　that　in　the　end。　They　fought　terribly　at　times。　Do　you　think　that　had　something　to　do　with　my　leaving？〃　I　nodded。　〃There　was　a　chance　of　it。〃
　　〃It。　didn't　have　anything　to　do　with　it　at　all；〃　she　said　seriously；　and　shook　her　head　back　and　forth。　〃It　was　just　the　way　I　told　you。　Nothing　else。〃
　　〃Muriel's　dead；〃　I　said。　〃Drowned　in　the　lake。　You　don't　get　much　of　a　boot　out　of　that；　do　you？〃
　　〃I　hardly　knew　the　girl；〃　she　said。　〃Really。　She　kept　to　herself。。　After　all〃
　　〃I　don't　suppose　you　knew　she　had　once　worked　in　Dr。　Almore's　office？〃　She　looked　pletely　puzzled　now。　〃I　was　never　in　Dr。　Almore's　office；〃　she　said　slowly。　〃He　made　a　few　house　calls　a　long　time　ago。　I…what　are　you　talking　about？〃
　　〃Muriel　Chess　was　really　a　girl　called　Mildred　Haviland；　who　had　been　Dr。　Almore's　office　nurse。〃
　　〃That's　a　queer　coincidence；〃　she　said　wonderingly。　〃I　knew　Bill　met　her　in　Riverside。　I　didn't　know　how　or　under　what　circumstances　or　where　she　came　from。　Dr。　Almore's　office；　eh？　It　doesn't　have　to　mean　anything；　does　it？〃　I　said。　〃No。　I　guess　it's　a　genuine　coincidence。　They　do　happen。　But　you　see　why　I　had　to　talk　to　you。　Muriel　being　found　drowned　and　you　having　gone　away　and　Muriel　being　Mildred　Haviland　who　was　connected　with　Dr。　Almore　at　one　time…as　Lavery　was　also；　in　a　different　way。　And　of　course　Lavery　lives　across　the　street　from　Dr。　Almore。　Did　he；　Lavery；　seem　to　know　Muriel　from　somewhere　else？〃　She　thought　about　it；　biting　her　lower　lip　gently。　〃He　saw　her　up　there；〃　she　said　finally。　〃He　didn't　act　as　if　he　had　ever　seen　her　before。〃
　　〃And　he　would　have；〃　I　said。　〃Being　the　kind　of　guy　he　was。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　Chris　had　anything　to　do　with　Dr。　Almore；〃　she　said。　〃He　knew　Dr。　Almore's　wife。　I　don't　think　he　knew　the　doctor　at　all。　So　he　probably　wouldn't　know　Dr。　Almore's　office　nurse。〃
　　〃Well；　I　guess　there's　nothing　in　all　this　to　help　me；〃　I　said。　〃But　you　can　see　why　I　had　to　talk　to　you。　I　guess　I　can　give　you　the　money　now。〃　I　got　the　envelope　out　and　stood　up　to　drop　it　on　her　knee。　She　let　it　lie　there。　I　sat　down　again。
　　〃You　do　this　character　very　well；〃　I　said。　〃This　confused　innocence　with　an　undertone　of　hardness　and　bitterness。　People　have　made　a　bad　mistake　about　you。　They　have　been　thinking　of　you　as　a　reckless　little　idiot　with　no　brains　and　no　control。　They　have　been　very　wrong。〃　She　stared　at　me；　lifting　her　eyebrows。　She　said　nothing。　Then　a　small　smile　lifted　the　corners　of　her　mouth。　She　reached　for　the　envelope；　tapped　it　on　her　knee；　and　laid　it　aside　on　the　table。　She　stared　at　me　all　the　time。
　　〃You　did　the　Fallbrook　character　very　well　too；〃　I　said。　〃Looking　back　on　it；　I　think　it　was　a　shade　overdone。　But　at　the　time　it　had　me　going　all　right。　That　purple　hat　that　would　have　been　all　right　on　blond　hair　but　looked　like　hell　on　straggly　brown；　that　messed…up　makeup　that　looked　as　if　it　had　been　put　on　in　the　dark　by　somebody　with　a　sprained　wrist；　the　jittery　screwball　manner。　All　very　good。　And　when　you　put　the　gun　in　my　hand　like　that…I　fell　like　a　brick。〃　She　snickered　and　put　her　hands　in　the　deep　pockets　of　her　coat。　Her　heels　tapped　on　the　floor。
　　〃But　why　did　you　go　back　at　all？〃　I　asked。　〃Why　take　such　a　risk　in　broad　daylight；　in　the　middle　of　the　morning？〃
　　〃So　you　think　I　shot　Chris　Lavery？〃　she　said　quietly。
　　〃I　don't　think　it。　I　know　it。〃
　　〃Why　did　I　go　back？　Is　that　what　you　want　to　know？〃
　　〃I　don't　really　care；〃　I　said。
　　She　laughed。　A　sharp　cold　laugh。　〃He　had　all　my　money；〃　she　said。　〃He　had　stripped　my　purse。　He　had　it　all；　even　silver。　That's　why　I　went　back。　There　wasn't　any　risk　at　all。　I　know　how　he　lived。　It　was　really　safer　to　go　back。　To　take　in　the　milk　and　newspaper　for　instance。　People　lose　their　heads　in　these　situations。　I　don't；　I　didn't　see　why　I　should。　It's　so　very　much　safer　not　to。〃
　　〃I　see；〃　I　said。　〃Then　of　course　you　shot　him　the　night　before。　I　ought　to　have　thought　of　that；　not　that　it　matters。　He　had　been　shaving。　But　guys　with　dark　beards　and　lady　friends　sometimes　shave　the　last　thing　at　night；　don't　they？〃
　　〃It　has　been　heard　of；〃　she　said　almost　gaily。　〃And　just　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃
　　〃You're　a　cold…blooded　little　bitch　if　I　ever　saw　one；〃　I　said。　〃Do　about　it？　Turn　you　over　to　the　police　naturally。　It　will　be　a　pleasure。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so。〃　She　threw　the　words　out；　almost　with　a　lilt。　〃You　wondered　why　I　gave　you　the　empty　gun。　Why　not？　I　had　another　one　in　my　bag。　Like　this。〃　Her　right　hand　came　up　from　her　coat　pocket　and　she　pointed　it　at　me。
　　I　grinned。　It　may　not　have　been　the　heartiest　grin　in　the　world；　but　it　was　a　grin。
　　〃I've　never　liked　this　scene；〃　I　said。　〃Detective　confronts　murderer。　Murderer　produces　gun；　points　same　at　detective。　Murderer　tells　detective　the　whole　sad　story；　with　the　idea　of　shooting　him　at　the　end　of　it。　Thus　wasting　a　lot　of　valuable　time；　even　if　in　the　end　murderer　did　shoot　detective。　Only　murderer　never　does。　Something　always　happens　to　prevent　it。　The　gods　don't　like　this　scene　either。　They　always　manage　to　spoil　it。〃
　　〃But　this　time；〃　she　said　softly　and　got　up　and　moved　towards　me　softly　across　the　carpet；　〃suppose　we　make　it　a　little　different。　Suppose　I　don't　tell　you　anything　and　nothing　happens　and　I　do　shoot　you？〃
　　〃I　stifi　wouldn't　like　the　scene；〃　I　said。
　　〃You　don't　seem　to　be　afraid；〃　she　said；　and　slowly　licked　her　lips　ing　towards　me　very　gently　without　any　sound　of　footfalls　on　the　carpet。
　　〃I'm　not　afraid；〃　I　lied。　〃It's　too　late　at　night；　too　still；　and　the　window　is　open　and　the　gun　would　make　too　much　noise。　It's　too　long　a　journey　down　to　the　street　and　you're　not　good　with　guns。　You　would　probably　miss　me。　You　missed　Lavery　three　times。〃
　　〃Stand　up；〃　she　said。
　　I　stood　up。
　　〃I'm　going　to　be　too　close　to　miss；〃　she　said。　She　pushed　the　gun　against　my　chest。　〃Like　this。　I　really　can't　miss　now；　can　I？　Now　be　very　still。　Hold　your　hands　up　by　your　shoulders　and　then　don't　move　at　all。　If　you　move　at　all；　the　gun　will　go　off。〃　I　put　my　hands　up　beside　my　shoulders；　I　looked　down　at　the　gun。　My　tongue　felt　a　little　thick；　but　I　could　still　wave　it。
　　Her　probing　left　hand　didn't　find　a　gun　on　me。　It　dropped　and　she　bit　her　lip；　staring　at　me。　The　gun　bored　into　my　chest。　〃You'll　have　to　turn　around　now；〃　she　said；　polite　as　a　tailor　at　a　fitting。
　　〃There's　something　a　little　off　key　about　everything　you　do；〃　I　said。　〃You're　definitely　not　good　with　guns。　You're　much　too　close　to　me；　and　I　hate　to　bring　this　up…but　there's　that　old　business　of　the　safety　catch　not　being　off。　You've　overlooked　that　too。〃　So　she　started　to　do　two　things　at　once。　To　take　a　long　step　backwards　and　to　feel　with　her　thumb　for　the　safety　catch；　without　taking　her　eyes　off　my　face。　Two　very　simple　things；　needing　only　a　second　to　do。　But　she　didn't　like　my　telling　her。　She　didn't　like　my　thought　riding　over　hers。　The　minute　confusion　of　it　jarred　her。
　　She　let　out　a　small　choked　sound　and　I　dropped　my　right　hand　and　yanked　her　face　hard　against　my　chest。　My　left　hand　smashed　down　on　her　right　wrist；　the　heel　of　my　hand　against　the　base　of　her　thumb。　The　gun　jerked　out　of　her　hand　to　the　floor。　Her　face　writhed　against　my　chest　and　I　think　she　was　trying　to　scream。
　　Then　she　tried　to　kick　me　and　lost　what　little　balance　she　had　left。　Her　hands　came　up　to　claw　at　me。　I　caught　her　wrist　and　began　to　twist　it　behind　her　back。　She　was　very　strong；　but　I　was　very　much　stronger。　So　she　decided　to　go　limp　and　let　her　whole　weight　sag　against　the　hand　that　was　holding　her　head。　I　couldn't　hold　her　up　with　one　hand。　She　started　to　go　down　and　I　had　to　bend　down　with　her。
　　There　were　vague　sounds　of　our　scuffling　on　the　floor　by　the　davenport；　and　hard　breathing；　and　if　a　floor　board　creaked　I　didn't　hear　it。　I　thought　a　curtain　ring　checked　sharply　on　a　rod。　I　wasn't　sure　and　I　had　no　time　to　consider　the　question。　A　figure　loomed　up　suddenly　on　my　left；　just　behind；　and　out　of　range　of　clear　vision。　I　knew　there　was　a　man　there　and　that　he　was　a　big　man。
　　That　was　all　I　knew。　The　scene　exploded　into　fire　and　darkness。　I　didn't　even　remember　being　slugged。　Fire　and　darkness　and　just　before　the　darkness　a　sharp　flash　of　nausea。
　　
　　
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　　I　smelled　of　gin。　Not　just　casually；　as　if　I　had　taken　four　or　five　drinks　of　a　winter　morning　to　get　out　of　bed　on；　but　as　'if　the　Pacific　Ocean