rc.theladyinthelake-第41节

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re　he　spoke。
　　〃Mr。　Kingsley；〃　he　said　then；　in　a　calm　steady　voice；　〃we　got　to　talk　to　you　a　little。〃
　　
　　
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　　Kingsley　moved　with　a　kind　of　jerk；　and　opened　his　eyes　and　moved　them　without　moving　his　head。　He　looked　at　Patton；　then　at　Degarmo；　lastly　at　me。　His　eyes　were　heavy；　but　the　light　sharpened　in　them。　He　sat　up　slowly　in　the　chair　and　rubbed　his　hands　up　and　down　the　sides　of　his　face。
　　〃I　was　asleep；〃　he　said。　〃Fell　asleep　a　couple　of　hours　ago。　I　was　as　drunk　as　a　skunk；　I　guess。　Anyway；　much　drunker　than　I　like　to　be。〃　He　dropped　his　hands　and　let　them　hang。
　　Patton　said：　〃This　is　Lieutenant　Degarmo　of　the　Bay　City　police。　He　has　to　talk　to　you。〃　Kingsley　looked　briefly　at　Degarmo　and　his　eyes　came　around　to　stare　at　me。　His　voice　when　he　spoke　again　sounded　sober　and　quiet　and　tired　to　death。
　　〃So　you　let　them　get　her？〃　he　said。
　　I　said：　〃I　would　have；　but　I　didn't。〃　Kingsley　thought　about　that；　looking　at　Degarmo。　Patton　had　left　the　front　door　open。　He　pulled　the　brown　Venetian　blinds　up　at　two　front　windows　and　pulled　the　windows　up。　He　sat　in　a　chair　near　one　of　them　and　clasped　his　hands　over　his　stomach。　Degarmo　stood　glowering　down　at　Kingsley。
　　〃Your　wife　is　dead；　Kingsley；〃　he　said　brutally。　〃If　it's　any　news　to　you。〃　Kingsley　stared　at　him　and　moistened　his　lips。
　　〃Takes　it　easy；　don't　he？〃　Degarmo　said。　〃Show　him　the　scarf。〃　I　took　the　green　and　yellow　scarf　out　and　dangled　it。　Degarmo　jerked　a　thumb。　〃Yours？〃　Kingsley　nodded。　He　moistened　his　lips　again。
　　〃Careless　of　you　to　leave　it　behind　you；〃　Degarmo　said。　He　was　breathing　a　little　hard。　His　nose　was　pinched　and　deep　lines　ran　from　his　nostrils　to　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　Kingsley　said　very　quietly：　〃Leave　it　behind　me　where？〃　He　had　barely　glanced　at　the　scarf。　He　hadn't　looked　at　all　at　me。
　　〃In　the　Granada　Apartments；　on　Eighth　Street；　in　Bay　City。　Apartment　716。　Am　I　telling　you　something？〃　Kingsley　now　very　slowly　lifted　his　eyes　to　meet　mine。　〃Is　that　where　she　was？〃　he　breathed。
　　I　nodded。　〃She　didn't　want　me　to　go　there。　I　wouldn't　give　her　the　money　until　she　talked　to　me。　She　admitted　she　killed　Lavery。　She　pulled　a　gun　and　planned　to　give　me　the　same　treatment。　Somebody　came　from　behind　the　curtain　and　knocked　me　out　without　letting　me　see　him。　When　I　came　to　she　was　dead。〃　I　told　him　how　she　was　dead　and　how　she　looked。　I　told　him　what　I　had　done　and　what　had　been　done　to　me。
　　He　listened　without　moving　a　muscle　of　his　face。　When　I　had　done　talking　he　made　a　vague　gesture　towards　the　scarf。
　　〃What　has　that　got　to　do　with　it？〃
　　〃The　lieutenant　regards　it　as　evidence　that　you　were　the　party　hidden　out　in　the　apartment。〃　Kingsley　thought　that　over。　He　didn't　seem　to　get　the　implications　of　it　very　quickly。　He　leaned　back　in　the　chair　and　rested　his　head　against　the　back。　〃Go　on；〃　he　said　at　length。　〃I　suppose　you　know　what　you're　talking　about。　I'm　sure　I　don't。〃　Degarmo　said：　〃All　right；　play　dumb。　See　what　it　gets　you。　You　could　begin　by　accounting　for　your　time　last　night　after　you　dropped　your　biddy　at　her　apartment　house。〃　Kingsley　said　evenly：　〃If　you　mean　Miss　Fromsett；　I　didn't。　She　went　home　in　a　taxi。　I　was　going　home　myself；　but　I　didn't。　I　came　up　here　instead。　I　thought　the　trip　and　the　night　air　and　the　quiet　might　help　me　to　get　straightened　out。〃
　　〃Just　think　of　that；〃　Degarmo　jeered。　〃Straightened　out　from　what；　if　I　might　ask？〃
　　〃Straightened　out　from　all　the　worry　I　had　been　having。〃
　　〃Hell；〃　Degarmo　said；　〃a　little　thing　like　strangling　your　wife　and　clawing　her　belly　wouldn't　worry　you　that　much；　would　it？〃
　　〃Son；　you　hadn't　ought　to　say　things　like　that；〃　Patton　put　in　from　the　background。　〃That　…ain't　no　way　to　talk。　You　ain't　produced　anything　yet　that　sounds　like　evidence。〃
　　〃No？〃　Degarmo　swung　his　hard　head　at　him。　〃What　about　this　scarf；　fatty？　Isn't　that　evidence？〃
　　〃You　didn't　fit　it　in　to　anything…not　that　I　heard；〃　Patton　said　peacefully。　〃And　I　…ain't　fat　either；　just　well　covered。〃　Degarmo　swung　away　from　him　disgustedly。　He　jabbed　his　finger　at　Kingsley。
　　〃I　suppose　you　didn't　go　down　to　Bay　City　at　all；〃　he　said　harshly。
　　〃No。　Why　should　I？　Marlowe　was　taking　care　of　that。　And　I　don't　see　why　you　are　making　a　point　of　the　scarf。　Marlowe　was　wearing　it。〃　Degarmo　stood　rooted　and　savage。　He　turned　very　slowly　and　gave　me　his　bleak　angry　stare。
　　〃I　don't　get　this；〃　he　said。　〃Honest；　I　don't。　It　wouldn't　be　that　somebody　is　kidding　me；　would　it？　Somebody　like　you？〃　I　said：　〃All　I　told　about　the　scarf　was　that　it　was　in　the　apartment　and　that　I　had　seen　Kingsley　wearing　it　earlier　this　evening。　That　seemed　to　be　all　you　wanted。　I　might　have　added　that　I　had　later　worn　the　scarf　myself；　so　the　girl　I　was　to　meet　could　identify　me　that　much　easier。〃　Degarmo　backed　away　from　Kingsley　and　leaned　against　the　wall　at　the　end　of　the　fireplace。　He　pulled　his　lower　lip　out　with　thumb　and　forefinger　of　his　left　hand。　His　right　hand　hung　lax　at　his　side；　the　fingers　slightly　curved。
　　I　said：　〃I　told　you　all　I　had　ever　seen　of　Mrs。　Kingsley　was　a　snapshot。　One　of　us　had　to　be　sure　of　being　able　to　identify　the　other。　The　scarf　seemed　obvious　enough　for　identification。　As　a　matter　of　fact　I　had　seen　her　once　before；　although　I　didn't　know　it　when　I　went　to　meet　her。　But　I　didn't　recognize　her　at　once。〃　I　turned　to　Kingsley。　〃Mrs。　Fallbrook；〃　I　said。
　　〃I　thought　you　said　Mrs。　Fallbrook　was　the　owner　of　the　house；〃　he　answered　slowly。
　　〃That's　what　she　said　at　the　time。　That's　what　I　believed　at　the　time。　Why　shouldn't　I？〃　Degarmo　made　a　sound　in　his　throat。　His　eyes　were　a　little　crazy。　I　told　him　about　Mrs。　Faflbrook　and　her　purple　hat　and　her　fluttery　manner　and　the　empty　gun　she　had　been　holding　and　how　she　gave　it　to　me。
　　When　I　stopped；　he　said　very　carefully：　〃I　didn't　hear　you　tell　Webber　any　of　that。〃
　　〃I　didn't　tell　him。　I　didn't　want　to　admit　I　had　already　been　in　the　house　three　hours　before。　That　I　had　gone　to　talk　it　over　with　Kingsley　before　I　reported　it　to　the　police。〃
　　〃That's　something　we're　going　to　love　you　for；〃　Degarmo　said　with　a　cold　grin。　〃Jesus；　what　a　sucker　I've　been。　How　much　you　paying　this　shamus　to　cover　up　your　murders　for　you；　Kingsley？〃
　　〃His　usual　rates；〃　Kingsley　told　him　emptily。　〃And　a　five　hundred　dollar　bonus　if　he　can　prove　my　wife　didn't　murder　Lavery。〃
　　〃Too　bad　he　can't　earn　that；〃　Degarmo　sneered。
　　〃Don't　be　silly；〃　I　said。　〃I've　already　earned　it。〃　There　was　a　silence　in　the　room。　One　of　those　charged　silences　which　seem　about　to　split　apart　with　a　peal　of　thunder。　It　didn't。　It　remained；　hung　heavy　and　solid；　like　a　wall。　Kingsley　moved　a　little　in　his　chair；　and　after　a　long　moment；　he　nodded　his　head。
　　〃Nobody　could　possibly　know　that　better　than　you　know　it；　Degarmo；〃　I　said。
　　Patton　had　as　much　expression　on　his　face　as　a　chunk　of　wood。　He　watched　Degarmo　quietly。　He　didn't　look　at　Kingsley　at　all。　Degarmo　looked　at　a　point　between　my　eyes；　but　not　as　if　that　was　anything　in　the　room　with　him。　Rather　as　if　he　was　looking　at　something　very　far　away；　like　a　mountain　across　a　valley。
　　After　what　seemed　a　very　long　time；　Degarmo　said　quietly：　〃I　don't　see　why。　I　don't　know　anything　about　Kingsley's　wife。　To　the　best　of　my　knowledge　I　never　laid　eyes　on　her…until　last　night。〃　He　lowered　his　eyelids　a　little　and　watched　me　broodingly。　He　knew　perfectly　well　what　I　was　going　to　say。　I　said　it　anyway。
　　〃And　you　never　saw　her　last　night。　Because　she　had　already　been　dead　for　over　a　month。　Because　she　had　been　drowned　in　Little　Fawn　Lake。　Because　the　woman　you　saw　dead　in　the　Granada　Apartments　was　Mildred　Haviland；　and　Mildred　Haviland　was　Muriel　Chess。　And　since　Mrs。　Kingsley　was　dead　long　before　Lavery　was　shot；　it　follows　that　Mrs。　Kingsley　did　not　shoot　him。〃　Kingsley　clenched　his　fists　on　the　arms　of　his　chair；　but　he　made　no　sound；　no　sound　at　all。
　　
　　
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　　There　was　another　heavy　silence。　Patton　broke　it　by　saying　in　his　careful　slow　voice：　〃That's　kind　of　a　wild　statement；　ain't　it？　Don't　you　kind　of　think　Bill　Chess　would　know　his　own　wife？〃　I　said：　〃After　a　month　in　the　water？　With　his　wife's　clothes　on　her　and　some　of　his　wife's　trinkets？　With　watersoaked　blond　hair　like　his　wife's　hair　and　almost　no　recognizable　face？　Why　would　he　even　have　a　doubt　about　it？　She　left　a　note　that　might　be　a　suicide　note。　She　had　gone　away。　They　had　quarreled。　Her　clothes　and　car　had　gone　away。　During　the　month　she　was　gone；　he　had　heard　nothing　from　her。　He　had　no　idea　where　she　had　gone。　And　then　this　corpse　es　up　out　of　the　water　with　Muriel's　clothes　on　it。　A　blond　woman　about　his　wife's　size。　Of　course　there　would　be　differences　and　if　any　substitution　had　been　suspected；　they　would　have　been　found　and　checked。　But　there　was　no　reason　to　suspect　any　such　thing。　Crystal　Kingsley　was　still　alive。　She　had　gone　off　with　Lavery。　She　had　left　her　car　in　San　Bernardino。　She　had　sent　a　wire　to　her　husband　from　El　Paso。　She　was　all　taken　care　of；　so　far　as　Bill　Chess　was　concerned。　He　had　no　thoughts　about　her　at　all。　She　didn't　enter　the　picture　anywhere　for　him。　Why　should　she？〃　Patton　said：　〃I　ought　to　of　thought　of　it