太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > rs.toomanywomen >

第23节

rs.toomanywomen-第23节

小说: rs.toomanywomen 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



energy。
  I asked him; 〃So you got some energy back in the short space of forty…eight hours? After what I took out of you?〃
  〃What the hell;〃 he bragged; 〃I'd forgotten about that the next day。 What do they want Rosa for? Are they fools enough to think she would kill a man? What have they got?〃
  He had actually e clear down to Centre Street at that time of night through anxiety for his wife! Loyalty is a very fine thing; but it shouldn't be allowed to get the bit between its teeth。 I told him not to worry; the cops were just shaking it all through a sieve。 Regarding his energy; I didn't believe him。 Three of my kidney punches do not kill a man; but neither do they fade utterly from recollection the next day。
  But that was along toward the end。 Before that we had had a session with Ben Frenkel; one of the first things after our arrival at O'Hara's office。 At the moment Cramer was seated at the big desk and I was standing behind him; looking over his shoulder at the carbon copy of my reports to Naylor…Kerr; which I had stopped off at Wolfe's office to get。 A dick towed Frenkel in and planted him in a chair at the end of the desk。 I had thought his hair was undisciplined when he came to see me on Thursday; but now no two hairs were parallel。 He was trying to look nowhere and at no one; which really cannot be done unless you go at it with all your might and shut your eyes。
  〃Hello there;〃 I said。
  He returned no sign of recognition。
  Cramer growled at him; 〃You're Benjamin Frenkel?〃
  〃Yes; that's my name。〃
  〃Are you under the impression that you killed Kerr Naylor?〃
  Frenkel gawked at him; then made another try at looking at nothing; and did not speak。
  〃Well; are you?〃
  Frenkel looked straight at me and cried; 〃You rat! I told you that in confidence!〃
  〃You did not;〃 I denied。 〃I told you I couldn't keep a confession of murder confidential。〃
  〃I didn't confess to a murder!〃
  〃Then do it now;〃 Cramer urged。 〃Confess now。 e on; let's have it; get it off your chest; you'll feel better。〃
  That didn't work at all。 Put straight that way; an invitation to confess to murder seemed to be just what he had wanted for his birthday。 He quit trying to look at nothing; his big bony shoulders went to the back of the chair for normal support; and his voice; though still intense; had no note of panic at all as he said:
  〃I was told I had to e here to answer questions。 What are the questions?〃 He smiled sweetly and sadly。
  Cramer asked the questions and he replied。 He had last seen Kerr Naylor around three o'clock Friday afternoon; at the office; and knew nothing of him since that hour。 After work he had gone to his room on Ninety…fourth Street; bathed and changed his clothes; eaten dinner alone in a restaurant around the corner on Broadway; and taken the subway downtown to call for a young woman who lived on Twenty…first Street with whom he had an engagement for the evening。 He preferred not to mention her name。 They had gone to Moonlight; on Fiftieth Street; and stayed there; dancing; until after twelve。 He had taken the young woman home and then gone home himself; arriving about one o'clock。 He would not give the young woman's name because there was no reason why he should。 If for any good reason it became necessary the name would be forthing。
  What about his impression that he had killed Waldo Moore?
  That; he had decided; was one of the mental vagaries to which high…strung men like him were subject。 He had often been bothered by them。 Once he had bee obsessed with the idea that he was secretly a Nazi; and had gone to a Bund meeting at Yorkville to get rid of it。 He did not state categorically; but strongly implied; that his ing to me had been the same thing as his going to a Bund meeting; which did not increase my affection for him。
  Hadn't he e to me only for one purpose; to find out if Naylor had mentioned his name in connection with Moore's death?
  No; that wasn't true。 He hadn't even thought of that until it occurred to him during the conversation。
  Did he know Gwynne Ferris?
  Yes; she was one of the stenographers in the stock department。
  Had he spoken with her on Friday?
  Possibly; he didn't remember。
  Hadn't she told him that Naylor had stated that he knew who had killed Waldo Moore?
  No; not that he remembered。 But of course; he added; he had known that Mr。 Naylor had made that statement。 Everybody did。 It was being discussed all over the department。
  That was news to me。 I goggled at him。 I took it away from Cramer and demanded; 〃When?〃
  〃Why; today。 Yesterday。 Friday。〃
  〃Who did Naylor make the statement to?〃
  〃I don't know…that is; I only know what I heard。 The way I got it; he made it to you and you reported it to the president's office。〃
  〃Who did you get it from?〃
  〃I don't remember。〃 Frenkel had reverted to form。 His rumble was low from deep in his throat and his eyes were probing me again。 〃It is not a quality of my mind to cling to factual details like that。 Whereas matters which have an intellectual content…〃
  〃Nuts。〃 Cramer said in bitter disgust。 He had thought for one shining moment that he had a confession ing; and now this blah。 He aimed a half…chewed cigar at Frenkel's face; brandished it; and asserted:
  〃Gwynne Ferris told you! Didn't she?〃
  〃I said she didn't。〃
  〃And I say she did! I happen to know… What do you want?〃
  The question was for a city employee who had approached the desk。 He answered it。 〃Sergeant Gottlieb is here; sir; with the Ferris woman。〃
  Cramer scowled at him。 〃Keep her until I get through…no。 Wait。〃 He looked at Frenkel and then at me。 〃Why not?〃
  〃Sure; why not?〃 I agreed。
  Cramer told the dick; 〃Bring her in here。〃
  
  Chapter Twenty…One
  Gwynne Ferris entered; not aware or not caring that a detective sergeant was right behind her elbow; halted a moment to survey the big room; and then approached us at the desk。
  〃Hello; Ben;〃 she said in her sweet musical voice。 〃Of all the terrible things; but what are you here for?〃 Not waiting for a reply; her glance darted to Cramer and then to me。 〃Oh; then you are a policeman!〃
  She was; I admitted; equal to any situation; and that applied not only to her nerves but also to her appearance。 Routed out by a cop at four in the morning; getting dressed while he waited; and brought down to headquarters in a police car; she looked as fresh and pure and beautiful as she had when she had raised her clear blue eyes to mine and told me she couldn't spell。
  〃Sit down; Miss Ferris;〃 Cramer told her。
  〃Thank you;〃 she said sarcastically; and sat; on a chair a couple of paces from Frenkel's。 〃You look terrible; Ben。 Have you had any sleep at all?〃
  〃Yes;〃 Frenkel rumbled from a mile down。
  Gwynne spoke to Cramer and me。 〃The reason I asked him that; I saw him only a few hours ago。 We were dancing。 But I suppose he's told you that already。 It's a good thing tomorrow isn't a workday。 Are you an inspector; Mr。 Truett; or what?〃
  〃This is unspeakable; utterly unspeakable;〃 Ben Frenkel declared with deep intensity。 〃I didn't tell them who I went dancing with because I thought they'd be after you to verify it; and they did it anyway; for no reason on earth。 Were they decent about it? Were they rough with you?〃
  Harry Anthony had been anxious about Rosa; and here was Frenkel being anxious about Gwynne。 I made a note to quit trying to understand women and start trying to understand men。
  〃No; he was really very courteous about it;〃 Gwynne testified generously。
  Cramer had been glancing from one to the other。 He opened up。 〃So you two were together all evening。 Is that right; Frenkel?〃
  〃Yes。 Since Miss Ferris has told you so。〃
  〃Not just since she has told me so。 Were you?〃
  〃Yes。〃
  〃Did Mr。 Frenkel take you home; Miss Ferris?〃
  〃Certainly he did!〃
  〃What time did you get home?〃
  〃When was it; Ben; about…〃
  〃I asked you。〃
  〃Well; it was a quarter to one when I got upstairs to my room。 I went up alone of course。 We talked a while downstairs。〃
  Cramer surprised me。 He was seldom plain nasty; leaving that to the boys; but now he barked at her; 〃When Waldo Moore took you home you didn't go upstairs alone; did you?〃
  Ben Frenkel sprang from his chair with his fists doubled up and his eyes blazing。 A dick standing in the rear moved forward。 I tightened up a little myself; not knowing how far Frenkel's impulses might go。 But evidently Gwynne did; for she was on her feet and in front of him; with her hands up to grasp his coat lapels。
  〃Now; Ben; honey。〃 When she put appeal in her voice it could have been used for a welding torch。 〃You know that isn't so; haven't I told you? He's just being malicious。〃 She put pressure on him。 〃Sit down and don't even hear things like that。〃 His knees started to give; she maintained the pressure; and he was back in his chair。
  She returned to hers and told Cramer; 〃There was a lot of malicious talk about me and Waldo Moore; and this is what I get for it。 I know better than to lose my temper over those kind of things any more。 I just ignore it。〃
  So Cramer's nastiness had paid no dividend。 He shi

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 1

你可能喜欢的