rs.toomanywomen-第27节

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rilliant　lieutenant！〃
　　〃Right。　Here　you　are　in　the　house　you　didn't　want　to　e　to　with　me；　and　look　at　you。　Where　were　you　Friday　night　and　Saturday　and　Saturday　night？〃
　　She　bit　me　on　the　neck。
　　〃Ouch；〃　I　said。　〃That's　where　your　husband　hit　me　before　I　got　him。　Where　were　you？〃
　　She　kissed　where　she　had　bit。
　　〃e　on；　girlie；〃　I　said　realistically。
　　〃You're　going　to　tell　the　cops　or　else；　so　you　might　as　well　practice　on　me。〃
　　That　was　a　mistake。　She　actually　started　to　tremble。　I　squeezed　all　the　breath　out　of　her　to　make　her　stop　and　told　her　with　authority；　〃I　go　through　cops　like　the　wind　through　Wall　Street　and　it's　quite　possible　I　can　arrange　to　be　with　you　when　they　are。　If　so；　I　ought　to　know　what　the　score　is。　Where　were　you？〃
　　She　was　scared　again；　and　I　had　to　quiet　her　down　and　then　drag　it　out　of　her。　The　way　she　told　it；　she　had　gone　home　early　Friday　evening　to　her　room…and…bath　in　Greenwich　Village；　around　nine　o'clock；　because　the　man　who　had　taken　her　out　to　dinner　had　got　a　pletely　false　idea　of　their　program　for　the　evening。　She　had　been　asleep　for　hours　when　the　bell…ringing　and　door…knocking　started；　hadn't　answered　at　first　because　she　was　too　startled　and　had　suspected　it　was　her　dinner　host；　and　later；　having　crept　to　the　door　and　heard　the　caller　questioning　the　girl　across　the　hall；　had　crawled　back　into　bed　and　shivered；　awake；　until　morning；　afraid　of　cops。　Between　six　and　seven　she　had　got　up；　dressed；　packed　a　bag；　sneaked　out；　taken　the　subway　to　Washington　Heights；　and　gone　to　the　apartment　where　her　husband　lived　with　his　parents。　The　parents　had　advised　her　to　let　the　police　know　where　she　was　so　they　could　e　and　ask　their　questions　and　have　it　over　with；　but　they　hadn't　insisted　on　it；　and　it　looked　as　if　she　had　picked　a　good　hole　until　late　Saturday　night；　or　Sunday　morning　rather；　when　the　husband　had　got　the　notion　of　doing　some　insisting　on　a　purely　personal　matter　and　had　gone　to　her　bedroom　with　that　in　mind。　That　situation　had　developed　to　a　point　where　the　whole　household　was　up　and　around；　and　she　would　have　been　ordered　out　into　a　snowstorm　if　it　had　been　snowing。　She　had　dressed　and　packed　her　bag　and　got　out；　and　after　a　spell　of　random　subway　riding　had　collected　enough　spunk　to　go　to　her　own　address　for　a　reconnaissance。　The　news　that　it　had　indeed　been　the　cops；　and　they　had　been　there　three　times；　had　finished　the　spunk；　and　here　she　was。
　　It　took　a　while　to　tell　it。　When　she　got　to　the　end　we　were　no　longer　glued　together；　but　she　was　still　perched　on　my　lap。
　　I　was　irritated。　〃Damn　it；〃　I　said；　〃you　haven't　got　a　thing　for　the　very　hours　they're　after；　from　ten　to　twelve　Friday　night。　In　bed　alone；　when　you　could　easily　have　had　a　witness。　Virtue　never　pays。　Did　your　husband　tell　you　he　had　been　down　to　headquarters？〃
　　〃Yes；　he　told　me　all　about　it。〃
　　〃Did　he　admit　I　lammed　him？〃
　　〃Yes；1　wish　I　had　stayed。〃
　　〃At　present　you　have　more　important　wishes　to　wish。　You're　in　for　it；　girlie；　but　I'll　see　what　I　can　do。　What　do　you　like　for　breakfast？　Juice；　oatmeal；　eggs；　ham…〃
　　〃I　like　everything　except　fish。　But　could　I　have　a　bath　first？　My　bag's　in　the　hall。〃
　　That　meant　that　by　the　time　she　was　through　eating　it　would　probably　be　eleven　o'clock　and　Wolfe　would　be　finished　with　the　plants　and　downstairs；　so　when　I　took　her　up　to　the　spare　room；　the　south　one　on　the　same　floor　as　mine；　I　first　saw　that　towels　and　other　luxuries　were　in　place　and　then　gave　her　the　kiss　to　which　I　had　morally　mitted　myself；　just　to　have　that　out　of　the　way。　This　time　the　trembling　came　where　it　belonged。　I　returned　to　the　office；　got　Wolfe　on　the　house　phone　and　told　him　about　our　guest；　and　then　went　to　the　kitchen　and　arranged　with　Fritz　for　her　breakfast。
　　In　spite　of　the　panionship　record　Rosa　and　I　were　building　up；　and　in　spite　of　her　dimples　and　her　wholehearted　way　of　making　me　feel　at　home；　I　had　not　adopted　the　idea　that　there　was　nothing　much　to　her　character　but　truth　and　innocence。　It　was　not　vet　settled　that　our　professional　connection　with　the　death　of　Moore　was　ended；　and　the　death　of　Naylor　certainly　went　with　it；　therefore　I　saw　no　reason　why　Wolfe　shouldn't　do　a　little　work　for　a　change　and　spend　his　two　hours　between　plant　time　and　lunch　time　on　one　of　his　thorough　exploring　jobs　with　Rosa　as　the　jungle。　I　sold　the　idea；　stated　somewhat　differently；　to　her　as　she　ate　breakfast。
　　It　started　off　nicely；　shortly　after　eleven；　with　Wolfe　behind　his　desk　in　the　office　and　Rosa　in　the　red　leather　chair。　She　was　wearing　a　very　informal　cherry…colored　rayon　something。
　　〃That's　a　frightful　bination；〃　Wolfe　growled。　〃That　garment　and　that　chair。〃
　　〃Oh；　I'm　sorry！〃　She　moved　to　a　yellow　one；　the　one　Saul　Panzer　liked。
　　That　put　them　on　a　basis　of　mutual　understanding；　and　the　prospect　for　an　interesting　conversation　looked　bright；　but　it　didn't　get　very　far。　Wolfe　had　covered　nothing　but　some　preliminary　details；　such　as　precisely　the　kind　of　work　an　assistant　chief　filer　does；　when　the　doorbell　rang。　Formerly　on　occasions　calling　for　discretion；　as　for　instance　a　fugitive　from　justice　sitting　in　the　office；　I　had　had　to　finger　the　curtain　back　enough　to　make　a　slit　to　see　through；　but　recently　we　had　had　a　one…way　glass　panel　installed。　I　still　had　to　persuade　myself　each　time；　looking　through；　that　I　could　see　him　but　he　couldn't　see　me。　Having　done　so；　I　returned　to　the　office　and　told　Wolfe：
　　〃It's　Mr。　Cross。　Do　you　want　to　see　him？〃
　　〃No。　Tell　him　I'm　busy。〃
　　〃He　might　have　an　orchid　for　you。〃　I　was　displeased　and　allowed　my　voice　to　show　it。
　　〃Confound　it。〃　Wolfe　pressed　his　lips。　〃Very　well。　If　you　don't　mind。　Miss　Bendini？　Please　go　up　to　your…to　that　room？　This　shouldn't　take　long。〃
　　She　was　up　and　out　like　a　flash。　Going　to　the　hall；　I　waited　until　she　had　mounted　the　two　flights　and　the　door　to　the　south　room　had　been　opened　and　closed。　Meanwhile　the　bell　had　rung　again。
　　I　went　and　pulled　the　front　door　open　and　protested；　〃My　God；　you　might　give　a　man　time　to　untwist　his　ankles。〃
　　Inspector　Cramer；　with　Sergeant　Purley　Stebbins　at　his　heels；　wasn't　even　polite　enough　to　give　me　a　nod；　after　all　the　help　I　had　been　to　him　Friday　night。　They　marched　down　the　hall　and　into　the　office；　with　me　in　their　rear。
　　〃Good　morning；〃　Wolfe　said　curtly。
　　〃Godalmighty；〃　Cramer　yawped；　〃so　you're　at　it　again！〃
　　〃Am　I？　At　what？〃
　　〃This；〃　Cramer　yawped；　〃can　take　one　minute　or　it　can　take　hours！　It's　up　to　you　which！　What　did　Kerr　Naylor　e　here　for　Friday　night；　what　time　did　he　leave；　and　where　did　he　go？〃
　　〃That　won't　take　even　a　minute；　Mr。　Cramer。　Mr。　Naylor　wasn't　here　Friday　night。　I　don't　like　your　manner。　I　seldom　do。　Good　day；　sir。〃
　　〃Are　you　saying…〃　For　a　moment　Cramer　was　speechless。　〃Naylor　didn't　e　to　see　you　at　twenty　minutes　to　nine　Friday　night；　the　night　he　was　killed？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　That's　twice；　and　that's　enough。　You　may…〃
　　〃By　God；　you're　crazy！〃　Cramer　whirled。　〃He's　off　his　nut；　Stebbins！〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃Bring　that　man　in　here。〃
　　Purley　strode　out。　Cramer　strode　to　the　red　leather　chair　and　sat　down。　I　kept　my　eye　on　Wolfe；　not　to　miss　a　signal　to　take　steps　to　keep　Purley　and　that　man；　whoever　he　was；　on　the　outside；　but　got　none。　Wolfe　had　evidently　decided　that　the　most　exasperating　thing　he　could　do　was　look　bored；　and　was　doing　so。　The　only　sound　was　Cramer　breathing；　enough　for　all　three　of　us；　until　footsteps　came　from　the　hall。　A　man　entered　with　Purley　behind　him。　The　man　was　middle…aged　and　starting　to　go　bald　and　had　shoulders　as　broad　as　a　barn。　He　was　absolutely　out　of　humor。　Purley　moved　a　chair　up　for　him　and　he　plumped　himself　down。
　　〃This；〃　Cramer　said　distinctly　and　impressively；　〃is　Carl　Darst。　Friday　evening　he　was　hacking　with　Sealect　cab　number　nine…forty…three；　license　number　WX　one…nine…seven…four…four…zero。　Darst；　who　did　you　pick　up　on　Fifty…third　Street　between　First　and　Second　Avenue？〃
　　〃The　guy　you　showed　me　a　picture　of。〃　Darst's　voice　was　husky　and　not　affable。　〃He　yelled　at　me。　I　wish　to　God　he　hadn't。　My　one　Sunday…〃
　　〃And　the　man　whose　body　you　saw　at　the　morgue？〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　guess　so。　It　was　hard…sure；　it　was　him。〃
　　〃That　was　Kerr　Naylor。　So　was　the　photograph　I　showed　you。　Where　did　you　take　him　to？〃
　　〃He　told　me　Nine…fourteen　West　Thirty…fifth　Street　and　that's　where　I　took　him。〃
　　〃That's　this　address　where　we　are　now？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃What　happened　when　you　got　here？〃
　　〃When　he　paid　me　he　said　he　wasn't　sure　there　would　be　anybody　home；　so　would　I　wait　till　he　found　out；　and　I　waited　until　he　went　up　the　steps　and　rang　the　bell；　and　the　door　opened　and　he　started　talking　to　someone；　and　then　I　shoved　off。　I　didn't　wait　until　he　went　inside　because　he　didn't　ask　me　to。〃
　　〃But　the　door　opened　for　him　and　he　spoke　with　someone？〃
　　〃Yeah；　I　can　say　that　much。〃
　　〃All　right；　go　out　to　the　car　and　stay　there。　I　may　want　you　in　here　again。　Do　you　want　to　ask　him　any　questions；　Wolfe？〃
　　Wolfe；　still　bored；　shook　his　head　indifferently。　Darst　got　up　and　left；　but　Sergeant　Stebbins　stayed　put。　Cramer　waited　until　the　sound　of　the　front　door　closing　behind　D