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第28节

rs.toomanywomen-第28节

小说: rs.toomanywomen 字数: 每页4000字

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  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 Darst came to us and then spoke with the calm assurance of a man who has cards to spare。
  〃So I say you're crazy。 This is pletely Cockeyed and if you can brush this one off I want to hear it。 Try telling me that the fact that Naylor came and rang your bell and the door was opened doesn't prove that he came on in; and then I ask you please to tell me; in that case; how did you happen to know that he got in a cab on Fifty…third Street at half…past eight? Wait a minute; I'm not through。 That sounds like good reasoning; don't it? But if it is; why in the name of God did you phone my office to tell about his taking a taxi; and even give us the number of the cab? Knowing it would be pie to find it。 I say you're crazy。 Usually when you're staging a runaround at least I have a general idea which direction you're going; but this time you'll have to spell it out。 I would love to hear you。〃
  〃Pfui;〃 Wolfe muttered。
  〃Okay; phooey。 Go on from there。〃
  〃Archie;〃 Wolfe asked me casually; 〃you went to a movie Friday evening?〃
  〃Yes; sir。〃
  〃What time did you leave here?〃
  〃Right around eight…thirty。〃
  〃Then you couldn't have opened the door for Mr。 Naylor。〃 Wolfe pushed a button on his desk; and in a moment the door to the hall opened and Fritz appeared。
  Wolfe addressed him; 〃Fritz; do you remember that Friday evening after dinner Archie went out? To the movies?〃
  〃Yes; sir。〃
  〃And that somewhat later; around a quarter to eleven I think; Mr。 Cramer called?〃
  〃Yes; sir。〃
  〃That should identify the evening sufficiently。 Did the doorbell ring soon after Archie left?〃
  〃Yes; sir。〃
  〃You answered it?〃
  〃Yes; sir。〃
  〃Who was it?〃
  〃He didn't tell me his name。 It was a man。〃
  〃What did he want?〃
  〃He asked for Mr。 Goodwin。〃
  〃Go on; finish it。〃
  〃I told him Mr。 Goodwin was out。 He asked if Mr。 Wolfe was in and I told him yes。 After thinking to himself a brief period he asked when Mr。 Goodwin would be back and I said probably some time after eleven。 I asked him if he wished to leave his name and he said no。 He had turned and was going down the steps when I closed the door。〃
  Cramer made a sound which Wolfe ignored。 〃What time was this?〃
  〃It was eight…forty…five when I got back to the kitchen。 I made a note; as always…God in heaven!〃
  〃What's the matter?〃
  〃I forgot to tell Archie about it! When he returned Inspector Cramer was here; and then he was gone all night and slept late Saturday…this is extremely bad; sir…〃
  〃Not at all。 It wouldn't have mattered。 Did you tell me about it?〃
  〃No; sir。 You were reading those three books; and he hadn't left his name…〃
  〃Describe the man。〃
  〃He was short; shorter than me; and he wore a coat and hat。 He had a small face and looked pinched and worried; as if he wasn't a good eater。〃
  〃All right; Fritz; that's all; thank you。〃 Fritz went; closing the door to the hall behind him。 Wolfe turned to Cramer。
  〃Well; sir?〃
  Cramer shook his head。 〃No;〃 he said emphatically。 〃Even with Fritz coached like that I still say you're crazy。 How did you know about Naylor taking a cab and why did you phone…〃
  Wolfe cut him off。 〃Don't start shouting at me again。 You'll never learn; I suppose; how to detect when I'm lying and when I'm not。 Saturday afternoon a man came to this office and told me he had seen Mr。 Naylor taking that taxicab。 I questioned him and was satisfied that the facts he gave me were authentic; and I immediately phoned your office and gave those facts to Mr。 Stebbins。 What the devil is obreptitious about that?〃
  〃Who was the man that came to your office?〃
  〃No; sir。 You don't need that。〃
  〃Excuse me; Inspector;〃 Purley Stebbins put in。
  Cramer glared at him。 〃What is it?〃
  〃Why; if we want any part of this that item won't worry us。 If we buy this it wasn't Goodwin; so it was one of the boys that do jobs for Wolfe…Gore; Gather; Durkin; Panzer; or Keems。 It stands to reason he was tailing Naylor。 So either you can bear down on that; or if he's too damn stubborn we can send out and collect 'em…〃
  The phone rang。 I whirled my chair and got it。 It was Saul Panzer; desiring; he said to speak to Wolfe。
  〃Sure;〃 I said; in a tone you would use to a client you expected to send a nice bill to; 〃he's right here; Mr。 Platt。 By the way; while I'm on the wire; that big downtown law firm that says all it wants is justice; not to mention names; you know; they're going to try to serve a summons on you and it would be good policy for you to duck it; anyhow for a day or two。 There are lots of places you can go besides home。 Don't you agree?〃
  〃Nothing simpler;〃 Saul said; 〃if I understand you。 Who's there; Cramer?〃
  〃Yes; I suppose they're going to be quite insistent about it。 Here's Mr。 Wolfe。〃
  Wolfe got on。 He followed me on the Mr。 Platt。 Since he signaled me to hang up; meaning that his arrangements with Saul were still none of my business; I got as little out of the conversation as Cramer and Purley did; which was nothing at all。 Wolfe's end was mostly grunts。 Purley sneezed。 The three of us sat and waited for him; looking at him; until an event occurred which caused us to move our eyes elsewhere。
  The door to the hall came open and Rosa Bendini was there among us。
  It was a fairly embarrassing situation; with Wolfe still busy on the phone and the two public servants and me sitting staring at her as she stood just inside the door in that cherry…colored thing which; whatever its name might be; was certainly not intended for street wear。 I thought of saying something like; 〃Mabel dear; we're discussing business with these gentlemen so go back to your room and wait for me;〃 or something like; 〃We're engaged at present; Miss Carmichael; but we'll see you shortly;〃 but the first seemed indecent and the second illogical; and no satisfactory substitute got to my tongue in time。
  Wolfe; finished; dropped the phone back in its cradle and snapped at her; 〃What do you mean; ing in here dressed like that? Go back upstairs until I'm ready for you!〃
  His effort; it seemed to me; was no improvement on the ones I had rejected。 But no effort would have been good enough。 She hadn't merely blundered in。 She came forward; on past Cramer and Purley; clear to me。 She might easily have had it in mind to resume her former seat on my lap; so by the time she reached me I was standing up。
  〃You promised you'd be with me when they are;〃 she said。 That was not strictly true; but close enough for a woman; especially for one who was scared to death of cops。 〃There's a police car out in front; so I came to the hall and listened; and that's who they are; and I knew I'd never get a better chance; with you here and Mr。 Wolfe too。〃
  She turned and told Cramer and Purley right to their faces; 〃My name is Rosa Bendini; or it's Mrs。 Harold Anthony; either one will do; and I live at Four…eighteen Bank Street; second floor; and when a cop came for me Friday night I was there in bed all the time。 Now what do you want to ask me?〃
  One thing I approved of; she didn't hook onto my arm or try to climb into my pocket。 She just wanted to say it with me there。
  〃This;〃 Cramer declared in as gloaty a tone as I had ever heard from him; 〃is really rich。 How long have you had her hid here; Wolfe? Wasn't there time enough to train her?〃
  〃Mr。 Cramer; you're an imbecile;〃 Wolfe told him for his information。
  I broke in; thinking the best thing now was to mess it up good。 〃I bolixed it up;〃 I said regretfully。 〃Like a damn fool; I told her to bust in when I sneezed; and then Purley sneezed。〃 I glared at Purley。 〃How the hell could I know you had a cold?〃
  〃Okay。〃 Cramer rose; still gloating。 〃I suppose you have some things here; Miss Bendini? Some clothes?〃
  〃Yes; but I…〃
  〃You have three minutes to change; unless you want to travel around like that。 Go and change。〃
  〃No;〃 Wolfe said。 His forefinger was tapping on the desk; which meant he was ready to pick up tigers and knock their heads together。 〃Stay here; Miss Bendini。〃 His eyes darted to Cramer。 〃Have you a warrant? Or are you charging her?〃
  〃Nuts。 Murder。 Material witness。〃
  〃Witness to what?〃
  〃I'll tell her; not you。〃
  〃Bah。 Miss Bendini。 I advise you not to leave here unless you are taken by force。 Make them carry you。〃
  I intervened for several reasons。 First; Wolfe was not following a program but was simply so mad he couldn't see。 Second; Rosa had gone so white and rigid that I doubted if she could walk; especially acpanied by a cop; and I didn't regard it as desirable to let her be carried out of our house in the costume she had on。 Third; while I hadn't promised her; I had unquestionably given her an inducement。
  〃Look;〃 I said to Cramer; 〃why all the war paint? If you do carry her out; and if she proves to be no more material than I am; with Mr。 Wolfe as sore as he is you'll get blisters。 If you don't like conversing with her here I'll make an offer; take it or leave it。 She changes her clothes; and Pu

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