rs.inthebestfamelies-第13节

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toss　you　for　it。〃
　　He　was　unmoved。　〃e　on；　Goodwin；　e　on。　I　know　you're　a　card；　I've　heard　all　about　you。　Let's　go。〃
　　〃Give　me　one　reason；　good　or　bad。　If　you　don't　mind？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　the　reason。　All　I　know　is　the　word　that　came　an　hour　ago；　to　pick　you　up　and　take　you　in。　Maybe　you　shouldn't　have　left　the　infant　on　the　church　steps　on　Easter　Day。〃
　　〃Of　course　not；〃　I　agreed。　〃We'll　go　get　it。〃
　　I　eased　away　from　the　curb　into　traffic；　with　the　police　car　trailing　behind。
　　Our　destination；　the　Nineteenth　Precinct　Station；　was　not　new　to　me。　That　was　where　I　had　once　spent　most　of　a　night；　conversing　with　Lieutenant　Rowcliff；　the　Con　Noonan　of　the　New　York　Police　Department。
　　After　escorting　me　in　to　the　desk　and　telling　the　sergeant　about　it；　my　captor　had　a　point　to　make。　His　name　was　not　John　F。　O'Brien；　it　was　John　R。　O'Brien。　He　explained　to　the　sergeant　that　he　had　to　insist　on　it　because　last　year　one　of　his　heroic　acts　had　been　credited　to　John　F。；　and　once　was　enough；　and　he　damn　well　wanted　credit　for　spotting　a　wanted　man　on　the　street。　That　attended　to；　he　bade　me　a　pleasant　goodby　and　left。　Meanwhile　the　sergeant　was　making　a　phone　call。　When　he　hung　up　he　looked　at　me　with　a　more　active　interest。
　　〃Westchester　wants　you；〃　he　announced。　〃Leaving　the　scene　of　a　crime　and　leaving　jurisdiction。　Want　to　drag　it　out？〃
　　〃It　might　be　fun；　but　I　doubt　it。　What　happens　if　I　don't？〃
　　〃There's　a　Westchester　man　downtown。　He's　on　his　way　up　here　to　take　you。〃
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃I'll　fight　like　a　cornered　rat。　I　know　fourteen　lawyers　all　told。　Ten　to　one　he　has　no　papers。　This　is　one　of　those　brotherly　acts　which　I　do　not　like。　You're　on　a　spot。　Sergeant。〃
　　〃Don't　scare　me　to　death。　If　he　has　no　papers　I'll　send　you　downtown　and　let　them　handle　it。〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　I　admitted；　〃that　would　let　you　out。　But　we　can　make　it　simpler　for　both　of　us　if　you　care　to。　Get　the　Westchester　DA　on　the　phone　and　let　me　talk　to　him。　I'll　even　pay　for　the　call。〃
　　At　first　he　didn't　like　the　idea　and　then　he　did。　I　think　what　changed　his　mind　was　the　chance　of　picking　up　a　piece　of　hot　gossip　on　the　murder　of　the　month。　He　had　to　be　persuaded；　but　when　I　told　him　the　DA　would　be　at　the　Rackham　place　and　gave　him　the　number；　that　settled　it。　He　put　the　call　in。　However；　he　covered。　When　he　got　the　number　he　made　it　clear　that　he　merely　wanted　to　offer　the　DA　an　opportunity　to　speak　to　Archie　Goodwin　if　he　wished　to。　He　did。　I　circled　the　railing　to　get　to　the　desk　and　took　the　phone。
　　〃Mr。　Archer？〃
　　〃Yes！　This　is…〃
　　〃Just　a　minute！〃　I　said　emphatically。　〃Whatever　you　were　going　to　say　this　is；　I　double　it。　It's　an　outrage。　It…〃
　　〃You　were　told　to　stay　here；　and　you　sneaked　away！　You　left…〃
　　〃I　was　not　told　to　stay　there。　You　asked　me　if　I　was　staying　at　Leed's　place；　and　I　said　my　bag　was　there；　and　you　said　you　would　want　me　today；　and　I　said　of　course。　If　I　had　stayed　at　Leed's　place　I　might　have　been　permitted　seven　hours'　sleep。　I　decided　to　do　something　else　with　seven　hours；　and　they're　not　up　yet。　But　you　see　fit　to　ring　a　bell　on　me。　I'll　do　one　of　two　things。　I'll　have　a　bite　of　lunch　and　then　drive　up　there；　unacpanied；　or　I'll　make　it　as　hard　as　I　possibly　can　for　this　man　you　sent　to　get　me　outside　the　city　limits…whichever　you　prefer。　Here　he　es　now。〃
　　〃Here　who　es？〃
　　〃Your　man。　ing　in　the　door。　If　you　decide　you　want　to　see　me　today；　tell　him　not　to　trail　along　behind　me。　It　makes　me　self…conscious。〃
　　A　silence。　Then；　〃You　were　told　not　to　leave　the　county。〃
　　〃I　was　not。　By　no　one。〃
　　〃Neither　you　nor　Wolfe　was　at　home　at　eleven　o'clock…or　if　you　were　you　wouldn't　see　my　man。〃
　　〃I　was　in　the　Easter　parade；〃
　　Another　silence；　longer。　〃What　time　will　you　be　here？　At　Birchvale。〃
　　〃I　can　make　it　by　two　o'clock。〃
　　〃My　man　is　there？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Let　me　talk　to　him。〃
　　That　was　satisfactory。　I　liked　that　all　right；　except　for　one　thing。　After　the　Westchester　dick　was　finished　on　the　phone　and　it　was　setded　that　I　would　roll　my　own；　and　the　sergeant　had　generously　said　that　the　Police　Department　would　contribute　the　phone　call；　I　asked　the　dick　if　he　understood　that　I　didn't　care　to　be　tailed；　and　he　replied　that　I　needn't　worry　because　he　was　going　back　to　35th　Street　to　see　Nero　Wolfe。　I　didn't　care　much　for　that；　but　said　nothing　because　I　hadn't　yet　decided　exactly　what　to　say。　So　when　I　found　a　place　on　Lexington　Avenue　for　a　sandwich　and　a　malted；　I　went　first　to　a　phone　booth；　called　the　house；　and　told　Fritz　to　leave　the　chain　bolt　on；　tell　callers　that　Wolfe　was　out　of　the　city　and　no　more；　and　admit　no　one。
　　Being　on　the　move　did　help。　Having　decided；　while　touring　the　park　and　avenues；　what　my　immediate　trouble　was；　I　now；　on　my　way　to　Birchvale；　got　the　whole　thing　into　focus。　Considering　the　entire　picture；　including　the　detail　of　putting　the　house　up　for　sale　and　the　lack　of　even　one　little　hint　for　me；　let　alone　a　blueprint；　it　was　by　no　means　a　bet　that　Wolfe　had　merely　dived　into　a　foxhole。　Look　how　free　Marko　had　been　with　his　poor…youngfriending。　It　was　not　inconceivable　that　Wolfe　had　decided　to　chuck　it　for　good。　A　hundred　times　and　more；　when　things　or　people…frequently　me…didn't　suit　him；　he　had　told　me　about　the　house　he　owned　in　Egypt　and　how　pleasant　it　would　be　to　live　there。　I　had　always　brushed　it　off。　I　now　realized　that　a　man　who　is　eccentric　enough　to　threaten　to　go　and　live　in　Egypt　is　eccentric　enough　to　do　it；　especially　when　it　gets　to　the　point　where　he　opens　a　package　of　sausage　and　has　to　run　for　his　life。
　　Therefore　I　would　be　a　dimwit　to　assume　that　this　was　merely　time　out　to　gather　ammunition　and　make　plans。　Nor　could　I　assume　that　it　wasn't。　I　couldn't　assume　anything。　Was　he　gone　for　good；　or　was　he　putting　on　a　charade　that　would　make　all　his　other　performances　look　like　piker　stuff　in　parison？　Presumably　I　was　to　answer　that　question；　along　with　others；　by　the　light　of　experience　guided　by　intelligence；　and　I　did　not　appreciate　the　pliment。　If　I　was　finally　and　permanently　on　my　own；　very　well；　I　would　make　out。　But　apparently　I　was　sdll　drawing　pay；　so　what？　The　result　of　my　getting　the　whole　picture　into　focus　was　that　as　I　turned　in　at　the　entrance　to　Birchvale　I　was　sorer　than　ever。
　　I　was　stopped　at　the　entrance　by　one　of　Noonan's　colleagues；　there　on　guard；　and　was　allowed　to　proceed　up　the　curving　drive　only　after　I　had　shown　him　four　documents。　Parking　in　a　space　at　the　side　of　the　house　that　was　bordered　by　evergreens；　I　walked　around　to　the　front　door　and　was　admitted　by　a　maid　who　looked　pale　and　puffy。　She　didn't　say　anything；　just　held　the　door　open；　but　a　man　was　there　too；　one　of　the　county　boys　whom　I　knew　by　sight　but　not　by　name。　He　said；　〃This　way；〃　and　led　me　to　the　right；　to　the　same　small　room　I　had　seen　before。
　　Ben　Dykes；　sitting　there　at　the　table　with　a　stack　of　papers；　grunted　at　me；　〃So　you　finally　got　here。〃
　　〃I　told　Archer　two　o'clock。　It's　one…fifty…eight。〃
　　〃Uh…huh。　Sit　down。〃
　　I　sat。　The　door　was　standing　open；　but　no　sound　of　any　kind　came　to　my　ears　except　the　rustling　of　the　papers　Dykes　was　going　through。
　　〃Is　the　case　solved？〃　I　inquired　courteously。　〃It's　so　damn　quiet。　In　New　York　they　make　more　noise。　If　you…〃
　　I　stopped　because　I　was　being　answered。　A　typewriter　started　clicking　somewhere。　It　was　faint；　from　a　distance；　but　unmistakably　a　typewriter；　with　a　professional　at　it。
　　〃I　suppose　Archer　knows　I'm　here；〃　I　stated。
　　〃Don't　work　up　a　lather；〃　Dykes　advised　me　without　looking　up。
　　I　shrugged；　stretched　my　legs　and　crossed　my　ankles；　and　tried　to　see　what　his　papers　were。　I　was　too　far　away　to　get　any　words；　but　from　various　aspects　I　finally　concluded　that　they　were　typewritten　signed　statements　of　the　family；　guests；　and　servants。　Not　being　otherwise　engaged　at　the　moment；　I　would　have　been　glad　to　help　Dykes　with　them；　but　I　doubted　if　it　was　worth　the　breath　to　make　an　offer。　After　the　strain　of　trying　to　identify　the　papers；　my　eyes　went　shut；　and　for　the　first　time　I　was　aware　how　sleepy　I　was。　I　thought　I　had　better　open　my　eyes；　and　then　decided　it　would　show　more　strength　of　will　if　I　kept　awake　with　them　shut。　。　。
　　Someone　was　using　my　head　for　a　cocktail　shaker。　Resenting　it；　I　jerked　away　and　made　a　gesture　of　protest　with　my　fist　dosed；　following　up　by　opening　my　eyes　and　jumping　to　my　feet。　Backing　away　from　me　was　a　skinny　guy　with　a　long　neck。　He　looked　both　startled　and　angry。
　　〃Sorry；〃　I　told　him。　〃I　guess　I　dozed　off　a　second。〃
　　〃You　dozed　off　forty　minutes；〃　Dykes　declared。　He　was　still　at　the　table　with　the　papers；　and　standing　beside　him　was　District　Attorney　Archer。
　　〃That　leaves　me；〃　I　said；　〃still　behind　seven　hours　and　more。〃
　　〃We　want　a　statement；〃　Archer　said　impatiently。
　　〃The　sooner　the　better；〃　I　agreed；　and　pulled　my　chair　up。　Archer　sat　at　the　end　of　the　table　at　my　left；　Dykes　across　from　me；　and　the　skinny　guy；　with　a　notebook　and　pen；　at　the　other　end。
　　〃First；〃　Archer　said；　〃repeat　what　you　told　us　last　night　about　Mrs。　Rackham's　visit　to　Wolfe's　office　with　Leeds。〃
　　〃But；〃　I　objected；　〃that'll　take　half　an　hour；　and　you're　busy。　Tha