rs.inthebestfamelies-第30节

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　　I　stood　up。　〃One　way　to　settle　it；　you　could　phone　Zeck　and　ask　him。　That　would　be　hard　on　me；　but　what　can　a　double…crosser　expect？　So　I'll　trot　along。〃
　　I　moved　toward　the　door　and　was　navigating　a　course　through　the　scattered　fragments　of　glass　in　the　path　when　he　decided　to　speak。
　　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　he　said；　still　wistful。　〃You　mentioned　when　you　get　approached。〃
　　〃If　I　get　approached。〃
　　'You　will。　That's　the　way　they　work。　Whatever　they　offer；　I'll　top　it。　e　straight　to　me　and　I'll　top　it。　I　want　to　see　you　anyhow；　every　day…wait　a　minute。　e　back　and　sit　down。　We　can　make　a　deal　right　now；　for　you　to…〃
　　〃No；〃　I　said；　kind　but　firm。　〃You're　so　damn　scared　it　would　be　a　temptation　to　bargain　you　out　of　your　last　pair　of　pants。　Wait　till　you　cool　off　a　little　and　get　some　spunk　back。　Ring　me　any　time。　You　understand；　of　course；　we're　still　tailing　you。〃
　　I　left　him。
　　Several　times；　walking　downtown；　I　had　to　rein　myself　in。　I　would　slow　down　to　a　normal　gait；　and　in　another　block　or　so　there　I　would　be　again；　pounding　along　as　fast　as　I　could　swing　it；　though　all　I　had　ahead　was　an　open　evening。　I　grinned　at　myself　indulgently。　I　was　excited；　that　was　all。
　　The　game　was　on；　I　had　pitched　the　first　ball；　and　it　had　cut　the　inside　er　above　his　knees。　Not　only　that；　it　was　a　game　with　no　rules。　It　was　hard　to　believe　that　Rackham　could　possibly　go　to　Zeck　or　any　of　his　men　with　it；　but　if　he　did　I　was　on　a　spot　hot　enough　to　fry　an　egg；　and　Wolfe　was　as　good　as　gone。　That　was　why　I　had　tried　to　talk　Wolfe　out　of　it。　But　now　that　I　had　started　it　rolling　and　there　was　no　more　argument；　I　was　merely　so　excited　that　I　couldn't　walk　slow　if　you　paid　me。
　　I　had　had　it　in　mind　to　drop　in　at　Rusterman's　Restaurant　for　dinner　and　say　hello　to　Marko　that　evening；　but　now　I　didn't　feel　like　sitting　through　all　the　motions；　so　I　kept　going　to　Eleventh　Avenue；　to　Mart's　Diner；　and　perched　on　a　stool　while　I　cleaned　up　a　plate　of　beef　stew；　three　ripe　tomatoes　sliced　by　me；　and　two　pieces　of　blueberry　pie。　Even　with　a　full　stomach　I　was　still　excited。　It　must　have　shown；　I　suppose　in　my　eyes；　for　Mart　asked　me　what　the　glow　was　about；　and　though　I　had　never　had　any　tendency　to　discuss　my　business　with　him；　I　had　to　resist　an　impulse　to　remark　casually　that　Wolfe　and　I　had　finally　mixed　it　up　with　the　most　dangerous　baby　on　two　legs；　one　so　tough　that　even　Inspector　Cramer　had　said　he　was　out　of　reach。
　　I　went　home　and　sat　in　the　office　all　evening；　holding　magazines　open　as　if　I　were　reading　them。　All　I　really　did　was　listen　for　the　phone　or　doorbell。　When　the　phone　rang　at　ten　o'clock　and　it　was　only　Fred　Durkin　wanting　to　know　where　Saul　and　the　subject　were；　I　was　so　rude　that　I　hurt　his　feelings　and　had　to　apologize。　I　told　him　to　cover　the　Churchill　as　usual；　which　was　one　of　the　factors　that　made　it　a　burlesque；　since　that　would　have　required　four　men　at　least。　What　I　wanted　to　do　so　bad　I　could　taste　i￡　was　call　the　number　Wolfe　had　given　me；　but　that　had　been　for　emergency　only。　I　looked　emergency　up　in　the　dictionary；　and　got　〃an　unforeseen　bination　of　circumstances　which　calls　for　immediate　action。〃
　　Since　this　was　just　the　opposite；　a　foreseen　bination　of　circumstances　which　called　for　getting　a　good　night's　sleep；　I　didn't　dial　the　number。　I　did　get　the　good　night's　sleep。
　　Saturday　morning　at　1019　I　had　to　pitch　another　ball；　but　not　to　the　same　batter。　The　typing　of　Friday's　reports　required　only　the　customary　summarizing　of　facts　as　far　as　Saul　and　Fred　and　Orrie　were　concerned；　but　my　own　share　took　time　and　thought。　I　had　to　account　for　the　full　time　I　had　spent　in　Rackham's　suite；　since　there　was　a　double　risk　in　it：　the　chance　that　I　was　being　checked　and　had　been　seen　entering　and　leaving；　and　the　chance　that　Rackham　had　himself　split　a　seam。　So　it　was　quite　a　literary　effort　and　I　spent　three　hours　on　it。　That　afternoon；　when　Max　Christy　called　to　get　the　report　as　usual；　and　sat　to　look　it　over；　I　had　papers　on　my　desk　which　kept　me　so　busy　that　I　wasn't　even　aware　if　he　sent　me　a　glance　when　he　got　to　the　middle　of　the　second　page；　where　my　personal　contribution　began。　I　looked　up　only　when　he　finally　spoke。
　　〃So　you　had　a　talk　with　him；　huh？〃
　　I　nodded。　〃Have　you　read　it？〃
　　〃Yes。〃　Christy　was　scowling　at　me。
　　〃He　seemed　so　anxious　that　I　thought　it　would　be　a　shame　not　to　oblige　him。　It's　my　tender　heart。〃
　　〃You　took　his　money。〃
　　〃Certainly。　He　was　wild　to　spend　it。〃
　　〃You　told　him　you're　working　for　Mrs。　Frey。　What　if　he　takes　a　notion　to　ask　her？〃
　　〃He　won't。　If　he　does；　who　will　know　who　to　believe　or　what？　I　warned　him　about　me。　By　the　way；　have　I　ever　warned　you？〃
　　〃Why　did　you　play　him？〃
　　〃It's　all　there　in　the　report。　He　knew　he　had　a　tail；　how　could　he　help　it；　already　on　guard；　after　eight　days　of　it？　I　thought　I　might　as　well　chat　with　him　and　see　what　was　on　his　mind。　He　could　have　said　something　interesting；　and　maybe　he　did；　I　don't　know；　because　I　don't　know　what　you　and　your　friends　would　call　interesting。　Anyway；　there　it　is。　As　for　his　money；　he　practically　stuffed　it　in　my　ear；　and　if　I　had　refused　to　take　it　he　would　have　lost　all　respect　for　me。〃
　　Christy　put　the　report　in　his　pocket；　got　up；　rested　his　fingertips　on　the　desk；　and　leaned　over　at　me。　〃Goodwin；〃　he　asked；　〃do　you　know　who　you're　dealing　with？〃　〃Oh；　for　God's　sake/'　I　said　impatiently。　〃Have　I　impressed　you　as　the　son　of　boob　who　would　jump　off　a　building　just　to　hear　his　spine　crack？　Yes；　brother；　I　know　who　I'm　dealing　with；　and　I　expect　to　live　to　ninety　at　least。〃
　　He　straightened　up。　〃Your　chief　trouble；〃　he　said；　not　offensively；　〃is　that　you　think　you've　got　a　sense　of　humor。　It　confuses　people；　and　you　ought　to　get　over　it。　Things　strike　you　as　funny。　You　thought　it　would　be　funny　to　have　a　talk　with　Rackham；　and　it　may　be　all　right　this　time；　but　some　day　something　that　you　think　is　funny　will　blow　your　goddam　head　right　off　your　shoulders。〃
　　Only　after　he　had　gone　did　it　occur　to　me　that　that　wouldn't　prove　it　wasn't　funny。
　　I　had　a　date　that　Saturday　evening　with　Lily　Rowan；　but　decided　to　call　it　off。　Evidently　I　wasn't　tactful　enough　about　it；　for　she　took　on。　I　calmed　her　down　by　promising　to　drown　myself　as　soon　as　the　present　crisis　was　past；　went　home　and　got　my　dinner　out　of　the　refrigerator；　and　settled　down　in　the　office　for　another　evening　of　not　reading　magazines。　A　little　after　nine　the　minutes　were　beginning　to　get　too　damn　long　entirely　when　the　phone　rang。　It　was　Lily。
　　〃All　right；〃　she　said　briskly；　〃e　on　up　here。〃
　　〃I　told　you…〃
　　〃I　know；　but　now　I'm　telling　you。　I'm　going　to　have　pany　around　eleven；　and　as　I　understand　it　you're　supposed　to　get　here　first。　Get　started。〃
　　〃Phooey。　I'm　flattered　that　you　bothered　to　try　it；　but…〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　have　dreamed　of　trying　it。　The　pany　just　phoned；　and　I'm　following　instructions。　My　God；　are　you　conceited！〃
　　〃I'll　be　there　in　twenty　minutes。〃
　　It　took　twenty…two；　to　her　door。　She　was　vindictive　enough　to　insist　that　there　were　three　television　programs　she　wouldn't　miss　for　anything；　which　was　just　as　well；　considering　my　disposition。　I　suppose　I　might　have　adjusted　to　it　in　time；　say　ten　years；　but　I　was　so　used　to　having　Wolfe　right　at　hand　any　minute　of　the　day　or　night　when　difficulties　were　being　met　that　this　business　of　having　to　sit　it　out　until　word　came；　and　then　rushing　up　to　a　friend's　penthouse　and　waiting　another　hour　and　a　half；　was　too　much　of　a　strain。
　　He　finally　arrived。　I　must　admit　that　when　the　bell　rang　Lily；　having　promised　to　behave　like　a　lady；　did　so。　She　insisted　on　opening　the　door　for　him；　but　having　got　him　into　the　living　room；　she　excused　herself　and　left　us。
　　He　sat。　I　stood　and　looked　at　him。　Eleven　days　had　passed　since　our　reunion；　and　I　hadn't　properly　remembered　how　grotesque　he　was。　Except　for　the　eyes；　he　was　no　one　I　had　ever　seen　or　cared　to　see。
　　〃What's　the　matter？〃　I　asked　peevishly。　〃You　look　as　if　you　hadn't　slept　for　a　week。〃
　　〃I'm　a　little　tired；　that's　all；〃　he　growled。　〃I　have　too　much　to　watch；　and　I'm　starving　to　death。　So　far　as　I　know　everything　at　my　end　is　satisfactory。　What　about　Miss　Rowan？〃
　　〃She's　all　right。　As　you　may　remember；　every　week　or　so　I　used　to　send　her　a　couple　of　orchids　of　a　kind　that　couldn't　be　bought。　I　have　told　her　that　the　custom　may　be　resumed　some　day　provided　we　get　this　difficulty　ironed　out；　and　that　it　depends　on　her。　Women　like　to　have　things　depend　on　them。〃
　　He　grunted。　〃I　don't　like　to　have　things　depend　on　them。〃　He　sighed。
　　〃It　can't　be　helped。　I　can　only　stay　an　hour。　Bring　me　some　of　Miss　Rowan's　perfume。〃
　　I　went　and　tapped　on　a　door；　got　no　answer；　opened　it　and　crossed　a　room　to　another　door；　tapped　again；　was　told　to　enter；　and　did　so。　Lily　was　on　a　divan　with　a　book。　I　told　her　what　I　wanted。
　　〃Take　the　Houri　de　Perse；〃　she　advised。　〃Pete　likes　it。　I　had　it　on　that　night。〃
　　I　got　it　from　the　dressing　table；　returned　to　the　living　room；　aimed　it　at　him　from　the　proper　distance；　and　squeezed　the　bulb。　He　shut　his　eyes　and　tightened　his　lips　to　a　thin　line。
　　〃Now　the　other　side；〃　I　said　gently。　〃What's　w