rs.inthebestfamelies-第31节

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　　〃Now　the　other　side；〃　I　said　gently。　〃What's　worth　doing…〃
　　But　he　opened　his　eyes；　and　their　expression　was　enough。　I　put　the　sprayer　on　a　table　and　went　to　a　chair。
　　He　looked　at　his　wristwatch。　〃I　read　the　report　of　your　talk　with　Rackham。　How　did　it　go？〃
　　〃Fine。　You　might　have　thought　he　had　rehearsed　it　with　us。〃
　　〃Tell　me　about　it。〃
　　I　obeyed。　It　felt　good；　giving　him　a　munique　again；　and　since　it　needed　no　apologies　I　enjoyed　it。　What　I　always　tried　for　was　to　present　it　so　that　few　or　no　questions　were　required；　and　though　I　was　a　little　out　of　practice　I　did　well　enough。
　　When　I　was　through　he　muttered；　〃Satisfactory。　Confound　this　smell。〃
　　〃It'll　go　away　in　time。　Sixty　dollars　an　ounce。〃
　　〃Speaking　of　dollars；　you　didn't　deposit　what　you　took　from　Rackham？〃
　　〃No。　It's　in　the　safe。〃
　　〃Leave　it　there　for　the　present。　It's　Mrs。　Rackham's　money；　and　we　may　decide　we've　earned　it。　Heaven　knows　no　imaginable　sum　could　repay　me　for　these　months。　I　was　thinking…〃
　　He　cut　it　off；　tilted　his　head　a　little；　and　regarded　me　with　eyes　narrowed　to　slits。
　　〃Well？〃　I　said　aggressively。　〃More　bright　ideas？〃
　　〃I　was　thinking；　Archie。　August　is　gone。　The　risk　would　be　negligible。　Get　Mr。　Haskins　on　the　phone　tomorrow　and　tell　him　to　start　a　dozen　chicks　on　blaeberries。　Uh…two　dozen。　You　can　tell　him　they　are　for　gifts　to　your　friends。〃
　　〃No；　sir。〃
　　〃Yes。　Tomorrow。〃
　　〃I　say　no。　He　would　know　damn　well　who　they　were　for。　My　God；　is　your　stomach　more　important　than　your　neck？　Not　to　mention　mine。　You　can't　help　it　if　you　were　bom　greedy；　but　you　can　try　to　control…〃
　　〃Archie。〃　His　voice　was　thin　and　cold　with　fury。　〃Nearly　five　months　now。　Look　at　me。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　He　had　me。　〃You're　right。　I　beg　your　pardon。　But　I　am　not　going　to　phone　Haskins。　You　just　had　a　moment　of　weakness。　Let's　change　the　subject。　Does　Rackham's　biting　on　the　first　try　change　the　schedule　any？〃
　　〃You　could　tell　Mr。　Haskins…〃
　　〃No。〃
　　He　gave　up。　After　sitting　a　while　with　his　eyes　closed；　he　sighed　so　deep　it　made　him　shudder；　and　then　came　back　to　black　reality。　Only　a　quarter　of　his　hour　was　left；　and　we　used　it　to　review　the　situation　and　program。
　　The　strategy　was　unchanged。　At　midnight　he　arose。
　　〃Please　thank　Miss　Rowan　for　me？〃
　　〃Sure。　She　thinks　you　ought　to　call　her　Lily。〃
　　〃You　shouldn't　leave　on　my　heels。〃
　　〃I　won't。　She's　sore　and　wants　to　have　a　scene。〃
　　I　went　ahead　to　open　the　door　for　him。　As　I　did　so　he　asked；　〃What　is　this　stuff　called？〃
　　〃Houri　de　Perse。〃
　　〃Great　heavens；〃　he　muttered；　and　went。
　　
　　16
　　HAVING　my　own　office　was　giving　me　a　new　slant　on　some　of　the　advantages　of　the　setup　I　had　long　enjoyed　at　Wolfe's　place。　With　a　tailing　job　on；　Sunday　was　like　any　other　day；　and　I　had　to　be　at　1019　at　the　usual　hour；　both　to　type　the　report　and　to　take　calls　from　the　man　on　the　job　in　case　he　needed　advice　or　help。　It　was　no　longer　just　burlesque；　at　least　not　for　me。　Even　though　Rackham　knew　we　were　on　him；　those　were　three　good　men；　particularly　Saul；　and　I　stood　a　fair　chance　of　being　informed　if　he　strayed　anywhere　out　of　bounds　to　keep　an　appointment。　To　some　extent　the　tail　now　served　a　purpose：　to　warn　me　if　the　subject　and　the　client　made　a　contact；　which　was　somewhat　bassackwards　but　convenient　for　me。
　　After　a　leisurely　Sunday　dinner　at　Rusterman's　Restaurant；　where　I　couldn't　make　up　my　mind　whether　Marko　Vukcic　knew　that　I　had　my　old　job　back；　I　returned　to　1019　to　find　Max　Christy　waiting　at　the　door。　He　seemed　a　little　upset。　I　glanced　at　my　wrist　and　told　him　he　was　early。
　　〃This　one…man　business　is　no　good；〃　he　plained。　〃You　ought　to　have　someone　here。　I　tried　to　get　you　on　the　phone　nearly　two　hours　ago。〃
　　Unlocking　the　door　and　entering；　I　explained　that　I　had　dawdled　over　tournedos　a　la　Bearnaise；　which　I　thought　would　impress　him。　He　didn't　seem　to　hear　me。　When　I　unlocked　a　desk　drawer　to　get　the　report；　and　handed　it　to　him；　he　stuffed　it　in　his　pocket　without　glancing　at　it。
　　I　raised　the　brows。　〃Don't　you　want　to　read　it？〃
　　〃I'll　read　it　in　the　car。　You're　ing　along。〃
　　〃Yeah？　Where　to？〃
　　〃Pete　Roeder　wants　to　see　you。〃
　　〃Well；　here　I　am。　As　you　say；　this　is　a　one…man　business。　I've　got　to　stick　here；　damn　it。〃
　　Christy　was　glaring　at　me　under　his　brow　thickets。　〃Listen；　Goodwin；　I'm　supposed　to　have　you　somewhere　at　four　o'clock；　and　it's　five　to　three　now。　I　waited　for　you　nearly　half　an　hour。　Let's　go。　You　can　argue　on　the　way。〃
　　I　had　done　my　arguing；　double…quick；　while　he　was　speaking。　To　balk　was　out　of　the　question。　To　stall　and　try　to　get　an　idea　what　the　program　really　was　would　have　been　sappy。　I　got　my　keys　out　again；　unlocked　the　bottom　drawer；　took　off　my　jacket；　got　out　the　shoulder　holster；　slipped　it　on；　and　twisted　my　torso　to　reach　for　the　buckle。
　　〃What's　that　for；　woodchucks？〃　Christy　asked。
　　〃Just　force　of　habit。　Once　I　forgot　to　wear　it　and　a　guy　in　an　elevator　stepped　on　my　toe。　I　had　to　cut　his　throat。　If　we're　in　a　hurry；　e　on。〃
　　We　went。　Down　at　the　curb；　as　I　had　noticed　on　my　way　in；　force　of　habit　again；　was　a　dark　blue　Olds　sedan；　a　fifty；　with　a　cheerful…looking　young　man　with　a　wide　mouth；　no　hat；　behind　the　wheel。　He　gave　me　an　interested　look　as　Christy　and　I　got　in　the　back　seat；　but　no　words　passed。
　　The　second　the　door　slammed　the　engine　started　and　the　car　went　forward。
　　The　Olds　fifty　is　the　only　stock　car　that　will　top　a　hundred　and　ten；　but　we　never　reached　half　of　that…up　the　West　Side　Highway；　Saw　Mill　River；　and　Taconic　State。　The　young　man　was　a　careful；　petent；　and　considerate　driver。　There　was　not　much　conversation。　When　Christy　took　the　report　from　his　pocket　and　started　reading　it　my　first　reaction　was　mild　relief；　on　the　ground　that　if　I　were　about　to　die　they　wouldn't　give　a　damn　what　my　last　words　were；　but　on　second　thought　it　seemed　reasonable　that　he　might　be　looking　for　more　evidence　for　the　prosecution；　and　I　left　the　matter　open。　It　was　a　fine　sunny　day；　not　too　hot；　and　everything　looked　very　attractive。
　　I　hoped　I　would　see　many　more　days　like　it；　in　either　town　or　country；　I　didn't　care　which；　though　ordinarily　I　much　prefer　the　city。　But　that　day　the　country　looked　swell；　and　therefore　I　resented　it　when；　as　we　were　rolling　along　the　Taconic　State　Parkway　a　few　miles　north　of　Hawthorne　Circle；　Christy　suddenly　manded　me；　〃Get　down　on　the　Qoor；　face　down。〃
　　〃Have　a　heart；〃　I　protested。　〃I'm　enjoying　the　scenery。〃
　　〃I'll　describe　it　to　you。　Shall　we　park　for　a　talk？〃
　　〃How　much　time　have　we？〃
　　〃None　to　waste。〃
　　〃Okay；　pull　your　feet　back。〃
　　The　truth　was；　I　was　glad　to　oblige。　Logic　had　stepped　in。　If　that　was　intended　for　my　last　ride　I　wouldn't　ever　be　traveling　that　road　again；　and　in　that　case　what　difference　did　it　make　if　I　saw　where　we　turned　off　and　which　direction　we　went？　There　must　have　been　some　chance　that　I　would　ride　another　day；　and　without　a　chaperon；　or　this　stunt　was　pointless。　So　as　I　got　myself　into　position；　wriggling　and　adjusting　to　keep　my　face　downward　without　an　elbow　or　knee　taking　my　weight；　the　worst　I　felt　was　undignified。　I　heard　the　driver　saying　something；　in　a　soft　quiet　voice；　and　Christy　answering　him；　but　I　didn't　catch　the　words。
　　There　was　no　law　against　looking　at　my　watch。　I　had　been　playing　hide　and　seek；　with　me　it；　a　little　more　than　sixteen　minutes；　with　the　car　going　now　slower　and　now　faster；　now　straight　and　now　turning　left　and　now　right；　when　finally　it　slowed　down　to　a　full　stop。　I　heard　a　strange　voice　and　then　Christy's；　and　the　sound　of　a　heavy　door　closing。　I　shifted　my　weight。
　　〃Hold　it；〃　Christy　snapped　at　me。　He　was　still　right　above　me。　〃We're　a　littie　early。〃
　　〃I'm　tired　of　breathing　dust；〃　I　plained。
　　〃It's　better　than　not　breathing　at　all；〃　the　strange　voice　said　and　laughed；　not　attractively。
　　〃He's　got　a　gun；〃　Christy　stated。　〃Left　armpit。〃
　　〃Why　not？　He's　a　licensed　eye。　We'll　take　care　of　it。〃
　　I　looked　at　my　watch；　but　it　was　too　dark　to　see　the　hands；　so　of　course　we　were　in　out　of　the　sun。　The　driver　had　got　out；　shut　the　car　door；　and　walked　away；　if　I　was　any　good　at　reading　sounds。　I　heard　voices　indistinctly；　not　near　me；　and　didn't　get　the　words。　My　left　leg；　from　the　knee　down；　got　bored　and　decided　to　go　to　sleep。　I　moved　it。
　　〃Hold　it；〃　Christy　manded。
　　〃Nuts。　Tape　my　eyes　and　let　me　get　up　and　stretch。〃
　　〃I　said　hold　it。〃
　　I　held　it；　for　what　I　would　put　at　another　seven　minutes。　Then　there　were　noises…a　door　opening；　not　loud；　footsteps　and　voices；　a　door　closing；　again　not　loud；　still　steps　and　voices；　a　car's　doors　opening　and　shutting；　an　engine　starting；　a　car　moving；　and　in　a　minute　the　closing　of　the　heavy　door　that　had　closed　after　we　had　stopped。　Then　the　door　which　my　head　was　touching　opened。
　　〃All　right；〃　a　voice　said。　〃e　on　out。〃
　　It　took　acrobatics；　but　I　made　it。　I　was　standing；　slightly　wobbly；　on　concrete；　near　a　concrete　wall　of　a　room　sixty　feet　square　with　no　windows　and　not　too　many　lights。　My　darting　glance　caught　cars　scattered　around；　seven　or　eight　of　them。　It　also　caught　four　men：　Christy；　ing　around　the