rs.inthebestfamelies-第36节

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ll　me　their　conversation；　what　they　said　to　each　other；　but　they　had　had　a　violent　quarrel。　She　had　told　him　they　would　have　to　separate；　she　was　through　with　him；　and　she　would　have　Mr。　Wolfe　go　on　with　his　investigation　and　get　proof　of　what　he　had　done。　Mrs。　Rackham　had　a　very　strong　character；　and　she　hated　to　be　deceived。　But　the　next　day　she　wasn't　sure　she　really　meant　it；　that　she　really　wanted　to　part　from　him。　That　was　why　she　wanted　to　talk　about　it　with　someone。　I　think　the　reason　she　didn't　want　to　talk　with　Mrs。　Frey…〃
　　〃If　you　don't　mind；　Miss　Darrow；〃　Archer　suggested　gently；　〃just　the　facts　now。
　　〃Yes；　of　course。〃　She　sent　him　a　glance　and　returned　to　me。　〃I　told　her　I　thought　she　was　pletely　wrong。　I　said　that　if　her　husband　had　been　untrue　to　her；　or　anything　like　that；　that　would　be　different；　but　after　all　he　hadn't　done　wrong　to　her；　only　to　other　people　and　himself；　and　that　she　should　try　to　help　him　instead　of　destroying　him。　At　the　very　least；　I　said；　she　should　wait　until　she　knew　all　the　details　of　what　he　had　done。　I　think　that　was　what　she　wanted　to　hear；　but　she　didn't　say　so。　She　was　very　stubborn。　Then；　that　afternoon；　I　did　something　that　I　will　regret　all　my　life。　I　went　to　Barry　and　told　him　she　had　told　me　about　it；　and　said　I　was　sure　it　would　e　out　all　right　if　he　would　meet　her　halfway…tell　her　the　whole　thing；　tell　her　he　was　sorry；　as　he　certainly　should　be…and　no　more　foolishness　in　the　future。　And　Barry　said　he　loved　me。〃
　　She　weakened　a　little　there　for　the　first　time。　She　dropped　her　eyes。　I　had　been　boring　at　her　with　as　steady　and　sharp　a　gaze　as　I　had　in　me；　but　up　to　that　point　she　had　met　it　full　and　fair。
　　〃So　then？〃　I　asked。
　　Her　eyes　lifted　and　she　marched　on。　〃He　said　he　didn't　want　it　to　e　out　all　right　because　he　loved　me。　Shall　I　try　to　tell　you　what　I…how　I　felt！〃
　　〃Not　now。　Just　what　happened。〃
　　〃Nothing　happened　then。　That　was　in　the　middle　of　the　afternoon。　I　didn't　tell　Barry　I　loved　him…I　didn't　even　know　I　loved　him　then。　I　got　away　from　him。　Later　we　gathered　in　the　living　room　for　cocktails；　and　you　and　Mr。　Leeds　came；　and　we　played　that　game…you　remember。〃
　　〃Yep；　I　do。〃
　　〃And　dinner；　and　television　afterward；　and…〃
　　〃Excuse　me。　That　is　mon　knowledge。　Skip　to　later；　when　the　cops　had　e。　Did　you　tell　them　all　this？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃　〃Because　I　didn't　think　it　would　be　fair　to　Barry。　I　didn't　think　he　had　killed　her；　and　I　didn't　know　what　criminal　things　he　had　helped　with；　and　I　thought　it　wouldn't　be　fair　to　tell　that　about　him　when　all　I　knew　was　what　Mrs。　Rackham　had　told　me。〃　The　fine　eyes　flashed　for　the　first　time。　〃Oh；　I　know　the　next　part。　Then　why　am　I　telling　it　now？　Because　I　know　more　about　him　now…a　great　deal　more！　I　don't　know　that　he　killed　Mrs。　Rackham；　but　I　know　he　could　have；　he　is　cruel　and　selfish　and　unscrupulousthere　is　nothing　he　wouldn't　do。　I　suppose　you　think　I'm　vindictive；　and　maybe　I　am；　but　it　doesn't　matter　what　you　think　about　me　as　long　as　I'm　telling　the　truth。　What　the　criminal　things　were　that　he　did；　and　whether　he　killed　his　wife…1　don't　know　anything　about　it；　that's　your　part。〃
　　〃Not　mine；　sister。　I'm　not　a　cop。〃
　　She　turned　to　the　others。　〃Yours；　then！〃
　　This　would　have　been　a　good　moment　for　me　to　take　time　out　to　read　my　signed　statement；　since　I　could　have　used　a　few　minutes　for　some　good　healthy　thinking。　Here　was　a　situation　that　was　new　to　me。　About　all　that　Barry　Rackham's　ticket　to　the　electric　chair　needed　was　my　endorsement；　and　I　thought　he　had　it　ing　to　him。　All　I　had　to　do　was　tell　the　truth。　I　could　say　that　I　had　no　knowledge　whatever　of　the　phone　call　Nero　Wolfe　was　purported　to　have　made　to　Mrs。　Rackham；　but　that　it　was　conceivable　that　he　had　made　such　a　call　without　mentioning　it　to　me；　since　he　had　often　withheld　information　from　me　regarding　his　actions　and　intentions。　You　couldn't　beat　that　for　truth。　In　various　occasions　I　had　used　all　my　wits　to　help　pin　it　on　a　murderer；　and　here　it　would　take　no　wit　at　all；　merely　tossing　in　a　couple　of　facts；　But　if　I　let　it　go　at　that；　it　was　a　cinch　that　before　the　sun　went　down　Rackham　would　be　locked　up；　and　that　would　ruin　everything。　The　program　sunk；　the　months　all　wasted；　the　one　chance　gone；　Zeck　sailing　on　with　the　authority　of　his　superior　intellect；　and　Wolfe　and　me　high　and　dry。　My　wits　had　a　new　job；　and　quick。　I　liked　to　think　that　they　had　done　their　share　once　or　twice　in　getting　a　murderer　corralled；　now　it　was　up　to　them　to　do　more　than　their　share　in　keeping　a　murderer　running　loose　and　free　to　keep　appointments。　Truth　was　not　enough。
　　There　was　no　time　to　draw　a　sketch　and　see　how　I　liked　it。　All　three　of　them　were　looking　at　me；　and　Archer　was　saying；　〃You　can　see；　Goodwin；　why　I　wanted　you　to　read　your　statement　and　see　if　you　left　anything　out。〃
　　〃Yeah。〃　I　was　regretful。　〃I　can　also　see　you　holding　your　breath；　and　I　don't　blame　you。　If　I　now　say　that's　right；　I　forgot；　Wolfe　did　phone　Mrs。Rackham　that　Friday　evening　and　tell　her　that；　you've　got　all　you　need　and　hallelujah…1　would　love　to　help　out；　but　I　like　to　stick　to　the　truth　as　far　as　practical。〃
　　〃The　truth　is　all　I'm　asking　for。　Did　you　call　on　Rackham　at　his　apartment　yesterday　afternoon？〃
　　That　punch　had　of　course　been　telegraphed。　〃Yes；〃　I　said。
　　〃What　for？〃
　　〃On　a　job　for　a　client。　At　first　it　was　a　tailing　job；　and　then　when　Rackham　spotted　me　my　client　thought　I　might　leam　something　by　chatting　with　him。〃
　　〃Why　is　your　client　interested　in　Rackham？〃
　　〃He　didn't　say。〃
　　〃Who's　the　client？〃
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　don't　think　that　would　help　you　any。　He's　a　man　who　came　here　recently　from　the　West　Coast；　and　I　suspect　he's　connected　with　gambling　or　rackets　or　both；　but　my　suspicions　are　no　good　at　the　bank。　Let's　table　it　for　now。〃
　　〃I　want　the　name；　Goodwin。〃
　　〃And　I　want　to　protect　my　client　within　reason。　You　can't　connect　him　up　with　the　murder　you're　investigating。　Go　ahead　and　start　the　rigmarole。　Charge　me　again　as　a　material　witness　and　I　get　released　on　bail。　Meanwhile　I'll　be　wanting　my　lawyer　present　and　all　that　runaround。　What　will　it　get　you　in　the　long　run？〃
　　Ben　Dykes　said　in　a　nasty　voice；　〃We　don't　want　to　be　arbitrary　about　it。　We　wouldn't　expect　you　to　name　a　client　if　you　haven't　got　one。　West　Coast；　huh？〃
　　〃Is　Rackham　your　client？〃　Archer　asked。
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Have　you　done　any　work　for　him？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Has　he　given　you　or　paid　you　any　money　in　the　past　week？〃
　　That　was　enough　and　to　spare。　I　was　hooked　good；　and　if　the　best　I　could　do　was　flop　around　trying　to　wriggle　off；　the　outlook　was　damn　thin。　〃Oh；〃　I　said；　〃so　that's　it。〃　I　gave　Lina　Darrow　an　appreciative　look　and　then　transferred　it　to　Archer。　〃This　narrows　it　down。　I've　collected　for　withholding　evidence　against　a　murderer。　That's　bad；　isn't　it？〃
　　No　one　answered。　They　just　looked　at　me。
　　So　I　went　on。　〃First；　I　hereby　state　that　I　have　no　money　from　Rackham；　and　that's　all　on　that　for　now。　Second；　I'm　a　little　handicapped　because　although　I　know　what　Miss　Darrow　has　in　her　mind；　I　don't　know　how　it　got　there。　She's　framing　Rackham　for　murder；　or　trying　to；　but　I'm　not　sure　whether　it's　her　own　idea　or　whether　she　has　been　nudged。　I　would　have　to　find　out　about　that　first　before　I　could　decide　how　I　stand。　I　know　you've　got　to　give　me　the　works；　and　that's　all　right；　it's　your　job；　you've　got　all　day　and　all　night　for　it；　but　you　can　take　your　pick。　Either　I　clam　up　as　of　now；　and　I　mean　clam；　and　you　start　prying　at　me；　or　first　I　am　allowed　to　have　a　talk　with　Miss　Darrow…with　you　here；　o￡　course。　Then　you　can　have　the　rest　of　the　week　with　me。　Well？〃
　　〃No；〃　Archer　said　emphatically。
　　〃Okay。　May　I　borrow　some　adhesive　tape？〃
　　〃We　know　everything　Miss　Darrow　has　to　say。〃
　　〃Sure　you　do。　I　want　to　catch　up。　I　said　with　you　here。　You　can　always　stop　it　if　you　get　bored；〃
　　Archer　looked　at　Dykes。　I　don't　know　whether　he　would　have　rather　had　Dykes　nod　his　head　or　shake　it；　but　he　got　neither。　All　Dykes　did　was　concentrate。
　　〃You　gentlemen；〃　I　said；　〃want　only　one　thing；　to　crack　the　case。　It　certainly　won't　help　if　I　shut　my　trap　and　breathe　through　my　nose。　It　certainly　won't　hurt　if　I　converse　with　Miss　Darrow　in　your　presence。〃
　　〃Let　him；〃　Lina　said　belligerently。　〃I　knew　he　would　deny　it。〃
　　〃What　do　you　want　to　ask　her？〃　Archer　demanded。
　　〃The　best　way　to　find　that　out　is　to　listen。〃　I　turned　to　Lina。　〃When　I　saw　you　yesterday　afternoon；　ing　out　or　his　apartment；　I　thought　something　was　stirring。　It　was　rude　the　way　you　went　right　by　me。〃
　　She　met　my　gaze　but　had　no　ment。
　　〃Was　it　yesterday；〃　I　asked；　〃that　he　treated　you　badly？〃
　　〃Not　only　yesterday；〃　she　said　evenly。　〃But　yesterday　he　refused　definitely　and　finally　to　marry　me。〃
　　〃Is　that　so　bad？　I　mean；　a　guy　can't　marry　everyone。〃
　　〃He　had　said　he　would…many　times。〃
　　〃But　hadn't　you　been　keeping　your　fingers　crossed？　After　all；　it　was　a　kind　of　a　special　situation。　He　knew　that　you　knew　something　that　would　get　him　arrested　for　murder　if　you　spilled　it…not　to　mention　other　criminal　things；　whatever　they　were。　Didn't　it　occur　to　you　that　he　might　be　kiddin