rs.toomanywomen-第22部分

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　and　also　my　movements　under　the　shower　were　a　little　cautious　and　deliberate。　So　by　the　time　I　got　downstairs　Fritz　was　about　ready　to　dish　up　lunch。　Because　I　didn't　feel　like　breaking　my　fast　with　Rognons　aux　Montagnes；　which　is　lamb　kidneys　cooked　with　broth　and　red　wine；　not　to　mention　assorted　spices；　and　because　Wolfe　would　not　permit　talk　of　business　during　a　meal；　and　because　I　wanted　to　look　at　the　morning　papers　and　couldn't　if　I　sat　at　the　table　with　him；　I　ate　in　the　kitchen。　Fritz；　who　understands　me；　had　fresh　hot　oatmeal　ready；　the　chill　off　my　bottle　of　cream；　the　eggs　waiting　for　the　pan；　the　ham　sliced　thin　for　the　broiler；　the　pancake　batter　mixed；　the　griddle　hot；　and　the　coffee　steaming。　I　made　a　pass　as　if　to　kiss　him　on　the　cheek；　he　kept　me　off　with　a　twenty…inch　pointed　knife；　and　I　sat　down　and　started　the　campaign　against　starvation　with　the　Times　propped　up　in　front　of　me。
　　After　lunch；　or　breakfast；　depending　on　which　room　you　ate　in；　I　went　to　the　office　and　before　long　Wolfe　joined　me。　From　the　expression　on　his　face　I　gathered　that　coolness　was　absent　from　our　relationship　until　the　next　one；　now　that　he　had　surrendered　on　the　typewriter；　but　if　he　thought　I　was　going　to　reciprocate　by　surrendering　on　the　new　car　he　should　have　known　me　better。　However；　I　decided　not　to　bring　it　up　immediately　after　his　lunch。　He　got　adjusted　in　his　made…to…order　chair　behind　his　desk　and　asked：
　　〃What　have　they　decided　about　Mr。　Naylor？　Death　by　misadventure？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　They　think　someone　tried　to　hurt　him。　At　that；　Cramer　shows　signs　of　having　a　noodle。　He　can　discover　nothing　on　Thirty…ninth　Street；　or　in　that　neighborhood；　that　would　account　for　Naylor　being　there。　Also；　he　refuses　to　believe　that　Naylor　obligingly　lay　on　the　pavement；　and　lay　still　so　the　driver　of　the　car　could　make　the　wheels　hit　exactly　the　same　spots；　his　head　and　legs　that　had　been　hit　on　Moore。　He　concludes　that　Naylor　was　killed　somewhere　else；　probably　a　blow　or　blows　on　the　head；　that　the　body　was　taken　to　Thirty…ninth　Street　in　the　car　and　deposited　on　the　pavement　and　the　car　driven　over　it；　and　that　the　car　wheels　smashing　the　head　obliterated　the　mark　or　marks　of　the　blow　or　blows　that　killed　him。　The　scientists　are　going　over　the　inside　of　the　car　with　microscopes　for　evidence　that　the　body　was　carried　in　it。　Cramer　doesn't　say　so　out　loud；　but　he's　wishing　to　God　he　had　done　likewise　with　the　car　that　killed　Moore。〃
　　〃Has　anyone　been　arrested？〃
　　〃Not　up　to　six　o'clock；　when　I　left。　Deputy　missioner　O'Hara　wanted　to　arrest　me；　but　Cramer　needed　me。　I　was　very　helpful。〃
　　〃Does　Mr。　Cramer　still　think　you　lied　in　your　report　to　Mr。　Pine？〃
　　〃No；　but　O'Hara　does。　I　admit　I　lied　to　him。　I　told　him　that　you're　just　a　front　here　and　the　real　brains　of　this　business　is　a　skinny　old　woman　with　asthma　that　we　keep　locked　in　the　basement。〃
　　Wolfe　sighed　and　leaned　back。　〃I　suppose　you'd　better　tell　me　all　about　it。〃
　　I　did　so。　Assuming　that　he　wanted　everything；　I　gave　it　to　him；　including　not　only　facts　but　also　a　few　interpretations　and　some　personal　analysis。　It　was　obvious；　I　explained；　that　Cramer　was　now　taking　my　word　for　gospel；　since　he　had　concentrated　on　the　units　of　personnel　I　had　told　him　about；　though　he　had　also　used　the　police　file　on　the　death　of　Waldo　Moore　as　a　reference　work；　and　doubtless　they　were　all　in　that。　I　interpreted　Gwynne　Ferris　by　remarking　that　her　broadcasting　of　the　news　she　got　from　my　filing　cabinet　might　have　been　a　highly　intelligent　cover　for　intentions　and　plans　of　her　own；　or　it　might　have　been　merely　promiscuous　chin　pumping；　and　I　refused　to　mit　myself　until　I　had　known　her　much　longer…a　minimum　of　five　years。　Whichever　it　was；　the　result　was　the　same：　assuming　that　Naylor　had　been　finished　off　because　of　his　announcement　that　he　knew　who　had　killed　Moore；　everyone　was　eligible。　Up　to　six　o'clock；　when　I　had　left；　neither　elimination　nor　spotlighting　had　even　got　a　start；　although　Cramer　had　his　whole　army　going　through　the　routine…collecting　alibis；　tracing　the　movements　of　people；　including　Naylor；　trying　to　find　witnesses　of　events　on　Thirty…ninth　Street；　Ninety…fifth　Street；　Forty…eighth　Street；　and　other　vital　spots；　and　all　the　rest　of　it。　They　had　found　no　one　who　would　admit　seeing　Kerr　Naylor　after　he　left　the　building　on　William　Street　Friday　afternoon；　or　any　knowledge　of　him。　That　was　interesting；　because　it　left　it　that　Gwynne　Ferris　and　I　were　the　last　people　who　had　seen　him　alive。　It　had　been　around　half…past　five　when　he　had　walked　in　on　us　in　my　room　at　Naylor…Kerr　to　tell　me　I　was　a　liar。　Everybody　else　had　left　for　the　day；　and　none　of　the　elevator　boys　remembered　taking　him　down。　One　of　O'Hara's　strongest　convictions　had　been　that　Naylor　and　I　had　left　the　building　together；　and　I　had　merely　shrugged　it　off。　It's　a　waste　of　time　trying　to　extract　a　conviction　from　an　Irishman。
　　When　I　was　empty；　both　of　facts　and　of　annotations；　I　observed；　〃One　thing　to　consider；　you　know　what　we　were　hired　for；　to　establish　the　manner　of　Moore's　death。　Remember　your　letter　to　Pine？　Well；　that　seems　to　be　established；　anyhow　as　far　as　the　cops　are　concerned。　So　have　we　still　got　a　client？　If　we　go　on　wearing　out　your　muscles　and　my　brains；　do　we　get　paid？〃
　　Wolfe　nodded。　〃That　occurred　to　me；　naturally。　I　telephoned　Mr。　Pine　this　morning；　and　he　seems　a　little　uncertain　about　it。　He　says　there　will　be　a　directors'　meeting　Monday　morning　and　he'll　let　us　know。　By　the　way；　his　wife　came　to　see　me　this　morning。〃
　　〃What！　Cecily？　Up　and　around　before　noon？　What　did　she　want？〃
　　〃I　haven't　the　slightest　idea。　Possibly　she　knows；　but　I　don't。　I　suspect　she's　hysterical　but　manages　somehow　to　conceal　it。　Her　ostensible　purpose　was　to　learn　exactly　what　her　brother　said　to　you　his　last　three　days。　She　wanted　it　verbatim　and　she　wanted　to　pay　for　it。　How　the　devil　that　woman　has　any　money　left；　with　her　passion　for　getting　rid　of　it；　is　a　mystery。　She　asked　me　to　tell　you　that　the　baseball　tickets　will　reach　you　Thursday　or　Friday。　She　also　wanted　to　know　if　you　are　taking　care　of　your　face。〃　He　wiggled　a　finger　at　me。　〃Archie。　That　woman　is　a　wanton　maniac。　It　would　be　foolhardy　to　accept　baseball　tickets…〃
　　The　doorbell　rang。
　　〃If　it's　her　again；〃　Wolfe　manded　me　in　quick　panic；　〃don't　let　her　in！〃
　　It　wasn't。　I　went　to　the　hall；　to　the　front　door；　and　opened　up；　and　was　confronted　by　one　of　the　faces　I　like　best；　Saul　Panzer's。
　　〃What　the　hell；〃　I　asked　as　he　entered　and　hung　his　cap　on　the　rack；　〃did　you　trip　up　on　Bas's　forgery　and　have　to　solicit？〃
　　Saul　is　always　businesslike；　never　frolicsome；　but　now　he　was　absolutely　glum。　He　didn't　even　return　my　grin。
　　〃Mr。　Wolfe？〃　he　asked。
　　〃In　the　office。　What　bit　you？〃
　　He　went　ahead　and　I　followed。　Saul　never　sits　in　the　red　leather　chair；　not　on　account　of　any　false　modesty　that　he　doesn't　rate　it；　but　because　he　doesn't　like　to　face　a　window。　Having　the　best　pair　of　eyes　I　know　of；　not　even　excepting　Wolfe；　he　likes　to　give　them　every　advantage。　He　picked　his　usual　perch；　a　straight…backed　yellow　chair　not　far　from　mine；　and　spoke　to　Wolfe　in　a　gloomy　tone。
　　〃I　believe　this　is　about　the　worst　I've　ever　done　for　you。　Or　for　anybody。〃
　　〃That　could　still　be　true；〃　Wolfe　said　handsomely；　〃even　if　you　had　done　well。　You　said　on　the　phone　that　you　lost　him。　Did　he　know　he　was　being　followed？　What　happened？〃
　　〃It　wasn't　that　bad；〃　Saul　asserted。　〃It　isn't　often　that　a　man　spots　me　on　his　tail；　and　I'm　sure　he　didn't。　Of　course　he　might　have；　but　we　can't　ask　him　now。　Anyhow；　he　was　walking　west　on　Fifty…third　Street；　uptown　side；　between　First　and　Second　Avenues…〃
　　〃Excuse　me；〃　I　put　in。　〃Shall　I　go　upstairs　and　take　a　nap　or　would　you　care　to　invite　me　to　join　you？〃
　　〃He　was　following　Mr。　Naylor；〃　Wolfe　informed　me。
　　It　was　nothing　new　for　Wolfe　to　take　steps；　either　on　his　own　or　with　one　or　more　of　the　operatives　we　used；　without　burdening　my　mind　with　it。　His　stated　reason　was　that　I　worked　better　if　I　thought　it　all　depended　on　me。　His　actual　reason　was　that　he　loved　to　have　a　curtain　go　up　revealing　him　balancing　a　live　seal　on　his　nose。　I　had　long　ago　abandoned　any　notion　of　plaining　about　it；　so　I　merely　asked：
　　〃When？〃
　　〃Yesterday。　Last　evening。　Go　ahead；　Saul。〃
　　Saul　resumed。　〃I　was　across　the　street　and　thirty　paces　behind。　He　had　been　walking；　off　and　on；　for　two　hours；　and　there　was　nothing　to　indicate　he　was　ready　to　quit。　There　was　no　warning；　such　as　keeping　an　eye　to　the　rear　for　a　taxi　ing。　He　did　it　as　if　he　got　the　idea　all　of　a　sudden。　A　taxi　rolled　past　me；　and　just　as　it　got　even　with　him　he　yelled　at　it；　and　the　driver　made　a　quick　stop；　and　he　ducked　across　to　it　and　hopped　in；　and　off　it　went。　I　was　caught　flat…footed。　I　ran　after　it　to　the　corner；　Second　Avenue；　but　the　light　was　green　and　it　went　on　through。　There　was　no　taxi　for　me　in　sight；　so　I　kept　on　running；　but　either　he　had　told　his　driver　to　step　on　it　or　the　driver　liked　to　get　places。〃
　　Saul　shook　his　head。　〃I　admit　it　looks　as　if　he　was　on　to　me；　but　I　don't　believe　it。　I　think　he　took　a　sudden　notion。　I　don't　especially　mind　losing　one；　we　all　lose　them　sometimes；　but　just　three　hours　before　he　murdered！　That's　what　gets　me。　Even　say　it　was　bad　luck；　if　my　luck's　gone　I　might　as　well　quit。　At　the　time；　of　course；　not　knowing　he　would　be　dead　before　midnight；　I　wasn't　much　upset。　I　tried　some　leads　I　had；　his　chess　club　and　a　couple　of　other　places；　but　didn't　get　a　smell。　I　went　home　and　went　to　bed；　thinking　to　try　him　again　this　morning。　As　soon　as　I　saw　the　morning　paper　I　phoned　you；　and　you　told　me…〃
　　〃Never　mind　what　I　told　you；〃　Wolfe　said　crisply。　So　he　was　getting　up　another　charade；　I　thought。　He　asked　Saul；　〃What　time　was　it？〃
　　〃It　was　eight…thirty…four　when　I　quit　running；　so　it　was　eight…thirty；　maybe　one　minute　one　way　or　the　other；　when　he　got　his　taxi。〃
　　〃Get　Mr。　Cramer；　Archie。〃
　　I　tried　to　fill　the　order　but　couldn't；　because　Cramer　was　not　to　be　had。　He　was　probably　home　asleep　after　a　hard　night　and　morning；　though　no　one　was　indelicate　enough　to　tell　me　so。　I　was　offered　a　captain　and　my　choice　of　lieutenants；　but　turned