raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第18部分

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lk。　Marsh　says　he　didn't　know　where　George　lived　and　George　didn't　have　any　customers。　That　is；　no　business　came　into　the　office　that　Marsh　knows　about。　But　George　put　an　ad　in　the　paper　and　he　might　have　got　a　customer　out　of　that。　I　guess　he　did；　because　about　a　week　ago　Marsh　found　a　note　on　his　desk　that　George　would　be　out　of　town　for　a　few　days。　That's　the　last　he　heard　of　him。　So　George　went　over　to　Court　Street　and　took　an　apartment　under　the　name　of　Anson　and　got　bumped　off。　And　that's　all　we　know　about　George　so　far。　Kind　of　a　pathetic　case。〃
　 He　looked　at　me　with　a　level　uncurious　gaze　and　raised　his　glass　to　his　lips。
　 〃What　about　this　ad？〃
　 Breeze　put　the　glass　down　and　dug　a　thin　piece　of　paper　out　of　his　wallet　and　put　it　down　on　the　cocktail　table。　I　went　over　and　picked　it　up　and　read　it。　It　said：
　 Why　worry？　Why　be　doubtful　or　confused？　Why　be　gnawed　by　suspicion？　Consult　cool；　careful；　confidential；　discreet　investigator。　George　Anson　Phillips。　Glenview　9521。
　 I　put　it　down　on　the　glass　again。
　 〃It　ain't　any　worse　than　lots　of　business　personals；〃　Breeze　said。　〃It　don't　seem　to　be　aimed　at　the　carriage　trade。〃
　 Spangler　said：　〃The　girl　in　the　office　wrote　it　for　him。　She　said　she　could　hardly　keep　from　laughing；　but　George　thought　it　was　swell。　The　Hollywood　Boulevard　office　of　the　Chronicle。〃
　 〃You　checked　that　fast；〃　I　said。
　 〃We　don't　have　any　trouble　getting　information；〃　Breeze　said。　〃Except　maybe　from　you。〃
　 〃What　about　Hench？〃
　 〃Nothing　about　Hench。　Him　and　the　girl　were　having　a　liquor　party。　They　would　drink　a　little　and　sing　a　little　and　scrap　a　little　and　listen　to　the　radio　and　go　out　to　eat　once　in　a　while；　when　they　thought　of　it。　I　guess　it　had　been　going　on　for　days。　Just　as　well　we　stopped　it。　The　girl　has　two　bad　eyes。　The　next　round　Hench　might　have　broken　her　neck。　The　world　is　full　of　bums　like　Henchand　his　girl。〃
　 〃What　about　the　gun　Hench　said　wasn't　his？〃
　 〃It's　the　right　gun。　We　don't　have　the　slug　yet；　but　we　have　the　shell。　It　was　under　George's　body　and　it　checks。　We　had　a　couple　more　fired　and　parisoned　the　ejector　marks　and　the　firing　pin　dents。〃
　 〃You　believe　somebody　planted　it　under　Hench's　pillow？〃
　 〃Sure。　Why　would　Hench　shoot　Phillips？　He　didn't　know　him。〃
　 〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
　 〃I　know　it；〃　Breeze　said；　spreading　his　hands。　〃Look；　there　are　things　you　know　because　you　have　them　down　in　black　and　white。　And　there　are　things　you　know　because　they　are　reasonable　and　have　to　be　so。　You　don't　shoot　somebody　and　then　make　a　lot　of　racket　calling　attention　to　yourself；　and　all　the　time　you　have　the　gun　under　your　pillow。　The　girl　was　with　Hench　all　day。　If　Hench　shot　anybody；　she　would　have　some　idea。　She　doesn't　have　any　such　idea。　She　would　spill；　if　she　had。　What　is　Hench　to　her？　A　guy　to　play　around　with；　no　more。　Look；　forget　Hench。　The　guy　who　did　the　shooting　hears　the　loud　radio　and　knows　it　will　cover　a　shot。　But　all　the　same　he　saps　Phillips　and　drags　him　into　the　bathroom　and　shuts　the　door　before　he　shoots　him。　He's　not　drunk。　He's　minding　his　own　business；　and　careful。　He　goes　out；　shuts　the　bathroom　door；　the　radio　stops；　Hench　and　the　girl　go　out　to　eat。　Just　happens　that　way。〃
　 〃How　do　you　know　the　radio　stopped？〃
　 〃I　was　told；〃　Breeze　said　calmly。　〃Other　people　live　in　that　dump。　Take　it　the　radio　stopped　and　they　went　out。　Not　quiet。　The　killer　steps　out　of　the　apartment　and　Hench's　door　is　open。　That　must　be　because　otherwise　he　wouldn't　think　anything　about　Hench's　door。〃
　 〃People　don't　leave　their　doors　open　in　apartment　houses。　Especially　in　districts　like　that。〃
　 〃Drunks　do。　Drunks　are　careless。　Their　minds　don't　focus　well。　And　they　only　think　of　one　thing　at　a　time。　The　door　was　openjust　a　little　maybe；　but　open。　The　killer　went　in　and　ditched　his　gun　on　the　bed　and　found　another　gun　there。　He　took　that　away；　just　to　make　it　look　worse　for　Hench。〃
　 〃You　can　check　the　gun；〃　I　said。
　 〃Hench's　gun？　We'll　try　to；　but　Hench　says　he　doesn't　know　the　number。　If　we　find　it；　we　might　do　something　there。　I　doubt　it。　The　gun　we　have　we　will　try　to　check；　but　you　know　how　those　things　are。　You　get　just　so　far　along　and　you　think　it　is　going　to　open　up　for　you；　and　then　the　trail　dies　out　cold。　A　dead　end。　Anything　else　you　can　think　of　that　we　might　know　that　might　be　a　help　to　you　in　your　business？〃
　 〃I'm　getting　tired；〃　I　said。　〃My　imagination　isn't　working　very　well。〃
　 〃You　were　doing　fine　a　while　back；〃　Breeze　said。　〃On　the　Cassidy　case。〃
　 I　didn't　say　anything。　I　filled　my　pipe　up　again　but　it　was　too　hot　to　light。　I　laid　it　on　the　edge　of　the　table　to　cool　off。
　 〃It's　God's　truth；〃　Breeze　said　slowly；　〃that　I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　you。　I　can't　see　you　deliberately　covering　up　on　any　murder。　And　neither　can　I　see　you　knowing　as　little　about　all　this　as　you　pretend　to　know。〃
　 I　didn't　say　anything；　again。
　 Breeze　leaned　over　to　revolve　his　cigar　butt　in　the　tray　until　he　had　killed　the　fire。　He　finished　his　drink；　put　on　his　hat　and　stood　up。
　 〃How　long　you　expect　to　stay　dummied　up？〃　he　asked。
　 〃I　don't　know。〃
　 〃Let　me　help　you　out。　I　give　you　till　tomorrow　noon；　a　little　better　than　twelve　hours。　I　won't　get　my　post　mortem　report　before　that　anyway。　I　give　you　till　then　to　talk　things　over　with　your　party　and　decide　to　e　clean。〃
　 〃And　after　that？〃
　 〃After　that　I　see　the　Captain　of　Detectives　and　tell　him　a　private　eye　named　Philip　Marlowe　is　withholding　information　which　I　need　in　a　murder　investigation；　or　I'm　pretty　sure　he　is。　And　what　about　it？　I　figure　he'll　pull　you　in　fast　enough　to　singe　your　breeches。〃
　 I　said：　〃Uh…huh。　Did　you　go　through　Phillips'　desk？〃
　 〃Sure。　A　very　neat　young　feller。　Nothing　in　it　at　all；　except　a　little　kind　of　diary。　Nothing　in　that　either；　except　about　how　he　went　to　the　beach　or　took　some　girl　to　the　pictures　and　she　didn't　warm　up　much。　Or　how　he　sat　in　the　office　and　no　business　e　in。　One　time　he　got　a　little　sore　about　his　laundry　and　wrote　a　whole　page。　Mostly　it　was　just　three　or　four　lines。　There　was　only　one　thing　about　it。　It　was　all　done　in　a　kind　of　printing。〃
　 I　said：　〃Printing？〃
　 〃Yeah；　printing　in　pen　and　ink。　Not　big　block　caps　like　people　trying　to　disguise　things。　Just　neat　fast　little　printing　as　if　the　guy　could　write　that　way　as　fast　and　easy　as　any　way。〃
　 〃He　didn't　write　like　that　on　the　card　he　gave　me；〃　I　said。
　 Breeze　thought　about　that　for　a　moment。　Then　he　nodded。　〃True。　Maybe　it　was　this　way。　There　wasn't　any　name　in　the　diary　either；　in　the　front。　Maybe　the　printing　was　just　a　little　game　he　played　with　himself。〃
　 〃Like　Pepys'　shorthand；〃　I　said。
　 〃What　was　that？〃
　 〃A　diary　a　man　wrote　in　a　private　shorthand；　a　long　time　ago。〃
　 Breeze　looked　at　Spangler；　who　was　standing　up　in　front　of　his　chair；　tipping　the　last　few　drops　of　his　glass。
　 〃We　better　beat　it；〃　Breeze　said。　〃This　guy　is　warming　up　for　another　Cassidy　case。〃
　 Spangler　put　his　glass　down　and　they　both　went　over　to　the　door。　Breeze　shuffled　a　foot　and　looked　at　me　sideways；　with　his　hand　on　the　doorknob。
　 〃You　know　any　tall　blonds？〃
　 〃I'd　have　to　think；〃　I　said。　〃I　hope　so。　How　tall？〃
　 〃Just　tall。　I　don't　know　how　tall　that　is。　Except　that　it　would　be　tall　to　a　guy　who　is　tall　himself。　A　wop　named　Palermo　owns　that　apartment　house　on　Court　Street。　We　went　across　to　see　him　in　his　funeral　parlors。　He　owns　them　too。　He　says　he　saw　a　tall　blond　e　out　of　the　apartment　house　about　three…thirty。　The　manager；　Passmore；　don't　place　anybody　in　the　joint　that　he　would　call　a　tall　blond。　The　wop　says　she　was　a　looker。　I　give　some　weight　to　what　he　says　because　he　give　us　a　good　description　of　you。　He　didn't　see　this　tall　blond　go　in；　just　saw　her　e　out。　She　was　wearing　slacks　and　a　sports　jacket　and　a　wrap…around。　But　she　had　light　blond　hair　and　plenty　of　it　under　the　wrap…around。〃
　 〃Nothing　es　to　me；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　just　remembered　something　else。　I　wrote　the　license　number　of　Phillips'　car　down　on　the　back　of　an　envelope。　That　will　give　you　his　former　address；　probably。　I'll　get　it。〃
　 They　stood　there　while　I　went　to　get　it　out　of　my　coat　in　the　bedroom。　I　handed　the　piece　of　envelope　to　Breeze　and　he　read　what　was　on　it　and　tucked　it　into　his　billfold。
　 〃So　you　just　thought　of　this；　huh？〃
　 〃That's　right。〃
　 〃Well；　well；〃　he　said。　〃Well；　well。〃
　 The　two　of　them　went　along　the　hallway　towards　the　elevator；　shaking　their　heads。
　 I　shut　the　door　and　went　back　to　my　almost　untasted　second　drink。　It　was　flat。　I　carried　it　to　the　kitchen　and　hardened　it　up　from　the　bottle　and　stood　there　holding　it　and　looking　out　of　the　window　at　the　eucalyptus　trees　tossing　their　limber　tops　against　the　bluish　dark　sky。　The　wind　seemed　to　have　risen　again。　It　thumped　at　the　north　window　and　there　was　a　heavy　slow　pounding　noise　on　the　wall　of　the　building；　like　a　thick　wire　banging　the　stucco　between　insulators。
　 I　tasted　my　drink　and　wished　I　hadn't　wasted　the　fresh　whiskey　on　it。　I　poured　it　down　the　sink　and　got　a　fresh　glass　and　drank　some　ice　water。
　 Twelve　hours　to　tie　up　a　situation　which　I　didn't　even　begin　to　understand。　Either　that　or　turn　up　a　client　and　let　the　cops　go　to　work　on　her　and　her　whole　family。　Hire　Marlowe　and　get　your　house　full　of　law。　Why　worry？　Why　be　doubtful　and　confused？　Why　be　gnawed　by　suspicion？　Consult　cockeyed；　careless；　clubfooted；　dissipated　investigator。　Philip　Marlowe；　Glenview　7537。　See　me　and　you　meet　the　best　cops　in　town。　Why　despair？　Why　be　lonely？　Call　Marlowe　and　watch　the　wagon　e。
　 This　didn't　get　me　anywhere　either。　I　went　back　to　the　living　room　and　put　a　match　to　the　pipe　that　had　cooled　off　now　on　the　edge　of　the　chess　table。　I　drew　the　smoke　in　slowly；　but　it　still　tasted　like　the　smell　of　hot　rubber。　I　put　it　away　and　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　pulling　my　lower　lip　out　and　letting　it　snap　back　against　my　teeth。
　 The　telephone　rang。　I　picked　it　up　and　growled　into　it。
　 〃Marlowe？〃
　 The　voice　was　a　harsh　low　whisper。　It　was　a　harsh　low　whisper　I　had　heard　before。
　 〃All　right；〃　I　said。　〃Talk　it　up　whoever　you　are。　Whose　pocket　have　I　got　my　hand　in　now？〃
　 〃Maybe　you're　a　smart　guy；〃　the　harsh　whisper　said。　〃Maybe　you　would　like　to