raymondchandler.farewellmylovely-第11部分

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　〃You　shouldn't　do　that；〃　she　said　tensely。　〃You　shouldn't　touch　him　until　the　police　e。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　I　said。　〃And　the　prowl　car　boys　are　not　supposed　to　touch　him　until　the　K…car　men　e　and　they're　not　supposed　to　touch　him　until　the　coroner's　examiner　sees　him　and　the　photographers　have　photographed　him　and　the　fingerprint　man　has　taken　his　prints。　And　do　you　know　how　long　all　that　is　liable　to　take　out　here？　A　couple　of　hours。〃
　〃All　right；〃　she　said。　〃I　suppose　you're　always　right。　I　guess　you　must　be　that　kind　of　person。　Somebody　must　have　hated　him　to　smash　his　head　in　like　that。〃
　〃I　don't　suppose　it　was　personal；〃　I　growled。　〃Some　people　just　like　to　smash　heads。〃
　〃Seeing　that　I　don't　know　what　it's　all　about；　I　couldn't　guess；〃　she　said　tartly。
　I　went　through　his　clothes。　He　had　loose　silver　and　bills　in　one　trouser　pocket；　a　tooled　leather　keycase　in　the　other；　also　a　small　knife。　His　left　hip　pocket　yielded　a　small　billfold　with　more　currency；　insurance　cards；　a　driver's　license；　a　couple　of　receipts。　In　his　coat　loose　match　folders；　a　gold　pencil　clipped　to　a　pocket；　two　thin　cambric　handerchiefs　as　fine　and　white　as　dry　powdered　snow。　Then　the　enamel　cigarette　case　from　which　I　had　seen　him　take　his　brown　gold…tipped　cigarettes。　They　were　South　American；　from　Montevideo。　And　in　the　other　inside　pocket　a　second　cigarette　case　I　hadn't　seen　before。　It　was　made　of　embroidered　silk；　a　dragon　on　each　side；　a　frame　of　imitation　tortoiseshell　so　thin　it　was　hardly　there　at　all。　I　tickled　the　catch　open　and　looked　in　at　three　oversized　Russian　cigarettes　under　the　band　of　elastic。　I　pinched　one。　They　felt　old　and　dry　and　loose。　They　had　hollow　mouthpieces。
　〃He　smoked　the　others；〃　I　said　over　my　shoulder。　〃These　must　have　been　for　a　lady　friend。　He　would　be　a　lad　who　would　have　a　lot　of　lady　friends。〃
The　girl　was　bent　over；　breathing　on　my　neck　now。　〃Didn't　you　know　him？〃
〃I　only　met　him　tonight。　He　hired　me　for　a　bodyguasd。〃
〃Some　bodyguard。〃
I　didn't　say　anything　to　that。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　almost　whispered。　〃Of　course　I　don't　know　the　circumstances。　Do　you　suppose　those　could　be　jujus？　Can　I　look？〃
　I　passed　the　embroidered　case　back　to　her。
　〃I　knew　a　guy　once　who　smoked　jujus；〃　she　said。　〃Three　highballs　and　three　sticks　of　tea　and　it　took　a　pipe　wrench　to　get　him　off　the　chandelier。〃
〃Hold　the　light　steady。〃
There　was　a　rustling　pause。　Then　she　spoke　again。
　〃I'm　sorry。〃　She　handed　the　case　down　again　and　I　slipped　it　back　in　his　pocket。　That　seemed　to　be　all。　All　it　proved　was　that　he　hadn't　been　cleaned　out。
I　stood　up　and　took　my　wallet　out。　The　five　twenties　were　still　in　it。
〃High　class　boys；〃　I　said。　〃They　only　took　the　large　money。〃
　The　flash　was　drooping　to　the　ground。　I　put　my　wallet　away　again；　clipped　my　own　small　flash　to　my　pocket　and　reached　suddenly　for　the　little　gun　she　was　still　holding　in　the　same　hand　with　the　flashlight。　She　dropped　the　flashlight；　but　I　got　the　gun。　She　stepped　back　quickly　and　I　reached　down　for　the　light。　I　put　it　on　her　face　for　a　moment；　then　snapped　it　off。
　〃You　didn't　have　to　be　rough；〃　she　said；　putting　her　hands　down　into　the　pockets　of　a　long　rough　coat　with　flaring　shoulders。　〃I　didn't　think　you　killed　him。〃
　I　liked　the　cool　quiet　of　her　voice。　I　liked　her　nerve。　We　stood　in　the　darkness；　face　to　face；　not　saying　anything　for　a　moment。　I　could　see　the　brush　and　light　in　the　sky。
　I　put　the　light　on　her　face　and　she　blinked。　It　was　a　small　neat　vibrant　face　with　large　eyes。　A　face　with　bone　under　the　skin；　fine　drawn　like　a　Cremona　violin。　A　very　nice　face。
〃Your　hair's　red；〃　I　said。　〃You　look　Irish。〃
〃And　my　name's　Riordan。　So　what？　Put　that　light　out。　It's　not　red；　it's　auburn。〃
I　put　it　out。　〃What's　your　first　name？〃
〃Anne。　And　don't　call　me　Annie。〃
〃What　are　you　doing　around　here？〃
　〃Sometimes　at　night　I　go　riding。　Just　restless。　I　live　alone。　I'm　an　orphan。　I　know　all　this　neighborhood　like　a　book。　I　just　happened　to　be　riding　along　and　noticed　a　light　flickering　down　in　the　hollow。　It　seemed　a　little　cold　for　love。　And　they　don't　use　lights；　do　they？〃
　〃I　never　did。　You　take　some　awful　chances；　Miss　Riordan。〃
　〃I　think　I　said　the　same　about　you。　I　had　a　gun。　I　wasn't　afraid。　There's　no　law　against　going　down　there。〃
　〃Uh…huh。　Only　the　law　of　self　preservation。　Here。　It's　not　my　night　to　be　clever。　I　suppose　you　have　a　permit　for　the　gun。〃　I　held　it　out　to　her；　butt　first。
　She　took　it　and　tucked　it　down　into　her　pocket。　〃Strange　how　curious　people　can　be；　isn't　it？　I　write　a　little。　Feature　articles。〃
〃Any　money　in　it？〃
〃Very　damned　little。　What　were　you　looking　for…in　his　pockets？〃
　〃Nothing　in　particular。　I'm　a　great　guy　to　snoop　around。　We　had　eight　thousand　dollars　to　buy　back　some　stolen　jewelry　for　a　lady。　We　got　hijacked。　Why　they　killed　him　I　don't　know。　He　didn't　strike　me　as　a　fellow　who　would　put　up　much　of　a　fight。　And　I　didn't　hear　a　fight。　I　was　down　in　the　hollow　when　he　was　jumped。　He　was　in　the　car；　up　above。　We　were　supposed　to　drive　down　into　the　hollow　but　there　didn't　seem　to　be　room　for　the　car　without　scratching　it　up。　So　I　went　down　there　on　foot　and　while　I　was　down　there　they　must　have　stuck　him　up。　Then　one　of　them　got　into　the　car　and　dry…guiched　me。　I　thought　he　was　still　in　the　car；　of　course。〃
　〃That　doesn't　make　you　so　terribly　dumb；〃　she　said。
　〃There　was　something　wrong　with　the　job　from　the　start。　I　could　feel　it。　But　I　needed　the　money。　Now　I　have　to　go　to　the　cops　and　eat　dirt。　Will　you　drive　me　to　Montemar　Vista？　I　left　my　car　there。　He　lived　there。〃
〃Sure。　But　shouldn't　somebody　stay　with　him？　You　could　take　my　car…or　I　could　go　call　the　cops。〃
I　looked　at　the　dial　of　my　watch。　The　faintly　glowing　hands　said　that　it　was　getting　towards　midnight。
〃No。〃
〃Why　not？〃
〃I　don't　know　why　not。　I　just　feel　it　that　way。　I'll　play　it　alone。〃
　She　said　nothing。　We　went　back　down　the　hill　and　got　into　her　little　car　and　she　started　it　and　jockeyed　it　around　without　lights　and　drove　it　back　up　the　hill　and　eased　it　past　the　barrier。　A　block　away　she　sprang　the　lights　on。
　My　head　ached。　We　didn't　speak　until　we　came　level　with　the　first　house　on　the　paved　part　of　the　street。　Then　she　said：
　〃You　need　a　drink。　Why　not　go　back　to　my　house　and　have　one？　You　can　phone　the　law　from　there。　They　have　to　e　from　West　Los　Angeles　anyway。　There's　nothing　up　here　but　a　fire　station。〃
〃Just　keep　on　going　down　to　the　coast。　I'll　play　it　solo。〃
〃But　why？　I'm　not　afraid　of　them。　My　story　might　help　you。〃
〃I　don't　want　any　help。　I've　got　to　think。　I　want　to　be　by　myself　for　a　while。〃
〃I…okey；〃　she　said。
　She　made　a　vague　sound　in　her　throat　and　turned　on　to　the　boulevard。　We　came　to　the　service　station　at　the　coast　highway　and　turned　north　to　Montemar　Vista　and　the　sidewalk　cafe　there。　It　was　lit　up　like　a　luxury　liner。　The　girl　pulled　over　on　to　the　shoulder　and　I　got　out　and　stood　holding　the　door。
　I　fumbled　a　card　out　of　my　wallet　and　passed　it　in　to　her。　〃Some　day　you　may　need　a　strong　back；〃　I　said。　〃Let　me　know。　But　don't　call　me　if　it's　brain　work。〃
　She　tapped　the　card　on　the　wheel　and　said　slowly：　〃You'll　find　me　in　the　Bay　City　phone　book。　819　Twenty…fifth　Street。　e　around　and　pin　a　putty　medal　on　me　for　minding　my　own　business。　I　think　you're　still　woozy　from　that　crack　on　the　head。〃
　She　swung　her　car　swiftly　around　on　the　highway　and　I　watched　its　twin　tail…lights　fade　into　the　dark。
　I　walked　past　the　arch　and　the　sidewalk　cafe　into　the　parking　space　and　got　into　my　car。　A　bar　was　right　in　front　of　me　and　I　was　shaking　again。　But　it　seemed　smarter　to　walk　into　the　West　Los　Angeles　police　station　the　way　I　did　twenty　minutes　later；　as　cold　as　a　frog　and　as　green　as　the　back　of　a　new　dollar　bill。
　
　12
　It　was　an　hour　and　a　half　later。　The　body　had　been　taken　away；　the　ground　gone　over；　and　I　had　told　my　story　three　or　four　times。　We　sat；　four　of　us；　in　the　day　captain's　room　at　the　West　Los　Angeles　station。　The　building　was　quiet　except　for　a　drunk　in　a　cell　who　kept　giving　the　Australian　bush　call　while　he　waited　to　go　downtown　for　sunrise　court。
　A　hard　white　light　inside　a　glass　reflector　shone　down　on　the　flat　topped　table　on　which　were　spread　the　things　that　had　e　from　Lindsay　Marriott's　pockets；　things　now　that　seemed　as　dead　and　homeless　as　their　owner。　The　man　across　the　table　from　me　was　named　Randall　and　he　was　from　Central　Homicide　in　Los　Angeles。　He　was　a　thin　quiet　man　of　fifty　with　smooth　creamy　gray　hair；　cold　eyes；　a　distant　manner。　He　wore　a　dark　red　tie　with　black　spots　on　it　and　the　spots　kept　dancing　in　front　of　my　eyes。　Behind　him；　beyond　the　cone　of　light；　two　beefy　men　lounged　like　bodyguards；　each　of　them　watching　one　of　my　ears。
　I　fumbled　a　cigarette　around　in　my　fingers　and　lit　it　and　didn't　like　the　taste　of　it。　I　sat　watching　it　burn　between　my　fingers。　I　felt　about　eighty　years　old　and　slipping　fast。
　Randall　said　coldly：　〃The　oftener　you　tell　this　story　the　sillier　it　sounds。　This　man　Marriott　had　been　negotiating　for　days；　no　doubt；　about　this　pay…off　and　then　just　a　few　hours　before　the　final　meeting　he　calls　up　a　perfect　stranger　and　hires　him　to　go　with　him　as　a　bodyguard。〃
　〃Not　exactly　as　a　bodyguard；〃　I　said。　〃I　didn't　even　tell　him　I　had　a　gun。　Just　for　pany。〃
　〃Where　did　he　hear　of　you？〃
　〃First　he　said　a　mutual　friend。　Then　that　he　just　picked　my　name　out　of　the　book。〃
　Randall　poked　gently　among　the　stuff　on　the　table　and　detached　a　white　card　with　an　air　of　touching　something　not　quite　clean。　He　pushed　it　along　the　wood。
　〃He　had　your　card。　Your　business　card。〃
　I　glanced　at　the　card。　It　had　e　out　of　his　billfold；　together　with　a　number　of　other　cards　I　hadn't　bothered　to　examine　back　there　in　the　hollow　of　Purissima　Canyon。　It　was　one　of　my　cards　all　right。　It　looked　rather　dirty　at　that；　for　a　man　like　Marriott。　There　was　a　round　smear　across　one　corner。
　〃Sure；〃　I　said。　〃I　hand　those　out　whenever　I　get　a　chance。　Naturally。〃
　〃Marriott　let　you　carry　the　money；〃　Randall　said。　〃Eight　thousand　dollars。　He　was　rather　a　trusting　soul。〃
　I　drew　on　my　cigarette　and　blew　the　smoke　towards　the　ceiling。　The　light　hurt　my　eyes。　The　back　of　my　head　ached。
　〃I　don't　have　the　eight　thousand　dollars；〃　I　s