raymondchandler.farewellmylovely-第19部分

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〃All　sorts　of　people；　I　suppose。〃
〃But　they　didn't　know　you　would　be　wearing　it　that　night？　Who　knew　that？〃
She　shrugged　her　pale　blue　shoulders。　I　tried　to　keep　my　eyes　where　they　belonged。
〃My　maid。　But　she's　had　a　hundred　chances。　And　I　trust　her…〃
〃Why？〃
〃I　don't　know。　I　just　trust　some　people。　I　trust　you。〃
〃Did　you　trust　Marriott？〃
　Her　face　got　a　little　hard。　Her　eyes　a　little　watchful。　〃Not　in　some　things。　In　others；　yes。　There　are　degrees。〃　She　had　a　nice　way　of　talking；　cool；　half…cynical；　and　yet　not　hardboiled。　She　rounded　her　words　well。
　〃All　right…besides　the　maid。　The　chauffeur？〃
　She　shook　her　head；　no。　〃Lin　drove　me　that　night；　in　his　own　car。　I　don't　think　George　was　around　at　all。　Wasn't　it　Thursday？〃
　〃I　wasn't　there。　Marriott　said　four　or　five　days　before　in　telling　me　about　it。　Thursday　would　have　been　an　even　week　from　last　night。〃
　〃Well；　it　was　Thursday。〃　She　reached　for　my　glass　and　her　fingers　touched　mine　a　little；　and　were　soft　to　the　touch。　〃George　gets　Thursday　evening　off。　That's　the　usual　day；　you　know。〃　She　poured　a　fat　slug　of　mellow…looking　Scotch　into　my　glass　and　squirted　in　some　fizz…water。　It　was　the　kind　of　liquor　you　think　you　can　drink　forever；　and　all　you　do　is　get　reckless。　She　gave　herself　the　same　treatment。
〃Lin　told　you　my　name？〃　she　asked　softly；　the　eyes　still　watchful。
〃He　was　careful　not　to。〃
　〃Then　he　probably　misled　you　a　little　about　the　time。　Let's　see　what　we　have。　Maid　and　chauffeur　out。　Out　of　consideration　as　acplices；　I　mean。〃
　〃They're　not　out　by　me。〃
　〃Well；　at　least　I'm　trying；〃　she　laughed。　〃Then　there's　Newton；　the　butler。　He　might　have　seen　it　on　my　neck　that　night。　But　it　hangs　down　rather　low　and　I　was　wearing　a　white　fox　evening　wrap；　no；　I　don't　think　he　could　have　seen　it。〃
〃I　bet　you　looked　like　a　dream；〃　I　said。
〃You're　not　getting　a　little　tight；　are　you？〃
〃I've　been　known　to　be　soberer。〃
　She　put　her　head　back　and　went　off　into　a　peal　of　laughter。　I　have　only　known　four　women　in　my　life　who　could　do　that　and　still　look　beautiful。　She　was　one　of　them。
〃Newton　is　okey；〃　I　said。　〃His　type　don't　run　with　hoodlums。　That's　just　guessing；　though。　How　about　the　footman？〃
She　thought　and　remembered；　then　shook　her　head。　〃He　didn't　see　me。〃
〃Anybody　ask　you　to　wear　the　jade？〃
Her　eyes　instantly　got　more　guarded。　〃You're　not　fooling　me　a　damn　bit；〃　she　said。
　She　reached　for　my　glass　to　refill　it。　I　let　her　have　it；　even　though　it　still　had　an　inch　to　go。　I　studied　the　lovely　lines　of　her　neck。
　When　she　had　filled　the　glasses　and　we　were　playing　with　them　again　I　said；　〃Let's　get　the　record　straight　and　then　I'll　tell　you　something。　Describe　the　evening。〃
　She　looked　at　her　wrist　watch；　drawing　a　full　length　sleeve　back　to　do　it。　〃I　ought　to　be…〃
　〃Let　him　wait。〃
　Her　eyes　flashed　at　that。　I　liked　them　that　way。　〃There's　such　a　thing　as　being　just　a　little　too　frank；〃　she　said。
　〃Not　in　my　business。　Describe　the　evening。　Or　have　me　thrown　out　on　my　ear。　One　or　the　other。　Make　your　lovely　mind　up。〃
〃You'd　better　sit　over　here　beside　me。〃
〃I've　been　thinking　that　a　long　time；〃　I　said。　〃Ever　since　you　crossed　your　legs；　to　be　exact。〃
She　pulled　her　dress　down。　〃These　damn　things　are　always　up　around　your　neck。〃
I　sat　beside　her　on　the　yellow　leather　chesterfield。　〃Aren't　you　a　pretty　fast　worker？〃　she　asked　quietly。
I　didn't　answer　her。
〃Do　you　do　much　of　this　sort　of　thing？〃　she　asked　with　a　sidelong　look。
〃Practically　none。　I'm　a　Tibetan　monk；　in　my　spare　time。〃
〃Only　you　don't　have　any　spare　time。〃
〃Let's　focus；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　get　what's　left　of　our　minds…or　mine…on　the　problem。　How　much　are　you　going　to　pay　me？〃
〃Oh；　that's　the　problem。　I　thought　you　were　going　to　get　my　necklace　back。　Or　try　to。〃
〃I　have　to　work　in　my　own　way。　This　way。〃　I　took　a　long　drink　and　it　nearly　stood　me　on　my　head。　I　swallowed　a　little　air。
〃And　investigate　a　murder；〃　I　said。
〃That　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　I　mean　that's　a　police　affair；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yeah…only　the　poor　guy　paid　me　a　hundred　bucks　to　take　care　of　him…and　I　didn't。　Makes　me　feel　guilty。　Makes　we　want　to　cry。　Shall　I　cry？〃
　〃Have　a　drink。〃　She　poured　us　some　more　Scotch。　It　didn't　seem　to　affect　her　any　more　than　water　affects　Boulder　Dam。
　〃Well；　where　have　we　got　to？〃　I　said；　trying　to　hold　my　glass　so　that　the　whiskey　would　stay　inside　it。　〃No　maid；　no　chauffeur；　no　butler；　no　footman。　We'll　be　doing　our　own　laundry　next。　How　did　the　holdup　happen？　Your　version　might　have　a　few　details　Marriott　didn't　give　me。〃
　She　leaned　forward　and　cupped　her　chin　in　her　hand。　She　looked　serious　without　looking　silly…serious。
　〃We　went　to　a　party　in　Brentwood　Heights。　Then　Lin　suggested　we　run　over　to　the　Troc　for　a　few　drinks　and　a　few　dances。　So　we　did。　They　were　doing　some　work　on　Sunset　and　it　was　very　dusty。　So　ing　back　Lin　dropped　down　to　Santa　Monica。　That　took　us　past　a　shabby　looking　hotel　called　the　Hotel　Indio；　which　I　happened　to　notice　for　some　silly　meaningless　reason。　Across　the　street　from　it　was　a　beer　joint　and　a　car　was　parked　in　front　of　that。〃
　〃Only　one　car…in　front　of　a　beer　joint？〃
　〃Yes。　Only　one。　It　was　a　very　dingy　place。　Well；　this　car　started　up　and　followed　us　and　of　course　I　thought　nothing　of　that　either。　There　was　no　reason　to。　Then　before　we　got　to　where　Santa　Monica　turns　into　Arguello　Boulevard；　Lin　said；　'Let's　go　over　the　other　road'　and　turned　up　some　curving　residential　street。　Then　all　of　a　sudden　a　car　rushed　by　us　and　grazed　the　fender　and　then　pulled　over　to　stop。　A　man　in　an　overcoat　and　scarf　and　hat　low　on　his　face　came　back　to　apologize。　It　was　a　white　scarf　bunched　out　and　it　drew　my　eyes。　It　was　about　all　I　really　saw　of　him　except　that　he　was　tall　and　thin。　As　soon　as　he　got　close…and　I　remembered　afterwards　that　he　didn't　walk　in　our　headlights　at　all…〃
　〃That's　natural。　Nobody　likes　to　look　into　headlights。　Have　a　drink。　My　treat　this　time。〃
　She　was　leaning　forward；　her　fine　eyebrows…not　daubs　of　paint…drawn　together　in　a　frown　of　thought。　I　made　two　drinks。　She　went　on：
　〃As　soon　as　he　got　close　to　the　side　where　Lin　was　sitting　he　jerked　the　scarf　up　over　his　nose　and　a　gun　was　shining　at　us。　'Stick…up；'　he　said。　'Be　very　quiet　and　everything　will　be　jake。'　Then　another　man　came　over　on　the　other　side。〃
　〃In　Beverly　Hills；〃　I　said；　〃the　best　policed　four　square　miles　in　California。〃
　She　shrugged。　〃It　happened　just　the　same。　They　asked　for　my　jewelry　and　bag。　The　man　with　the　scarf　did。　The　one　on　my　side　never　spoke　at　all。　I　passed　the　things　across　Lin　and　the　man　gave　me　back　my　bag　and　one　ring。　He　said　to　hold　off　calling　the　police　and　insurance　people　for　a　while。　They　would　make　us　a　nice　smooth　easy　deal。　He　said　they　found　it　easier　to　work　on　a　straight　percentage。　He　seemed　to　have　all　the　time　in　the　world。　He　said　they　could　work　through　the　insurance　people；　if　they　had　to；　but　that　meant　cutting　in　a　shyster；　and　they　preferred　not　to。　He　sounded　like　a　man　with　some　education。〃
　〃It　might　have　been　Dressed…Up　Eddie；〃　I　said。　〃Only　he　got　bumped　off　in　Chicago。〃
　She　shrugged。　We　had　a　drink。　She　went　on。
　〃Then　they　left　and　we　went　home　and　I　told　Lin　to　keep　quiet　about　it。　The　next　day　I　got　a　call。　We　have　two　phones；　one　with　extensions　and　one　in　my　bedroom　with　no　extensions。　The　call　was　on　this。　It's　not　listed；　of　course。〃
　I　nodded。　〃They　can　buy　the　number　for　a　few　dollars。　It's　done　all　the　time。　Some　movie　people　have　to　change　their　numbers　every　month。〃
　We　had　a　drink。
　〃I　told　the　man　calling　to　take　it　up　with　Lin　and　he　would　represent　me　and　if　they　were　not　too　unreasonable；　we　might　deal。　He　said　okey；　and　from　then　on　I　guess　they　just　stalled　long　enough　to　watch　us　a　little。　Finally；　as　you　know；　we　agreed　on　eight　thousand　dollars　and　so　forth。〃
〃Could　you　recognize　any　of　them？〃
〃Of　course　not〃
〃Randall　know　all　this？〃
〃Of　course。　Do　we　have　to　talk　about　it　any　more？　It　bores　me。〃　She　gave　me　the　lovely　smile。
〃Did　he　make　any　ment？〃
She　yawned。　〃Probably。　I　forget。〃
I　sat　with　my　empty　glass　in　my　hand　and　thought。　She　took　it　away　from　me　and　started　to　fill　it　again。
　I　took　the　refilled　glass　out　of　her　hand　and　transferred　it　to　my　left　and　took　hold　of　her　left　hand　with　my　right。　It　felt　smooth　and　soft　and　warm　and　forting。　It　squeezed　mine。　The　muscles　in　it　were　strong。　She　was　a　well　built　woman；　and　no　paper　flower。
〃I　think　he　had　an　idea；　she　said。　〃But　he　didn't　say　what　it　was。〃
〃Anybody　would　have　an　idea　out　of　all　that；〃　I　said。
She　turned　her　head　slowly　and　looked　at　me。　Then　she　nodded。　〃You　can't　miss　it；　can　you？〃
〃How　long　have　you　known　him？〃
　〃Oh；　years。　He　used　to　be　an　announcer　at　the　station　my　husband　owned。　KFDK。　That's　where　I　met　him。　That's　where　I　met　my　husband　too。〃
　〃I　knew　that。　But　Marriott　lived　as　if　he　had　money。　Not　riches；　but　fortable　money。〃
　〃He　came　into　some　and　quit　radio　business。〃
　〃Do　you　know　for　a　fact　he　came　into　money…or　was　that　just　something　he　said？〃
　She　shrugged。　She　squeezed　my　hand。
　〃Or　it　may　not　have　been　very　much　money　and　he　may　have　gone　through　it　pretty　fast。〃　I　squeezed　her　hand　back。　〃Did　he　borrow　from　you？〃
　〃You're　a　little　old…fashioned；　aren't　you？〃　She　looked　down　at　the　hand　I　was　holding。
　〃I'm　still　working。　And　your　Scotch　is　so　good　it　keeps　me　half…sober。　Not　that　I'd　have　to　be　drunk…〃
　〃Yes。〃　She　drew　her　hand　out　of　mine　and　rubbed　it。　〃You　must　have　quite　a　clutch…in　your　spare　time。　Lin　Marriott　was　a　high…class　blackmailer；　of　course。　That's　obvious。　He　lived　on　women。〃
〃He　had　something　on　you？〃
〃Should　I　tell　you？〃
〃It　probably　wouldn't　be　wise。〃
　She　laughed。　〃I　will；　anyhow。　I　got　a　little　tight　at　his　house　once　and　passed　out。　I　seldom　do。　He　took　some　photos　of　me…with　my　clothes　up　to　my　neck。〃
　〃The　dirty　dog；〃　I　said。　〃Have　you　got　any　of　them　handy？〃
　She　slapped　my　wrist。　She　said　softly：
〃What's　your　name？〃
〃Phil。　What's　yours？〃
〃Helen。　Kiss　me。〃
　She　fell　softly　across　my　lap　and　I　bent　down　over　her　face　and　began　to　browse　on　it。　She　worked　her　eyelashes　and　made　butterfly　kisses　on　my　cheeks。　When　I　got　to　her　mouth　it　was　half　open　and　burning　and　her　tongue　was　a　darting　snake　between　her