rs.inthebestfamelies-第14部分
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He waved it away。 〃Forget it。〃
The turnout and check…up； I discovered； were not to be taken as opportunities for conversation。 There were around forty of us； all shapes and sizes； and on the whole we were frankly not a blue…ribbon outfit。 The smell of the breakfast added to the disinfectant was enough to account for the expressions on the faces； not counting whatever it was that had got them there； and it was a relief to get back to my cozy cell with my mate。
We had our hands and faces washed； and he had his teeth brushed； when the breakfast came on a big clean aluminum tray。 The eats were barely usable if you took Fritz's productions as a standard； but pared with the munity meal which I had seen and smelled they were a handsome feast。
My mate having ordered two of everything； there were two morning Gazettes； and before he even touched his orange juice he took his paper and； with no glance at the front page； turned to sports。 Finishing his survey of the day's prospects； he drank some orange juice and inquired； 〃Are you interested in the rapidity of horses？〃
〃In a way。〃 I added earnestly； 〃I like the way you talk。 I enjoy being with cultured people。〃
He gave me a suspicious look； saw my honest candid countenance； and relaxed。 〃That's natural。 Look at your clothes。〃
We were on the chairs； with the little wooden table between us。 It was fortable enough except that there was no room to prop up our morning papers。 He flattened his out； still open at sports； on the end of the cot； and turned to it while disposing of a bite of food。 I arranged mine； front page； on my knee。 In the picture of Mrs； Rackham the poor woman looked homelier than she had actually been； which was a darned shame even though she wasn't alive to see it。 Wolfe's name and mine both appeared in the subheads under the three…column spread about the murder。
I glanced at the bottom； followed the instruction to turn to page four； and there saw more pictures。 The one of Wolfe was only fair； making him look almost bloated； but the one of me was excellent。 There was one of a Doberman pinscher standing at attention。 It was captioned Hebe； which I doubted。 The play in the text on Wolfe and me was on his sudden retirement from business and absence from the city； and on my presence at the scene of the murder and arrest as a material witness。 There was also a report of an interview with Marko Vukcic； a Gazette exclusive； with Lon Cohen's by…line。 I would have given at least ten to one that Lon had used my name in getting to Marko。
With the breakfast all down； including the coffee； which was pretty good； I was so interested in my reading that 1 didn't notice that my mate had finished with sports and proceeded to other current events。 What got my attention was the feeling that I was being scrutinized； and sure enough I was。 He was looking at me； and then at his page four； and back at me again。
I grinned at him。 〃Pretty good likeness； huh？ But I don't think that's the right dog。 I'm…no expert； but Hebe isn't quite as slim as that。〃
He was regarding me with a new expression； not particularly matey。 〃So you're Nero Wolfe's little Archie。〃
〃I was。〃 I gestured。 〃Read the paper。 Apparently I am now my own little Archie。〃
〃So I bought a meal for a shamus。〃
〃Not at all。 Didn't I say it was on me when I get my wallet back？〃
He shook his head。 〃I wouldn't have believed it。 With them clothes？ I supposed you had got snagged in the raid on the Covered Porch。 It gets worse all the time； the dicks。 Look at this； even here in the can I meet a guy with a suit of clothes like that； and he's a dick！〃
〃I am not a dick； strictly speaking。〃 I was hurt。 〃I am a private eye。 I said I liked the way you talk； but you're getting careless。 I also noticed you were cultured； and that should have put me on my guard。 Cultured people are not often found in the coop。 But nowadays dicks are frequently cultured。 They tossed me in here because they think I'm holding out on a murder； which I'm not； and the fact that it has been tried before doesn't mean they wouldn't try it again。 Putting you in here with me wasn't so dumb； but you overplayed it； buying me a breakfast first pop。 That started me wondering。〃
He was on his feet； glaring down at me。 〃Watch it； looselip。 I'm going to dip you。〃
〃What for？〃
〃You need a lesson。 I'm a plant； am I？〃
〃Nuts。 Who's insulted now？〃 I gestured。 〃You call me a name； I call you a name。 I take it； you take it。 Let's start over。〃
But he was too sensitive to make up as quick as all that。 He undid his fist； glared at me some more； sidled between his chair and his cot； and got fortable on the cot with his Gazette。 With his head toward the corridor he was getting as good light as there was； and I followed his example； folding one of the blankets for a pillow and spreading my handkerchief on it。
Two hours and ten minutes passed without a word from either cot。 I happen to know because as I stretched out I glanced at my watch； wondering how soon I could reasonably expect Parker to show up with a crowbar to pry me loose； and it was twenty past nine； and； after giving that Gazette as good a play as a newspaper ever got； I had just looked at my watch for the twentieth time and seen 11：30 when he suddenly spoke。
〃Look； Goodwin； what are you going to do now？〃
I let the paper slide to the floor。 〃I don't know； take a nap； I guess。〃
〃I don't mean now； this minute。 Is anyone looking after you？〃
〃If he isn't he'd better be。 A high…priced lawyer named Parker。〃
〃Then what？〃
〃I'll go home and take a bath。〃
〃Then what？〃
〃I'll brush my teeth and shave。〃
〃Then what？〃
I swiveled my head to glance at him。 〃You're pretty damn persistent。 Where do you want us to get to？〃
〃Nowhere in particular。〃 He stayed supine； and I noticed that in profile he looked a little like John L。 Lewis； only a lot younger。 He went on； 〃I was just thinking； with Nero Wolfe gone I suppose your job's gone。 Can't I think？〃
〃Sure。 If it doesn't hurt。〃
A brief silence。 He spoke again。 〃I've heard about you a little。 What kind of a guy are you？〃
〃Oh…I'm a thinker too； and I'm cultured。 I got good marks in algebra。 I sleep well。 I'm honest and ambitious； with a good personality。〃
〃You know your way around。〃
〃In certain circles； yes。 It would be hard to lose me within ten miles of Times Square unless I was blindfolded。 What are the requirements of the position you are about to offer？〃
He ignored that and took another angle。 〃My name is Christy…Max Christy。 Ever hear of me？〃
If I had it was vague； but I saw no point in hurting his feelings。 〃Max Christy？〃 I snorted。 〃Don't be silly。〃
〃I thought you might have。 I've only been around the big town a couple of years； and I don't toot a horn； but some people get talked about。 How much has Wolfe been paying you？〃
〃That's asking；〃 I objected mildly。 〃I wouldn't want it to get in the papers。 I've been eating all right and I've got a government bond。 Anything over…〃
Footsteps in the corridor stopped at our door； and the turnkey's voice came。 〃Mr。 Christy！ They want you down in the office。〃
My mate stayed flat。 〃e back in ten minutes； Wilkes；〃 he called。 〃I'm busy。〃
I confirmed it。 〃We're in conference； Wilkes；〃 I snapped。
〃But I think it's your out。〃
〃I suppose so。 e back in ten minutes。〃
Wilkes； mumbling something； went away。 Christy resumed。 〃You were saying 。 。 。〃
〃Yeah。 That anything over fifty grand a year would find me a good listener。〃
〃I'm being serious； Goodwin。〃
〃So am I〃
〃You are not。 You never got within a mile of fifty grand a year。〃 His head was turned to face me now。 〃Anyway； it's not a question of so many grand a year…not in this business。〃
〃In what business？〃
〃The business I'm in。 What did I say my name is？〃
〃Max Christy。〃
〃Then what more do you want？ Take my being here now； for example。 I got raked in at the Covered Porch yesterday by mistake； but I would have been loose in an hour if it hadn't been Sunday…and Easter too。 Here it is〃…he looked at his wrist…〃not quite noon； and I'm walking out。 There has never been an organization to pare with it。 For a man like you there would be special jobs and special opportunities if you once got taken in。 With your record； which is bad as far as I know it； that would take a while。 You would have to show； and show good。 Your idea about so many grand a year just isn't realistic； certainly not while you're being tried； but after that it would depend on you。 If you've got it in you there's practically no limit。 Another thing is ine tax。〃
〃Yeah； what about ine tax？〃
〃You simply use your judgment。 Say Wolfe paid you thirty grand a year； which he didn't； nothing like it； what did you have to say about ine tax？ Nothing。 It was taken out before you got paid… You never even saw it。 In this business you make your own decisions about it。 You want to be fair； and you want to be in the clear； but you don't want to get gypped； and on that basis you use your judgment。〃
Christy raised his torso and sat on the edge of the cot。 〃You know； Goodwin； I'm just tossing this at you on the spur of the moment。 I laid here reading about you； and I thought to myself； here's a man the right age and experience； not married； the right personality； he knows people； he knows lots of cops； he has been a private eye for years and so he would be open to anything that sounds good enough； he is just out of a job； he's got himself tangled in a hot homicide here in Westchester； and he may need help right now。 That's what I was thinking； and I thought why not ask him？ I can't guarantee anything； especially if you're headed for a murder rap； but if you need help now and then later on you would like a chance at something； I'm Max Christy and I could pass the word along。 If you…〃
He paused at the sound of footsteps。 Wilkes's voice came from the door。
〃They want you down there； Mr。 Christy。 I told them you was busy personally； but they're sending up。〃
〃All right； Wilkes。 ing。〃 My mate stood up。 〃What about it； Goodwin？〃
〃I appreciate it；〃 I said warmly。 Wilkes； having unlocked the door； was standing
