rs.inthebestfamelies-第17部分

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ive　all　his　teeth　and　one　ear　to　clear　up　the　Rackham　case　ahead　of　the　state　boys。　He　thinks　that　Archer；　the　DA；　may　have　swallowed　the　idea　that　you　and　Leeds　are　lying　too　deep；　and　he　came　to　me　as　an　expert　on　Nero　Wolfe；　which　God　knows　I　am。　He　laid　it　all　out　for　me　and　wanted　my　opinion。〃　He　shifted　the　cigar　to　a　new　angle。　〃The　way　it　looked　to　me；　there　were　three　possibilities。　First；　the　one　that　Archer　has　sold　himself　on；　that　you　and　Leeds　are　lying；　and　that　what　Mrs。　Rackham　really　told　Wolfe　when　she　came　here；　together　with　her　getting　murdered　the　next　day；　somehow　put　Wolfe　on　a　spot　that　was　too　hot　for　him；　and　he　scooted；　after　fixing　with　you　to　cover　as　well　as　you　could。　I　told　Dykes　I　would　rule　that　out；　for　various　reasons…chiefly　because　neither　you　nor　Wolfe　would　risk　that　much　on　a　setup　that　depended　on　a　stranger　like　Leeds　sticking　to　a　lie。　Shall　I　analyze　it　more？〃
　　〃No；　thanks；　that'll　do。〃
　　〃I　thought　so。　Next；　the　possibility　that　when　you　phoned　Wolfe　right　after　the　body　was　found　you　told　him　something　that　gave　him　a　line　on　the　murderer；　but　it's　tricky　and　he　had　to　go　outdoors　to　get　his　evidence；　preparing　to　grandstand　it　for　the　front　page。　I　told　Dykes　I　would　rule　that　out　too。　Wolfe　is　quite　capable　of　a　play　like　that；　sure　he　is；　but　if　that's　all　it　amounted　to；　why　move　the　plants　out　and　put　Frits　to　work　in　a　restaurant　and　list　the　house　for　sale？　He's　colorful；　but　not　that　colorful。　Mrs。Rackham　only　paid　him　ten　thousand；　about　what　I　make　a　year。　Why　should　he　spend　it　having　his　orchids　carted　around？〃
　　Cramer　shook　his　head；　〃Not　for　my　money。　That　leaves　the　third　possibility：　that　something　really　did　scare　him。　That　there　was　something　about　Mrs。　Rackham's　murder；　or　anyhow　connected　with　it；　that　he　knew　he　couldn't　handle　sitting　there　in　that　chair；　but　for　some　reason　he　had　to　handle　it。　So　he　scooted。　As　you　say；　you　either　don't　know　where　he　is　or　you　know　and　won't　tell…and　that's　no　help　either　way。　Now　I've　got　a　lot　to　say　about　this　possibility。　You　got　time　to　listen？〃
　　〃I've　got　all　day；　but　Fritz　isn't　here　to　get　our　lunch。〃
　　〃We'll　go　without。〃　He　clasped　his　hands　behind　his　head　and　shifted　his　center　of　gravity。　〃You　know；　Archie；　sometimes　I'm　not　as　far　behind　as　you　think　I　am。〃
　　〃Also　sometimes　I　don't　think　you're　as　far　behind　as　you　think　I　do。〃
　　〃That's　possible。　Anyhow；　I　can　add。　I　think　he　got　word　direct　from　Arnold　Zeck。　Did　he？〃
　　〃Huh？　Who's　Arnold　Zeck？　Did　you　just　make　it　up？〃
　　I　knew　that　was　a　mistake　the　instant　it　was　out　of　my　mouth。　Then　I　had　to　try　to　keep　it　from　showing　on　my　face；　the　realization　that　I　had　fumbled　it；　but　whether　that　was　a　success　or　not…and　I　couldn't　very　well　look　in　a　mirror　to　find　out…it　was　too　late。
　　Cramer　looked　pleased。　〃So　you've　been　around　all　these　years；　a　working　detective；　meeting　the　people　you　do；　and　you've　never　heard　of　Arnold　Zeck。　Either　I've　got　to　believe　that；　or　I　touched　a　tender　spot。〃
　　〃Sure　I've　heard　of　him。　It　just　didn't　click　for　a　second。〃
　　〃Oh；　for　God's　sake。　It's　affecting　you　already；　having　Wolfe　gone。　That　wasn't　just　a　shot　in　the　dark。　One　day　two　years　ago　I　sat　here　in　this　chair。　Wolfe　sat　there。〃　He　nodded　at　Wolfe's　chair。　〃You　were　where　you　are　now。　A　man　named　Orchard　had　been　murdered；　and　so　had　a　woman　named　Poole。　In　the　course　of　our　long　talk　Wolfe　explained　in　detail　how　an　ingenious　and　ruthless　man　could　operate　a　blackmail　scheme；　good　for　at　least　a　million　a　year；　without　sticking　his　neck　out。　Not　only　could；　it　was　being　done。　Wolfe　refused　to　name　him；　and　since　he　wasn't　behind　the　murders　it　was　out　of　my　territory；　but　a　thing　or　two　I　heard　and　a　couple　of　things　that　happened　gave　me　a　pretty　clear　idea。　Not　only　me…it　was　whispered　around：　Arnold　Zeck。　You　may　perhaps　remember　it。〃
　　〃I　remember　the　Orchard　case；　certainly；〃　I　conceded。　〃I　didn't　hear　the　whispering。〃
　　〃I　did。　You　may　also　remember　that　a　year　later；　last　summer；　Wolfe's　plant　rooms　got　shot　up　from　a　roof　across　the　street。〃
　　〃Yep。　I　was　sitting　right　here　and　heard　it。〃
　　〃So　I　understand。　Since　no　one　was　killed　that　never　got　to　me　officially；　but　naturally　I　heard　things。　Wolfe　had　started　to　investigate　a　man　named　Rony；　and　Rony's　activities　were　the　kind　that　might　lead　a　first…class　investigator　like　Wolfe　in　the　direction　of　Arnold　Zeck；　maybe　up　close　to　Zeck；　possibly　even　clear　to　him。　I　thought　then　that　Wolfe　had　got　warned　off；　by　Zeck　himself　or　someone　near　him；　and　he　had　disregarded　it；　and　for　a　second　warning　they　messed　up　his　orchids。　Then　Rony　got　killed；　and　that　was　a　break　for　Wolfe　because　it　put　him　and　Zeck　on　the　same　side。〃
　　〃Gosh；〃　I　remarked；　〃it　sounds　awful　plicated　to　me。〃
　　〃I'll　bet　it　does。〃　Cramer　moved　the　cigar…getting　shorter　now；　although　he　never　lit　one…to　the　other　side　of　his　mouth。　〃All　I'm　doing　is　showing　you　that　I'm　not　just　hoping　for　a　bite；　and　I　don't　want　to　string　it　out。　It　was　a　good　guess　that　Wolfe　had　jostled　up　against　Arnold　Zeck　in　both　the　Orchard　case　and　the　Rony　case；　and　now　what　happens？　Not　long　after　Mrs。　Rackham　calls　on　him　and　hires　him　to　check　on　her　husband's　ine；　someone　sends　him　a　cylinder　of　tear　gas…not　a　bomb　to　blow　out　his　guts；　which　it　could　have　been；　just　tear　gas；　so　of　course　it　was　for　a　warning。　And　that　night　Mrs。　Rackham　gets　murdered。　You　tell　him　about　it　on　the　phone；　and　when　you　get　home　he's　gone。〃
　　Cramer　took　the　cigar　from　his　mouth　and　pointed　it　at　me。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　believe；　Archie。　I　believe　that　if　Wolfe　had　stayed　and　helped；　the　murderer　of　Mrs。　Rackham　would　be　locked　up　by　now。　I　believe　that　he　had　reason　to　think　that　if　he　did　that；　helped　to　catch　the　murderer；　he　would　have　to　spend　the　rest　of　his　life　trying　to　keep　Arnold　Zeck　from　getting　him。　I　believe　that　he　decided　that　the　only　way　out　was　for　him　to　get　Zeck。　How's　that？〃　〃No　ment；〃　I　said　politely。　〃If　you're　right　you're　right；　and　if　you're　wrong　I　wouldn't　want　to　hurt　your　feelings。〃
　　〃Much　obliged。　But　he　did　get　a　warning　from　Zeck…the　tear　gas。〃
　　〃No　ment。〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　expect　any。　Now　here's　what　I　came　for。　I　want　you　to　give　Wolfe　a　personal　message　from　me；　not　as　a　police　officer　but　as　a　friend。　This　is　between　you　and　me…and　him。　Zeck　is　out　of　his　reach。　He　is　out　of　anybody's　reach。　It's　a　goddam　crime　for　an　officer　of　the　law　to　have　to　say　a　thing　like　that；　even　privately；　but　it's　true。　Here's　a　murder　case；　and　thank　God　it's　not　mine。　I'm　not　pointing　at　Ben　Dykes　or　the　DA　up　there；　I'm　not　pointing　at　any　person　or　persons；　but　if　the　setup　is　that　Barry　Rackham　is　tied　in　with　one　or　more　of　Zeck's　operations；　and　if　Rackham　killed　his　wife；　I　say　he　will　never　burn；　I　don't　say　at　what　point　Zeck　will　get　his　hand　in；　or　who　or　what　he　will　use；　but　Rackham　will　never　burn。〃
　　Cramer　hurled　his　cigar　at　my　wastebasket　and　missed　it　a　foot。　Since　it　wasn't　lit　I　ignored　it。　〃Hooray　for　justice；〃　I　cheered。
　　He　snarled；　but　apparently　not　at　me。　〃I　want　you　to　tell　Wolfe　that。　Zeck　is　out　of　his　reach。　He　can't　get　him。〃
　　〃But；〃　I　objected；　〃granting　that　you've　got　it　all　straight；　which　I　haven't；　that's　a　hell　of　a　message。　Look　at　it　from　the　other　end。　He　is　not　out　of　Zeck's　reach；　not　if　he　es　home。　I　know　he　doesn't　go　out　much；　but　even　if　he　never　did　people　have　to　e　in…and　things；　like　packages　of　sausage。　Not　to　mention　that　the　damage　they　did　to　the　plants　and　equipment　last　year　came　to　thirty…eight　thousand　bucks。　I　get　the　idea　that　he　is　to　lay　off　of　Zeck；　but　that's　only　what　he　doesn't　do。　What　does　he　do？〃
　　Cramer　nodded。　〃I　know。　That's　it。　He's　so　damn　bullheaded。　I　want　you　to　understand；　Archie；　why　I　came　here。　Wolfe　is　too　cocky　to　live。　He　has　enough　brass　and　bluster　to　outfit　a　thousand　sergeants。　Sure；　I　know　him；　I　ought　to。　I　would　love　to　bloody　his　nose　for　him；　I've　tried　to　often　enough；　and　some　day　I　will　and　enjoy　it。　But　I　would　hate　to　see　him　break　his　neck　on　a　deal　like　this　where　he　hasn't　got　a　chance。　It's　a　good　guess　that　in　the　past　ten　years　there　have　been　over　a　hundred　homicides　in　this　town　that　were　connected　in　one　way　or　another　with　one　of　the　operations　Arnold　Zeck　has　a　hand　in。　But　not　in　a　single　case　was　there　the　remotest　hope　of　tying　Zeck　up　with　it。　We　couldn't　possibly　have　touched　him。〃
　　〃You're　back　where　you　started；〃　I　plained。　〃He　can't　be　reached。　So　what？〃
　　〃So　Wolfe　should　e　back　where　he　belongs；　return　what　Mrs。　Rackham　paid　him　to　her　estate；　let　the　Westchester　people　take　care　of　the　murder；　which　is　their　job　anyhow；　and　go　on　as　before。　You　can　tell　him　I　said　that；　but　by　God　don't　quote　me　around。　I'm　not　responsible　for　a　man　like　Zeck　being　out　of　reach。〃
　　〃But　you　never　strained　a　muscle　stretching　for　him。〃
　　〃Nuts。　Facts　are　facts。〃
　　〃Yeah；　like　sausage　is　tear　gas。〃　I　stood　up　so　as　to　look　down　my　nose　at　him。　〃There　are　two　reasons　why　your　message　will　not　get　to　Mr。　Wolfe。　First；　he　is　to　me　as　Zeck　is　to　him。　He's　out　of　my　reach。　I　don't　know　where　he　is；〃
　　〃Oh；　keep　it　up。〃
　　〃I　will。　Second；　I　don't　like　the　message。　I　admit　that　I　have　known　Mr。　Wolfe　to　discuss　Arnold　Zeck。　I　once　heard　him　tell　a　whole　family　about　him；　only　he　was　calling　him　X。　He　was　describing　the　difficulties　he　would　be　in　if　he　ever　found　himself　tangled　with　X　for　a　showdown；　and　he　told　them　that　he　was　acquainted；　more　or　less；　with　some　three　thousand　people　living　or　working　in　New　York；　and　there　weren't　more　than　five　of　them　of　whom　he　could　say　with　certainty　that　they　were　in　no　way　involved　in　X's　activities。　He　said　that　none　might　be　or　that　any　might　be。　On　another　occasion　I　happened　to　be　inquiring　about　Zeck　of　a　newspaperman；　and　he　had　extravagant　notions　about　Zeck's　payroll。　He　mentioned；　not　by　name；　politicians；　barBies；　cops；　chambermaids；　lawyers；　private　ops；　crooks　of　all　types；　including　gunmen…maybe　housewives；　I　forget。　He　did　not　specifically　mention　police　inspectors。〃
　　〃Just　forgot；　perhaps。〃
　　〃I　suppose　so。　Another　thing；　those　five　exceptions　that　Mr。　Wolfe　made　out　of　his　three　thousand　acquaintances；　he　d