rs.inthebestfamelies-第31部分

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　　〃Put　it　back。〃　He　wasn't　yelling　now。　〃I　don't　blame　you　for　being　impressed　by　Zeck…God　knows　you're　not　the　first。　But　you're　wrong　if　you　think　he　can't　ever　miss　and　I'm　all　done。　There's　one　thing　you　ought　to　realize：　I　can't　throw　in　my　hand　on　this　one；　I've　got　to　play　it　out；　and　I'm　going　to。　You've　got　me　hooked；　because　I　can't　play　it　without　you　since　you　were　there　that　night　All　right；　name　it。　How　much？〃
　　I　put　the　six　grand　on　the　little　table。　〃My　real　worry；〃　I　said；　〃is　not　Zeck。　He　is　nothing　to　sneer　at　and　he　does　make　a　strong　impression；　but　I　have　been　impressed　before　and　got　over　it。　What　called　my　better　judgment　in　was　the　New　York　statutes　relating　to　accessories　to　murder。　Apparently　Zeck　has　got　evidence　that　will　convict　you。　If　you…〃
　　〃He　has　not。　That's　a　Be。〃
　　〃He　seems　to　think　he　has。　If　you　want　to　take　dough　from　a　murderer　for　helping　him　beat　the　rap　you　must　be　admitted　to　the　bar；　and　I　haven't　been。　So　with　my　sincere　regret　at　my　inability　to　assist　you　in　your　difficulty；　there's　your　dough。〃
　　〃I'm　not　a　murderer；　Goodwin。〃
　　〃I　didn't　mean　an　actual　murderer。　I　meant　a　man　against　whom　evidence　has　been　produced　in　court　to　convince　a　jury。　He　and　his　accessory　get　it　just　the　same。〃
　　Rackham's　bloodshot　eyes　were　straight　and　steady　at　me。　〃I'm　not　asking　you　to　help　me　beat　a　rap。　I'm　asking　you　not　to　help　frame　me…and　to　help　me　keep　Zeck　from　framing　me。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　I　said　sympathetically。　〃That's　the　way　you　tell　it；　but　not　him。
　　I　don't　intend　to　get　caught　in　a　backwash。　I　came　here　chiefly　to　return　your　money　and　to　tell　you　that　it's　got　beyond　the　point　where　I　name　a　figure　and　you　pay　it　and　then　we're　all　hunky…dory；　but　I　do　have　a　suggestion　to　make　if　you　care　to　hear　it…strictly　on　my　own。〃
　　Rackham　started　doing　calisthenics。　His　hands；　resting　on　his　thighs；　tightened　into　fists　and　then　opened　again；　and　repeated　it　several　times。　It　made　me　impatient　watching　him；　because　it　seemed　so　inadequate　to　the　situation。　By　now　the　picture　was　pretty　clear；　and　I　thought　that　a　guy　who　had　had　enough　initiative　to　venture　into　the　woods　at　night　to　stalk　his　wife；　armed　only　with　a　steak　knife；　when　she　had　her　Doberman　pinscher　with　her；　should　now；　finding　himself　backed　into　a　er；　respond　with　something　more　forceful　than　sitting　there　doing　and　undoing　his　fists。
　　He　spoke。　〃Look；　Goodwin；　I'm　not　myself；　I　know　damn　well　I'm　not。
　　It's　been　nearly　five　months　now。　The　first　week　it　wasn't　so　bad…there　was　the　excitement；　all　of　us　suspected　and　being　questioned；　if　they　had　arrested　me　then　I　wouldn't　have　skipped　a　pulse　beat。　I　would　have　met　it　fair　and　square　and　fought　it　out。　But　as　it　stretched　out　it　got　tougher。　I　had　broken　off　with　Zeck　without　thinking　it　through…the　way　it　looked　then；　I　ought　to　get　clean　and　keep　clean；　especially　after　the　hearings　in　Washington；　those　first　ones；　and　after　the　New　York　District　Attorney　took　a　hand。　But　what　happened；　every　time　the　phone　rang　or　the　doorbell；　it　hit　me　in　the　stomach。　It　was　murder。　If　they　came　and　took　me　or　sent　for　me　and　kept　me；　I　could　be　damn　sure　it　had　been　fixed　so　they　thought　it　would　stick。　A　man　can　stand　that　for　a　day　or　a　week；　or　a　month　perhaps；　but　with　me　it　went　on　and　on；　and　by　God；　I've　had　about　all　I　can　take。〃
　　He　had　ended　his　calisthenics　with　the　fists　closed　right；　the　knobs　of　the　knuckles　the　color　of　boils。　〃I　made　a　mistake　with　Zeck；〃　he　said　fretfully。
　　〃When　I　broke　it　off　he　sent　for　me　and　as　good　as　told　me　that　the　only　thing　between　me　and　the　electric　chair　was　his　influence。　I　lost　my　temper。　When　I　do　that　I　can　never　remember　what　I　said；　but　I　don't　think　I　actually　told　him　that　I　had　evidence　of　blackmailing　against　him　personally。　Anyhow；　I　said　too　much。〃　He　opened　his　fists　and　spread　his　fingers　wide；　his　palms　flat　on　his　thighs。　〃Then　this　started；　this　stretching　into　months。　Did　you　say　you　have　a　suggestion？〃
　　〃Yeah。　And　brother；　you　need　one。〃
　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　〃On　my　own；　I　said。〃
　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　〃For　you　and　Zeck　to　have　a　talk。〃
　　〃What　for？　No　matter　what　he　said　I　couldn't　trust　him。〃
　　〃Then　you'd　be　meeting　on　even　terms。　Look　straight　at　it。　Could　your　wife　trust　you？　Could　your　friends　trust　you…the　ones　you　helped　Zeck　get　at？　Could　I　trust　you？　I　warned　you　not　to　trust　me；　didn't　I？　There　are　only　two　ways　for　people　to　work　together；　when　everybody　trusts　everyone　or　nobody　trusts　no　one。　When　you　mix　them　up　it's　a　mess。　You　and　Zeck　ought　to　get　along　fine。〃
　　〃Get　along　with　Zeck？〃
　　〃Certainly。〃　I　turned　a　palm　up。　〃Listen；　you're　in　a　hole。　I　never　saw　a　man　in　a　deeper　one。　You're　even　willing　and　eager　to　shell　out　to　me；　a　double…crosser　you　can't　trust；　to　give　you　a　lift。　You　can't　possibly　expect　to　get　out　in　the　clear　with　no　ropes　tied　to　you…what　the　hell；　who　is？　Your　main　worry　is　getting　framed　for　murder；　so　your　main　object　is　to　see　that　you　don't。　That　ought　to　be　a　cinch。　Zeck　has　a　new　man；　a　guy　named　Roeder；　came　here　recently　from　the　coast；　who　has　started　to　line　up　an　operation　that's　a　beaut。　I've　been　assigned　to　help　on　it；　and　I　think　I'm　going　to。　It's　as　right　as　a　drum　and　as　slick　as　a　Doberman　pinscher's　coat。
　　With　the　help　of　a　man　placed　as　you　are；　there　would　be　absolutely　nothing　to　it；　without　the　slightest　risk　of　any　noise　or　a　eback。〃
　　〃No。　That's　what　got…〃
　　〃Wait　a　minute。　As　I　said；　this　is　on　my　own。　I'm　not　going　to　tell　you　what　Zeck　said　to　me　yesterday；　but　I　advise　you　to　take　my　suggestion。　Let　me　arrange　for　you　to　see　him。　You　don't　have　to　take　up　where　you　left　off；　a　lot　of　dirty　little　errands；　you're　a　man　of　wealth　now　and　can　act　accordingly。　But　also　you're　a　man　who　is　suspected　by　thirty　million　people　of　killing　his　wife；　and　that　calls　for　concessions。　e　with　me　to　see　Zeck；　let　him　know　you're　willing　to　discuss　things；　and　if　he　mentions　Boeder's　operation　let　him　describe　it　and　then　decide　what　you　want　to　do。　I　told　you　why　I　don't　want　to　see　you　or　anyone　else　framed　for　that　murder；　and　I　don't　think　Zeck　will　either　if　it　looks　as　though　you　might　be　useful。〃
　　〃I　hate　him；〃　Rackham　said　hoarsely。　〃I'm　afraid　of　him　and　I　hate　him！〃
　　〃I　don't　like　him　myself。　I　told　him　so。　What　about　tomorrow？　Say　four　o'clock　tomorrow；　call　for　you　here　at　a　quarter　to　three？〃
　　〃I　don't…not　tomorrow…〃
　　〃Get　it　over　with！　Would　you　rather　keep　on　listening　for　the　phone　and　the　doorbell？　Get　it　over　with！〃
　　He　reached　for　his　straight　drink；　which　he　hadn't　touched；　swallowed　it　at　a　gulp；　shuddered　all　over；　and　wiped　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand。
　　〃I'll　ring　you　around　noon　to　confirm　it；〃　I　said；　and　stood　up　to　go。　He　didn't　e　with　me　to　the　door；　but　under　the　circumstances　I　didn't　hold　it　against　him。
　　So　that　evening　when　Wolfe　came　to　1019　it　appeared　to　be　high　rime　for　getting　the　false　bottom　in　the　brief　case　ready；　and　we　went　on　until　midnight；　discussing　the　program　from　every　angle　and　trying　to　cover　every　contingency。　It's　always　worth　trying；　though　it　can　never　be　done；　especially　not　with　a　layout　as　tricky　as　that　one。　Then　the　next　morning；　Tuesday；　a　monkey　wrench；　thrown　all　the　way　from　White　Plains；　flew　into　the　machinery　and　stopped　it。　I　had　just　finished　breakfast；　with　Fritz；　when　the　phone　rang　and　I　went　to　the　office　to　get　it。　It　was　the　Westchester　DA's　office。
　　The　talk　was　brief。　When　I　had　hung　up　I　sat　a　while；　glaring　at　the　phone；　then　with　an　exasperated　finger　dialed　the　Churchill's　number。　That　talk　was　brief　too。　Finished　with　it；　I　held　the　button　down　for　a　moment　and　dialed　another　number。
　　There　had　been　only　two　buzzes　when　a　voice　came　through　a　nose　to　me。
　　〃Yes？〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　speak　to　Mr。　Boeder。〃
　　〃Talking。〃
　　〃This　is　Goodwin。　I've　just　had　a　call　from　White　Plains　to　e　to　the　DA's　office　at　once。　I　asked　if　I　could　count　on　keeping　a　two　o'clock　appointment　and　was　told　no。　I　phoned　the　Churchill　and　left　a　message　that　I　had　been　called　out　of　town　for　the　day。　I　hope　it　can　be　tomorrow。　I'll　let　you　know　as　soon　as　I　can。〃
　　Silence。
　　〃Did　you　hear　me？〃
　　〃Yes。　Good　luck；　Goodwin。〃
　　The　connection　went。
　　
　　18
　　I　HAD　once　sat　and　cooled　my　heels　for　three　hours　on　one　of　the　wooden　benches　in　the　big　anteroom　of　the　DA's　office　in　the　White　Plains　courthouse；　but　this　time　I　didn't　sit　at　all。　I　didn't　even　give　my　name。　I　entered　and　was　crossing　to　the　table　in　the　fenced…off　er　when　a　man　with　a　limp　intercepted　me　and　said；　〃e　with　me；　Mr。　Goodwin。〃
　　He　took　me　down　a　long　corridor；　past　rows　of　doors　on　either　side；　and　into　a　room　that　I　was　acquainted　with。　I　had　been　entertained　there　for　an　hour　or　so　the　evening　of　Sunday；　April　ninth。　No　one　was　in　it。　It　had　two　big　windows　for　the　morning　sun；　and　I　sat　and　watched　the　dust　dance。　I　was　blowing　at　it；　seeing　what　patterns　I　could　make；　when　the　door　opened　and　Cleveland　Archer；　the　DA　himself；　appeared；　followed　by　Ben　Dykes。　I　have　never　glanced　at　faces　with　a　deeper　interest。　If　they　had　looked　pleased　and　cocky　it　would　probably　have　meant　that　they　had　cracked　the　case；　and　in　that　event　all　our　nifty　plans　for　taking　care　of　Arnold　Zeck　were　up　the　flue　and　God　help　us。
　　I　was　so　glad　to　see　that　they　were　far　from　cocky　that　I　had　to　see　to　it　that　my　face　didn't　beam。　I　responded　to　their　curt　greeting　in　kind；　and　when　they　arranged　the　seating　with　me　across　a　table　from　them　I　said　grumpily　as　I　sat；　〃I　hope　this　is　going　to　get　somebody　something。　I　had　a　full　day　ahead；　and　now　look　at　it。〃
　　Dykes　grunted；　not　with　sympathy　and　not　with　enmity；　just　a　grunt。
　　Archer　opened　a　folder　he　had　brought；　selected　from　its　contents　some　sheets　of　paper　stapled　in　a　er；　glanced　at　the　top　sheet；　and　gave　me　his　eyes；　which　had　swollen　lids。
　　〃This　is　that　statement　you　made；　Goodwin。〃
　　〃About　what？　Oh；　the　Rackham　case？〃
　　〃For　God's　sake；〃　Dykes　said　gloomily；　〃forget　to　try　to　be　cute　just　once。　I've　been　up　all　night。〃
　　〃It　was　so　long　ago；〃　I　said　apologetically；　〃and　I've　been　pretty　busy。〃
　　Archer　slid　the　statement　across