rs.inthebestfamelies-第5部分

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who　handled　affairs　for　Mrs。　Rackham…had　done　so　ever　since　the　death　of　her　first　husband。　When　I　remarked　that　Hammond　seemed　to　have　it　in　mind　to　handle　Mrs。　Rackham's　daughter…in…law　also；　Leeds　said　he　hadn't　noticed。　I　asked　who　else　would　be　there　at　dinner。
　　〃You　and　me；〃　Leeds　said。　He　was　sipping　a　highball；　taking　his　time　with　it。　We　were　in　the　little　living　room　of　his　little　house；　about　which　there　was　nothing　remarkable　except　the　dozens　of　pictures　of　dogs　on　the　walls。　Moving　around　outside；　there　had　been　more　spring　to　him　than　to　lots　of　guys　half　his　age；　now　he　was　sprawled　on　a　coucn；　all　loose。　I　was　reminded　of　one　of　the　dogs　we　had　e　upon　during　our　tour；　lying　in　the　sun　at　the　door　of　its　kennel。
　　〃You　and　me；〃　he　said；　〃and　my　cousin　and　her　husband；　and　Mrs。　Frey；　whom　you　have　met；　and　Hammond；　and　the　statesman；　that's　seven…〃
　　〃Who's　the　statesman？〃
　　〃Oliver　A。　Pierce。〃
　　〃I'm　intimate　with　lots　of　statesmen；　but　I　never　heard　of　him。〃
　　〃Don't　let　him　know　it。〃　Leeds　chuckled。　〃It's　true　that　at　thirty…four　he　has　only　got　as　far　as　state　assemblyman；　but　the　war　made　a　gap　for　him　the　same　as　for　other　young　men。　Give　him　a　chance。　One　will　be　enough。〃
　　〃What　is　he；　a　friend　of　the　family？〃
　　〃No；　and　that's　one　on　him。〃　He　chuckled　again。　〃When　he　was　first　seen　here；　last　summer；　he　came　as　a　guest　of　Mrs。　Frey…that　is；　invited　by　her…but　before　long　either　she　had　seen　enough　of　him　or　he　had　seen　enough　of　her。　Meanwhile；　however；　he　had　seen　Lina　Darrow；　and　he　was　caught　anyhow。〃
　　〃Who's　Lina　Darrow？〃
　　〃My　cousin's　secretary…by　the　way；　she'll　be　at　dinner　too；　that'll　make　eight。　I　don't　know　who　invited　him…my　cousin　perhaps…but　it's　Miss　Dar　row　that　gets　him　here；　a　busy　statesman。〃　Leeds　snorted。　〃At　his　age　he　might　know　better。〃
　　〃You　don't　think　much　of　women；　huh？〃
　　〃I　don't　think　of　them　at　all。　Much　or　little。〃　Leeds　finished　his　drink。
　　〃Look　at　it。　Which　would　you　rather　live　with；　those　wonderful　animals　out　there；　or　a　woman？〃
　　〃A　woman；〃　I　said　firmly。　〃I　haven't　run　across　her　yet；　there　are　so　many；　but　even　if　she　does　turn　out　to　be　a　dog　I　hope　to　God　it　won't　be　one　of　yours。　I　want　the　kind　I　can　let　run　loose。〃　I　waved　a　hand。　〃Forget　it。　You　like　'em；　you　can　have　'em。　Mrs。　Frey　is　a　member　of　the　household；　is　she？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　he　said　shortly。
　　〃Mrs。　Rackham　keeping　her　around　as　a　souvenir　of　her　dead　son？　Being　neurotic　about　it？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　Ask　her。〃　Leeds　straightened　up　and　got　to　his　feet。　〃You　know；　of　course；　that　I　didn't　approve　of　her　going　to　Nero　Wolfe。　I　went　with　her　only　because　she　insisted　on　it。　I　don't　see　how　any　good　can　e　of　it；　but　I　think　harm　might。　I　don't　think　you　ought　to　be　here；　but　you　are；　and　we　might　as　well　go　on　over　and　drink　their　liquor　instead　of　mine。　I'll　go　and　wash　up。〃
　　He　left　me。
　　
　　4
　　HAVING　been　given　by　Leeds　my　choice　of　driving　over…three　minutes…or　taking　a　trail　through　the　woods；　I　voted　for　walking。　The　edge　of　the　woods　was　only　a　hundred　yards　to　the　rear　of　the　kennels。　It　had　been　a　warm　day　for　early　April；　but　now；　with　the　sun　gone　over　the　hill；　the　sharp　air　made　me　want　to　step　it　up；　which　was　just　as　well　because　I　had　to；　to　keep　up　with　Leeds。　He　walked　as　if　he　meant　it。　When　I　mented　on　the　fact　that　we　ran　into　no　fence　anywhere；　neither　in　the　woods　nor　in　the　clear；　he　said　that　his　place　was　merely　a　little　er　of　Mrs。　Rackham's　property　which　she　had　let　him　build　on　some　years　ago。
　　The　last　stretch　of　our　walk　was　along　a　curving　gravel　path　that　wound　through　lawns；　shrubs；　trees；　and　different…shaped　patches　of　bare　earth。
　　Living　in　the　country　would　be　more　convenient　if　they　would　repeal　the　law　against　paths　that　go　straight　from　one　place　to　another　place。　The　bigger　and　showier　the　grounds　are；　the　more　the　paths　have　to　curve；　and　the　main　reason　for　having　lots　of　bushes　and　things　is　to　pel　the　paths　to　curve　in　order　to　get　through　the　mess。　Anyhow；　Leeds　and　I　finally　got　to　the　house；　and　entered　without　ringing　or　knocking；　so　apparently　he　was　more　or　less　a　member　o￡　the　household　too。
　　All　six　of　them　were　gathered　in　a　room　that　was　longer　and　wider　than　Leed's　whole　house；　with　twenty　rugs　to　slide　on　and　at　least　forty　different　things　to　sit　on；　but　it　didn't　seem　as　if　they　had　worked　up　much　gaiety；　in　spite　of　the　full　stock　of　the　portable　bar；　because　Leeds　and　I　were　greeted　as　though　nothing　so　nice　had　happened　in　years。　Leeds　introduced　me；　since　I　wasn't　supposed　to　have　met　Mrs。　Rackham；　and　after　I　had　been　supplied　with　liquid　Annabel　Frey　gave　a　lecture　on　how　I　worked。　Then　Oliver　A。　Pierce；　the　statesman；　wanted　me　to　demonstrate　by　grilling　each　of　them　as　suspected　dog　poisoners。　When　I　tried　to　beg　off　they　insisted；　so　I　obliged。　I　was　only　so…so。
　　Pierce　was　a　smooth　article。　His　manner　was　of　course　based　on　the　law　of　nature　regulating　the　attitude　of　an　elected　person　toward　everybody　old　enough　to　vote；　but　his　timing　and　variations　were　so　good　that　it　was　hard　to　recognize　it；　although　he　was　only　about　my　age。　He　was　also　about　my　size；　with　broad　shoulders　and　a　homely　honest　face；　and　a　draw　on　his　smile　as　swift　as　a　flash　bulb。　I　made　a　note　to　look　up　whether　I　lived　in　his　assembly　district。　If　he　got　the　breaks　the　only　question　about　him　was　how　far　and　how　soon。
　　If　in　addition　to　his　own　equipment　and　talents　he　acquired　Lina　Darrow　as　a　partner；　it　would　probably　be　farther　and　sooner。　She　was；　I　would　have　guessed；　slightly　younger　than　Annabel　Frey…twenty…six　maybe…and　I　never　saw　a　finer　pair　of　eyes。　She　was　obviously　underplaying　them；　or　rather　what　was　back　of　them。　When　I　was　questioning　her　she　pretended　I　had　her　in　a　er；　while　her　eyes　gave　it　away　that　she　could　have　waltzed　all　around　me　if　she　wanted　to。　I　didn't　know　whether　she　thought　she　was　kidding　somebody；　or　was　just　practicing；　or　had　some　serious　reason　for　passing　herself　off　as　a　fiub。
　　Barry　Rackham　had　me　stumped　and　also　annoyed。　Either　I　was　dumber　than　Nero　Wolfe　thought　I　was；　and　twice　as　dumb　as　I　thought　I　was；　or　he　was　smarter　than　he　looked。　New　York　was　full　of　him；　and　he　was　full　of　New　York。　Go　into　any　Madison　Avenue　bar　between　five　and　six…thirty　and　there　would　be　six　or　eight　of　him　there：　not　quite　young　but　miles　from　being　old；　masculine　all　over　except　the　fingernails；　some　tired　and　some　fresh　and　ready；　depending　on　the　current　status；　and　all　slightly　puffy　below　the　eyes。　I　knew　him　from　A　to　Z；　or　thought　I　did；　but　I　couldn't　make　up　my　mind　whether　he　knew　what　I　was　there　for；　and　that　was　the　one　concrete　thing　I　had　hoped　to　get　done。　If　he　knew；　the　question　whether　he　was　on　Zeck's　payroll　was　answered；　if　he　didn't；　that　question　was　still　open。
　　And　I　still　hadn't　been　able　to　decide　when；　at　the　dinner　table；　we　had　finished　the　dessert　and　got　up　to　go　elsewhere　for　coffee。　At　first　I　had　thought　he　couldn't　possibly　be　wise；　when　I　had　him　sized　up　for　a　dummy　who　had　had　the　good　luck　to　catch　Mrs。　Rackham's　eye　somewhere　and　then　had　happened　to　take　the　only　line　she　would　fall　for；　but　further　observation　had　made　me　reconsider。　His　handling　of　his　wife　had　character　in　it；　it　wasn't　just　yes　or　no。　At　the　dinner　table　he　had　an　exchange　with　Pierce　about　rent　control；　and　without　seeming　to　try　he　got　the　statesman　so　tangled　up　he　couldn't　wiggle　loose。　Then　he　had　a　good　laugh；　took　the　other　side　of　the　argument；　and　made　a　monkey　out　of　Dana　Hammond。
　　I　decided　I'd　better　start　all　over。
　　On　the　way　back　to　the　living　room　for　coffee；　Lina　Darrow　joined　me。
　　〃Why　did　you　take　it　out　on　me？〃　she　demanded。
　　I　said　I　didn't　know　I　had。
　　〃Certainly　you　did。　Trying　to　indict　me　for　dog　poisoning。　You　went　after　me　much　harder　than　you　did　the　others。〃　Her　fingers　were　on　the　inside　of　my　arm；　lightly。
　　〃Certainly；〃　I　conceded。　〃Nothing　new　to　you；　was　it？　A　man　going　after　you　harder　than　the　others？〃
　　〃Thanks。　But　I　mean　it。　Of　course　you　know　I'm　just　a　working　girl。〃
　　〃Sure。　That's　why　I　was　tougher　with　you。　That；　and　because　I　wondered　why　you　were　playing　dumb。〃
　　The　statesman　Pierce　broke　us　up　then；　as　we　entered　the　living　room；　and　I　didn't　fight　for　her。　We　collected　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　fireplace　for　coffee；　and　there　was　a　good　deal　of　talk　about　nothing；　and　after　a　while　somebody　suggested　television；　and　Barry　Rackham　went　and　turned　it　on。
　　He　and　Annabel　turned　out　lights。　As　the　rest　of　us　got　settled　in　favorably　placed　seats；　Mrs。　Rackham　left　us。　A　little　later；　as　I　sat　in　the　semi…darkness　scowling　at　a　cosmetic　mercial；　some　obscure　sense　told　me　that　danger　was　approaching　and　I　jerked　my　head　around。　It　was　right　there　at　my　elbow：　a　Doberman　pinscher；　looking　larger　than　normal　in　that　light；　staring　intently　past　me　at　the　screen。
　　Mrs。　Rackham；　just　behind　it；　apparently　misinterpreting　my　quick　movement；　spoke　hastily　and　loudly　above　the　noise　of　the　broadcast。　〃Don't　try　to　pat　him！〃
　　〃I　won't；〃　I　said　emphatically。
　　〃He'll　behave；〃　she　assured　me。　〃He　loves　television。〃　She　went　on　with　him；　farther　forward。　As　they　passed　Calvin　Leeds　the　affectionate　pet　halted　for　a　brief　sniff；　and　got　a　stroke　on　the　head　in　response。　No　one　else　was　honored。
　　Ninety　minutes　of　video　got　us　to　half…past　ten；　and　got　us　nothing　else；　especially　me。　I　was　still　on　the　fence　about　Barry　Rackham。　Television　is　raising　hell　with　the　detective　business。　It　used　to　be　that　a　social　evening　at　someone's　house　or　apartment　was　a　fine　opportunity　for　picking　up　lines　and　angles；　moving　around；　watching　and　talking　and　listening；　but　with　a　television　session　you　might　as　well　be　home　in　bed。　You　can't　see　faces；　and　if　someone　does　make　a　remark　you　can't　hear　it　unless　it's　a　scream；　and　you　can't　even　start　a　private　inquiry；　such　as　finding　out　where　a　young　widow　stands　now　on　skepticism。　In　a　movie　theater　at　least　you　can　hold　hands。
　　However；　I　did　finally　get　what　might　have　been　a　nibble。　The　screen　had　been　turned　off；　and　we　had　all　got　up　to　stretch；　and　Annabel　had　offered　to　drive　Leeds　and　me　home；　and　Leeds　had