rs.inthebestfamelies-第8部分

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rominent　wealthy　taxpayer；　（b）　an　able　young　politician　who　has　been　elected　to　the　state　assembly；　（c）　the　dead　woman's　daughter…in…law；　who　may　possibly　be　more　of　a　prominent　wealthy　taxpayer　than　the　widower；　and　（d）　a　vice…president　of　a　billion…dollar　New　York　bank。　They're　all　part　of　the　perspective；　though　you　wish　to　God　they　weren't　so　you　could　concentrate　on　the　other　three　suspects：　（e）　the　dead　woman's　cousin；　a　breeder　of　dogs　which　don't　make　friends；　（f）　her　secretary；　a　mere　employee；　and　（g）　a　private　dick　from　New　York　whose　tongue　has　needed　bobbing　for　some　time。　With　a　setup　like　that　you　can't　just　take　them　all　down　to　White　Plains　and　tell　the　boys　to　start　chipping　and　save　the　pieces。
　　Except　for　fifteen　minutes　alone　with　Con　Noonan；　I　spent　the　first　two　hours　in　the　big　living　room　where　we　had　looked　at　television；　having　for　pany　the　members　of　the　family；　the　guests；　five　members　of　the　domestic　staff；　and　two　or　more　officers　of　the　law。　It　wasn't　a　bit　jolly。　Two　of　the　female　servants　wept　intermittently。　Barry　Rackham　walked　up　and　down；　sitting　occasionally　and　then　starting　up　again；　speaking　to　no　one。　Oliver　Pierce　and　Una　Darrow　sat　on　a　couch　conversing　in　undertones；　spasmodically；　with　him　doing　most　of　the　talking。　Dana　Hammond；　the　banker；　was　jumpy。　Mostly　he　sat　slumped；　with　his　chin　down　and　his　eyes　closed；　but　now　and　then　he　would　arise　slowly　as　if　something　hurt　and　go　to　say　something　to　one　of　the　others；　usually　Annabel　or　Leeds。　Leeds　had　been　getting　a　blaze　started　in　the　fireplace　when　I　was　ushered　in；　and　it　continued　to　be　his　chief　concern。　He　got　the　fire　so　hot　that　Annabel　moved　away；　to　the　other　side　of　the　room。　She　was　the　quietest　of　them；　but　from　the　way　she　kept　her　jaw　clamped　I　guessed　that　it　wasn't　because　she　was　the　least　moved。
　　One　by　one　they　were　escorted　from　the　room　for　a　private　talk　and　brought　back　again。　It　was　when　my　turn　came；　not　long　after　I　had　arrived；　that　I　found　Lieutenant　Noonan　was　around。　He　was　in　a　smaller　room　down　the　hall；　seated　at　a　table；　looking　harassed。　No　doubt　life　was　hard　for　him…born　with　the　instincts　of　a　Hitler　or　Stalin　in　a　country　where　people　are　determined　to　do　their　own　voting。　The　dick　who　took　me　in　motioned　me　to　a　chair　across　the　table。
　　〃You　again；〃　Noonan　said。
　　I　nodded。　〃That's　exactly　what　I　was　thinking。　I　haven't　seen　you　since　the　time　I　didn't　run　my　car　over　Louis　Rony。〃
　　I　didn't　expect　him　to　wince；　and　he　didn't。　〃You're　here　investigating　that　dog　poisoning　at　Hillside　Kennels。〃
　　I　had　no　ment。
　　〃Weren't　you？〃　he　snapped。　〃If　you're　answering　questions。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon。　I　didn't　know　it　was　a　question。　It　sounded　more　like　a　statement。〃
　　〃You　are　investigating　the　dog　poisoning？〃
　　〃I　started　to。　I　spent　an　hour　at　it　there　with　Leeds；　before　we　came　here　to　dinner。〃
　　〃So　he　said。　Make　any　progress？〃
　　〃Nothing　remarkable。　For　one　thing；　I　had　kibitzers；　which　is　no　help。　Mrs。　Frey　and　Mr。　Hammond。〃
　　〃Did　you　all　e　over　here　together？〃
　　〃No。　Leeds　and　I　came　about　an　hour　after　Mrs。　Frey　and　Mr。　Hammond　left。〃
　　〃Did　you　drive？〃
　　〃Walked。　He　walked　and　I　ran。〃
　　〃You　ran？　Why？〃
　　〃To　keep　up　with　him。〃
　　Noonan　smiled。　He　has　the　meanest　smile　I　know　of　except　maybe　Boris　Karloff。　〃You　get　your　edy　from　the　ics；　don't　you；　Goodwin？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃Tell　me　about　the　dinner　here　and　afterwards。　Make　it　as　funny　as　you　can。〃
　　I　took　ten　minutes　for　it；　as　much　as　I　had　had　for　Wolfe；　but　getting　interrupted　with　questions。　I　stuck　to　facts　and　gave　them　to　him　straight。
　　When　we　came　to　the　end　he　went　back　and　concentrated　on　whether　all　of　them　had　heard　Mrs。　Rackham　say　she　was　going　for　a　walk　with　the　dog；　as　of　course　they　had　since　she　had　issued　a　blanket　invitation　for　pany。
　　Then　I　was　sent　back　to　the　living　room；　and　it　was　Lina　Darrow's　turn　in　the　preliminaries。　I　wondered　if　she　would　play　dumb　with　him　as　she　had　with　me。
　　It　was　as　empty　a　stretch　or　hours　as　I　have　ever　spent。　I　might　as　well　have　been　a　housebroken　dog；　no　one　seemed　to　think　I　mattered；　and　I　was　not　in　a　position　to　tell　them　how　wrong　they　were。　At　one　point　I　made　a　serious　effort　to　get　into　a　conversation；　making　the　rounds　and　offering　remarks；　but　got　nowhere。　Dana　Hammond　merely　gave　me　a　look；　without　opening　his　trap。　Oliver　Pierce　didn't　even　look　at　me。　Lina　Darrow　mumbled　something　and　turned　away。　Calvin　Leeds　asked　me　what　they　had　done　with　Nobby's　remains；　nodded　and　frowned　at　my　answer；　and　went　to　put　another　log　on　the　fire。　Annabel　Frey　asked　me　if　I　wanted　more　coffee；　and　when　I　said　yes　apparently　didn't　hear　me。　Barry　Rackham；　whom　I　tackled　at　the　far　end　of　the　room；　was　the　most　talkative。　He　wanted　to　know　whether　anyone　had　e　from　the　District　Attorney's　office。　I　said　I　didn't　know。　He　wanted　to　know　the　name　of　the　cop　in　the　other　room　who　was　asking　questions；　and　I　told　him　Lieutenant　Con　Noonan。　That　was　my　longest　conversation；　two　whole　questions　and　answers。
　　I　did　get　in　one　piece　of　detection；　somewhat　later；　when　finally　District　Attorney　Cleveland　Archer　made　an　appearance。　As　he　came　into　the　room　and　made　himself　known　and　everybody　moved　to　approach　him；　I　took　a　look　at　his　shoes　and　saw　that　he　had　undoubtedly　been　in　the　woods　to　inspect　the　spot　where　Mrs。　Rackham's　body　was　found。　Likewise　Ben　Dykes；　the　dean　of　the　Westchester　County　dicks；　who　was　with　him。　That　made　me　feel　slightly　better。　It　would　have　been　a　shame　to　stick　there　the　whole　night　without　detecting　a　single　damn　thing。
　　After　a　few　preliminary　words　to　individuals　Archer　spoke　to　them　collectively。　〃This　is　a　terrible　thing；　an　awful　thing。　It　is　established　that　Mrs。Rackham　was　stabbed　to　death　out　there　in　the　woods…and　the　dog　that　was　with　her。　We　have　the　knife　that　was　used；　as　you　know…it　has　been　shown　to　you…one　of　the　steak　knives　that　are　kept　in　a　drawer　here　in　the　dining　room…they　were　used　by　you　at　dinner　last　evening。　We　have　statements　from　all　of　you；　but　of　course　I'll　have　to　talk　further　with　you。　I　won't　try　to　do　that　now。　It's　after　three　o'clock；　and　I'll　e　back　in　the　morning。　I　want　to　ask　whether　any　of　you　has　anything　to　say　to　me　now；　anything　that　shouldn't　wait　until　then。〃　His　eyes　went　over　them。　〃Anyone？〃
　　No　sound　and　no　movement　from　any　quarter。　They　sure　were　a　chatty　bunch。　They　just　stood　and　stared　at　him；　including　me。　I　would　have　liked　to　relieve　the　tension　with　a　remark　or　question；　but　didn't　want　to　remind　him　that　I　was　present。
　　However；　he　didn't　need　a　reminder。　After　all　the　others；　including　the　servants；　had　cleared　out；　Leeds　and　I　were　moving　toward　the　door　when　Ben　Dykes's　voice　came。　〃Goodwin！〃
　　Leeds　kept　going。　1　turned。
　　Dykes　came　to　me。　〃We　want　to　ask　you　something。〃
　　〃Shoot。〃
　　District　Attorney　Archer　joined　us；　saying；　〃In　there　with　Noonan；　Ben。〃
　　〃Him　and　Noonan　bring　sparks；〃　Dykes　objected。　〃Remember　last　year　at　Spelling's？〃
　　〃I'll　do　the　talking；〃　Archer　stated；　and　led　the　way　to　the　hall　and　along　to　the　smaller　room　where　Noonan　was　still　seated　at　the　table；　conferring　with　a　colleague…the　one　who　had　brought　me　from　Hillside　Kennels。　The　colleague　moved　to　stand　against　the　wall。　Noonan　arose；　but　sat　down　again　when　Archer　and　Dykes　and　I　had　pulled　chairs　up。
　　Archer；　slighdy　plumper　than　he　had　been　a　year　ago；　with　his　round　red　face　saggy　and　careworn　by　the　stress　of　an　extremely　bad　night　for　him；　put　his　forearms　on　the　table　and　leaned　at　me。
　　〃Goodwin；〃　he　said　earnestly　but　not　offensively；　〃I　want　to　put　something　up　to　you。〃
　　〃Suits　me；　Mr。　Archer；〃　I　assured　him。　〃I've　never　been　ignored　more。〃
　　〃We've　been　busy。　Lieutenant　Noonan　has　of　course　reported　what　you　told　him。　Frankly；　I　find　it　hard　to　believe。　Almost　impossible　to　believe。　It　is　well　known　that　Nero　Wolfe　refuses　dozens　of　jobs　every　month；　that　he　confines　himself　to　cases　that　interest　him；　and　that　the　easiest　and　quickest　way　to　interest　him　is　to　offer　him　a　large　fee。　Now　I…〃
　　〃Not　the　only　way；〃　I　objected。
　　〃I　didn't　say　it　was。　I　know　he　has　standards…even　scruples。　Now　I　can't　believe　that　he　found　anything　interesting　in　the　poisoning　of　a　dog…certainly　not　interesting　enough　for　him　to　send　you　up　here　over　a　weekend。　And　I　doubt　very　much　if　Calvin　Leeds；　from　what　I　know　of　him；　is　in　a　position　to　offer　Wolfe　a　fee　that　would　attract　him。　His　cousin；　Mrs。Rackham；　might　have；　but　she　did　not　have　the　reputation　of　throwing　money　around　carelessly…rather　the　contrary。　We're　going　to　ask　Wolfe　about　this；　naturally；　but　I　thought　I　might　save　time　by　putting　it　up　to　you。　I　appeal　to　you　to　cooperate　with　us　in　solving　this　dastardly　and　cowardly　murder。　As　you　know；　I　have　a　right　to　insist　on　it；　knowing　you　and　Wolfe　as　I　do；　I　prefer　to　appeal　to　you　as　to　a　responsible　citizen　and　a　man　who　carries　a　license　to　work　in　this　state　as　a　private　detective。　I　simply　do　not　believe　that　you　were　sent　up　here　merely　to　investigate　the　poisoning　of　a　dog。〃
　　They　were　all　glaring　at　me。
　　〃I　wasn't；〃　I　said　mildly。
　　〃Ha；　you　weren't！〃
　　〃Hell　no。　As　you　say；　Mr。　Wolfe　wouldn't　be　interested。〃
　　〃So　you　lied；　you　punk；〃　Noonan　gloated。
　　〃Wrong；　as　usual。〃　I　grinned　at　him。　〃You　didn't　ask　me　what　I　was　sent　here　for　or　even　hint　that　you　would　like　to　know。　You　asked　if　I　was　investigating　the　dog　poisoning；　and　I　told　you　I　spent　an　hour　at　it；　which　I　did。　You　asked　if　I　had　made　any　progress；　and　I　told　you　nothing　remarkable。　Then　you　wanted　to　know　what　I　had　seen　and　heard　here；　and　I　told　you；　in　full。　It　was　one　of　the　bummest　and　dumbest　jobs　of　questioning　I　have　ever　run　across；　but　you　may　learn　in　time。　The　first…〃
　　Noonan　blurted；　'Why；　you　goddam…〃　〃I'll　handle　it；〃　Archer　snapped　at　him。　Back　to　me：　〃You　might　have　supplied　it；　Goodwin。〃
　　〃Not　to　him；〃　I　said　firmly；　〃I　tried　supplying　him　once　and　he　was　displeased。　Anyway；　I　doubt　if　he　would　have　understood　it。〃
　　〃See　if　I　can　understand　it。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　Mrs。　Rackham　phoned　Thursday　afternoon　and　made　an　appointment　to　see　Mr。　Wolfe。　She　came　yesterday