rs.toomanywomen-第18章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃Nonsense。〃　Wolfe　was　belligerent　too。　〃You　haven't　asked　a　favor。　You　have　called　Mr。　Goodwin　a　liar　and　you　have　made　preposterous　demands。　Besides；　this　is　on　your　way　home　from　your　office。〃
　　That　was　the　intellectual　level　they　had　descended　to。　I　wouldn't　have　been　surprised　if　Cramer　had　produced　a　map　of　the　city；　to　prove　that　Wolfe's　house　was　not　on　a　direct　line　between　his　office　and　his　home；　but　he　skipped　that　and　concentrated　on　the　other　point…whether　he　had　asked　a　favor　or　not。　He　maintained　that　he　had；　and　that　if　it　had　sounded　like　a　demand　that　was　only　on　account　of　his　mannerisms；　with　which　we　were　well　acquainted　and　therefore　had　no　right　to　misinterpret。　At　length；　by　that　roundabout　route；　he　got　back　to　his　main　point：　would　we　or　would　we　not　break　off　relations　with　Naylor…Kerr；　Inc。？　Apparently　Deputy　missioner　O'Hara　had　really　built　a　fire　under　him。
　　〃It　isn't　as　urgent　as　all　that；　is　it？〃　Wolfe　asked　in　his　tone　of　fake　concern；　which　has　maddened　older　men　than　me；　or　even　than　Cramer。　〃For　a　long　time　Mr。　Kerr　Naylor…〃
　　The　phone　rang。　I　gave　it　a　glance　of　distaste　before　reaching　for　it；　thinking　it　was　certainly　Mrs。　Pine；　with　nothing　special　to　do　for　another　two　hours　till　bedtime；　calling　to　ask　about　my　face。　But　no。　A　gruff　male　voice　asked　to　speak　to　Inspector　Cramer　and　I　moved　out　of　my　chair　to　let　Cramer　take　the　call　at　my　desk。
　　It　was　a　one…sided　conversation；　with　Cramer　contributing　only　a　few　grunts　and；　at　the　end；　three　or　four　questions。　He　told　someone　he　would　be　there　in　five　minutes；　hung　up；　and　swiveled　to　us。
　　〃Kerr　Naylor　has　been　found　dead　on　Thirty…ninth　Street　near　Eleventh　Avenue。　Four　blocks　from　here。　Apparently　run　over　by　a　car；　with　his　head　smashed。〃　Cramer　was　on　his　feet。　〃They　got　his　name　from　papers　in　his　pocket。〃　He　growled　at　me；　〃Want　to　e　and　identify　him？〃
　　〃Indeed；〃　Wolfe　muttered。　〃Remarkable　coincidence。　Mr。　Moore　died　there　too。　It　must　be　a　dangerous　street。〃
　　〃And　now；〃　I　plained；　〃I'll　never　be　able　to　make　him　take　back　calling　me　a　liar。　Sure；　glad　to　help。　e　along；　Inspector。〃
　　
　　Chapter　Twenty
　　Since　so　far　as　I　knew　I　was　still　on　the　Naylor…Kerr　payroll；　it　was　a　good　thing　they　didn't　work　Saturdays；　because　Saturday　morning　I　didn't　get　out　of　bed　until　noon　was　in　plain　sight。　At　that　I　had　been　there　something　short　of　six　hours；　having　got　home　just　as　the　sun　was　taking　its　first　slanting　look　at　Thirty…fifth　Street。
　　Coincidence　was　right。　On　Thirty…ninth　Street　between　Tenth　and　Eleventh　Avenues；　not　thirty　feet　from　the　spot　where　the　body　of　Waldo　Wilmot　Moore　had　been　found　nearly　four　months　before；　a　car　had　run　over　Kerr　Naylor；　flattening　his　head　and　breaking　his　bones。　I　had　appreciated；　better　than　I　had　when　he　had　told　me　about　it；　the　difficulties　Kerr　Naylor　had　encountered　when　he　had　gone　to　the　morgue　to　identify　the　remains　of　Waldo　Moore；　but　there　had　been　no　doubt　about　it。　It　was　unquestionably　Naylor；　when　you　had　made　the　mental　adjustment　required　by　the　transformation　of　a　sphere　into　a　disk。
　　To　go　on　with　the　coincidence；　the　body；　which　had　been　discovered　by　a　taxi　driver　at　twelve…forty　A。M。；　had　been　there　unnoticed　for　some　time；　anyway　over　half　an　hour；　if　the　guess　of　the　Medical　Examiner　on　the　time　of　death　was　any　good。　Not　only　that…and　this　was　really　stretching　it　too　far…the　car　that　had　run　over　him　had　been　found　parked　on　Ninety…fifth　Street　just　west　of　Broadway；　in　front　of　a　branch　laundry；　in　the　identical　spot　where　the　car　that　had　finished　Moore　had　been　found。　On　that　one　I　had　to　hand　it　to　Inspector　Cramer。　One　of　his　first　barks　on　arriving　at　the　scene　had　been　at　a　squad　dick；　telling　him　to　beat　it　to　Ninety…fifth　Street　and　go　over　the　cars　parked　in　that　block。　Showing　that　an　inspector　knows　a　coincidence　when　he　sees　one。　Already；　before　I　had　left　to　go　home　for　a　nap；　the　owner　of　the　car　had　been　brought　in　from　Bedford　Hills　and　thoroughly　processed。　The　processing　was　mostly　unnecessary；　since　it　was　easily　established　that　he　had　reported　to　the　police　at　eleven…eighteen　that　his　car　had　been　stolen　from　where　he　had　parked　it　on　Forty…eighth　Street；　having　driven　to　town　to　go　to　the　theater；　and　having；　as　lots　of　boobs　do　every　day；　forgotten　to　lock　the　car　or　even　take　the　key。
　　It　had　taken　two　laboratory　men；　working　with　spotlights　on　the　tires　of　the　car　where　it　stood　on　Ninety…fifth　Street；　to　get　the　proof　that　it　was　the　one　that　had　rolled　over　Naylor；　and　that　was　one　more　detail　of　the　coincidence。
　　Part　of　the　time　I　had　been　a　kibitzer；　but　had　been　made　to　feel　wele　throughout　because　Inspector　Cramer　wanted　me　handy　to　answer　some　more　questions　when　he　got　a　chance　to　work　them　in；　between　other　chores。　During　all　the　hours　he　made　no　reference　to　Wolfe's　objectionable　behavior；　and　mine；　in　trying　to　stir　up　a　murder　stink　when　there　had　been　no　murder；　and　I；　knowing　he　was　busy　and　it　would　aggravate　him；　brought　it　up　only　eight　or　nine　times。　Even　then　he　didn't　have　me　bounced　because　he　wanted　me　around。　The　first　session　with　him　I　stalled　a　little　on　the　ground　that　it　would　be　outrageous　for　me　to　betray　the　confidence　of　a　client；　but　when　he　got　to　the　point　of　a　certain　tone　I　gave　him　everything　that　I　knew　he　would　soon　be　getting　elsewhere　anyway。　I　told　him　all；　or　nearly　all；　about　the　folks　I　had　been　meeting　down　at　Naylor…Kerr；　including；　of　course；　such　details　as　the　impression　Ben　Frenkel　had　been　carrying　around　since　December。　When　I　had　tried　to　loosen　Gwynne　Ferris　up　by　threatening　to　tell　the　cops　all　and　let　them　take　a　crack　at　her　I　hadn't　dreamed　I　would　actually　be　doing　so　within　ten　hours。
　　Cramer　shifted　headquarters　three　times；　taking　me　along。　For　half　an　hour　or　so　he　worked　outdoors　there　on　Thirty…ninth　Street　and　then　moved　inside；　to　the　18th　Precinct　Station　House　on　Fifty…fourth　Street。　Around　three　o'clock　he　moved　again；　to　his　own　hangout；　the　office　of　the　squad　on　Twentieth　Street；　and　an　hour　later　made　another　transfer；　this　time　to　the　office　of　Deputy　missioner　O'Hara　at　Center　Street。　O'Hara　himself　was　there　and　things　had　really　started　to　hum。　I　was　right　in　the　middle　of　it　and　was　even　given　the　pleasure　of　an　interview　with　the　Deputy！　missioner　himself。　From　the　way　he　started　in　on　me　it　was　a　fair　inference　that　he　not　only　regarded　me　as　a　damn　liar　but　also　had　inside　dope　to　the　effect　that　I　had　done　it　all　myself；　and　that　when　I　had　got　home　and　joined　Wolfe　and　Cramer　in　the　office　at　11：30　I　had　just　e；　not　from　a　movie；　but　from　parking　the　murder　car　on　Ninety…fifth　Street。　Since　I　had　already　given　Cramer　all　the　information　I　had　that　could　help　any；　I　thought　I　might　as　well　let　O'Hara　keep　his　illusions　and　fed　him　a　peck　or　more　of　miscellaneous　lies　such　as　I　didn't　know　how　to　drive　a　car　and　in　strict　confidence　I　had　not　been　at　a　movie；　but　in　a　hotel　room　with　the　wife　of　a　prominent　politician　whom　I　would　rather　die　than　name。　Eventually　O'Hara　caught　on　and　there　was　quite　a　scene。
　　Kerr　Naylor's　sister　had　of　course　been　notified；　not　on　the　phone；　but　by　dispatching　Lieutenant　Rowcliff　to　her　house　on　Sixty…seventh　Street。　When　Rowcliff　returned…we　were　then　at　the　18th　Precinct　Station　House…Jasper　Pine　was　with　him；　having　had　his　sleep　broken　into　after　all。　Pine　had　been　taken　by　Rowcliff；　on　their　way；　to　identify　the　body；　and　since　I　knew　from　having　done　it　myself　how　jolly　that　was；　I　didn't　blame　him　for　looking　a　little　pale。　He　didn't　have　the　appearance　of　a　man　overe　by　grief；　but　neither　did　he　look　like　a　top　executive　with　everything　under　control。　Cramer；　having　learned　that　both　he　and　his　wife　disclaimed　any　knowledge　of　Kerr　Naylor's　whereabouts　Friday　evening　and　had　no　idea　of　what　he　might　have　been　doing　on　Thirty…ninth　Street；　spent　only　a　short　time　on　him　and　then　gave　him　back　to　Rowcliff　for　more　talk。　I　spoke　just　sixteen　words　to　him。　As　he　started　away　with　Rowcliff　he　confronted　me　and　demanded；　〃Did　Naylor　tell　you　what　you　reported　to　me？　That　he　knew　who　had　killed　Moore？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃If　I　had　wanted　to　make　something　up　I　could　have　done　better　than　that。〃
　　Before　the　night　shift　was　through　I　met　other　acquaintances；　after　we　got　down　to　Centre　Street。　Not　Hester　Livsey。　The　dick　who　was　sent　for　her　came　back　with　a　report　that　her　mother；　with　whom　she　lived　in　Brooklyn；　had　stated　that　her　daughter　was　not　there　and　had　not　been　home　that　evening　because　she　had　gone　straight　from　work　to　Grand　Central　to　catch　a　train；　to　spend　the　week…end　with　friends　in　Westport；　Connecticut。　She　had　furnished　the　name　of　the　friends；　and　they　had　been　phoned　to。　No　answer。　But　Cramer　and　his　boys　were　moving　fast　and　in　all　directions。　They　had　phoned　the　Westport　police；　who　had　made　a　call　on　the　friends　and　reported　back　that　Hester　Livsey　was　there；　snug　in　bed；　having　arrived　on　a　train　that　had　reached　Westport　at　one…nine　A。M。　Since　it　takes　around　seventy　minutes；　not　eight　hours；　for　a　train　to　go　from　Grand　Central　to　Westport；　the　caller　had　insisted　on　speaking　to　Miss　Livsey　and　had　done　so。　She　had　stated　that　she　had　decided　to　take　a　later　train　and　that　how　she　had　spent　the　evening　in　New　York　was　her　own　business。　Told　of　the　death　of　Kerr　Naylor；　she　repeated　her　statement；　and　said　that　she　knew　nothing　about　Mr。　Naylor　and　that　her　association　with　him　was　extremely　remote；　since　he　was　head　of　a　large　department　and　she　was　merely　a　stenographer。　Asked　if　she　would　return　to　New　York　in　the　morning　so　the　police　could　talk　with　her；　she　refused；　saying　that　she　couldn't　possibly　tell　them　anything　helpful。
　　There　was　a　report　from　a　sergeant　who　had　had　a　chat　with　Sumner　Hoff　in　his　apartment　in　the　East　Fifties。　Hoff　had　been　able　to　contribute　nothing；　but　was　quite　willing；　as　a　responsible　citizen；　to　cooperate　with　the　police　in　the　investigation　of　a　crime…which　sounded　to　me　like　a　distinct　and　encouraging　improvement　in　his　manners。
　　Bell　ringing　and　door　knocking　had　produced　no　results　at　the　Greenwich　Village　room…and…bath　tenanted　by　Rosa　Bendini。　In　her　case　there　was　no　mother　around　to　get　information　from；　and　no　one　else　in　the　building　knew　where　Rosa　was。　I　had　a　healthy　conviction；　knowing　as　I　do　what　a　liking　for　panionship　can　lead　to；　that　when　Rosa　showed　up　her　mind　would　be　a　blank　as　to　where　she　had　spent　Friday　night；　but　that　was　one　of　the　things　I　didn't　municate　to　Cramer；　not　wanting　to　lower　his　opinion　of　American　womanhood。　They　thought　they　might　find　her　with　her　husband；　where　he　lived　with　his　folks　on　Washington　Heights；　but　no。　Harold　Anthony；　hauled　out　of　bed；　dressed　and　came　down　to　Centre　Street　without　being　asked。　His　story　was　that　he　hadn't　seen　Rosa　since　Wednesday　evening；　when　she　had　left　him　and　me　to　fight　it　out　on　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　Wolfe's　house；　and　as　for　him；　he　didn't　know　Kerr　Naylor　from　Adam；　and　had　spent　Friday　evening　at　a　basketball　game　at　the　Garden；　where　he　had　gone　by　his　lonesome；　and　had　then　walked　all　the　way　home…some　six　miles…to　use　up　energy。
　　I　asked　him；　〃So　you　got　some　energy　back　in　the　short　space　of　forty…eig