rc.theladyinthelake-第15部分

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　　〃By　gum；　I　don't　like　it　either　way；〃　he　said。
　　〃But　if　he　murdered　her；〃　I　said；　〃then　he　would　have　to　get　rid　of　the　things　she　ought　to　have　taken　with　her；　if　she　had　gone　away。〃
　　〃And　how　do　you　figure　he　would　do　that；　son？〃　The　yellow　lamplight　made　bronze　of　one　side　of　his　face。
　　〃I　understand　she　had　a　Ford　car　of　her　own。　Except　for　that　I'd　expect　him；　to　burn　what　he　could　burn　and　bury　what　he　could　not　burn　out　in　the　woods。　Sinking　it　in　the　lake　might　be　dangerous。　But　he　couldn't　burn　or　bury　her　car。　Could　he　drive　it？〃　Patton　looked　surprised。　〃Sure。　'He　can't　bend　his　right　leg　at　the　knee；　so　he　couldn't　use　the　footbrake　very　handy。　But　he　could　get　by　with　the　handbrake。　All　that's　different　on　Bill's　own　Ford　is　the　brake　pedal　is　set　over　on　the　left　side　of　the　post；'　close　to　the　clutch；　so　he　can　shove　them　both　down　with　one　foot。〃　I　shook　ash　from　my　cigarette　into　a　small　blue　jar　that　had　once　contained　a　pound　of　orange　honey；　according　to　the　small　gilt　label　on　it。
　　〃Getting　rid　of　the　car　would　be　his　big　problem；〃　I　said。　〃Wherever　he　took　it。　he　would　have　to　get　back；　and　he　would　rather　not　be　seen　ing　back。　And　if　he　simply　abandoned　it　on　a　street；　say；　down　in　San　Bernardino；　it　would　be　found　and　identified　very　quickly。　He　wouldn't　want　that　either。　The　best　stunt　would　be　to　unload　it　on　a　hot　car　dealer；　but　he　probably　doesn't　know　one。　So　the　chances　are　he　hid　it　in　the　woods　within　walking　distance　of　here。　And　walldng　distance　for　him　would　not　be　very　far。〃
　　〃For　a　fellow　that　claims　not　to　be　interested；　you're　doing　some　pretty　close　figuring　on　all　this；〃　Patton　said　dryly。　〃So　now　you've　got　the　car　hid　out　in　the　woods。　What　then？〃
　　〃He　has　to　consider　the　possibility　of　its　being　found。　The　woods　are　lonely；　but　rangers　and　woodcutters　get　around　in　them　from　time　to　time。　If　the　car　is　found；　it　would　be　better　for　Muriel's　stuff　to　be　found　in　it。　That　would　give　him　a　couple　of　outs…neither　one　very　brilliant　but　both　at　least　possible。　One；　that　she　was　murdered　by　some　unknown　party　who　fixed　things　to　implicate　Bill　when　and　if　the　murder　was　discovered。　Two；　that　Muriel　did　actually　mit　suicide；　but　fixed　things　so　that　he　would　be　blamed。　A　revenge　suicide。〃　Patton　thought　all　this　over　with　calm　and　care。　He　went　to　the　door　to　unload　again。　He　sat　down　and　rumpled　his　hair　again。　He　looked　at　me　with　solid　scepticism。
　　〃The　first　one's　possible　like　you　say；〃　he　admitted。　〃But　only　just；　and　I　don't　have　anybody　in　mind　for　the　job。　There's　that　little　matter　of　the　note　to　be　got　over。〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃Say　Bill　already　had　the　note　from　another　time。　Say　she　went　away；　as　he　thought；　without　leaving　a　note。　After　a　month　had　gone　by　without　any　word　from　her　he　might　be　just　worried　and　uncertain　enough　to　show　the　note；　feeling　it　might　be　some　protection　to　him　in　case　anything　had　happened　to　her。　He　didn't　say　any　of　this；　but　he　could　have　had　it　in　his　mind。〃　Patton　shook　his　head。　He　didn't　like　it。　Neither　did　I。　He　said　slowly：　〃As　to　your　other　notion；　it's　just　plain　crazy。　Killing　yourself　and　fixing　things　so　as　somebody　else　would　get　accused　of　murdering　you　don't　fit　in　with　my　simple　ideas　of　human　nature　at　alL〃
　　〃Then　your　ideas　of　human　nature　are　too　simple；〃　I　said。　〃Because　it　has　been　done；　and　when　it　has　been　done；　it　has　nearly　always　been　done　by　a　woman。〃
　　〃Nope；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　a　man　fifty…seven　years　old　and　I've　seen　a　lot　of　crazy　people；　but　I　don't　go　for　that　worth　a　peanut　shell。　What　I　like　is　that　she　did　plan　to　go　away　and　did　write　the　note；　but　he　caught　her　before　she　got　clear　and　saw　red　and　finished　her　off。　Then　he　would　have　to　do　all　them　things　we　been　talking　about。〃
　　〃I　never　met　her；〃　I　said。　〃So　I　wouldn't　have　any　idea　what　she　would　be　likely　to　do。　Bifi　said　he　met　her　in　a　place　in　Riverside　something　over　a　year　ago。　She　may　have　had　a　long　and　plicated　history　before　that。　What　kind　of　girl　was　she？〃
　　〃A　mighty　cute　little　blonde　when　shc　fixed　herself　up。　She　kind　of　let　herself　go　with　Bill。　A　quiet　girl；　with　a　face　that　kept　its　secrets。　Bill　says　she　had　a　temper；　but　I　never　seen　any　of　it。　I　seen　plenty　of　nasty　temper　in　him。〃
　　〃And　did　you　think　she　looked　like　the　photo　of　some　body　called　Mildred　Haviland？〃　His　jaws　stopped　munching　and　his　mouth　became　almost　primly　tight。　Very　slowly　he　started　chewing　again。
　　〃By　gum；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　be　mighty　careful　to　look　under　the　bed　before　I　crawl　in　tonight。　To　make　sure　you　ain't　there。　Where　did　you　get　that　information？〃
　　〃A　nice　little　girl　called　Birdie　Keppel　told　me。　She　was　interviewing　me　in　the　course　of　her　spare　time　newspaper　job。　She　happened　to　mention　that　an　L。A。　cop　named　De　Soto　was　showing　the　photo　around。〃　Patton　smacked　his　thick　knee　and　hunched　his　shoulders　forward。
　　〃I　done　wrong　there；〃　he　said　soberly；　〃I　made　one　of　my　mistakes。　This　big　bruiser　showed　his　picture　to　darn　near　everybody　in　town　before　he　showed　it　to　me。　That　made　me　kind　of　sore。　It　looked　some　like　Muriel；　but　not　enough　to　be　sure　by　any　manner　of　means。　I　asked　him　what　she　was　wanted　for。　He　said　it　was　police　business。　I　said　I　was　in　that　way　of　business　myself；　in　an　ignorant　countrified　kind　of　way。　He　said　his　instructions　were　to　locate　the　lady　and　that　was　all　he　knew。　Maybe　he　did　wrong　to　take　me　up　short　like　that。　So　I　guess　I　done　wrong　to　tell　him　I　didn't　know　anybody　that　looked　like　his　little　picture。〃　The　big　calm　man　smiled　vaguely　at　the　corner　of　the　ceiling；　then　brought　his　eyes　down　and　looked　at　me　steadily。
　　〃I'll　thank　you　to　respect　this　confidence；　Mr。　Marlowe。　You　done　right　nicely　in　your　figuring　too。　You　ever　happen　to　go　over　to　Coon　Lake？〃
　　〃Never　heard　of　it。〃
　　〃Back　about　a　mile；〃　he　said；　pointing　over　his　shoulder　with　a　thumb；　〃there's　a　little　narrow　wood　road　turns　over　west。　You　can　just　drive　it　and　miss　the　trees。　It　climbs　about　five　hundred　feet　in　another　mile　and　es　out　by　Coon　Lake。　Pretty　little　place。　Folks　go　up　there　to　picnic　once　in　a　while；　but　not　often。　It's　hard　on　tires。　There's　two　three　small　shallow　lakes　full　of　reeds。　There's　snow　up　there　even　now　in　the　shady　places。　There's　a　bunch　of　old　handhewn　log　cabins　that's　been　falling　down　ever　since　I　recall；　and　there's　a　big　broken　down　frame　building　that　Montclair　University　used　to　use　for　a　summer　camp　maybe　ten　years　back。　They　ain't　used　it　in　a　very　long　time。　This　building　sits　back　from　the　lake　in　heavy　timber。　Round　at　the　back　of　it　there's　a　wash　house　with　an　old　rusty　boiler　and　along　of　that　there's　a　big　woodshed　with　a　sliding　door　hung　on　rollers。　It　was　built　for　a　garage　but　they　kept　their　wood　in　it　and　they　locked　it　up　out　of　season。　Wood's　one　of　the　few　things　people　will　steal　up　here；　but　folks　who　might　steal　it　off　a　pile　wouldn't　break　a　lock　to　get　it。　I　guess　you　know　what　I　found　in　that　woodshed。〃
　　〃I　thought　you　went　down　to　San　Bernardino。〃
　　〃Changed　my　mind。　Didn't　seem　right　to　let　Bill　ride　down　there　with　his　wife's　body　in　the　back　of　the　car。　So　I　sent　it　down　in　Doc's　ambulance　and　I　sent　Andy　down　with　Bill。　I　figured　I　kind　of　ought　to　look　around　a　little　more　before　I　put　things　up　to　the　sheriff　and　the　coroner。〃
　　〃Muriel's　car　was　in　the　woodshed？〃
　　〃Yep。　And　two　unlocked　suitcases　in　the　car。　Packed　with　clothes　and　packed　kind　of　hasty；　I　thought。　Women's　clothes。　The　point　is；　son；　no　stranger　would　have　known　about　that　place。〃　I　agreed　with　him。　He　put　his　hand　into　the　slanting　side　pocket　of　his　jerkin　and　brought　out　a　small　twist　of　tissue　paper。　He　opened　it　up　on　his　palm　and　held　the　hand　out　flat。
　　〃Take　a　look　at　this。〃　I　went　over　and　looked。　What　lay　on　the　tissue　was　a　thin　gold　chain　with　a　tiny　lock　hardly　larger　than　a　link　of　the　chain。　The　gold　had　been　snipped　through；　leaving　the　lock　intact。　The　chain　seemed　to　be　about　seven　inches　long。　There　was　white　powder　sticking　to　both　chain　and　paper。
　　〃Where　would　you　guess　I　found　that？〃　Patton　asked。
　　I　picked　the　chain　up　and　tried　to　fit　the　cut　ends　together。　They　didn't　fit。　I　made　no　ment　on　that；　but　moi