rc.theladyinthelake-第22部分

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　　She　reaches　in　and　turns　the　shower　off。　She　sets　the　lock　of　the　bathroom　door。　On　her　way　out　of　the　house　she　throws　the　empty　gun　on　the　stair　carpet。　She　should　worry。　It　is　probably　your　gun。
　　Is　that　right？　It　had　better　be　right。
　　I　bent　and　pulled　at　his　arm。　Ice　couldn't　have　been　any　colder　or　any　stiffer。　I　went　out　of　the　bathroom；　leaving　it　unlocked。　No　need　to　lock　it　now。　It　only　makes　work　for　the　cops。
　　I　went　into　the　bedroom　and　pulled　the　handkerchief　out　from　under　the　pillow。　It　was　a　minute　piece　of　linen　rag　with　a　scalloped　edge　embroidered　in　red。　Two　small　initials　were　stitched　in　the　corner；　in　red。　A。F。
　　〃Adrienne　Fromsett；〃　I　said。　I　laughed。　It　was　a　rather　ghoulish　laugh。
　　I　shook　the　handkerchief　to　get　some　of　the　chypre　out　of　it　and　folded　it　up　in　a　tissue　and　put　it　in　a　pocket。　I　went　back　upstairs　to　the　living　room　and　poked　around　in　the　desk　against　the　wall。　The　desk　contained　no　interesting　letters；　phone　numbers　or　provocative　match　folders。　Or　if　it　did；　I　didn't　find　them。
　　I　looked　at　the　phone。　It　was　on　a　small　table　against　the　wall　beside　the　fireplace。　It　had　a　long　cord　so　that　Mr。　Lavery　could　be　lying　on　his　back　on　the　davenport；　a　cigarette　between　his　smooth　brown　lips；　a　tall　cool　one　at　the　table　at　his　side；　and　plenty　of　time　for　a　nice　long　cosy　conversation　with　a　lady　friend。　An　easy；　languid；　ifirtatious；　kidding；　not　too　subtle　and　not　too　blunt　conversation；　of　the　sort　he　would　be　apt　to　enjoy。
　　All　that　wasted　too。　I　went　away　from　the　telephone　to　the　door　and　set　the　lock　so　I　could　e　in　again　and　shut　the　door　tight；　pulling　it　hard　over　the　sill　until　the　lock　clicked。　I　went　up　the　walk　and　stood　in　the　sunlight　looking　across　the　street　at　Dr。　Almore's　house。
　　Nobody　yelled　or　ran　out　of　the　door。　Nobody　blew　a　police　whistle。　Everything　was　quiet　and　sunny　and　calm。　No　cause　for　excitement　whatever。　It's　only　Marlowe；　finding　another　body。　He　does　it　rather　well　by　now。　Murder…a…day　Marlowe；　they　call　him。　They　have　the　meat　wagon　following　him　around　to　follow　up　on　the　business　he　finds。
　　A　nice　enough　fellow；　in　an　ingenuous　sort　of　way。
　　I　walked　back　to　the　intersection　and　got　into　my　car　and　started　it　and　backed　it　and　drove　away　from　there。
　　
　　
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　　The　bellhop　at　the　Athletic　Club　was　back　in　three　minutes　with　a　nod　for　me　to　e　with　him。　We　rode　up　to　the　fourth　floor　and　went　around　a　corner　and　he　showed　me　a　half　open　door。
　　〃Around　to　the　left；　sir。　As　quietly　as　you　can。　A　few　of　the　members　are　sleeping。〃　I　went　into　the　club　library。　It　contained　books　behind　glass　doors　and　magazines　on　a　long　central　table　and　a　lighted　portrait　of　the　club's　founder。　But　its　real　business　seemed　to　be　sleeping。　Outward…jutting　bookcases　cut　the　room　into　a　number　of　small　alcoves　and　in　the　alcoves　were　high…backed　leather　chairs　of　an　incredible　size　and　softness。　In　a　number　of　the　chairs　old　boys　were　snoozing　peacefully；　their　faces　violet　with　high　blood　pressure；　thin　racking　snores　ing　out　of　their　pinched　noses。
　　I　climbed　over　a　few　feet　and　stole　around　to　the　left。　Derace　Kingsley　was　in　the　very　last　alcove　in　the　far　end　of　the　room。　He　had　two　chairs　arranged　side　by　side；　facing　into　the　corner。　His　big　dark　head　just　showed　over　the　top　of　one　of　them。　I　slipped　into　the　empty　one　and　gave　him　a　quick　nod。
　　〃Keep　your　voice　down；〃　he　said。　〃This　room　is　for　after…luncheon　naps。　Now　what　is　it？　When　I　employed　you　it　was　to　save　me　trouble；　not　to　add　trouble　to　what　I　aheady　had。　You　made　me　break　an　important　engagement。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　I　said；　and　put　my　face　close　to　his。　He　smelled　of　highballs；　in　a　nice　way。　〃She　shot　him。〃　His　eyebrows　jumped　and　his　face　got　that　stony　look。　His　teeth　clamped　tight。　He　breathed　softly　and　twisted　a　large　hand　on　his　kneecap。
　　〃Go　on；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　the　size　of　a　marble。
　　I　looked　back　over　the　top　of　my　chair。　The　nearest　；old　geezer　was　sound　asleep　and　blowing　the　dusty　fuzz　in　his　nostrils　back　and　forth　as　he　breathed。
　　〃No　answer　at　Lavery's　place；〃　I　said。　〃Door　slightly　open。　But　I　noticed　yesterday　it　sticks　on　the　sill。　Pushed　it　open。　Room　dark；　two　glasses　with　drinks　having　been　in　them。　House　very　still。　In　a　moment　a　slim　dark　woman　calling　herself　Mrs。　Fallbrook；　landlady；　came　up　the　stairs　with　her　glove　wrapped　around　a　gun。　Said　she　found　it　on　the　stairs。　Said　she　came　to　collect　her　three　months'　back　rent。　Used　her　key　to　get　in。　Inference　is　she　took　the　chance　to　snoop　around　and　look　the　house　over。　Took　the　gun　from　her　and　found　it　had　been　fired　recently；　but　didn't　tell　her　so。　She　said　Lavery　was　not　home。　Got　rid　of　her　by　making　her　mad　and　she　departed　in　high　dudgeon。　She　may　call　the　police；　but　it's　much　more　likely　she　will　just　go　out　and　hunt　butterifies　and　forget　the　whole　thing…except　the　rent。〃　I　paused。　Kingsley's　head　was　turned　towards　me　and　his　jaw　muscles　bulged　with　the　way　his　teeth　were　clamped。　His　eyes　looked　sick。
　　〃I　went　downstairs。　Signs　of　a　woman　having　spent　the　night。　Pajamas；　face　powder；　perfume；　and　so　on。　Bathroom　locked；　but　got　it　open。　Three　empty　shells　on　the　floor；　two　shots　in　the　wall；　one　in　the　window。　Lavery　in　the　shower　stall；　naked　and　dead。〃
　　〃My　God！〃　Kingsley　whispered。　〃Do　you　mean　to　say　he　had　a　woman　with　him　last　night　and　she　shot　him　this　morning　in　the　bathroom？〃
　　〃Just　what　did　you　think　I　was　trying　to　say？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Keep　your　voice　down；〃　he　groaned。　〃It's　a　shock；　naturally。　Why　in　the　bathroom？〃
　　〃Keep　your　own　voice　down；〃　I　said。　〃Why　not　the　bathroom？　Could　you　think　of　a　place　where　a　man　would　be　more　pletely　off　guard？〃　He　said：　〃You　don't　know　that　a　woman　shot　him。　I　mean；　you're　not　sure；　are　you？〃
　　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃That's　true。　It　might　have　been　somebody　who　used　a　small　gun　and　emptied　it　carelessly　to　look　like　a　woman's　work。　The　bathroom　is　downhill；　facing　outwards　on　space　and　I　don't　think　shots　down　there　would　be　easily　heard　by　anyone　not　in　the　house。　The　woman　who　spent　the　night　might　have　left…or　there　need　not　have　been　any　woman　at　all。　The　appearances　could　have　been　faked。　You　might　have　shot　him。〃
　　〃What　would　I　want　to　shoot　him　for？〃　he　almost　bleated；　squeezing　both　kneecaps　hard。　〃I'm　a　civilized　man。〃　That　didn't　seem　to　be　worth　an　argument　either。　I　said：　〃Does　your　wife　own　a　gun？〃　He　turned　a　drawn　miserable　face　to　me　and　said　hollowly：　〃Good　God；　man；　you　can't　really　think　that！〃
　　〃Well　does　she？〃　He　got　the　words　out　in　small　gritty　pieces。　〃Yes…she　does。　A　small　automatic。〃
　　〃You　buy　it　locally？〃
　　〃I…I　didn't　buy　it　at　all。　I　took　it　away　from　a　drunk　at　a　party　in　San　Francisco　a　couple　of　years　ago。　He　was　waving　it　around；　with　an　idea　that　that　was　very　funny。　I　never　gave　it　back　to　him。〃　He　pinched　his　jaw　hard　until　his　knuckles　whitened。　〃He　probably　doesn't　even　remember　how　or　when　he　lost　it。　He　was　that　kind　of　a　drunk。〃
　　〃This　is　working　out　almost　too　neatly；〃　I　said。　〃Could　you　recognize　this　gun？〃　He　thought　hard；　pushing　his　jaw　out　and　half　closing　his　eyes。　I　looked　back　over　the　chairs　again。　One　of　the　elderly　snoozers　had　waked　himself　up　with　a　snort　that　almost　blew　him　out　of　his　chair。　He　coughed；　scratched　his　nose　with　a　thin　dried…up　hand；　and　fumbled　a　gold　watch　out　of　his　vest。　He　peered　at　it　bleakly；　put　it　away；　and　went　to　sleep　again。
　　I　reached　in　my　pocket　and　put　the　gun　on　Kingsley's　hand。　He　stared　down　at　it　miserably。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃It's　like　it；　but　I　can't　tell。〃
　　〃There's　a　serial　number　on　the　side；〃　I　said。
　　〃Nobody　remembers　the　serial　numbers　of　guns。〃
　　〃I　was　hoping　you　wouldn't；〃　I　said。　〃It　would　have　worried　me　very　much。〃　His　hand　closed　around　the　gun　and　he　put　it　down　beside　him　on　the　chair。
　　〃The　dirty　rat；〃　he　said　softly。　〃I　suppose　he　ditched　her。〃
　　〃I　don't　get　it；〃　I　said。　〃The　motive　was　inadequate　f　or　you；　on　account　of　you're　a　civilized　man。　But　it　was　adequate　for　her。〃
　　〃It's　not　the　same　motive；〃　he　snapped。　〃And　women　are　more　impetuous　than　men。〃
　　〃Like　cats　are　more　impetuous　than　dogs。〃