rc.theladyinthelake-第44部分

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leave。〃
　　〃I'll　have　a　Bay　City　police　officer　with　me　who　wants　to　question　him　about　a　murder。　Not　your　murder；　another　one。〃　There　was　a　drumming　silence　along　the　wire。　Patton　said：　〃You　ain't　just　bein'　tricky；　are　you；　son？〃
　　〃No。　Call　me　back　at　Tunbridge　2722。〃
　　〃Should　likely　take　me　half　an　hour；〃　he　said。
　　I　hung　up。　Degarmo　was　grinning　now。　〃This　babe　flash　you　a　signal　I　couldn't　read？〃　I　stood　up　off　the　bed。　〃No。　I'm　just　trying　to　read　his　mind。　He's　no　cold　killer。　Whatever　fire　there　was　is　all　burned　out　of　him　by　now。　I　thought　he　might　go　to　the　quietest　and　most　remote　place　he　knows…just　to　get　a　grip　of　himself。　In　a　few　hours　he'll　probably　turn　himself　in。　It　would　look　better　for　you　if　you　got　to　him　before　he　did　that。〃
　　〃Unless　he　puts　a　lug　in　his　head；〃　Degarmo　said　coldly。　〃Guys　like　him　are　very　apt　to　do　that。〃
　　〃You　can't　stop　him　until　you　find　him。〃
　　〃That's　right。〃　We　went　back　into　the　living　room。　Miss　Fromsett　poked　her　head　out　of　her　kitchenette　and　said　she　was　making　coffee；　and　did　we　want　any。　We　had　some　coffee　and　sat　around　looking　like　people　seeing　friends　off　at　the　railroad　station。
　　The　call　from　Patton　came　through　in　about　twenty…five　minutes。　There　was　light　in　the　Kingsley　cabin　and　a　car　was　parked　beside　it。
　　
　　
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　　We　ate　some　breakfast　at　Aihambra　and　I　had　the　tank　filled。　We　drove　out　Highway　70　and　started　moving　past　the　trucks　into　the　roffing　ranch　country。　I　was　driving。　Degarmo　sat　moodily　in　the　corner；　his　hands　deep　in　his　pockets。
　　I　watched　the　fat　straight　rows　of　orange　trees　spin　by　like　the　spokes　of　a　wheel。　I　listened　to　the　whine　of　the　tires　on　the　pavement　and　I　felt　tired　and　stale　from　lack　of　sleep　and　too　much　emotion。
　　We　reached　the　long　slope　south　of　San　Dimas　that　goes　up　to　a　ridge　and　drops　down　into　Pomona。　This　is　the　ultimate　end　of　the　fog　belt；　and　the　beginning　of　that　semi…desert　region　where　the　sun　is　as　light　and　dry　as　old　sherry　in　the　morning；　as　hot　as　a　blast　furnace　at　noon；　and　drops　like　an　angry　brick　at　nightfall。
　　Degarmo　stuck　a　match　in　the　corner　of　his　mouth　and　said　almost　sneeringly：　〃Webber　gave　me　hell　last　night。　He　said　he　was　talking　to　you　and　what　about。〃　I　said　nothing。　He　looked　at　me　and　looked　away　again。　He　waved　a　hand　outwards。　〃I　wouldn't　live　in　this　damn　country　if　they　gave　it　to　me。　The　air's　stale　before　it　gets　up　in　the　morning。〃
　　〃We'll　be　ing　to　Ontario　in　a　minute。　We'll　switch　over　to　Foothifi　Boulevard　and　you'll　see　five　miles　of　the　finest　grevillea　trees　in　the　world。〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　know　one　from　a　fire　plug；〃　Degarmo　said。
　　We　came　to　the　center　of　town　and　turned　north　on　Euclid；　along　the　splendid　parkway。　Degarmo　sneered　at　the　grevillea　trees。
　　After　a　while　he　said：　〃That　was　my　girl　that　drowned　in　the　lake　up　there。　I　haven't　been　right　in　the　head　since　I　heard　about　it。　All　I　can　see　is　red。　If　I　could　get　my　hands　on　that　guy　Chess〃
　　〃You　made　enough　trouble；〃　I　said；　〃letting　her　get　away　with　murdering　Almore's　wife。〃　I　stared　straight　ahead　through　the　windshield。　I　knew　his　head　moved　and　his　eyes　froze　on　me。　I　didn't　know　what　his　hands　were　doing。　I　didn't　know　what　expression　was　on　his　face。　After　a　long　time　his　words　came。　They　came　through　tight　teeth　and　edgeways；　and　they　scraped　a　little　as　they　came　out。
　　〃You　a　little　crazy　or　something？〃
　　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃Neither　are　you。　You　know　as　well　as　anybody　could　know　anything　that　Florence　Almore　didn't　get　up　out　of　bed　and　walk　down　to　that　garage。　You　know　she　was　carried。　You　know　that　was　why　Talley　stole　her　slipper；　the　slipper　that　had　never　walked　on　a　concrete　path。　You　knew　that　Almore　gave　his　wife　a　shot　in　the　arm　at　Condy's　place　and　that　it　was　just　enough　and　not　any　too　much。　He　knew　his　shots　in　the　arm　the　way　you　know　how　to　rough　up　a　bum　that　hasn't　any　money　or　any　place　to　sleep。　You　know　that　Almore　didn't　murder　his　wife　with　morphine　and　that　if　he　wanted　to　murder　her；　morphine　would　be　the　last　thing　in　the　world　he　would　use。　But　you　know　that　somebody　else　did；　and　that　Almore　carried　her　down　to　the　garage　and　put　her　there…technically　still　alive　to　breathe　in　some　monoxide；　but　medically　just　as　dead　as　though　she　had　stopped　breathing。　You　know　all　that。〃　Degarmo　said　softly：　〃Brother；　how　did　you　ever　manage　to　live　so　long？〃　I　said：　〃By　not　falling　for　too　many　gags　and　not　getting　too　much　afraid　of　professional　hard　guys。　Only　a　heel　would　have　done　what　Almore　did；　only　a　heel　and　a　badly　scared　man　who　had　things　on　his　soul　that　wouldn't　stand　daylight。　Technically　he　may　even　have　been　guilty　of　murder。　I　don't　think　the　point　has　ever　been　settled。　Certainly　he　would　have　a　hell　of　a　time　proving　that　she　was　in　such　a　deep　a　that　she　was　beyond　any　possibility　of　help。　But　as　a　practical　matter　of　who　killed　her；　you　know　the　girl　killed　her。〃　Degarmo　laughed。　It　was　a　grating　unpleasant　laugh；　not　only　mirthless；　but　meaningless。
　　We　reached　Foothill　Boulevard　and　turned　east　again。　I　thought　it　was　still　cool；　but　Degarmo　was　sweating。　He　couldn't　take　his　coat　off　because　of　the　gun　under　his　arm。
　　I　said：　〃The　girl；　Mildred　Haviland；　was　playing　house　with　Almore　and　his　wife　knew　it。　She　had　threatened　him。　I　got　that　from　her　parents。　The　girl；　Mildred　Haviland；　knew　all　about　morphine　and　where　to　get　all　of　it　she　needed　and　how　much　to　use。　She　was　alone　in　the　house　with　Florence　Almore；　after　she　put　her　to　bed。　She　was　in　a　perfect　spot　to　load　a　needle　with　four　or　five　grains　and　shoot　it　into　an　unconscious　woman　through　the　same　puncture　Almore　had　already　made。　She　would　die；　perhaps　while　Almore　was　still　out　of　the　house；　and　he　would　e　home　and　find　her　dead。　The　problem　would　be　his。　He　would　have　to　solve　it。　Nobody　would　believe　anybody　else　had　doped　his　wife　to　death。　Nobody　that　didn't　know　all　the　circumstances。　But　you　knew。　I'd　have　to　think　you　much　more　of　a　damn　fool　than　I　think　you　are　to　believe　you　didn't　know。　You　covered　the　girl　up。　You　were　in　love　with　her　still。　You　scared　her　out　of　town；　out　of　danger；　out　of　reach；　but　you　covered　up　for　her。　You　let　the　murder　ride。　She　had　you　that　way。　Why　did　you　go　up　to　the　mountains　looking　for　her？〃
　　〃And　how　did　I　know　where　to　look？〃　he　said　harshly。　〃It　wouldn't　bother　you　to　add　an　explanation　of　that；　would　it？〃
　　〃Not　at　all；〃　I　said。　〃She　got　sick　of　Bill　Chess　and　his　boozing　and　his　tempers　and　his　down…at…heels　living。　But　she　had　to　have　money　to　make　a　break。　She　thought　she　was　safe　now；　that　she　had　something　on　Almore　that　was　safe　to　use。　So　she　wrote　him　for　money。　He　sent　you　up　to　talk　to　her。　She　didn't　tell　Almore　what　her　present　name　was　or　any　details　or　where　or　how　she　was　living。　A　letter　addressed　to　Mildred　Haviland　at　Puma　Point　would　reach　her。　All　she　had　to　do　was　ask　for　it。　But　no　letter　came　and　nobody　connected　her　with　Mildred　Haviland。　All　you　had　was　an　old　photo　and　your　usual　bad　manners；　and　they　didn't　get　you　anywhere　with　those　people。〃　Degarmo　said　gratingly：　〃Who　told　you　she　tried　to　get　money　from　Almore？〃
　　〃Nobody。　I　had　to　think　of　something　to　fit　what　happened。　If　Lavery　or　Mrs。　Kingsley　had　known　who　Muriel　Chess　had　been；　and　had　tipped　it　off；　you　would　have　known　where　to　find　her　and　what　name　she　was　using。　You　didn't　know　those　things。　Therefore　the　lead　had　to　e　from　the　only　person　up　there　who　knew　who　she　was；　and　that　was　herself。　So　I　assume　she　wrote　to　Almore。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Let's　forget　it。　It　doesn't　make　any　difference　any　more　now。　If　I'm　in　a　jam；　that's　my　business。　I'd　do　it　again；　in　the　same　circumstances。〃
　　〃That's　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　not　planning　to　put　the　bite　on　anybody　myself。　Not　even　on　you。　I'm　telling　you　this　mostly　so　you　won't　try　to　hang　any　murders　on　Kingsley　that　don't　belong　on　him。　If　there　is　one　that　does；　let　it　hang。〃
　　〃Is　that　why　you're　telling　me？〃　he　asked。
　　〃Yeah。〃
　　〃I　thought　maybe　it　was　because　you　hated　my　guts；〃　he　said。
　　〃I'm　all　done　with　hating　you；〃　I　said。　〃It's　all　washed　out　of　me。　I　hate…　people　hard；　but　I　don't　h