rs.inthebestfamelies-第18部分

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　　A　brief　silence。　He　spoke　again。　〃I've　heard　about　you　a　little。　What　kind　of　a　guy　are　you？〃
　　〃Oh…I'm　a　thinker　too；　and　I'm　cultured。　I　got　good　marks　in　algebra。　I　sleep　well。　I'm　honest　and　ambitious；　with　a　good　personality。〃
　　〃You　know　your　way　around。〃
　　〃In　certain　circles；　yes。　It　would　be　hard　to　lose　me　within　ten　miles　of　Times　Square　unless　I　was　blindfolded。　What　are　the　requirements　of　the　position　you　are　about　to　offer？〃
　　He　ignored　that　and　took　another　angle。　〃My　name　is　Christy…Max　Christy。　Ever　hear　of　me？〃
　　If　I　had　it　was　vague；　but　I　saw　no　point　in　hurting　his　feelings。　〃Max　Christy？〃　I　snorted。　〃Don't　be　silly。〃
　　〃I　thought　you　might　have。　I've　only　been　around　the　big　town　a　couple　of　years；　and　I　don't　toot　a　horn；　but　some　people　get　talked　about。　How　much　has　Wolfe　been　paying　you？〃
　　〃That's　asking；〃　I　objected　mildly。　〃I　wouldn't　want　it　to　get　in　the　papers。　I've　been　eating　all　right　and　I've　got　a　government　bond。　Anything　over…〃
　　Footsteps　in　the　corridor　stopped　at　our　door；　and　the　turnkey's　voice　came。　〃Mr。　Christy！　They　want　you　down　in　the　office。〃
　　My　mate　stayed　flat。　〃e　back　in　ten　minutes；　Wilkes；〃　he　called。　〃I'm　busy。〃
　　I　confirmed　it。　〃We're　in　conference；　Wilkes；〃　I　snapped。
　　〃But　I　think　it's　your　out。〃
　　〃I　suppose　so。　e　back　in　ten　minutes。〃
　　Wilkes；　mumbling　something；　went　away。　Christy　resumed。　〃You　were　saying　。　。　。〃
　　〃Yeah。　That　anything　over　fifty　grand　a　year　would　find　me　a　good　listener。〃
　　〃I'm　being　serious；　Goodwin。〃
　　〃So　am　I〃
　　〃You　are　not。　You　never　got　within　a　mile　of　fifty　grand　a　year。〃　His　head　was　turned　to　face　me　now。　〃Anyway；　it's　not　a　question　of　so　many　grand　a　year…not　in　this　business。〃
　　〃In　what　business？〃
　　〃The　business　I'm　in。　What　did　I　say　my　name　is？〃
　　〃Max　Christy。〃
　　〃Then　what　more　do　you　want？　Take　my　being　here　now；　for　example。　I　got　raked　in　at　the　Covered　Porch　yesterday　by　mistake；　but　I　would　have　been　loose　in　an　hour　if　it　hadn't　been　Sunday…and　Easter　too。　Here　it　is〃…he　looked　at　his　wrist…〃not　quite　noon；　and　I'm　walking　out。　There　has　never　been　an　organization　to　pare　with　it。　For　a　man　like　you　there　would　be　special　jobs　and　special　opportunities　if　you　once　got　taken　in。　With　your　record；　which　is　bad　as　far　as　I　know　it；　that　would　take　a　while。　You　would　have　to　show；　and　show　good。　Your　idea　about　so　many　grand　a　year　just　isn't　realistic；　certainly　not　while　you're　being　tried；　but　after　that　it　would　depend　on　you。　If　you've　got　it　in　you　there's　practically　no　limit。　Another　thing　is　ine　tax。〃
　　〃Yeah；　what　about　ine　tax？〃
　　〃You　simply　use　your　judgment。　Say　Wolfe　paid　you　thirty　grand　a　year；　which　he　didn't；　nothing　like　it；　what　did　you　have　to　say　about　ine　tax？　Nothing。　It　was　taken　out　before　you　got　paid…　You　never　even　saw　it。　In　this　business　you　make　your　own　decisions　about　it。　You　want　to　be　fair；　and　you　want　to　be　in　the　clear；　but　you　don't　want　to　get　gypped；　and　on　that　basis　you　use　your　judgment。〃
　　Christy　raised　his　torso　and　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　cot。　〃You　know；　Goodwin；　I'm　just　tossing　this　at　you　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。　I　laid　here　reading　about　you；　and　I　thought　to　myself；　here's　a　man　the　right　age　and　experience；　not　married；　the　right　personality；　he　knows　people；　he　knows　lots　of　cops；　he　has　been　a　private　eye　for　years　and　so　he　would　be　open　to　anything　that　sounds　good　enough；　he　is　just　out　of　a　job；　he's　got　himself　tangled　in　a　hot　homicide　here　in　Westchester；　and　he　may　need　help　right　now。　That's　what　I　was　thinking；　and　I　thought　why　not　ask　him？　I　can't　guarantee　anything；　especially　if　you're　headed　for　a　murder　rap；　but　if　you　need　help　now　and　then　later　on　you　would　like　a　chance　at　something；　I'm　Max　Christy　and　I　could　pass　the　word　along。　If　you…〃
　　He　paused　at　the　sound　of　footsteps。　Wilkes's　voice　came　from　the　door。
　　〃They　want　you　down　there；　Mr。　Christy。　I　told　them　you　was　busy　personally；　but　they're　sending　up。〃
　　〃All　right；　Wilkes。　ing。〃　My　mate　stood　up。　〃What　about　it；　Goodwin？〃
　　〃I　appreciate　it；〃　I　said　warmly。　Wilkes；　having　unlocked　the　door；　was　standing　there；　and；　using　my　judgment；　I　kept　it　discreet。　〃When　I　get　out　and　look　around　a　little　I'll　know　better　how　things　stand。〃　I　had　got　to　my　feet。　〃How　do　I　get　in　touch　with　you？〃
　　〃Phone　is　best。　Churchill　five；　three　two　three　two。　I'm　not　there　much；　but　a　message　will　reach　me　promptly。　Better　write　it　down。〃
　　〃I'll　remember　it。〃　I　took　his　offered　hand　and　we　shook。　〃It's　been　a　pleasure。　Where　can　I　mail　a　check　for　the　breakfast？〃
　　〃Forget　it。　It　was　a　privilege。　Be　seeing　you；　I　hope。〃　He　strode　out　like　an　executive　going　to　greet　a　wele　caller；　Wilkes　holding　the　door　for　him。
　　I　sat　down　on　the　cot；　thinking　it　was　a　hell　of　a　note　for　a　Max　Christy　to　get　sprung　before　an　Archie　Goodwin。　What　was　keeping　Parker？　In　jail　a　man　gets　impatient。
　　
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　　IT　WAS　seven　o'clock　that　evening；　just　getting　dark；　when　I　left　the　car　at　the　curb　on　West　35th　Street　in　front　of　Wolfe's　house　and　climbed　the　seven　steps　to　the　stoop。　Parker；　armed　with　papers　which　stated；　among　other　things；　that　my　continued　availability　to　the　People　of　the　State　of　New　York　was　worth　ten　thousand　dollars；　had　arrived　at　the　jail　shortly　after　two；　and　in　another　ten　minutes　I　had　been　unleashed　on　society　again；　but　District　Attorney　Archer　had　requested　another　session　with　me　in　the　presence　of　my　attorney；　and　Parker　and　I　had　obliged。　It　had　dragged　on　and　on；　and　was　really　a　bore；　because　there　was　nothing　for　me　to　try　to　be　witty　about。　Unlike　some　other　occasions　when　I　had　been　in　conference　with　the　law；　there　was　nothing　to　stimulate　me　because　all　I　had　to　do　was　tell　the　truth；　and　all　of　it…except　the　sausage　part　and　the　phone　call　from　Arnold　Zeck。
　　When　they　had　finally　called　it　a　day　and　Parker　and　I　were　standing　on　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　the　courthouse；　he　asked　me；　〃Am　I　to　know　where　Wolfe　is？〃
　　〃I　doubt　it。　He　told　me　not　to　look　for　him。〃
　　〃I　see。〃
　　His　tone　of　voice　irritated　me。　〃Every　word　you　heard　me　say　in　there；〃　I　asserted；　〃was　the　truth。　I　haven't　the　thinnest　idea　where　he　is　or　what　he's　doing。〃
　　He　shrugged。　〃I'm　not　plaining。　I　only　hope　he　hasn't　tumbled　in　where　it's　too　deep　this　time…and　you　too。〃
　　〃Go　to　hell；〃　I　advised　him；　and　marched　off。　I　couldn't　really　blame　the　Westchester　bunch；　but　Parker　should　have　known　me　well　enough　to　tell　which　side　of　my　mouth　I　was　talking　out　of。　It's　damn　discouraging；　when　you　do　tell　the　truth；　not　to　have　it　recognized。
　　Also　discouraging　was　the　wele　I　got　on　entering　Wolfe's　house　that　evening。　It　was　in　the　form　of　a　note　stuck　in　the　corner　of　my　desk　blotter；　unfolded。
　　Dear　Archie…
　　I　am　sorry　you　are　in　jail　and　hope　it　will　not　last　long。　Mr。　Vukcic　has　been　to　see　me　and　I　am　leaving　now　to　go　to　work　for　him　1500…　There　has　been　no　word　from　Mr。　Wolte。　God　grant　he　is　safe　and　well　and　I　think　you　should　find　him　no　matter　what　he　wrote。　I　threw　out　the　jar　of　sardines　and　stopped　the　milk。　My　very　best　regards　and　wishes；　Fritz　1：35　PM
　　
　　I　was　pleased　to　observe　that　he　stuck　to　routine　to　the　end；　putting　the　time　down。　Also　it　was　nice　of　him　to　end　his　note　to　me　the　same　as　Wolfe　had　ended　his。　Nevertheless；　it　was　a　discouraging　wele　home　after　a　night　in　the　hoosegow。　And　there　had　been　a　period　of　more　than　five　hours　when　any　phone　calls　that　might　have　e　would　not　have　been　answered；　something　that　had　never　happened　before　in　all　the　years　I　had　worked　and　lived　there。　Unless　Theodore　。　。　。
　　I　beat　it　to　the　stairs　and　up　the　three　flights；　and　entered　the　plant　rooMs。One　step　inside　the　first　room；　the　warm　one；　I　stopped　and　surveyed。　It　was　more　of　a　shock；　somehow；　than　it　had　been　a　year　ago　when　it　had　been　used　as　a　target　for　tommy　guns　from　across　the　street。　Then　they　had　at　least　left　a　mess；　now　there　was　nothing　but　the　benches　and　stands。　It　really　got　me　for　a　minute。　I　moved　on　through：　medium　room；　cool　room；　potting　room；　spray　chamber；　Theodore's　room…all　empty。　Hewitt　must　have　sent　an　army　to　dean　all　that