rs.toomanywomen-第38部分

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poiling　it。
　　At　least　it　wasn't　laziness。　He　was　really　working。　With　a　minimum　of　pestering　from　me　he　agreed　that　the　executives　and　directors　required　some　attention；　and　even　took　my　advice　where　to　begin；　so　I　had　the　satisfaction；　Thursday　morning；　of　putting　the　bee　on　Emmet　Ferguson。　At　first　he　was　going　to　sneer　me　right　off　the　phone；　but　a　few　well…chosen　dirty　insinuations　put　him　where　he　belonged；　and　at　two　o'clock　he　came　tearing　into　Wolfe's　office　with　his　ten…dollar　Sulka　tie　off　center；　full　of　words　and　ready　for　war。　Wolfe　spent　two　hours　on　him；　and　when　he　finally　tore　out　again　two　things　were　perfectly　plain：　one；　Ferguson　would　always　vote　against　hiring　Wolfe　or　me　by　anyone　for　anything；　at　any　time；　and　two；　if　Wolfe　and　I　should　run　short　on　morals　and　resort　to　a　frame　for　the　murders；　we　would　heartily　agree　on　who　to　pick　for　the　victim。
　　I　would　say　that　probably　nobody　engaged　with　the　investigation　of　Naylor's　death　got　a　single　thing　out　of　that　whole　week；　except　me。　Not　only　were　there　those　opportunities　to　study　women；　which　any　detective　under　eighty　should　be　glad　to　have；　at　the　client's　expense；　but　also　I　got　season　tickets　for　both　the　Giants　and　the　Yankees。　And　not　by　mail　or　messenger；　Cecily　brought　them　herself。　When　I　got　home　Thursday　after　midnight　I　found　Wolfe　still　up；　reading　apparently　only　one　book；　at　his　desk　in　the　office。
　　He　grunted　at　me。　〃Where　have　you　been？〃
　　〃I　told　you　where　I　was　going。　With　Rosa。　At　one　time；　months　ago　it　seems；　I　thought　she　thought　her　husband　killed　Moore；　but　I'm　beginning　to　think　she　did　it　herself。　She　has　a　great　deal　of　vitality。〃
　　He　shuddered。　〃The　plant　records　are　getting　badly　behind　and　Theodore　needs　them。〃
　　〃They　sure　are；〃　I　agreed。　〃I　can't　help　it　if　this　case　is　so　tough　that　I　have　to　work　days　and　nights　both。〃　I　yawned。　〃You　got　me　that　job　down　there。　You　told　me　to　use　my　organs　as　the　occasion　suggests　and　my　capacities　permit。〃　I　yawned。　〃I　guess　I'll　go　to　bed。〃
　　〃No。　Mrs。　Pine　is　ing。　She　telephoned　that　she　wants　to　give　you　your　baseball　tickets　and　I　told　her　you　would　be　home　shortly。〃
　　〃My　God。　Shouldn't　you…let　us　be　alone？〃
　　〃No。　I　want　to　see　her。　Anyhow；　that's　what　she　really　wants。　Why　the　devil　should　she　want　to　give　you　baseball　tickets？〃
　　That；　it　seemed　to　me；　called　for　an　argument；　and　I　sat　down　to　give　it　my　attention；　but　before　I　got　a　word　out　I　had　to　get　up　again　because　the　doorbell　rang。　I　went　down　the　hall；　glanced　through　the　one…way　panel；　opened　the　door；　and　invited　her　in。
　　She　put　out　a　hand　and　exchanged　a　firm　friendly　clasp　with　me；　gave　me　a　warm　wholesome　smile；　looked　searchingly　at　my　face　and　nodded…to　herself；　not　to　me…and　said　cheerfully：
　　〃I　could　see　you　would　be　like　that　even　when　you　were　all　red　and　bruised。　Is　that　fat　man　in　there？　I'd　like　to　see　him。〃
　　Without　waiting　for　clearance　she　was　on　her　way；　and　I　followed　her　down　the　hall　and　into　the　office。　She　offered　no　hand　to　Wolfe；　only　a　polite　nod　with　a　good　evening；　and　took　the　straight…backed　chair　she　had　used　before；　after　I　had　moved　it　up　for　her。
　　〃I　surmised；　madam；〃　Wolfe　said　peevishly；　〃that　you　wished　to　see　me　as　well　as　Mr。　Goodwin。〃
　　〃Not　particularly；〃　she　declared。　〃Except　that　it　is　always　a　satisfaction　to　remind　a　man…especially　a　conceited　one　like　you　…that　I　was　right。　If　you　had　done　what　I　asked　you　to　my　brother　would　not　have　been　killed。〃
　　〃Pah。　He　wouldn't？〃
　　〃Certainly　not。〃　Mrs。　Pine　looked　at　me。　〃You　know　perfectly　well；　Archie；　that　you　are　responsible；　spreading　it　around　that　he　told　you　he　knew　who　killed　Waldo　Moore。　If　you　had　stayed　away　from　there　as　I　wanted　you　to　it　wouldn't　have　happened。　Not　that　you're　to　blame；　since　you　work　for　this　Mr。　Wolfe　and　have　to　do　what　he　tells　you　to。〃　She　smiled　at　me。　〃Oh；　here　are　those　tickets。〃　She　opened　her　bag；　a　medium…sized　embroidered　thing　with　a　gold　frame；　fingered　in　it；　and　produced　an　envelope。　I　crossed　to　get　it；　and　thanked　her；　trying　to　speak　like　a　pet。　She　asked　if　I　would　dispose　of　her　wrap；　and　I　took　it…this　time　it　was　chinchilla…and　put　it　on　the　couch。　Apparently　she　was　in　mourning；　as　her　gray　and　black　dress　covered　a　lot　of　pink　skin　that　had　been　visible　the　other　time。
　　〃I　doubt；〃　Wolfe　muttered；　〃if　that　conclusion　is　sound。　Your　brother　had　adopted　a　policy　of　jaunty　indiscretion　long　before　Mr　Goodwin　got　there。　Besides；　you　said　last　week　that　Mr。　Moore's　death　was　accidental。　Now　you're　assuming　that　he　was　murdered　and　that　the　murderer　killed　your　brother　to　anticipate　disclosure。　You　can't　have　it　both　ways；　madam。〃
　　He　was　wasting　logic　on　her　again。
　　She　pletely　ignored　it。　〃My　brother　jaunty？　Good　lord！〃　She　added；　〃The　funeral　was　yesterday。〃
　　Whether　she　was　merely　stating　a　deplorable　fact；　or　whether　she　meant　to　imply　that　it　was　up　to　us　to　have　the　funeral　repealed　or　nullified；　there　was　no　way　of　telling。　Evidently　it　was　the　former；　for　she　didn't　follow　through　on　it；　but　sent　me　an　unsmiling　glance。
　　〃You　see；　Archie；　this　wouldn't　have　happened　if　you　had　taken　my　suggestion　and　quit　working　for　him　and　started　your　own　business。　How　much　will　it　cost？〃
　　〃Eleven　thousand；　four　hundred　and　sixty…five　dollars；〃　I　told　her。
　　〃That　much？〃
　　〃Yeah；　inflation。〃
　　〃It　seems　high；　but　we'll　see。〃　She　switched　back　to　Wolfe。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃
　　〃I　have　engaged；〃　he　said；　〃to　catch　the　murderer　of　your　brother。〃
　　〃I　know　you　have；　but　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　　〃Catch　him。　Or　her。〃　Wolfe　wiggled　a　finger　at　her。　〃Now；　madam；　wouldn't　you　like　to　help？〃
　　〃No；〃　she　said　decisively。　〃I　am　not　vindictive。〃　She　glanced　over　her　shoulder。　〃Will　you　close　that　door；　Archie？　Or　bring　me　my　wrap？〃
　　Preferring　the　door　idea；　I　went　and　closed　it。
　　Meanwhile　she　was　going　on；　〃The　police　have　been　asking　about　the　relationship　between　my　brother　and　me；　which　is　impertinent　and　ridiculous。　One　of　them；　a　vulgar　little　bald　man；　openly　resented　it　because　I　am　not　prostrated　with　grief！　Actually　I　was　extremely　fond　of　my　brother；　but　my　feelings　about　him　and　about　his　death　are　my　private　affair　and　concern　no　one　else。　The　wish　that　was　dearest　to　him；　the　wish　to　bee　the　active　directing　head　of　the　firm　our　father　founded；　was　utterly　hopeless　because　he　wasn't　fitted　for　it。　He　should　have　been　either　a　policeman　or　a　fireman…that　was　what　he　wanted　when　he　was　a　little　boy。　You　can't　make　him　a　policeman　or　a　fireman　by　finding　out　who　killed　him。　Anyway；　I　don't　think　he　was　killed…not　deliberately。　I　think　it　was　an　accident。　What　do　you　think；　Archie？〃
　　〃I　think　what　you　do；　Mrs。　Pine。〃　I　gave　her　a　personalized　grin。　〃I　mean　what　you　think；　not　what　you　say　you　think。　If　you're　leading　up　to　a　cash　offer　for　proof　that　it　was　an　accident；　forget　it；　no　one　could　deliver；　not　even　us。　Is　that　what　you　came　for？〃
　　〃No。〃　She　smiled　at　me。　〃Those　tickets　came　today　and　I　wanted　to　get　them　to　you；　and　I　wanted　to　see　how　your　face　looks。〃　She　was　leaning　forward　to　see　me　better。　〃You　must　have　extremely　good　blood；　to　heal　so　rapidly。　How　old　are　you？〃
　　〃Thirty…three。〃
　　〃Wonderful！　Men　in　their　twenties　are　so　raw。　Have　you　got　a　list　of　that　eleven　thousand；　four　hundred　and　sixty…five　dollars？〃
　　Wolfe　made　an　emphatic　sound　without　words；　arose；　told　the　visitor　good　evening；　and　left　the　room。　In　a　moment　we　heard　the　opening　and　closing　of　the　door　of　his　elevator。
　　〃There　is　no　list；〃　I　said　in　a　hurt　tone。　〃If　your　trust　in　me　is　so　shaky　that　you　have　to　see　lists。。。And　speaking　of　my　blood；　it　ought　to　be　good；　since　I'm　half　gypsy。〃　I　crossed　to　her　and　put　a　hand　on　her　shoulder。　〃That's　why　I　can　understand　things；　without　knowing　exactly　how；　that　even　Mr。　Wolfe　can't　understand。　About　these　two　deaths；　Waldo　Moore　and　your　brother…〃
　　She　began　to　laugh；　a　real　laugh；　from　her　throat　and　on　out。
　　〃You　certainly　don't　understand　me！〃　she　declared；　and　laughed　some　more。　〃Your　father's　name　is　James　Arner　Goodwin；　and　you　were　born　in　Canton；　Ohio；　in　nineteen…fourteen。　Your　mother's　maiden　name　was　L