raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第19节

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　 He　tapped　on　his　knee　and　watched　me　with　a　quiet　up　from　under　look。　Not　hostile；　not　even　suspicious。　Just　a　quiet　man　doing　his　job。
　 〃Like　this。　You're　on　a　job。　We　don't　know　what　it　is。　Phillips　was　playing　at　being　a　private　dick。　He　was　on　a　job。　He　tailed　you　around。　How　can　we　know；　unless　you　tell　us；　that　his　job　and　your　job　don't　tie　in　somewhere？　And　if　they　do；　that's　our　business。　Right？〃
　 〃That's　one　way　to　look　at　it；〃　I　said。　〃But　it's　not　the　only　way；　and　it's　not　my　way。〃
　 〃Don't　forget　this　is　a　murder　case；　Marlowe。〃
　 〃I'm　not。　But　don't　you　forget　I've　been　around　this　town　a　long　time；　more　than　fifteen　years。　I've　seen　a　lot　of　murder　cases　e　and　go。　Some　have　been　solved；　some　couldn't　be　solved；　and　some　could　have　been　solved　that　were　not　solved。　And　one　or　two　or　three　of　them　have　been　solved　wrong。　Somebody　was　paid　to　take　a　rap；　and　the　chances　are　it　was　known　or　strongly　suspected。　And　winked　at。　But　skip　that。　It　happens；　but　not　often。　Consider　a　case　like　the　Cassidy　case。　I　guess　you　remember　it；　don't　you？〃
　 Breeze　looked　at　his　watch。　〃I'm　tired；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　forget　the　Cassidy　case。　Let's　stick　to　the　Phillips　case。〃
　 I　shook　my　head。　〃I'm　going　to　make　a　point；　and　it's　an　important　point。　Just　look　at　the　Cassidy　case。　Cassidy　was　a　very　rich　man；　a　multimillionaire。　He　had　a　grown　up　son。　One　night　the　cops　were　called　to　his　home　and　young　Cassidy　was　on　his　back　on　the　floor　with　blood　all　over　his　face　and　a　bullet　hole　in　the　side　of　his　head。　His　secretary　was　lying　on　his　back　in　an　adjoining　bathroom；　with　his　head　against　the　second　bathroom　door；　leading　to　a　hail；　and　a　cigarette　burned　out　between　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand；　just　a　short　burned　out　stub　that　had　scorched　the　skin　between　his　fingers。　A　gun　was　lying　by　his　right　hand。　He　was　shot　in　the　head；　not　a　contact　wound。　A　lot　of　drinking　had　been　done。　Four　hours　had　elapsed　since　the　deaths　and　the　family　doctor　had　been　there　for　three　of　them。　Now；　what　did　you　do　with　the　Cassidy　case？〃
　 Breeze　sighed。　〃Murder　and　suicide　during　a　drinking　spree。　The　secretary　went　haywire　and　shot　young　Cassidy。　I　read　it　in　the　papers　or　something。　Is　that　what　you　want　me　to　say？〃
　 〃You　read　it　in　the　papers；〃　I　said；　〃but　it　wasn't　so。　What's　more　you　knew　it　wasn't　so　and　the　D。A。　knew　it　wasn't　so　and　the　D。A。's　investigators　were　pulled　off　the　case　within　a　matter　of　hours。　There　was　no　inquest。　But　every　crime　reporter　in　town　and　every　cop　on　every　homicide　detail　knew　it　was　Cassidy　that　did　the　shooting；　that　it　was　Cassidy　that　was　crazy　drunk；　that　it　was　the　secretary　who　tried　to　handle　him　and　couldn't　and　at　last　tried　to　get　away　from　him；　but　wasn't　quick　enough。　Cassidy's　was　a　contact　wound　and　the　secretary's　was　not。　The　secretary　was　left…handed　and　he　had　a　cigarette　in　his　left　hand　when　he　was　shot。　Even　if　you　are　right…handed；　you　don't　change　a　cigarette　over　to　your　other　hand　and　shoot　a　man　while　casually　holding　the　cigarette。　They　might　do　that　on　Gang　Busters；　but　rich　men's　secretaries　don't　do　it。　And　what　were　the　family　and　the　family　doctor　doing　during　the　four　hours　they　didn't　call　the　cops？　Fixing　it　so　there　would　only　be　a　superficial　investigation。　And　why　were　no　tests　of　the　hands　made　for　nitrates？　Because　you　didn't　want　the　truth。　Cassidy　was　too　big。　But　this　was　a　murder　case　too；　wasn't　it？〃
　 〃The　guys　were　both　dead；〃　Breeze　said。　〃What　the　hell　difference　did　it　make　who　shot　who？〃
　 〃Did　you　ever　stop　to　think；〃　I　asked；　〃that　Cassidy's　secretary　might　have　had　a　mother　or　a　sister　or　a　sweetheartor　all　three？　That　they　had　their　pride　and　their　faith　and　their　love　for　a　kid　who　was　made　out　to　be　a　drunken　paranoiac　because　his　boss's　father　had　a　hundred　million　dollars？〃
　 Breeze　lifted　his　glass　slowly　and　finished　his　drink　slowly　and　put　it　down　slowly　and　turned　the　glass　slowly　on　the　glass　top　of　the　cocktail　table。　Spangler　sat　rigid；　all　shining　eyes　and　lips　parted　in　a　sort　of　rigid　half　smile。
　 Breeze　said：　〃Make　your　point。〃
　 I　said：　〃Until　you　guys　own　your　own　souls　you　don't　own　mine。　Until　you　guys　can　be　trusted　every　time　and　always；　in　all　times　and　conditions；　to　seek　the　truth　out　and　find　it　and　let　the　chips　fall　where　they　mayuntil　that　time　es；　I　have　a　right　to　listen　to　my　conscience；　and　protect　my　client　the　best　way　I　can。　Until　I'm　sure　you　won't　do　him　more　harm　than　you'll　do　the　truth　good。　Or　until　I'm　hauled　before　somebody　that　can　make　me　talk。〃
　 Breeze　said：　〃You　sound　to　me　just　a　little　like　a　guy　who　is　trying　to　hold　his　conscience　down。〃
　 〃Hell；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　have　another　drink。　And　then　you　can　tell　me　about　that　girl　you　had　me　talk　to　on　the　phone。〃
　 He　grinned：　〃That　was　a　dame　that　lives　next　door　to　Phillips。　She　heard　a　guy　talking　to　him　at　the　door　one　evening。　She　works　days　as　an　usherette。　So　we　thought　maybe　she　ought　to　hear　your　voice。　Think　nothing　of　it。〃
　 〃What　kind　of　voice　was　it？〃
　 〃Kind　of　a　mean　voice。　She　said　she　didn't　like　it。〃
　 〃I　guess　that's　what　made　you　think　of　me；〃　I　said。　I　picked　up　the　three　glasses　and　went　out　to　the　kitchen　with　them。
　
　
　16
　
　 When　I　got　out　there　I　had　forgotten　which　glass　was　which；　so　I　rinsed　them　all　out　and　dried　them　and　was　starting　to　make　more　drinks　when　Spangler　strolled　out　and　stood　just　behind　my　shoulder。
　 〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　not　using　any　cyanide　this　evening。〃
　 〃Don't　get　too　foxy　with　the　old　guy；〃　he　said　quietly　to　the　back　of　my　neck。　〃He　knows　more　angles　than　you　think。〃
　 〃Nice　of　you；〃　I　said。
　 〃Say；　I'd　like　to　read　up　on　that　Cassidy　case；〃　he　said。　〃Sounds　interesting。　Must　have　been　before　my　time。〃
　 〃It　was　a　long　time　ago；〃　I　said。　〃And　it　never　happened。　I　was　just　kidding。〃　I　put　the　glasses　on　the　tray　and　carried　them　back　into　the　living　room　and　set　them　around。　I　took　mine　over　to　my　chair　behind　the　chess　table。
　 〃Another　phony；〃　I　said。　〃Your　sidekick　sneaks　out　to　the　kitchen　and　gives　me　advice　behind　your　back　about　how　careful　I　ought　to　keep　on　account　of　the　angles　you　know　that　I　don't　think　you　know。　He　has　just　the　right　face　for　it。　Friendly　and　open　and　an　easy　blusher。〃
　 Spangler　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　his　chair　and　blushed。　Breeze　looked　at　him　casually；　without　meaning。
　 〃What　did　you　find　out　about　Phillips？〃　I　asked。
　 〃Yes；〃　Breeze　said。　〃Phillips。　Well；　George　Anson　Phillips　is　a　kind　of　pathetic　case。　He　thought　he　was　a　detective；　but　it　looks　as　if　he　couldn't　get　anybody　to　agree　with　him。　I　talked　to　the　sheriff　at　Ventura。　He　said　George　was　a　nice　kind；　maybe　a　little　too　nice　to　make　a　good　cop；　even　if　he　had　any　brains。　George　did　what　they　said　and　he　would　do　it　pretty　well；　provided　they　told　him　which　foot　to　start　on　and　how　many　steps　to　take　which　way　and　little　things　like　that。　But　he　didn't　develop　much；　if　you　get　what　I　mean。　He　was　the　sort　of　cop　who　would　be　likely　to　hang　a　pinch　on　a　chicken　thief；　if　he　saw　the　guy　steal　the　chicken　and　the　guy　fell　down　running　away　and　hit　his　head　on　a　post　or　something　and　knocked　himself　out。　Otherwise　it　might　get　a　little　tough　and　George　would　have　to　go　back　to　the　office　for　instructions。　Well；　it　wore　the　sheriff　down　after　a　while　and　he　let　George　go。〃
　 Breeze　drank　some　more　of　his　drink　and　scratched　his　chin　with　a　thumbnail　like　the　blade　of　a　shovel。
　 〃After　that　George　worked　in　a　general　store　at　Simi　for　a　man　named　Sutcliff。　It　was　a　credit　business　with　little　books　for　each　customer　and　George　would　have　trouble　with　the　books。　He　would　forget　to　write　the　stuff　down　or　write　it　in　the　wrong　book　and　some　of　the　customers　would　straighten　him　out　and　some　would　let　George　forget。　So　Sutcliff　thought　maybe　George　would　do　better　at　something　else；　and　George　came　to　L。A。　He　had　e　into　a　little　money；　not　much；　but　enough　for　him　to　get　a　license　and　put　up　a　bond　and　get　himself　a　piece　of　an　office。　I　was　over　there。　What　he　had　was　desk　room　with　another　guy　who　claims　he　is　selling　Christmas　cards。　Name　of　Marsh。　If　George　had　a　customer；　the　arrangement　was　Marsh　would　go　for　a　walk。　Marsh　says　he　didn't　know　where　George　lived　and　George　didn't　have　any　customers。　That　is；　no　business　came　into　the　office　that　Marsh　knows　about。　But　George　put　an　ad　in　the　paper　and　he　might　have　got　a　customer　out　of　that。　I　guess　he　did；　because　about　a　week　ago　Marsh　found　a　note　on　his　desk　that　George　would　be　out　of　town　for　a　few　days。　That's　the　last　he　heard　of　him。　So　George　went　over　to　Court　Street　and　took　an　apartment　under　the　name　of　Anson　and　got　bumped　off。　And　that's　all　we　know　about　George　so　far。　Kind　of　a　pathetic　case。〃
　 He　looked　at　me　with　a　level　uncurious　gaze　and　raised　his　glass　to　his　lips。
　 〃What　about　this　ad？〃
　 Breeze　put　the　glass　down　and　dug　a　thin　piece　of　paper　out　of　his　wallet　and　put　it　down　on　the　cocktail　table。　I　went　over　and　picked　it　up　and　read　it。　It　said：
　 Why　worry？　Why　be　doubtful　or　confused？　Why　be　gnawed　by　suspicion？　Consult　cool；　careful；　confidential；　discreet　investigator。　George　Anson　Phillips。　Glenview　9521。
　 I　put　it　down　on　the　glass　again。
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