raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第39节

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　 〃How　did　you　know　that？〃　he　almost　whispered。
　 〃I　found　out。　Some　I　was　told；　some　I　researched；　some　I　guessed。　I'll　get　to　that　later。　Now　Vannier　and　his　pal　have　made　a　doubloon　and　they　want　to　try　it　out。　They　wanted　to　know　their　merchandise　would　stand　up　under　inspection　by　a　man　supposed　to　know　rare　coins。　So　Vannier　had　the　idea　of　hiring　a　sucker　and　getting　him　to　try　to　sell　the　counterfeit　to　old　Morningstar；　cheap　enough　so　the　old　guy　would　think　it　was　stolen。　They　picked　George　Phillips　for　their　sucker；　through　a　silly　ad　he　was　running　in　the　paper　for　business。　I　think　Lois　Morny　was　Vannier's　contact　with　Phillips；　at　first　anyway。　I　don't　think　she　was　in　the　racket。　She　was　seen　to　give　Phillips　a　small　package。　This　package　may　have　contained　the　doubloon　Phillips　was　to　try　to　sell。　But　when　he　showed　it　to　old　Morningstar　he　ran　into　a　snag。　The　old　man　knew　his　coin　collections　and　his　rare　coins。　He　probably　thought　the　coin　was　genuine　enoughit　would　take　a　lot　of　testing　to　show　it　wasn'tbut　the　way　the　maker's　initials　were　stamped　on　the　coin　was　unusual　and　suggested　to　him　that　the　coin　might　be　the　Murdock　Brasher。　He　called　up　here　and　tried　to　find　out。　That　made　your　mother　suspicious　and　the　coin　was　found　to　be　missing　and　she　suspected　Linda；　whom　she　hates；　and　hired　me　to　get　it　back　and　put　the　squeeze　on　Linda　for　a　divorce；　without　alimony。〃
　 〃I　don't　want　a　divorce；〃　Murdock　said　hotly。　〃I　never　had　any　such　idea。　She　had　no　right〃　he　stopped　and　made　a　despairing　gesture　and　a　kind　of　sobbing　sound。
　 〃Okay；　I　know　that。　Well；　old　Morningstar　threw　a　scare　into　Phillips；　who　wasn't　crooked；　just　dumb。　He　managed　to　get　Phillips'　phone　number　out　of　him。　I　heard　the　old　man　call　that　number；　eavesdropping　in　his　office　after　he　thought　I　had　left。　I　had　just　offered　to　buy　the　doubloon　back　for　a　thousand　dollars　and　Morningstar　had　taken　up　the　offer；　thinking　he　could　get　the　coin　from　Phillips；　make　himself　some　money　and　everything　lovely。　Meantime　Phillips　was　watching　this　house；　perhaps　to　see　if　any　cops　were　ing　and　going。　He　saw　me；　saw　my　car；　got　my　name　off　the　registration　and　it　just　happened　he　knew　who　I　was。
　 〃He　followed　me　around　trying　to　make　up　his　mind　to　ask　me　for　help　until　I　braced　him　in　a　downtown　hotel　and　he　mumbled　about　knowing　me　from　a　case　in　Ventura　when　he　was　a　deputy　up　there；　and　about　being　in　a　spot　he　didn't　like　and　about　being　followed　around　by　a　tall　guy　with　a　funny　eye。　That　was　Eddie　Prue；　Morny's　sidewinder。　Morny　knew　his　wife　was　playing　games　with　Vannier　and　had　her　shadowed。　Prue　saw　her　make　contact　with　Phillips　near　where　he　lived　on　Court　Street；　Bunker　Hill；　and　then　followed　Phillips　until　he　thought　Phillips　had　spotted　him；　which　he　had。　And　Prue；　or　somebody　working　for　Morny；　may　have　seen　me　go　to　Phillips'　apartment　on　Court　Street。　Because　he　tried　to　scare　me　over　the　phone　and　later　asked　me　to　e　and　see　Morny。〃
　 I　got　rid　of　my　cigarette　stub　in　the　jade　ashtray；　looked　at　the　bleak　unhappy　face　of　the　man　sitting　opposite　me；　and　plowed　on。　It　was　heavy　going；　and　the　sound　of　my　voice　was　beginning　to　sicken　me。
　 〃Now　we　e　back　to　you。　When　Merle　told　you　your　mother　had　hired　a　dick；　that　threw　a　scare　into　you。　You　figured　she　had　missed　the　doubloon　and　you　came　steaming　up　to　my　office　and　tried　to　pump　me。　Very　debonair；　very　sarcastic　at　first；　very　solicitous　for　your　wife；　but　very　worried。　I　don't　know　what　you　think　you　found　out；　but　you　got　in　touch　with　Vannier。　You　now　had　to　get　the　coin　back　to　your　mother　in　a　hurry；　with　some　kind　of　story。　You　met　Vannier　somewhere　and　he　gave　you　a　doubloon。　Chances　are　it's　another　counterfeit。　He　would　be　likely　to　hang　on　to　the　real　one。　Now　Vannier　sees　his　racket　in　danger　of　blowing　up　before　it　gets　started。　Morningstar　has　called　your　mother　and　I　have　been　hired。　Morningstar　has　spotted　something。　Vannier　goes　down　to　Phillips'　apartment；　sneaks　in　the　back　way；　and　has　it　out　with　Phillips；　trying　to　find　out　where　he　stands。
　 〃Phillips　doesn't　tell　him　he　has　already　sent　the　counterfeit　doubloon　to　me；　addressing　it　in　a　kind　of　printing　afterwards　found　in　a　diary　in　his　office。　I　infer　that　from　the　fact　Vannier　didn't　try　to　get　it　back　from　me。　I　don't　know　what　Phillips　told　Vannier；　of　course；　but　the　chances　are　he　told　him　the　job　was　crooked；　that　he　knew　where　the　coin　came　from；　and　that　he　was　going　to　the　police　or　to　Mrs。　Murdock。　And　Vannier　pulled　a　gun；　knocked　him　on　the　head　and　shot　him。　He　searched　him　and　the　apartment　and　didn't　find　the　doubloon。　So　he　went　to　Morningstar。　Morningstar　didn't　have　the　counterfeit　doubloon　either；　but　Vannier　probably　thought　he　had。　He　cracked　the　old　man's　skull　with　a　gun　butt　and　went　through　his　safe；　perhaps　found　some　money；　perhaps　found　nothing；　at　any　rate　left　the　appearance　of　a　stickup　behind　him。　Then　Mr。　Vannier　breezed　on　home；　still　rather　annoyed　because　he　hadn't　found　the　doubloon；　but　with　the　satisfaction　of　a　good　afternoon's　work　under　his　vest。　A　couple　of　nice　neat　murders。　That　left　you。〃
　
　
　34
　
　 Murdock　flicked　a　strained　look　at　me；　then　his　eyes　went　to　the　black　cigarette　holder　he　still　had　clenched　in　his　hand。　He　tucked　it　in　his　shirt　pocket；　stood　up　suddenly；　ground　the　heels　of　his　hands　together　and　sat　down　again。　He　got　a　handkerchief　out　and　mopped　his　face。
　 〃Why　me？〃　he　asked　in　a　thick　strained　voice。
　 〃You　knew　too　much。　Perhaps　you　knew　about　Phillips；　perhaps　not。　Depends　how　deep　you　were　in　it。　But　you　knew　about　Morningstar。　The　scheme　had　gone　wrong　and　Morningstar　had　been　murdered。　Vannier　couldn't　just　sit　back　and　hope　you　wouldn't　hear　about　that。　He　had　to　shut　your　mouth；　very；　very　tight。　But　he　didn't　have　to　kill　you　to　do　it。　In　fact　killing　you　would　be　a　bad　move。　It　would　break　his　hold　on　your　mother。　She's　a　cold　ruthless　grasping　woman；　but　hurting　you　would　make　a　wildcat　of　her。　She　wouldn't　care　what　happened。〃
　 Murdock　lifted　his　eyes。　He　tried　to　make　them　blank　with　astonishment。　He　only　made　them　dull　and　shocked。
　 〃My　motherwhat？〃
　 〃Don't　kid　me　any　more　than　you　have　to；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　tired　to　death　of　being　kidded　by　the　Murdock　family。　Merle　came　to　my　apartment　this　evening。　She's　there　now。　She　had　been　over　to　Vannier's　house　to　bring　him　some　money。　Blackmail　money。　Money　that　had　been　paid　to　him　off　and　on　for　eight　years。　I　know　why。〃
　 He　didn't　move。　His　hands　were　rigid　with　strain　on　his　knees。　His　eyes　had　almost　disappeared　into　the　back　of　his　head。　They　were　doomed　eyes。
　 〃Merle　found　Vannier　dead。　She　came　to　me　and　said　she　had　killed　him。　Let's　not　go　into　why　she　thinks　she　ought　to　confess　to　other　people's　murders。　I　went　over　there　and　he　had　been　dead　since　last　night。　He　was　as　stiff　as　a　wax　dummy。　There　was　a　gun　lying　on　the　floor　by　his　right　hand。　It　was　a　gun　I　had　heard　described；　a　gun　that　belonged　to　a　man　named　Hench；　in　an　apartment　across　the　hall　from　Phillips'　apartment。　Somebody　ditched　the　gun　that　killed　Phillips　and　took　Hench's　gun。　Hench　and　his　girl　were　drunk　and　left　their　apartment　open。　It's　not　proved　that　it　was　Hench's　gun；　but　it　will　be。　If　it　is　Hench's　gun；　and　Vannier　mitted　suicide；　it　ties　Vannier　to　the　death　of　Phillips。　Lois　Morny　also　ties　him　to　Phillips；　in　another　way。　If　Vannier　didn't　mit　suicideand　I　don't　believe　he　didit　might　still　tie　him　to　Phillips。　Or　it　might　tie　somebody　else　to　Phillips；　somebody　who　also　killed　Vannier。　There　are　reasons　why　I　don't　like　that　idea。〃
　 Murdock's　head　came　up。　He　said：　〃No？〃　in　a　suddenly　clear　voice。　There　was　a　new　expression　on　his　face；　something　bright　and　shining　and　at　the　same　time　just　a　little　silly。　The　expression　of　a　weak　man　being　proud。
　 I　said：　〃I　think　you　killed　Vannier。〃
　 He　didn't　move　and　the　bright　shining　expression　stayed　on　his　face。
　 〃You　went　over　there　last　night。　He　sent　for　you。　He　told　you　he　was　in　a　jam　and　that　if　the　law　caught　up　with　him；　he　would　see　that　you　were　in　the　jam　with　him。　Didn't　he　say　something　like　that？〃
　 〃Yes；〃　Murdock　said　quietly。　〃Something　exactly　like　that。　He　was　drunk　and　a　bit　high　and　he　seemed　to　have　a　sense　of　power。　He　gloated；　almost。　He　said　if　they　got　him　in　the　gas　chamber；　I　would　be　sitting　right　beside　him。　But　that　wasn't　all　he　said。〃
　 〃No。　He　didn't　want　to　sit　in　the　gas　chamber　and　he　didn't　at　the　time　see　any　very　good　reason　why　he　should；　if　you　kept　your　mouth　good　and　tight。　So　he　played　his　trump　card。　His　first　hold　on　you；　what　made　you　take　the　doubloon　and　give　it　to　him；　even　if　he　did　promise　you　money　as　well；　was　something　about　Merle　and　your　father。　I　know　about　it。　Your　mother　told　me　what　little　I　hadn't　put　together　already。　That　was　his　first　hold　and　it　was　pretty　strong。　Because　it　would　let　you　justify　yourself。　But　last　night　he　wanted　something　still　stronger。　So　he　told　you　the　truth　and　said　he　had　proof。〃
　 He　shivered；　but　the　light　clear　proud　look　managed　to　stay　on　his　face。
　 〃I　pulled　a　gun　on　him；〃　he　said；　almost　in　a　happy　voice。　〃After　all　she　is　my　mother。〃
　 〃Nobody　can　take　that　away　from　you。〃
　 He　stoo