rs.toomanywomen-第23节

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energy。
　　I　asked　him；　〃So　you　got　some　energy　back　in　the　short　space　of　forty…eight　hours？　After　what　I　took　out　of　you？〃
　　〃What　the　hell；〃　he　bragged；　〃I'd　forgotten　about　that　the　next　day。　What　do　they　want　Rosa　for？　Are　they　fools　enough　to　think　she　would　kill　a　man？　What　have　they　got？〃
　　He　had　actually　e　clear　down　to　Centre　Street　at　that　time　of　night　through　anxiety　for　his　wife！　Loyalty　is　a　very　fine　thing；　but　it　shouldn't　be　allowed　to　get　the　bit　between　its　teeth。　I　told　him　not　to　worry；　the　cops　were　just　shaking　it　all　through　a　sieve。　Regarding　his　energy；　I　didn't　believe　him。　Three　of　my　kidney　punches　do　not　kill　a　man；　but　neither　do　they　fade　utterly　from　recollection　the　next　day。
　　But　that　was　along　toward　the　end。　Before　that　we　had　had　a　session　with　Ben　Frenkel；　one　of　the　first　things　after　our　arrival　at　O'Hara's　office。　At　the　moment　Cramer　was　seated　at　the　big　desk　and　I　was　standing　behind　him；　looking　over　his　shoulder　at　the　carbon　copy　of　my　reports　to　Naylor…Kerr；　which　I　had　stopped　off　at　Wolfe's　office　to　get。　A　dick　towed　Frenkel　in　and　planted　him　in　a　chair　at　the　end　of　the　desk。　I　had　thought　his　hair　was　undisciplined　when　he　came　to　see　me　on　Thursday；　but　now　no　two　hairs　were　parallel。　He　was　trying　to　look　nowhere　and　at　no　one；　which　really　cannot　be　done　unless　you　go　at　it　with　all　your　might　and　shut　your　eyes。
　　〃Hello　there；〃　I　said。
　　He　returned　no　sign　of　recognition。
　　Cramer　growled　at　him；　〃You're　Benjamin　Frenkel？〃
　　〃Yes；　that's　my　name。〃
　　〃Are　you　under　the　impression　that　you　killed　Kerr　Naylor？〃
　　Frenkel　gawked　at　him；　then　made　another　try　at　looking　at　nothing；　and　did　not　speak。
　　〃Well；　are　you？〃
　　Frenkel　looked　straight　at　me　and　cried；　〃You　rat！　I　told　you　that　in　confidence！〃
　　〃You　did　not；〃　I　denied。　〃I　told　you　I　couldn't　keep　a　confession　of　murder　confidential。〃
　　〃I　didn't　confess　to　a　murder！〃
　　〃Then　do　it　now；〃　Cramer　urged。　〃Confess　now。　e　on；　let's　have　it；　get　it　off　your　chest；　you'll　feel　better。〃
　　That　didn't　work　at　all。　Put　straight　that　way；　an　invitation　to　confess　to　murder　seemed　to　be　just　what　he　had　wanted　for　his　birthday。　He　quit　trying　to　look　at　nothing；　his　big　bony　shoulders　went　to　the　back　of　the　chair　for　normal　support；　and　his　voice；　though　still　intense；　had　no　note　of　panic　at　all　as　he　said：
　　〃I　was　told　I　had　to　e　here　to　answer　questions。　What　are　the　questions？〃　He　smiled　sweetly　and　sadly。
　　Cramer　asked　the　questions　and　he　replied。　He　had　last　seen　Kerr　Naylor　around　three　o'clock　Friday　afternoon；　at　the　office；　and　knew　nothing　of　him　since　that　hour。　After　work　he　had　gone　to　his　room　on　Ninety…fourth　Street；　bathed　and　changed　his　clothes；　eaten　dinner　alone　in　a　restaurant　around　the　corner　on　Broadway；　and　taken　the　subway　downtown　to　call　for　a　young　woman　who　lived　on　Twenty…first　Street　with　whom　he　had　an　engagement　for　the　evening。　He　preferred　not　to　mention　her　name。　They　had　gone　to　Moonlight；　on　Fiftieth　Street；　and　stayed　there；　dancing；　until　after　twelve。　He　had　taken　the　young　woman　home　and　then　gone　home　himself；　arriving　about　one　o'clock。　He　would　not　give　the　young　woman's　name　because　there　was　no　reason　why　he　should。　If　for　any　good　reason　it　became　necessary　the　name　would　be　forthing。
　　What　about　his　impression　that　he　had　killed　Waldo　Moore？
　　That；　he　had　decided；　was　one　of　the　mental　vagaries　to　which　high…strung　men　like　him　were　subject。　He　had　often　been　bothered　by　them。　Once　he　had　bee　obsessed　with　the　idea　that　he　was　secretly　a　Nazi；　and　had　gone　to　a　Bund　meeting　at　Yorkville　to　get　rid　of　it。　He　did　not　state　categorically；　but　strongly　implied；　that　his　ing　to　me　had　been　the　same　thing　as　his　going　to　a　Bund　meeting；　which　did　not　increase　my　affection　for　him。
　　Hadn't　he　e　to　me　only　for　one　purpose；　to　find　out　if　Naylor　had　mentioned　his　name　in　connection　with　Moore's　death？
　　No；　that　wasn't　true。　He　hadn't　even　thought　of　that　until　it　occurred　to　him　during　the　conversation。
　　Did　he　know　Gwynne　Ferris？
　　Yes；　she　was　one　of　the　stenographers　in　the　stock　department。
　　Had　he　spoken　with　her　on　Friday？
　　Possibly；　he　didn't　remember。
　　Hadn't　she　told　him　that　Naylor　had　stated　that　he　knew　who　had　killed　Waldo　Moore？
　　No；　not　that　he　remembered。　But　of　course；　he　added；　he　had　known　that　Mr。　Naylor　had　made　that　statement。　Everybody　did。　It　was　being　discussed　all　over　the　department。
　　That　was　news　to　me。　I　goggled　at　him。　I　took　it　away　from　Cramer　and　demanded；　〃When？〃
　　〃Why；　today。　Yesterday。　Friday。〃
　　〃Who　did　Naylor　make　the　statement　to？〃
　　〃I　don't　know…that　is；　I　only　know　what　I　heard。　The　way　I　got　it；　he　made　it　to　you　and　you　reported　it　to　the　president's　office。〃
　　〃Who　did　you　get　it　from？〃
　　〃I　don't　remember。〃　Frenkel　had　reverted　to　form。　His　rumble　was　low　from　deep　in　his　throat　and　his　eyes　were　probing　me　again。　〃It　is　not　a　quality　of　my　mind　to　cling　to　factual　details　like　that。　Whereas　matters　which　have　an　intellectual　content…〃
　　〃Nuts。〃　Cramer　said　in　bitter　disgust。　He　had　thought　for　one　shining　moment　that　he　had　a　confession　ing；　and　now　this　blah。　He　aimed　a　half…chewed　cigar　at　Frenkel's　face；　brandished　it；　and　asserted：
　　〃Gwynne　Ferris　told　you！　Didn't　she？〃
　　〃I　said　she　didn't。〃
　　〃And　I　say　she　did！　I　happen　to　know…　What　do　you　want？〃
　　The　question　was　for　a　city　employee　who　had　approached　the　desk。　He　answered　it。　〃Sergeant　Gottlieb　is　here；　sir；　with　the　Ferris　woman。〃
　　Cramer　scowled　at　him。　〃Keep　her　until　I　get　through…no。　Wait。〃　He　looked　at　Frenkel　and　then　at　me。　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃Sure；　why　not？〃　I　agreed。
　　Cramer　told　the　dick；　〃Bring　her　in　here。〃
　　
　　Chapter　Twenty…One
　　Gwynne　Ferris　entered；　not　aware　or　not　caring　that　a　detective　sergeant　was　right　behind　her　elbow；　halted　a　moment　to　survey　the　big　room；　and　then　approached　us　at　the　desk。
　　〃Hello；　Ben；〃　she　said　in　her　sweet　musical　voice。　〃Of　all　the　terrible　things；　but　what　are　you　here　for？〃　Not　waiting　for　a　reply；　her　glance　darted　to　Cramer　and　then　to　me。　〃Oh；　then　you　are　a　policeman！〃
　　She　was；　I　admitted；　equal　to　any　situation；　and　that　applied　not　only　to　her　nerves　but　also　to　her　appearance。　Routed　out　by　a　cop　at　four　in　the　morning；　getting　dressed　while　he　waited；　and　brought　down　to　headquarters　in　a　police　car；　she　looked　as　fresh　and　pure　and　beautiful　as　she　had　when　she　had　raised　her　clear　blue　eyes　to　mine　and　told　me　she　couldn't　spell。
　　〃Sit　down；　Miss　Ferris；〃　Cramer　told　her。
　　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said　sarcastically；　and　sat；　on　a　chair　a　couple　of　paces　from　Frenkel's。　〃You　look　terrible；　Ben。　Have　you　had　any　sleep　at　all？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Frenkel　rumbled　from　a　mile　down。
　　Gwynne　spoke　to　Cramer　and　me。　〃The　reason　I　asked　him　that；　I　saw　him　only　a　few　hours　ago。　We　were　dancing。　But　I　suppose　he's　told　you　that　already。　It's　a　good　thing　tomorrow　isn't　a　workday。　Are　you　an　inspector；　Mr。　Truett；　or　what？〃
　　〃This　is　unspeakable；　utterly　unspeakable；〃　Ben　Frenkel　declared　with　deep　intensity。　〃I　didn't　tell　them　who　I　went　dancing　with　because　I　thought　they'd　be　after　you　to　verify　it；　and　they　did　it　anyway；　for　no　reason　on　earth。　Were　they　decent　about　it？　Were　they　rough　with　you？〃
　　Harry　Anthony　had　been　anxious　about　Rosa；　and　here　was　Frenkel　being　anxious　about　Gwynne。　I　made　a　note　to　quit　trying　to　understand　women　and　start　trying　to　understand　men。
　　〃No；　he　was　really　very　courteous　about　it；〃　Gwynne　testified　generously。
　　Cramer　had　been　glancing　from　one　to　the　other。　He　opened　up。　〃So　you　two　were　together　all　evening。　Is　that　right；　Frenkel？〃
　　〃Yes。　Since　Miss　Ferris　has　told　you　so。〃
　　〃Not　just　since　she　has　told　me　so。　Were　you？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Did　Mr。　Frenkel　take　you　home；　Miss　Ferris？〃
　　〃Certainly　he　did！〃
　　〃What　time　did　you　get　home？〃
　　〃When　was　it；　Ben；　about…〃
　　〃I　asked　you。〃
　　〃Well；　it　was　a　quarter　to　one　when　I　got　upstairs　to　my　room。　I　went　up　alone　of　course。　We　talked　a　while　downstairs。〃
　　Cramer　surprised　me。　He　was　seldom　plain　nasty；　leaving　that　to　the　boys；　but　now　he　barked　at　her；　〃When　Waldo　Moore　took　you　home　you　didn't　go　upstairs　alone；　did　you？〃
　　Ben　Frenkel　sprang　from　his　chair　with　his　fists　doubled　up　and　his　eyes　blazing。　A　dick　standing　in　the　rear　moved　forward。　I　tightened　up　a　little　myself；　not　knowing　how　far　Frenkel's　impulses　might　go。　But　evidently　Gwynne　did；　for　she　was　on　her　feet　and　in　front　of　him；　with　her　hands　up　to　grasp　his　coat　lapels。
　　〃Now；　Ben；　honey。〃　When　she　put　appeal　in　her　voice　it　could　have　been　used　for　a　welding　torch。　〃You　know　that　isn't　so；　haven't　I　told　you？　He's　just　being　malicious。〃　She　put　pressure　on　him。　〃Sit　down　and　don't　even　hear　things　like　that。〃　His　knees　started　to　give；　she　maintained　the　pressure；　and　he　was　back　in　his　chair。
　　She　returned　to　hers　and　told　Cramer；　〃There　was　a　lot　of　malicious　talk　about　me　and　Waldo　Moore；　and　this　is　what　I　get　for　it。　I　know　better　than　to　lose　my　temper　over　those　kind　of　things　any　more。　I　just　ignore　it。〃
　　So　Cramer's　nastiness　had　paid　no　dividend。　He　shi