rs.toomanywomen-第28节

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　　Wolfe；　still　bored；　shook　his　head　indifferently。　Darst　got　up　and　left；　but　Sergeant　Stebbins　stayed　put。　Cramer　waited　until　the　sound　of　the　front　door　closing　behind　Darst　came　to　us　and　then　spoke　with　the　calm　assurance　of　a　man　who　has　cards　to　spare。
　　〃So　I　say　you're　crazy。　This　is　pletely　Cockeyed　and　if　you　can　brush　this　one　off　I　want　to　hear　it。　Try　telling　me　that　the　fact　that　Naylor　came　and　rang　your　bell　and　the　door　was　opened　doesn't　prove　that　he　came　on　in；　and　then　I　ask　you　please　to　tell　me；　in　that　case；　how　did　you　happen　to　know　that　he　got　in　a　cab　on　Fifty…third　Street　at　half…past　eight？　Wait　a　minute；　I'm　not　through。　That　sounds　like　good　reasoning；　don't　it？　But　if　it　is；　why　in　the　name　of　God　did　you　phone　my　office　to　tell　about　his　taking　a　taxi；　and　even　give　us　the　number　of　the　cab？　Knowing　it　would　be　pie　to　find　it。　I　say　you're　crazy。　Usually　when　you're　staging　a　runaround　at　least　I　have　a　general　idea　which　direction　you're　going；　but　this　time　you'll　have　to　spell　it　out。　I　would　love　to　hear　you。〃
　　〃Pfui；〃　Wolfe　muttered。
　　〃Okay；　phooey。　Go　on　from　there。〃
　　〃Archie；〃　Wolfe　asked　me　casually；　〃you　went　to　a　movie　Friday　evening？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃What　time　did　you　leave　here？〃
　　〃Right　around　eight…thirty。〃
　　〃Then　you　couldn't　have　opened　the　door　for　Mr。　Naylor。〃　Wolfe　pushed　a　button　on　his　desk；　and　in　a　moment　the　door　to　the　hall　opened　and　Fritz　appeared。
　　Wolfe　addressed　him；　〃Fritz；　do　you　remember　that　Friday　evening　after　dinner　Archie　went　out？　To　the　movies？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃And　that　somewhat　later；　around　a　quarter　to　eleven　I　think；　Mr。　Cramer　called？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃That　should　identify　the　evening　sufficiently。　Did　the　doorbell　ring　soon　after　Archie　left？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃You　answered　it？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　　〃Who　was　it？〃
　　〃He　didn't　tell　me　his　name。　It　was　a　man。〃
　　〃What　did　he　want？〃
　　〃He　asked　for　Mr。　Goodwin。〃
　　〃Go　on；　finish　it。〃
　　〃I　told　him　Mr。　Goodwin　was　out。　He　asked　if　Mr。　Wolfe　was　in　and　I　told　him　yes。　After　thinking　to　himself　a　brief　period　he　asked　when　Mr。　Goodwin　would　be　back　and　I　said　probably　some　time　after　eleven。　I　asked　him　if　he　wished　to　leave　his　name　and　he　said　no。　He　had　turned　and　was　going　down　the　steps　when　I　closed　the　door。〃
　　Cramer　made　a　sound　which　Wolfe　ignored。　〃What　time　was　this？〃
　　〃It　was　eight…forty…five　when　I　got　back　to　the　kitchen。　I　made　a　note；　as　always…God　in　heaven！〃
　　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　〃I　forgot　to　tell　Archie　about　it！　When　he　returned　Inspector　Cramer　was　here；　and　then　he　was　gone　all　night　and　slept　late　Saturday…this　is　extremely　bad；　sir…〃
　　〃Not　at　all。　It　wouldn't　have　mattered。　Did　you　tell　me　about　it？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　You　were　reading　those　three　books；　and　he　hadn't　left　his　name…〃
　　〃Describe　the　man。〃
　　〃He　was　short；　shorter　than　me；　and　he　wore　a　coat　and　hat。　He　had　a　small　face　and　looked　pinched　and　worried；　as　if　he　wasn't　a　good　eater。〃
　　〃All　right；　Fritz；　that's　all；　thank　you。〃　Fritz　went；　closing　the　door　to　the　hall　behind　him。　Wolfe　turned　to　Cramer。
　　〃Well；　sir？〃
　　Cramer　shook　his　head。　〃No；〃　he　said　emphatically。　〃Even　with　Fritz　coached　like　that　I　still　say　you're　crazy。　How　did　you　know　about　Naylor　taking　a　cab　and　why　did　you　phone…〃
　　Wolfe　cut　him　off。　〃Don't　start　shouting　at　me　again。　You'll　never　learn；　I　suppose；　how　to　detect　when　I'm　lying　and　when　I'm　not。　Saturday　afternoon　a　man　came　to　this　office　and　told　me　he　had　seen　Mr。　Naylor　taking　that　taxicab。　I　questioned　him　and　was　satisfied　that　the　facts　he　gave　me　were　authentic；　and　I　immediately　phoned　your　office　and　gave　those　facts　to　Mr。　Stebbins。　What　the　devil　is　obreptitious　about　that？〃
　　〃Who　was　the　man　that　came　to　your　office？〃
　　〃No；　sir。　You　don't　need　that。〃
　　〃Excuse　me；　Inspector；〃　Purley　Stebbins　put　in。
　　Cramer　glared　at　him。　〃What　is　it？〃
　　〃Why；　if　we　want　any　part　of　this　that　item　won't　worry　us。　If　we　buy　this　it　wasn't　Goodwin；　so　it　was　one　of　the　boys　that　do　jobs　for　Wolfe…Gore；　Gather；　Durkin；　Panzer；　or　Keems。　It　stands　to　reason　he　was　tailing　Naylor。　So　either　you　can　bear　down　on　that；　or　if　he's　too　damn　stubborn　we　can　send　out　and　collect　'em…〃
　　The　phone　rang。　I　whirled　my　chair　and　got　it。　It　was　Saul　Panzer；　desiring；　he　said　to　speak　to　Wolfe。
　　〃Sure；〃　I　said；　in　a　tone　you　would　use　to　a　client　you　expected　to　send　a　nice　bill　to；　〃he's　right　here；　Mr。　Platt。　By　the　way；　while　I'm　on　the　wire；　that　big　downtown　law　firm　that　says　all　it　wants　is　justice；　not　to　mention　names；　you　know；　they're　going　to　try　to　serve　a　summons　on　you　and　it　would　be　good　policy　for　you　to　duck　it；　anyhow　for　a　day　or　two。　There　are　lots　of　places　you　can　go　besides　home。　Don't　you　agree？〃
　　〃Nothing　simpler；〃　Saul　said；　〃if　I　understand　you。　Who's　there；　Cramer？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　suppose　they're　going　to　be　quite　insistent　about　it。　Here's　Mr。　Wolfe。〃
　　Wolfe　got　on。　He　followed　me　on　the　Mr。　Platt。　Since　he　signaled　me　to　hang　up；　meaning　that　his　arrangements　with　Saul　were　still　none　of　my　business；　I　got　as　little　out　of　the　conversation　as　Cramer　and　Purley　did；　which　was　nothing　at　all。　Wolfe's　end　was　mostly　grunts。　Purley　sneezed。　The　three　of　us　sat　and　waited　for　him；　looking　at　him；　until　an　event　occurred　which　caused　us　to　move　our　eyes　elsewhere。
　　The　door　to　the　hall　came　open　and　Rosa　Bendini　was　there　among　us。
　　It　was　a　fairly　embarrassing　situation；　with　Wolfe　still　busy　on　the　phone　and　the　two　public　servants　and　me　sitting　staring　at　her　as　she　stood　just　inside　the　door　in　that　cherry…colored　thing　which；　whatever　its　name　might　be；　was　certainly　not　intended　for　street　wear。　I　thought　of　saying　something　like；　〃Mabel　dear；　we're　discussing　business　with　these　gentlemen　so　go　back　to　your　room　and　wait　for　me；〃　or　something　like；　〃We're　engaged　at　present；　Miss　Carmichael；　but　we'll　see　you　shortly；〃　but　the　first　seemed　indecent　and　the　second　illogical；　and　no　satisfactory　substitute　got　to　my　tongue　in　time。
　　Wolfe；　finished；　dropped　the　phone　back　in　its　cradle　and　snapped　at　her；　〃What　do　you　mean；　ing　in　here　dressed　like　that？　Go　back　upstairs　until　I'm　ready　for　you！〃
　　His　effort；　it　seemed　to　me；　was　no　improvement　on　the　ones　I　had　rejected。　But　no　effort　would　have　been　good　enough。　She　hadn't　merely　blundered　in。　She　came　forward；　on　past　Cramer　and　Purley；　clear　to　me。　She　might　easily　have　had　it　in　mind　to　resume　her　former　seat　on　my　lap；　so　by　the　time　she　reached　me　I　was　standing　up。
　　〃You　promised　you'd　be　with　me　when　they　are；〃　she　said。　That　was　not　strictly　true；　but　close　enough　for　a　woman；　especially　for　one　who　was　scared　to　death　of　cops。　〃There's　a　police　car　out　in　front；　so　I　came　to　the　hall　and　listened；　and　that's　who　they　are；　and　I　knew　I'd　never　get　a　better　chance；　with　you　here　and　Mr。　Wolfe　too。〃
　　She　turned　and　told　Cramer　and　Purley　right　to　their　faces；　〃My　name　is　Rosa　Bendini；　or　it's　Mrs。　Harold　Anthony；　either　one　will　do；　and　I　live　at　Four…eighteen　Bank　Street；　second　floor；　and　when　a　cop　came　for　me　Friday　night　I　was　there　in　bed　all　the　time。　Now　what　do　you　want　to　ask　me？〃
　　One　thing　I　approved　of；　she　didn't　hook　onto　my　arm　or　try　to　climb　into　my　pocket。　She　just　wanted　to　say　it　with　me　there。
　　〃This；〃　Cramer　declared　in　as　gloaty　a　tone　as　I　had　ever　heard　from　him；　〃is　really　rich。　How　long　have　you　had　her　hid　here；　Wolfe？　Wasn't　there　time　enough　to　train　her？〃
　　〃Mr。　Cramer；　you're　an　imbecile；〃　Wolfe　told　him　for　his　information。
　　I　broke　in；　thinking　the　best　thing　now　was　to　mess　it　up　good。　〃I　bolixed　it　up；〃　I　said　regretfully。　〃Like　a　damn　fool；　I　told　her　to　bust　in　when　I　sneezed；　and　then　Purley　sneezed。〃　I　glared　at　Purley。　〃How　the　hell　could　I　know　you　had　a　cold？〃
　　〃Okay。〃　Cramer　rose；　still　gloating。　〃I　suppose　you　have　some　things　here；　Miss　Bendini？　Some　clothes？〃
　　〃Yes；　but　I…〃
　　〃You　have　three　minutes　to　change；　unless　you　want　to　travel　around　like　that。　Go　and　change。〃
　　〃No；〃　Wolfe　said。　His　forefinger　was　tapping　on　the　desk；　which　meant　he　was　ready　to　pick　up　tigers　and　knock　their　heads　together。　〃Stay　here；　Miss　Bendini。〃　His　eyes　darted　to　Cramer。　〃Have　you　a　warrant？　Or　are　you　charging　her？〃
　　〃Nuts。　Murder。　Material　witness。〃
　　〃Witness　to　what？〃
　　〃I'll　tell　her；　not　you。〃
　　〃Bah。　Miss　Bendini。　I　advise　you　not　to　leave　here　unless　you　are　taken　by　force。　Make　them　carry　you。〃
　　I　intervened　for　several　reasons。　First；　Wolfe　was　not　following　a　program　but　was　simply　so　mad　he　couldn't　see。　Second；　Rosa　had　gone　so　white　and　rigid　that　I　doubted　if　she　could　walk；　especially　acpanied　by　a　cop；　and　I　didn't　regard　it　as　desirable　to　let　her　be　carried　out　of　our　house　in　the　costume　she　had　on。　Third；　while　I　hadn't　promised　her；　I　had　unquestionably　given　her　an　inducement。
　　〃Look；〃　I　said　to　Cramer；　〃why　all　the　war　paint？　If　you　do　carry　her　out；　and　if　she　proves　to　be　no　more　material　than　I　am；　with　Mr。　Wolfe　as　sore　as　he　is　you'll　get　blisters。　If　you　don't　like　conversing　with　her　here　I'll　make　an　offer；　take　it　or　leave　it。　She　changes　her　clothes；　and　Pu