rs.toomanywomen-第29节
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anges her clothes； and Purley and I drive her downtown in Mr。 Wolfe's car； and I am present； not too talkative； during your talk with her。 I'll stay as long as she does。 When the time es； unless you are prepared to charge her； she leaves with me。 What the hell； I was with you all Friday night； wasn't I？ Well？〃
〃You might；〃 Wolfe said testily； 〃ask my permission； Archie。〃
〃This is Sunday。〃 I told Cramer； 〃It's no deal unless you say yes out loud so everybody can hear you。 I would prefer to see you carry her and let Mr。 Wolfe see what the law can do； but Miss Bendini is like a sister to me。 Yes？〃
〃Yes；〃 Cramer snarled。
I was thinking； as I went for the car； that one of the leading roles had bounced back to us again…the last to see Naylor alive。 For a while it had been me。 Then Saul Panzer； who had passed it on to the taxi driver。 Now it was once more back in the family； with Fritz ticketed for it。 Who next？
Chapter Twenty…Five
I missed Sunday dinner but not supper。
It was no wonder that under the circumstances Cramer thought he had hooked a real fish and had also made a monkey out of Wolfe。 But after half an hour with Rosa and me in his office； beginning to suspect that he had merely got caught on a snag； he left us to Lieutenant Rowcliff and beat it for Centre Street。 Rowcliff didn't care much for the assignment； since his opinion of me is a perfect match for mine of him。 He shot questions at Rosa for an hour or so in his correspondence…school grammar； meanwhile trying to keep me from contributing any kind of sound； let alone a word； and halted only when he was interrupted by the return of a squad man who had been sent to Washington Heights to check with the in…laws。
Not only had father…in…law and mother…in…law verified Rosa's story； but husband…in…law came back with the squad man to try to raise some hell。 He wasn't going to let his wife be abused and would see to it personally that she wasn't。 Knowing what had led up to his wife's departure from his parental apartment in the Sunday dawn； I regarded him with awe。 I had noticed on the Naylor…Kerr stationery that the motto of the firm was ANYTHING IN THE WORLD； ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD。 It struck me that the motto of the male personnel of the stock department appeared to be PROTECT THE WOMAN。 Or if they wanted it to have eight words like the firm's it could be PROTECT YOUR WOMAN NO MATTER WHOSE SHE IS。
That left Rowcliff with nothing to discuss with Rosa except the time she had spent in bed Friday night； especially the hours from ten to twelve； which gave him limited space to turn around in。 He sent a man down to Bank Street to see the janitor and the other tenants； but all they could say was that they hadn't happened to see Miss Bendini e home Friday evening。 Finally； around seven o'clock； he adjourned sine die； and I drove Rosa； with her luggage； to her home address； having phoned Wolfe and been told that there was no reason to suppose she had saved anything for him。 The husband went with us and then came away with me； and I let him out at a subway station。 Knowing by now that his wife's relations with me were purely on a business basis； he even wanted to buy me a drink。
I spent Sunday evening in the office with my typewriter。 Wolfe was there too； but sight was the only one of my five senses that knew about it。 When Saul Panzer phoned to make another classified report to Wolfe I arranged for him to meet me downtown in the morning instead of ing to Wolfe's place。 The authorities； looking for him； had phoned his home a few times； and he was going to spend the night at a friend's apartment。 It was just possible that they were eager enough about it to keep an eye on our address； and I still thought it would be polite to give Hester Livsey a chance to do some explaining in a congenial atmosphere。
I fully expected Saul's check on her to be nothing more than a formality； and so it was。 Monday morning I met him and took him with me to the lobby of the building on William Street； and chose a strategic point for overlooking the arriving throng and the stampede for the elevators。 I recognized a few of the faces as the feet trotted； walked； marched； and click…clicked on the way to another week's paycheck。 At two minutes to nine I was thinking we had missed her and would have to proceed upstairs； where it would be more awkward and would require arranging； when Saul suddenly pinched me and muttered at me：
〃To the right； thirty feet； turning now； same hat and coat； behind the tall man with glasses； going on the elevator…〃
〃Okay；〃 I said as she was swallowed up in the elevator and its door started to close。 〃How many coats do you think she has？ She's an honest working girl。〃
〃It's none of my business；〃 Saul said。
〃Meaning； not her honesty； but her name。 Yes； you have heard the name。 If you happen to be phoning Wolfe and he happens to ask； you can tell him yes； and also tell him I'll bring her to see him but I don't know when。 I have to find out whether I'm still working here or not。 There's to be a directors' meeting…you're not listening。〃
〃I'm looking。 Do you know that man〃… his eyes were pointing…〃gray coat and hat； big and broad； fleshy face； now his back is to us…he's stepping on the elevator…〃
〃Yeah； I know him。 Why？〃
〃I've seen him。〃
〃I wouldn't doubt it。〃 The bination of Saul's eyes and the filing equipment in his skull is the equal of any card system yet invented。 〃You probably saw him August seventeenth； nineteen hundred and thirty…eight； crossing Madison Avenue against a light…〃
〃No。 I saw him Friday； twice。 When Naylor met the woman at First Avenue and Fifty…second Street that man was standing across the street in a doorway looking at them。 An hour later； when they parted at Second Avenue and Fifty…seventh Street； he was standing forty feet away； again in a doorway； and when the woman walked downtown on Second Avenue he started after her。 That's all I saw because Naylor was on his way and I was tailing him。〃
〃Is this certified？〃
〃For me it is。〃
〃Then me too。 In case this head…flattener is going on with his career and picks me next； the man's name is Sumner Hoff。 He works for Naylor…Kerr and his office is in the stock department。 File it。〃
〃I will。 Is that all here？〃
I said it was； and Saul went。
I took an elevator to the thirty…fourth floor； not knowing what to expect。 It was quite possible that a delegation of executives would be waiting for me； to tell me to get the hell out and stay out。 But nobody at all was waiting for me。 It is true that when I got to the arena； skirted it； and started down the long aisle； I was on the receiving end of plenty of assorted glances； but that was only more of the same as last week。 I left my coat and hat in my room； emerged immediately； crossed to the other side of the arena； opened the door of Hester Livsey's room； entered； and shut the door behind me。
〃What do you want？〃 she demanded。
She had straightened up from dusting off her desk。 She looked nervous； unhappy； and annoyed。 Fritz would have said that she did not have the appearance of a good eater。 I did not entirely lose the impression that she was in some kind of trouble that no one but me could understand and no one but me could help her out of； but the most vulgar eye could have seen at a glance that she was in trouble。 That much of it I would have to share。
My name；〃 I said； 〃is Archie Goodwin and I work for Nero Wolfe。〃
〃I know that。 What do you want？〃
Evidently everybody in the stock department knew everything。 〃I'm afraid；〃 I told her； 〃that I can't make my answer quite as direct and to the point as your question。 I can tell you what I want； but I'll have to leave it more or less blank why I want it。 I want to date you up…to meet me at five o'clock this afternoon and go to Nero Wolfe's office with me。 He wants to have a talk with you…〃
〃What about？〃
〃You're so damn gruff；〃 I plained。 〃I can't tell you what about except that it's connected with the murder of Kerr Naylor； and you could guess that with both eyes shut。 Let me try it that way first； just ask you； will you do it？〃
〃Certainly not。 Why should I？〃
〃In that case that es next； why you should。 I would have liked it much better without that； but I can't have everything。 Mr。 Wolfe has learned a certain fact which has to do with you and Kerr Naylor； and he wants to ask you about it。 The nature of the fact is such…〃
〃What is it？〃
I shook my head。 〃Its nature is such that if you don't go and let him ask you about it he will be obliged to give the fact to the police and then there will be no question of letting。 You won't go； you'll be taken； and the asking atmosphere will be different。〃
〃My God；〃 she said in a tone with no expression at all； as if she were too stunned to feel anything。
It irritated me。 〃It's a good thing for you I'm not a policeman；〃 I declared。 〃You'd better think up a better entrance than that for them if it goes that far。 Your chin's sagging。〃
She came to me； abruptly and swiftly； put her hands on me； her open palms flat against my chest so I had to brace myself； raised her face to me； and half manded； half implored； 〃What…is…t
