rs.toomanywomen-第9节
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d agreed to go to see Wolfe； that he said he had told Deputy Police missioner O'Hara that Moore had been murdered； and that he also said that Moore had been remended for employment by his sister。 In addition to all that on Naylor my report had a summary of my talk with Dickerson； the head of the Correspondence Checkers Section； a statement that word had got around in the department that I was investigating Moore's death； and a one…sentence paragraph to the effect that I had talked with one Hester Livsey； who had been engaged to Moore； without any result worth mentioning。 The only incident the report passed up entirely was my brief interview with the non…speller； which didn't seem to me to be relevant…and of course the phone call to Lon Cohen at the Gazetee； which seemed to be a little too relevant。
Through at the typewriter； I signed the original； folded it and stuck it in my pocket； and did likewise with one of the carbons。 The other carbon I didn't fold。 I went and unlocked the filing cabinet； opened the drawer I was using； removed all the folders； and with my handkerchief gave a good wipe to the inside of the metal drawer； sides and ends and bottoms。 As I replaced the folders； which were made of green slick…surfaced cardboard； I wiped each one； all four surfaces。 Inside the third folder from the top； on top of the papers that were already in it； I placed the second carbon of the report I had just typed； and on top of the report I carefully deposited four grains of tobacco which I had removed from the end of a cigarette。 I put them in four selected spots and gently lowered the cardboard of the folder onto them。 Closing the drawer； I wiped the whole front of the cabinet； and then I was confronted with a question which I would have liked to consider a little if it hadn't been twelve minutes past four and me due upstairs in three minutes。 Should I just leave it unlocked； or leave the key there in the lock？ I voted for the former and stuck the key in my pocket。
I hotfooted it to the outside hall and the elevators； and； as I got off at the thirty…sixth floor； found myself faced by another question which I should have had an answer all ready for but had overlooked in the rush。 For the veteran receptionist in the lobby of the executive offices； who was I？ The day before； calling on Pine； I had been Goodwin。 Was I now to be Truett and expect her to look straight at my intelligent face and think it credible that I didn't know my own name？ Impossible。 I walked up to her desk and told her that Mr。 Goodwin had an appointment with Mr。 Pine for four…fifteen。
Then I had to sit and wait over ten minutes。 Usually I am a good waiter； unruffled and relaxed； but that time it irritated me because I could have done a much better job of wiping if I hadn't hurried。 However； it couldn't be helped； and I sat till I was summoned。
Pine looked tired； busy； and harassed。 He stayed behind his desk and started talking before I got across to him。
〃I can only give you a few minutes；〃 he said brusquely。 〃I already had a full schedule and things are piled up。 What is it？〃
I handed him the original of the report and stayed on my feet。 〃Of course you could take it and read it later； but I thought maybe…〃
I chopped it off because he had started reading。 He raced through it； three times as fast as Wolfe ever reads； and then went back and gave some of the paragraphs a second look。 A sharp glance came at me。 〃I knew Mr。 Naylor had called on the Deputy missioner of Police。〃
〃Sure；〃 I conceded heartily。 〃You didn't mention it； but a man can't mention everything。 Which reminds me； I've got a little problem。 When Mr。 Wolfe reads a copy of this； you see I know him pretty well； the first thing he'll ask will be whether you knew Mr。 Naylor's sister had asked him to give Moore a job； and if so why you didn't tell me。〃 I thought it was more diplomatic to say 〃Mr。 Naylor's sister〃 than to say 〃your wife。〃 I was going on； 〃Of course if you don't…〃
〃Certainly I knew；〃 he snapped。 〃What has that got to do with it？〃
〃Nothing； so far as I know。〃 I was conceding everything。 〃But I need your advice。 AS I say； I know Mr。 Wolfe。 He'll tell me to get Mr。 Naylor's sister on the phone； and ask her to e to his office to see him； and when she won't e he'll tell me to go to see her； and I'll have to go。 What would you advise me to do？〃
〃You work for Wolfe； don't you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then do what he tells you to。〃
〃Okay； thanks。 You have no suggestions or instructions？〃
〃No。〃 Pine made his little gesture of impatience。 〃If you mean I might want to protect my wife from annoyance； you will learn why it is unnecessary when you meet her。 What I want to know is how did Mr。 Naylor learn your identity？ Can you tell me？〃
〃If I could；〃 I said； 〃it would be in that report。 I'd like to know too。 There are two possible ways。 My picture has been in the paper a couple of times。 It could be that he…or someone else and told him…remembered it well enough to recognize me； but the odds against it would go up into six figures。 I like the other way better。 How many people around here know about me？ The receptionist outside； and who else？ I believe you mentioned discussing it with two of your brother executives and a member of the Board of Directors。〃
I could tell by the look on his face that he was not lost at sea。 He liked the other way better too； and he was checking off names。 The 〃…uh； plexities〃 were turning up again； and he wasn't getting any pleasure out of them。
〃Not the receptionist；〃 he said grimly。 〃I spoke to her myself about it。 Miss Abrams has been with us twenty years； and there's no question about her。〃 He was getting some satisfaction from the assurance that there was one around he could trust。
〃Then。。。？〃 I asked meaningly。
He nodded； more to himself than to me。 〃I suppose so；〃 he muttered。 He put the report on his desk； just so； nice and square； and gazed down at it； with his palms pressed together； the fingers out straight； rubbing slowly back and forth。 〃I suppose so；〃 he repeated gloomily but not despairingly。 His face jerked to me。 〃I'll give that some consideration。 Disregard it。 What about this young woman Moore was hoping to marry…what's her name？〃 He fingered to the last page of my report。 〃Hester Livsey。 Did she furnish any…uh； information？〃
〃Nothing to speak of； no。 I'll try her again…that is； if I'm to go on。 Do you want me to e back tomorrow？〃
〃Certainly。 Why not？〃
〃I just thought； since Naylor's on to me； and probably by tomorrow noon everybody else will be too…〃
〃That doesn't matter。 e by all means。 I have no more time now； but ring me in the horning around ten。 We've started this and we're going through with it。〃 He reached for a fancy phone thing； a kind I hadn't seen before； and told it he was ready for a Mr。 Whosis； a name I didn't catch。
I bowed out。
Quitting time at Naylor…Kerr was five o'clock。 It was four…fifty…six as I went back down the corridor of the executive offices。 On the elevator I said； 〃Thirty…four；〃 not on account of any scruple about chiseling the pany to the tune of four minutes' time； but because my hat and coat were in my room。
There was no sign that any visitors had called during my brief absence。 Closing the door； I opened the drawer of the cabinet to give things a look； and found that the particles of tobacco were all present and accounted for。 I stood by the window a while； going over the developments in my mind； including the talk with Pine； and considered the desirability of phoning Wolfe to suggest that it might be a good plan for me to intrude on Mrs。 Jasper Pine before her husband got home from work。 I probably would have done that if it hadn't been for the coolness previously mentioned。 Under the circumstances I voted no。
Outside my door I stopped short and surveyed the scene。 It was a real shock。 The place looked absolutely empty； in spite of all the hundreds of desks and chairs and miscellaneous objects。 The girls were gone； and what a difference it made！ I stood and gazed around； making one or two quick changes in my philosophy。 I decided that until you single one out and she gets personal to you； a hundred girls； or a thousand girls； are just a girl。 So it wasn't accurate to look at that empty room and say to yourself； the girls have gone； the way to say it was； the girl has gone。 Nursing a strong suspicion that I had hit on something that was profound enough for three magazine articles or even a book； I made my way to the elevators and down to the street。 A taxi in that part of town at that time of day wasn't to be thought of； so I went to the corner and turned right on Wall Street； headed for the west side subway。
Since I have been in the detective business for over ten years and have done a lot of leg work； naturally I have both tailed and been tailed many times； and when I'm on a case and on the move outdoors it is almost as automatic with me to keep aware of my rear as ！t is for everybody to glance in the traffic direction before stepping down from a curb。 It rarely happens that I have a tail without knowing it； but it did that time。 She must have been in ambush in the downstairs lobby with an eye on the elevators；
