raymondchandler.farewellmylovely-第41部分

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t。　He's　that　kind　of　lad。　He　melts　under　heat。　So　he　was　murdered　before　he　could　melt。　With　a　blackjack。　By　you。〃
　All　she　did　was　take　her　hand　out　of　her　bag；　with　a　gun　in　it。　All　she　did　was　point　it　at　me　and　smile。　All　I　did　was　nothing。
　But　that　wasn't　all　that　was　done。　Moose　Malloy　stepped　out　of　the　dressing　room　with　the　Colt　。45　still　looking　like　a　toy　in　his　big　hairy　paw。
　He　didn't　look　at　me　at　all。　He　looked　at　Mrs。　Lewin　Lockridge　Grayle。　He　leaned　forward　and　his　mouth　smiled　at　her　and　he　spoke　to　her　softly。
　〃I　thought　I　knew　that　voice；〃　he　said。　〃I　listened　to　that　voice　for　eight　years…all　I　could　remember　of　it。　I　kind　of　liked　your　hair　red；　though。　Hiya；　babe。　Long　time　no　see。〃
She　turned　the　gun。
〃Get　away　from　me；　you　son　of　a　bitch；〃　she　said。
He　stopped　dead　and　dropped　the　gun　to　his　side。　He　was　still　a　couple　of　feet　from　her。　His　breath　labored。
　〃I　never　thought；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃It　just　came　to　me　out　of　the　blue。　You　turned　me　into　the　cops。　You。　Little　Velma。〃
　I　threw　a　pillow；　but　it　was　too　slow。　She　shot　him　five　times　in　the　stomach。　The　bullets　made　no　more　sound　than　fingers　going　into　a　glove。
　Then　she　turned　the　gun　and　shot　at　me　but　it　was　empty。　She　dived　for　Malloy's　gun　on　the　floor。　I　didn't　miss　with　the　second　pillow。　I　was　around　the　bed　and　knocked　her　away　before　she　got　the　pillow　off　her　face。　I　picked　the　Colt　up　and　went　away　around　the　bed　again　with　it。
　He　was　still　standing；　but　he　was　swaying。　His　mouth　was　slack　and　his　hands　were　fumbling　at　his　body。　He　went　slack　at　the　knees　and　fell　sideways　on　the　bed；　with　his　face　down。　His　gasping　breath　filled　the　room。
　I　had　the　phone　in　my　hand　before　she　moved。　Her　eyes　were　a　dead　gray；　like　half…frozen　water。　She　rushed　for　the　door　and　I　didn't　try　to　stop　her。　She　left　the　door　wide；　so　when　I　had　done　phoning　I　went　over　and　shut　it。　I　turned　his　head　a　little　on　the　bed；　so　he　wouldn't　smother。　He　was　still　alive；　but　after　five　in　the　stomach　even　a　Moose　Malloy　doesn't　live　very　long。
　I　went　back　to　the　phone　and　called　Randall　at　his　home。　〃Malloy。〃　I　said。　〃In　my　apartment。　Shot　five　times　in　the　stomach　by　Mrs。　Grayle。　I　called　the　Receiving　Hospital。　She　got　away。〃
　〃So　you　had　to　play　clever；〃　was　all　he　said　and　hung　up　quickly。
　I　went　back　to　the　bed。　Malloy　was　on　his　knees　beside　the　bed　now；　trying　to　get　up；　a　great　wad　of　bedclothes　in　one　hand。　His　face　poured　sweat。　His　eyelids　ifickered　slowly　and　the　lobes　of　his　ears　were　dark。
　He　was　still　on　his　knees　and　still　trying　to　get　up　when　the　fast　wagon　got　there。　It　took　four　men　to　get　him　on　the　stretcher。
　〃He　has　a　slight　chance…if　they're　。25's；〃　the　fast　wagon　doctor　said　just　before　he　went　out。　〃All　depends　what　they　hit　inside。　But　he　has　a　chance。〃
〃He　wouldn't　want　it；〃　I　said。　
He　didn't。　He　died　in　the　night。
　
　
　40
　〃You　ought　to　have　given　a　dinner　party；〃　Anne　Riordan　said；　looking　at　me　across　her　tan　figured　rug。　〃Gleaming　silver　and　crystal；　bright　crisp　linen…if　they're　still　using　linen　in　the　places　where　they　give　dinner　parties…candlelight；　the　women　in　their　best　jewels　and　the　men　in　white　ties；　the　servants　hovering　discreetly　with　the　wrapped　bottles　of　wine；　the　cops　looking　a　little　unfortable　in　their　hired　evening　clothes；　as　who　the　hell　wouldn't；　the　suspects　with　their　brittle　smiles　and　restless　hands；　and　you　at　the　head　of　the　long　table　telling　all　about　it；　little　by　little；　with　your　charming　light　smile　and　a　phony　English　accent　like　Philo　Vance。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　I　said。　〃How　about　a　little　something　to　be　holding　in　my　hand　while　you　go　on　being　clever？〃
　She　went　out　to　her　kitchen　and　rattled　ice　and　came　back　with　a　couple　of　tall　ones　and　sat　down　again。
　〃The　liquor　bills　of　your　lady　friends　must　be　something　fierce；〃　she　said　and　sipped。
　〃And　suddenly　the　butler　fainted；〃　I　said。　〃Only　it　wasn't　the　butler　who　did　the　murder。　He　just　fainted　to　be　cute。〃
　I　inhaled　some　of　my　drink。　〃It's　not　that　kind　of　story；〃　I　said。　〃It's　not　lithe　and　clever。　It's　just　dark　and　full　of　blood。〃
　〃So　she　got　away？〃
　I　nodded。　〃So　far。　She　never　went　home。　She　must　have　had　a　little　hideout　where　she　could　change　her　clothes　and　appearance。　After　all　she　lived　in　peril；　like　the　sailors。　She　was　alone　when　she　came　to　see　me。　No　chauffeur。　She　came　in　a　small　car　and　she　left　it　a　few　dozen　blocks　away。〃
　〃They'll　catch　her…if　they　really　try。〃
　〃Don't　be　like　that。　Wilde；　the　D。A。　is　on　the　level。　I　worked　for　him　once。　But　if　they　catch　her；　what　then？　They're　up　against　twenty　million　dollars　and　a　lovely　face　and　either　Lee　Farrell　or　Rennenkamp。　It's　going　to　be　awfully　hard　to　prove　she　killed　Marriott。　All　they　have　is　what　looks　like　a　heavy　motive　and　her　past　life；　if　they　can　trace　it。　She　probably　has　no　record；　or　she　wouldn't　have　played　it　this　way。〃
　〃What　about　Malloy？　If　you　had　told　me　about　him　before；　I'd　have　known　who　she　was　right　away。　By　the　way；　how　did　you　know？　These　two　photos　are　not　of　the　same　woman。〃
　〃No。　I　doubt　if　even　old　lady　Florian　knew　they　had　been　switched　on　her。　She　looked　kind　of　surprised　when　I　showed　the　photo　of　Velma…the　one　that　had　Velma　Valento　written　on　it…in　front　of　her　nose。　But　she　may　have　known。　She　may　have　just　hid　it　with　the　idea　of　selling　it　to　me　later　on。　Knowing　it　was　harmless；　a　photo　of　some　other　girl　Marriott　substituted。〃
　〃That's　just　guessing。〃
　〃It　had　to　be　that　way。　Just　as　when　Marriott　called　me　up　and　gave　me　a　song　and　dance　about　a　jewel　ransom　payoff　it　had　to　be　because　I　had　been　to　see　Mrs。　Florian　about　Velma。　And　when　Marriott　was　killed；　it　had　to　be　because　he　was　the　weak　link　in　the　chain。　Mrs。　Florian　didn't　even　know　Vehna　had　bee　Mrs。　Lewin　Lockridge　Grayle。　She　couldn't　have。　They　bought　her　too　cheap。　Grayle　says　they　went　to　Europe　to　be　married　and　she　was　married　under　her　real　name。　He　won't　tell　where　or　when。　He　won't　tell　what　her　real　name　was。　He　won't　tell　where　she　is。　I　don't　think　he　knows；　but　the　cops　don't　believe　that。〃
　〃Why　won't　he　tell？〃　Anne　Riordan　cupped　her　chin　on　the　backs　of　her　laced　fingers　and　stared　at　me　with　shadowed　eyes。
〃He's　so　crazy　about　her　he　doesn't　care　whose　lap　she　sat　in。〃
〃I　hope　she　enjoyed　sitting　in　yours；〃　Anne　Riordan　said；　acidly。
　〃She　was　playing　me。　She　was　a　little　afraid　of　me。　She　didn't　want　to　kill　me　because　it's　bad　business　killing　a　man　who　is　a　sort　of　cop。　But　she　probably　would　have　tried　in　the　end；　just　as　she　would　have　killed　Jessie　Florian；　if　Malloy　hadn't　saved　her　the　trouble。〃
　〃I　bet　it's　fun　to　be　played　by　handsome　blondes；〃　Anna　Riordan　said。　〃Even　if　there　is　a　little　risk。　As；　I　suppose；　there　usually　is。〃
　I　didn't　say　anything。
　〃I　suppose　they　can't　do　anything　to　her　for　killing　Malloy；　because　he　had　a　gun。〃
　〃No。　Not　with　her　pull。〃
　The　goldflecked　eyes　studied　me　solemnly。　〃Do　think　she　meant　to　kill　Malloy？〃
　〃She　was　afraid　of　him；〃　I　said。　〃She　had　turned　him　in　eight　years　ago。　He　seemed　to　know　that。　But　he　wouldn't　have　hurt　her。　He　was　in　love　with　her　too。　Yes；　I　think　she　meant　to　kill　anybody　she　had　to　kill。　She　had　a　lot　to　fight　for。　But　you　can't　keep　that　sort　of　thing　up　indefinitely。　She　took　a　shot　at　me　in　my　apartment…but　the　gun　was　empty　then。　She　ought　to　have　killed　me　out　on　the　bluff　when　she　killed　Marriott。〃
　〃He　was　in　love　with　her；〃　Anne　said　softly。　〃I　mean　Malloy。　It　didn't　matter　to　him　that　she　hadn't　written　to　him　in　six　years　or　ever　gone　to　see　him　while　he　was　in　jail。　It　didn't　matter　to　him　that　she　had　turned　him　in　for　a　reward。　He　just　bought　some　fine　clothes　and　started　to　look　for　her　the　first　thing　when　he　got　out。　So　she　pumped　five　bullets　into　him；　by　way　of　saying　hello。　He　had　killed　two　people　himself；　but　he　was　in　love　with　her。　What　a　world。〃
　I　finished　my　drink　and　got　the　thirsty　look　on　my　face　again。　She　ignored　it。　She　said：
　〃And　she　had　to　tell　Grayle　where　she　came　from　and　he　didn't　care。　He　went　away　to　marry　her　under　another　name　and　sold　his　radio　station　to　break　contact　with　anybody　who　might　know　her　and　he　gave　her　everything　that　money　can　buy　and　she　gave　him…what？〃
　〃That's　hard　to　say。〃　I　shook　the　ice　cubes　at　the　bottom　of　my　glass。　That　didn't　get　me　anything　either。　〃I　suppose　she　gave　him　a　sort　of　pride　that　he；　a　rather　old　man；　could　have　a　young　and　beautiful　and　dashing　wife。　He　loved　her。　What　the　hell　are　we　talking　about　it　for？　These　things　happen　all　the　time。　It　didn't　make　any　difference　what　she　did　or　who　she　played　around　with　or　what　she　had　once　been。　He　loved　her。〃
〃Like　Moose　Malloy；〃　Anne　said　quietly。
〃Let's　go　riding　along　the　water。〃
　〃You　didn't　tell　me　about　Brunette　or　the　cards　that　were　in　those　reefers　or　Amthor　or　Dr。　Sonderborg　or　that　little　clue　that　set　you　on　the　path　of　the　great　solution。〃
　〃I　gave　Mrs。　Florian　one　of　my　cards。　She　put　a　wet　glass　on　it。　Such　a　card　was　in　Marriott's　pockets；　wet　glass　mark　and　all。　Marriott　was　not　a　messy　man。　That　was　a　clue；　of　sorts。　Once　you　suspected　anything　it　was　easy　to　find　out　other　connections；　such　as　that　Marriott　owned　a　trust　deed　on　Mrs。　Florian's　home；　just　to　keep　her　in　line。　As　for　Amthor；　he's　a　bad　hat。　They　picked　him　up　in　a　New　York　hotel　and　they　say　he's　an　international　con　man。　Scotland　Yard　has　his　prints；　also　Paris。　How　the　hell　they　got　all　that　since　yesterday　or　the　day　before　I　don't　know。　These　boys　work　fast　when　they　feel　like　it。　I　think　Randall　has　had　this　thing　taped　for　days　and　was　afraid　I'd　step　on　the　tapes。　But　Amthor　had　nothing　to　do　with　killing　anybody。　Or　with　Sonderborg。　They　haven't　found　Sonderborg　yet。　They　think　he　has　a　record　too；　but　they're　not　sure　until　they　get　him。　As　for　Brunette；　you　can't　get　anything　on　a　guy　like　Brunette。　They'll　have　him　before　the　Grand　Jury　and　he'll　refuse　to　say　anything；　on　his　constitutional　rights。　He　doesn't　have　to　bother　about　his　reputation。　But　there's　a　nice　shakeup　here　in　Bay　City。　Chief　has　been　canned　and　half　the　detectives　have　been　reduced　to　acting　patrolmen；　and　a　very　nice　guy　named　Red　Norgaard；　who　helped　me　get　on　the　Montecito；　has　got　his　job　back。　Th