按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
She opened her mouth and made an unpleasant clucking sound shutting it。 〃What time is it？〃
〃I don't know that either。 Somewhere around daylight。〃
She rubbed her face into the chintz cushion under it and said： 〃A swell guy I turned out to be； promising to marry him yesterday and then leaving him to take the first tramp I run into home with me。〃 She opened and shut the hand that was above her head。 〃Or am I home？〃
〃You had a key to the place； anyway；〃 Ned Beaumont told her。 〃Want some orange…juice and coffee？〃
〃I don't want a damned thing except to die。 Will you go away； Ned； and not ever e back？〃
〃It's going to be hard on me；〃 he said ill…naturedly； 〃but I'll try。〃
He put on his overcoat and gloves； took a dark wrinkled cap from one overcoat…pocket； put the cap on； and left the house。
5
Half an hour later Ned Beaumont was knocking on the door of room 734 at his hotel。 Presently Jack's voice； drowsy； can…me through the door： 〃Who's that？〃
〃Beaumont。〃
〃Oh；〃 without enthusiasm； 〃all right。〃
Jack opened the door and turned on the lights。 He was in green…spotted pajamas。 His feet were bare。 His eyes were dull； his face flushed； with sleepiness。 He yawned； nodded； and went back to bed； where he stretched himself out on his back and stared at the ceiling。 Then he asked； with not much interest： 〃How are you this morning？〃
Ned Beaumont had shut the door。 He stood between door and bed looking sullenly at the man in the bed。 He asked： 〃What happened after I left？〃
〃Nothing happened。〃 Jack yawned again。 〃Or do you mean what did I do？〃 He did not wait for a reply。 〃I went out and took a plant across the street till they came out。 Despain and the girl and the guy that slugged you came out。 They went to the Buckman； Forty…eighth Street。 That's where Despain's holing upapartment 938name of Barton Dewey。 I hung around there till after three and then knocked off。 They were all still in there unless they were fooling me。〃 He jerked his head slightly in the direction of a corner of the room。 〃Your hat's on the chair there。 I thought I might as well save it for you。〃
Ned Beaumont went over to the chair and picked up the hat that did not quite fit him。 He stuffed the wrinkled dark cap in his overcoat pocket and put the hat on his head。
Jack said： 〃There's some gin on the table if you want a shot。〃
Ned Beaumont said： 〃No； thanks。 Have you got a gun？〃
Jack stopped staring at the ceiling。 He sat up in bed； stretched his arms out wide； yawned for the third time； and asked： 〃What are you figuring on doing？〃 His voice held nothing beyond polite curiosity。
〃I'm going to see Despain。〃
Jack had drawn his knees up； had clasped his hands around them； and was sitting hunched forward a little staring at the foot of the bed。 He said slowly： 〃I don't think you ought to； not right now。〃
〃I've got to； right now；〃 Ned Beaumont said。
His voice made Jack look at him。 Ned Beaumont's face was an unhealthy yellowish grey。 His eyes were muddy； red…rimmed； not sufficiently open to show any of the whites。 His lips were dry and somewhat thicker than usual。
〃Been up all night？〃 Jack asked。
〃I got some sleep。〃
〃Unkdray？〃
〃Yes； but how about the gun？〃
Jack swung his legs out from beneath the covers and down over the side of the bed。 〃Why don't you get some sleep first？ Then we can go after them。 You're in no shape now。〃
Ned Beaumont said： 〃I'm going now。〃
Jack said： 〃All right； but you're wrong。 You know they're no babies。 to go up against shaky。 They mean it。〃
〃Where's the gun？〃 Ned Beaumont asked。
Jack stood up and began to unbutton his pajama…coat。
Ned Beaumont said： 〃Give me the gun and get back in bed。 I'm going。〃
Jack fastened the button he had just unfastened and got into bed。 〃The gun's in the top bureau…drawer；〃 he said。 〃There are extra cartridges。 in there too if you want them。〃 He turned over on his side and shut his eyes。
Ned Beaumont found the pistol； put it in a hip…pocket； said； 〃See you later；〃 switched off the lights； and went out。
6
The Buckman was a square…built yellow apartment…building that filled most of the block it stood in。 Inside； Ned Beaumont said he wanted to see Mr。 Dewey。 When asked for his name he said： 〃Ned Beaumont。〃
Five minutes later he was walking away from an elevator down a long corridor towards an open door where Bernie Despain stood。
Despain was a small man； short and stringy； with a head too large for his body。 The size of his head was exaggerated until it seemed a deformity by long thick fluffy waved hair。 His face was swarthy； large…featured except for the eyes； and strongly lined across the forehead and down from nostrils past the mouth。 He had a faintly reddish scar on one cheek。 His blue suit was carefully pressed and he wore no jewelry。
He stood in the doorway； smiling sardonically； and said： 〃Good morning； Ned。〃
Ned Beaumont said： 〃I want to talk to you； Bernie。〃
〃I guessed you did。 As soon as they phoned your name up I said to myself： 'I bet you he wants to talk to me。'〃
Ned Beaumont said nothing。 His yellow face was tight…lipped。
Despain's smile became looser。 He said： 〃Well； my boy； you don't have to stand here。 e on in。〃 He stepped aside。
The door opened into a small vestibule。 Through an opposite door that stood open Lee Wilshire and the man who had struck Ned Beaumont could be seen。 They had stopped packing two traveling…bags to look at Ned Beaumont。
He went into the vestibule。
Despain followed him in； shut the corridor…door； and said： 〃The Kid's kind of hasty and when you e up to me like that he thought maybe you were looking for trouble； see？ I give him hell about it and maybe if you ask him he'll apologize。〃
The Kid said something in an undertone to Lee Wilshire； who was glaring at Ned Beaumont。 She laughed a vicious little laugh and replied： 〃Yes； a sportsman to the last。〃
Bernie Despain said： 〃Go right in； Mr。 Beaumont。 You've already met the folks； haven't you？〃
Ned Beaumont advanced into the room where Lee and the Kid were。
The Kid asked： 〃How's the belly？〃
Ned Beaumont did not say anything。
Bernie Despain exclaimed： 〃Jesus！ For a guy that says he came up here to talk you've done less of it than anybody I ever heard of。〃
〃I want to talk to you；〃 Ned Beaumont said。 〃Do we have to have all these people around？〃
〃I do；〃 Despain replied。 〃You don't。 You can get away from them just by walking out and going about your own business。〃
〃I've got business here。〃
〃That's right； there was something about money。〃 Despain grinned at the Kid。 〃Wasn't there something about money； Kid？〃
The Kid had moved to stand in the doorway through which Ned Beaumont had e into the room。 〃Something；〃 he said in a rasping voice； 〃but I forget what。〃
Ned Beaumont took off his overcoat and hung it on the back of a brown easy…chair。 He sat down in the chair and put his hat behind him。 He said： 〃That's not my business this time。 I'mlet's see。〃 He took a paper from his inner coat…pocket； unfolded it； glanced at it； and said： 〃I'm here as special investigator for the District Attorney's office。〃
For a small fraction of a second the twinkle in Despain's eyes was