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Authors: Ross MacDonald
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go to hell.”
“Later, perhaps. Before I kiss you good-bye, I want some information. Who you are, where you came from, why youwere after Lucy. Also what you were doing at five o’clock this afternoon. We’ll start with that.”
“Five o’clock? I was right here, in this room. Is it important?” The question was neither rhetorical nor defiant like most of her other questions. She knew or sensed what was coming.
“Never mind that. Can you prove it?”
“If I have to. I made a telephone call around five.” Her hands were moving over and over each other, trying to warm themselves at the cold fire of the diamonds. “I wouldn’t want to use that unless I have to. You haven’t even told me what it is I need an alibi for.”
“Who were you calling?”
“You wouldn’t be interested. I said I can prove it if I have to. It was long distance. They keep a record.” She retreated to a leather hassock and crouched uneasily on its edge.
“I’m interested in everything about you, Una. A little while ago I made a statement to the police, and I couldn’t leave you out.”
“You went to the cops?” Her voice was incredulous, as if I had leagued myself with the forces of evil.
“They came to me. I found Lucy with her throat cut shortly after five o’clock.”
“Did you say throat cut?”
“I did. She was dead in her motel room. I had to explain what I was doing there. Naturally your name came up—the name you’re using.”
“Why aren’t they here?”
“I didn’t tell them you were in town. I thought, before I threw you to them, I’d give you a chance to level. I’m also a little curious about who I’m sticking my neck out for, and why.”
“You sap! They might have followed you here.”
“Sap is the word.” I stood up. “I haven’t thought of a word for you, but I will.”
“Where are you going?”
“Down to the station to amplify my statement. The longer I wait, the more trouble it’s going to make for me.”
“No, you can’t do that.” She scrambled to her feet and ran jerkily to the door, spreading her arms across it like a crucified marionette. “You’re working for me. You can’t turn me in.”
I took the hundred from my wallet and tossed it at her feet. She stooped for it, watching me anxiously to see that I didn’t escape:
“No. Please take it back. I’ll give you more.”
“You haven’t got enough. Murder comes very high on my price-list.”
“I didn’t kill her, you—Mr. Archer. I told you my alibi.”
“Telephone alibis are easy to fix.”
“I didn’t fix it. There’s no way I could have fixed it. I was here in this room. Ask the switchboard. I haven’t been out of here since early this afternoon.”
“And that’s why you’re taking it so calmly, eh?” I reached for the doorknob.
“What are you going to do?”
Her cold hand closed over mine. The bill fell like a crumpled green leaf to the floor. Braced against the door, breathing with terrier quickness, she didn’t notice it.
“I’ll see the switchboard girl, if the same one’s still on duty.”
“It was the desk-clerk who handled the call. I recognized his voice.”
“All right, I’ll talk to the desk-clerk. Then you and I are going into this thing in detail.”
“Not with cops?”
“It’s up to you. We’ll see how your story checks.”
“No. Stay here. You can’t do this to me.” The words were punctuated by gasping breaths.
I turned the knob and pulled on it. She sat down against the door and began to scream wordlessly. The opening door pushed her sideways. Legs spraddled, mouth wide open, she looked up at me in the reddish murderous light and I looked down at her. She was making a steady unbearable sound like the screech of tearing metal. I closed the heavy door, cutting off the sound.
The desk-clerk beamed with pleasure at the sight of me. I was the fortunate traveler whose lady-friend in the expensive suite wore genuine leopardskin and probable diamonds.
“I’m
“Later, perhaps. Before I kiss you good-bye, I want some information. Who you are, where you came from, why youwere after Lucy. Also what you were doing at five o’clock this afternoon. We’ll start with that.”
“Five o’clock? I was right here, in this room. Is it important?” The question was neither rhetorical nor defiant like most of her other questions. She knew or sensed what was coming.
“Never mind that. Can you prove it?”
“If I have to. I made a telephone call around five.” Her hands were moving over and over each other, trying to warm themselves at the cold fire of the diamonds. “I wouldn’t want to use that unless I have to. You haven’t even told me what it is I need an alibi for.”
“Who were you calling?”
“You wouldn’t be interested. I said I can prove it if I have to. It was long distance. They keep a record.” She retreated to a leather hassock and crouched uneasily on its edge.
“I’m interested in everything about you, Una. A little while ago I made a statement to the police, and I couldn’t leave you out.”
“You went to the cops?” Her voice was incredulous, as if I had leagued myself with the forces of evil.
“They came to me. I found Lucy with her throat cut shortly after five o’clock.”
“Did you say throat cut?”
“I did. She was dead in her motel room. I had to explain what I was doing there. Naturally your name came up—the name you’re using.”
“Why aren’t they here?”
“I didn’t tell them you were in town. I thought, before I threw you to them, I’d give you a chance to level. I’m also a little curious about who I’m sticking my neck out for, and why.”
“You sap! They might have followed you here.”
“Sap is the word.” I stood up. “I haven’t thought of a word for you, but I will.”
“Where are you going?”
“Down to the station to amplify my statement. The longer I wait, the more trouble it’s going to make for me.”
“No, you can’t do that.” She scrambled to her feet and ran jerkily to the door, spreading her arms across it like a crucified marionette. “You’re working for me. You can’t turn me in.”
I took the hundred from my wallet and tossed it at her feet. She stooped for it, watching me anxiously to see that I didn’t escape:
“No. Please take it back. I’ll give you more.”
“You haven’t got enough. Murder comes very high on my price-list.”
“I didn’t kill her, you—Mr. Archer. I told you my alibi.”
“Telephone alibis are easy to fix.”
“I didn’t fix it. There’s no way I could have fixed it. I was here in this room. Ask the switchboard. I haven’t been out of here since early this afternoon.”
“And that’s why you’re taking it so calmly, eh?” I reached for the doorknob.
“What are you going to do?”
Her cold hand closed over mine. The bill fell like a crumpled green leaf to the floor. Braced against the door, breathing with terrier quickness, she didn’t notice it.
“I’ll see the switchboard girl, if the same one’s still on duty.”
“It was the desk-clerk who handled the call. I recognized his voice.”
“All right, I’ll talk to the desk-clerk. Then you and I are going into this thing in detail.”
“Not with cops?”
“It’s up to you. We’ll see how your story checks.”
“No. Stay here. You can’t do this to me.” The words were punctuated by gasping breaths.
I turned the knob and pulled on it. She sat down against the door and began to scream wordlessly. The opening door pushed her sideways. Legs spraddled, mouth wide open, she looked up at me in the reddish murderous light and I looked down at her. She was making a steady unbearable sound like the screech of tearing metal. I closed the heavy door, cutting off the sound.
The desk-clerk beamed with pleasure at the sight of me. I was the fortunate traveler whose lady-friend in the expensive suite wore genuine leopardskin and probable diamonds.
“I’m
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