One Bright Summer Morning
- Автор: Чейз Джеймс Хэдли
- Год: 1963
- Язык: английский
- Год: Robert Hale
- Жанр: Криминальные детективы
Электронная книга - «One Bright Summer Morning». Краткое содержание книги:
“Miss Van Wylie?” Dennison asked, pushing aside the papers on his desk.
“That’s right, sir,” Murphy went quickly over the facts. “There was this other girl with her, sir,” he went on. “She was something a bit different.” He gave a detailed description of Chita. “I got the idea Miss Van Wylie was giving this girl a lift into town.”
Dennison asked a number of questions. By the time he had finished with Murphy he had all the information he could get from the Patrol Officer.
“I followed Miss Van Wylie as far as the Macklin Square car park,” Murphy concluded. “I left her there.”
“Okay,” Dennison said. “You’d be able to identify this other girl again?”
“Sure would.”
Dennison dismissed Murphy with a wave of his hand after cautioning him not to talk. He then called the San Bernadino police headquarters. He asked them to check the Macklin Square car park. He said he had an idea they would find Miss Van Wylie’s Jaguar there. The sergeant in charge said he would call back.
Merrill Andrews and Abe Mason came in as Dennison replaced the telephone receiver.
“We’ve been through every photograph in the Herald’s library,” Mason said. “Mr. Andrews isn’t sure, but he thinks he’s spotted the man we’re after.” He put a photograph of a group of men on Dennison’s desk. “This photograph is of the cast of a play called ‘Moonlight in Venice.’ The man in the last row, third from the right, is Victor Dermott who wrote the play. Mr. Andrews has an idea he’s our man.”
“Yeah,” Andrews joined in. “It’s a bad photo, but he certainly looks like the guy.”
Dennison reached for the telephone. He asked to be connected with Mr. Simon of Simon and Ley, the theatrical agents. After a long wait, Simon came on the line. He knew Dennison, but he seemed surprised to have a call from the inspector.
“Sorry to worry you, Mr. Simon,” Dennison said. “I want to get in touch with Mr. Victor Dermott. Can you give me his address?”
“I guess I can give you his home address,” Simon said cautiously, “but I don’t think you’ll find him at home. He’s away some place. What’s it all about?”
“It’s urgent and confidential,” Dennison said. “I’d be glad of your help.”
Seconds later, after making a note on a scratch pad, Dennison said, “Thanks: sorry to have bothered you,” and he hung up.
“The address is 13345 Lincoln Avenue, Los Angeles,” he told Mason. “Take Mr. Andrews and go out there. Ask for Mr. Dermott. See if you can get a good photograph of him if he isn’t at home. If he is our man, find out where he is.”
As Andrews and Mason left the office, Tom Harper came in.
“Report on the Telex from Chase National, San Bernadino and Merchant Fidelity of Los Angeles,” he said. “They have cashed bearer cheques for four hundred thousand dollars, signed by Van Wylie.”
“Any description of the man who cashed them?”
“Yeah... the same. He’s around thirty-eight, tall, good-looking and dark. Well dressed.”
Dennison thought for a long moment, then he said, “I have a special job for you, Tom. Go out to Arrowhead Lake. I want you to check all the hotels in the district. See if you can find out if a man answering Jim Kramer’s description is staying or has stayed at any of the hotels. Be careful how you make your inquiries. Get Kramer’s photo from our files. Take Letts and Brody with you. I want a report back fast.”
Harper forgot himself for a moment, to say, “Jim Kramer? You don’t mean...?”
Dennison stared at him.
“I said report back fast!”
“Yes, sir,” Harper said hurriedly and left the office at a run.
“Carrie!”
Zelda’s voice floated across the lobby and Carrie, who had been bathing her aching face, came out of the bathroom and to her bedroom door.
“Carrie!”
She unlocked the door and moved out into the lobby.
“Yes?”
“Will you come?”
Carrie assured herself that Junior was amusing himself, then she walked across the lobby to Zelda’s room. The door stood open. She hesitated a moment, then went in.
Zelda was sitting on the side of her bed which was in disorder. She was wrapped in a sheet. Her usually immaculate hair was tousled. Her face was flushed and her eyes reminded Carrie of the eyes of a cat that had satisfied itself with too much cream.
Carrie glanced quickly around the room. There was no sign of Riff Crane. By the bed were the remains of Zelda’s clothes. The dress she had been wearing lay in two pieces. White rags represented her underwear.
“I haven’t any clothes,” Zelda said very calmly. “Could you lend me some?”
“Are you hurt?” Carrie asked anxiously. “Where — where is he?”
Zelda giggled and blushed.
“I’m fine... he’s taking a bath. I persuaded him.” She nodded to the closed door of the bathroom. “Oh, Carrie! I must tell someone! I’m wild about him!” She closed her eyes, her expression ecstatic. Carrie felt a sudden impulse to smack her face, but she controlled herself. “You don’t know! He’s marvellous. He’s so — so primitive! Carrie! I’m in love with him! He’s the first man who really means something to me! I’m going to marry him!”
“Have you gone mad?” Carrie exclaimed. “How can you think of such a thing! Look at me! He hit me! Look at my face!”
Simpering, Zelda pulled aside the sheet to reveal a livid purple bruise on the side of her thigh.
“He hit me, too. He’s like that. He doesn’t know his own strength. He takes what he wants... brutally... marvelously... He...”
“Stop it, you stupid little fool!” Carrie cried, revolted. “A brute like that! You must be out of your mind!”
Zelda’s face hardened and she pouted.
“You needn’t be jealous,” she said. “I know he preferred me to you, but what can you expect? After all, you’re older and you have a baby... Riff wouldn’t want a woman...”
Carrie said dangerously. “If you don’t stop it, I’m going to slap you... I mean just that.”
The bathroom door swung open and Riff stood in the doorway. He had a towel draped around his middle. His massive muscular chest was black with coarse thick hair. His arms also sprouted black hair. To Carrie, he looked like a terrifying ape. She moved back towards the door.
“Hello, baby,” Riff said, grinning at her. “You still around, looking for trouble?”
“Oh, leave her alone, Riff,” Zelda said, looking adoringly at him. “She’s only jealous. She wouldn’t dare do a thing to me with you around.” To Carrie, she went on, “Please let me have some clothes,” She simpered. “Riff was in such a hurry, he — he ripped everything of mine to bits.”
Riff leered at Carrie.
“Fix her up with something,” he said and laughed. “We’ve taken a fancy to each other.”
Her face coldly horrified, Carrie waved to the row of closets.
“Take what you want,” she said and went quickly out of the room.
Riff wandered over to the dressing table. He picked up a cut-glass bottle of toilet water. He slapped the toilet water onto his chest, sniffing appreciatively.
“I smell like a tart now,” he said, grinning. “You like me this way?”
Zelda looked adoringly at him.
“I think you’re marvellous, Riff. Those muscles... you...”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You get some clothes on, baby. I’ll be back,” and winking, he went out of the room, closing the door. Barefooted and with only the towel around his middle, he went out into the hot sunshine.
Chita stood waiting for him. Her back rested against the veranda rail, a cigarette hung from her lips, her face was a cold, hostile mask.
Riff padded towards her, grinning gleefully.