Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Vol. 140, Nos. 3 & 4. Whole Nos. 853 & 854, September/October 2012
- Автор: Макдермид Вэл, Манфредо Лу
- Год: 2012
- Язык: английский
- Год: Dell Magazines
- ISBN: 0013-6328
- Жанр: Другие детективы
Электронная книга - «Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Vol. 140, Nos. 3 & 4. Whole Nos. 853 & 854, September/October 2012». Краткое содержание книги:
I told him I understood, placed the receiver back into the cradle, and immediately began to discuss every last detail with Dave.
I asked Bliss, one of the shop’s uber-dedicated part-timers, to take over and waited in the workroom where I could pace. I had so many questions. But when the deputy arrived he insisted on going first. Had I been at Darby’s house yesterday? Did I witness an altercation between him and Noland? Who else was present? Could I supply a list of the albums Darby had sold to Noland and estimate their worth? I answered as succinctly as possible and read off the list of albums I’d jotted down on the pad beside my phone when Darby called two nights ago to make the offer.
“As far as value,” I said, “anybody off the street could probably get fifteen hundred dollars total. I’d get more because I know a lot of collectors and what they’re looking for.”
Deputy Fowler was young and strikingly handsome. He maintained his professional scowl and scribbled in a little notebook. I’d insisted that Dave stay with me as my counsel. I never claimed he was a lawyer, could I help it if the deputy jumped to conclusions? And anyway, for all I knew, Dave really did hold a law degree. I’m surprised on a regular basis by things that pop up from his past.
I pride myself on staying calm in emergencies — except for the giggling thing — but I heard a definite edge creeping into my voice as I asked my own questions. Deputy Fowler gave me a reassuring smile — he had a nice smile. “Look,” he said, dropping the professional-cop bearing, “it looks bad for Darby right now, but frankly, I don’t think the actual evidence will amount to much in the end. It’s true that Noland was found dead in Darby’s atrium, and it’s true that Darby was passed out — snockered to the gills — in the same room. And yeah, maybe Darby’s fingerprints are on the pottery bowl somebody used to whack Noland in the head, but I suspect those things can all be explained away. I mean, I know Darby; he’s not that kind of guy. ’Course, I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell the sheriff I’ve expressed that opinion. He already thinks I’m soft on this one.”
“You’re friends with Darby, Deputy Fowler?” I asked.
“Yeah, I’d like to think so,” he said. “I’ve known him since he moved to the mountain. I go up to his house and listen to tunes with him once in a while. He’s got me started with a little record collection of my own. I’m not in his league — or yours — but I’ve got a few good ones. And hey,” he leaned toward me and lowered his voice, “just call me plain old Jared — but don’t tell the sheriff I said that either, okay?”
“No, ’course not.” I struggled to stifle a giggle lest he misinterpret it.
“Has Darby been charged?” I asked.
“’Fraid so, but they’re calling it manslaughter — heat of passion and all. He’ll make bail. And as you know, money’s not an issue for Darby. Try not to worry. ”
Dave moved up behind me and we watched as Deputy Fowler made his way across the shop to the door, turning the heads of a couple of female customers.
“Depity-Dawg’s got himself a little witness crush. Call me Jared,” Dave mimicked, lowering his voice.
“That’s ridiculous. Stop making jokes, ” I snapped. “Dave, a man is dead.”
“Yeah, tell it to the deputy,” Dave drawled. “Pretty inappropriate occasion for him to be hitting on you.”
“He wasn’t. You’re just being — well, you. You should be happy. You heard him, he knows Darby’s innocent. I can’t believe any of this. Noland’s dead? And Darby — I’m going out there right now. Can you cover the shop for me?”
“Nope,” Dave said. “If Bliss can’t stay I’ll call Tracker and have him come in. I’m going with you. Think of me as Deputy Dave — but you can call me just plain ol’ Dave.”
Beth sat at the kitchen table alternating between choking out disjointed sentences and popping another tissue from the half-empty box on the table. So far I’d learned that Darby was in custody and would be arraigned the following morning. “Unless somebody comes to their senses by then,” Nadine huffed. Until then, no visitors and no phone privileges.
Dave had gone down to town to nose around, an activity he’s incredibly good at. Dave knows people everywhere and because he lets a lot of quiet into his conversations people tend to babble on to fill the spaces, ofttimes telling him things they didn’t intend to tell.
My approach is a little less polished. “What in God’s name happened?” I asked Beth and Nadine.
“I don’t know!” Beth wailed, the tears spilling over again. “But whatever it was, I know Darby didn’t do it. He’d never hurt anybody.”
“It’s okay, Beth,” I said, trying to sound soothing. I’m not the world’s most patient person, I admit that, and ordinarily I’d have to resist the impulse to shake her into sensibility, but she looked so pitifully young and confused I felt for her. She was, in fact, young. Darby had met her when she was a college sophomore volunteering with one of his pet environmental causes. Smitten, he’d put on the full court press and three months later they were married.
Nadine offered me coffee, bless her, and when she came to pour, Beth latched onto her hand. “Nadine, can’t you just come and sit with us — please.”
Nadine looked taken aback by the gesture, but she sat and patted Beth’s hand awkwardly.
“You’re the one who found him, Nadine?” I asked.
She nodded. “Early this morning, before daylight. Couldn’t sleep and came down to start breakfast. Thought Darby and Beth might like to eat in the atrium so I went in to start a fire in the fireplace and there Noland was, sprawled out on the floor. I knew right off he was for good and all dead even before I saw the blood on the back of his head. Then I saw Darby slumped in a chair and it was all I could do to get my heart beating a rhythm again. I thought he was dead too, but then he groaned. He smelled like a distillery and the bottle of scotch one of his business people gave him for Christmas was sitting on the table nearly empty. I knew he’d brought it out for Noland but I just couldn’t believe he’d been drinking. You know he had a problem. He swore off years ago.”
“He wasn’t!” Beth insisted. “He wouldn’t. I told the sheriff, Darby knows better.”
“What did Darby have to say? Have you talked to him?” I asked.
“Just when I found him,” Nadine sighed, “ but he wasn’t making good sense. He was talking wild and swore he couldn’t remember anything since yesterday morning. I called nine-one-one and the sheriff and the ambulance came. Look, Session, I know good and well Darby would never hurt another living thing, but I can’t explain any of it. Right now I’m just praying hard as I can somebody will get to the truth.”
“Where were you two when it happened?” I asked.
“We don’t know when it happened, but it had to have been after seven o’clock last night,” Nadine said. If she was offended by my questions she didn’t show it. She frowned as if working through the timeline in her own mind. “Those two were still listening to music and I took them in some supper then went down to town to a movie. I wish to God I’d stayed home. I got home about midnight and music was still coming from the atrium so I went on to bed.”
“And you?” I asked Beth gently. “Where were you? Did you hear anything?”
Beth hesitated. “I wasn’t here either. I was—” She popped another tissue from the box and I held my breath, waiting for another meltdown. “I went looking for Kyle,” she said finally. “He’s gotten sort of wild. That’s why my folks sent him here. They thought being out here isolated in nature for a couple of weeks would be good for him, but he’s made friends with a guy from the construction crew and he’s been sneaking out to do stuff with him. I was making the rounds at the clubs and bars looking for him.”