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ipe her lips。
〃From people in your position； Mrs。 Murdock； I don't necessarily have to have a retainer。〃
〃Mr。 Marlowe；〃 she said； 〃I'm a strong…minded woman。 But don't let me scare you。 Because if you can be scared by me； you won't be much use to me。〃
I nodded and let that one drift with the tide。
She laughed suddenly and then she belched。 It was a nice light belch； nothing showy； and performed with easy unconcern。 〃My asthma；〃 she said carelessly。 〃I drink this wine as medicine。 That's why I'm not offering you any。〃
I swung a leg over my knee。 I hoped that wouldn't hurt her asthma。
〃Money；〃 she said； 〃is not really important。 A woman in my position is always overcharged and gets to expect it。 I hope you will be worth your fee。 Here is the situation。 Something of considerable value has been stolen from me。 I want it back； but I want more than that。 I don't want anybody arrested。 The thief happens to be a member of my family by marriage。〃
She turned the wine glass with her thick fingers and smiled faintly in the dim light of the shadowed room。 〃My daughter…in…law；〃 she said。 〃A charming girland tough as an oak board。〃
She looked at me with a sudden gleam in her eyes。
〃I have a damn fool of a son；〃 she said。 〃But I'm very fond of him。 About a year ago he made an idiotic marriage； without my consent。 This was foolish of him because he is quite incapable of earning a living and he has no money except what I give him； and I am not generous with money。 The lady he chose； or who chose him； was a night club singer。 Her name； appropriately enough； was Linda Conquest。 They have lived here in this house。 We didn't quarrel because I don't allow people to quarrel with me in my own house； but there has not been good feeling between us。 I have paid their expenses； given each of them a car； made the lady a sufficient but not gaudy allowance for clothes and so on。 No doubt she found the life rather dull。 No doubt she found my son dull。 I find him dull myself。 At any rate she moved out； very abruptly； a week or so ago； without leaving a forwarding address or saying good…by。〃
She coughed； fumbled for a handkerchief； and blew her nose。
〃What was taken；〃 she went on； 〃was a coin。 A rare gold coin called a Brasher Doubloon。 It was the pride of my husband's collection。 I care nothing for such things； but he did。 I have kept the collection intact since he died four years ago。 It is upstairs； in a locked fireproof room； in a set of fireproof cases。 It is insured； but I have not reported the loss yet。 I don't want to； if I can help it。 I'm quite sure Linda took it。 The coin is said to be worth over ten thousand dollars。 It's a mint specimen。〃
〃But pretty hard to sell；〃 I said。
〃Perhaps。 I don't know。 I didn't miss the coin until yesterday。 I should not have missed it then； as I never go near the collection； except that a man in Los Angeles named Morningstar called up； said he was a dealer； and was the Murdock Brasher； as he called it； for sale？ My son happened to take the call。 He said he didn't believe it was for sale； it never had been； but that if Mr。 Morningstar would call some other time； he could probably talk to me。 It was not convenient then； as I was resting。 The man said he would do that。 My son reported the conversation to Miss Davis； who reported it to me。 I had her call the man back。 I was faintly curious。〃
She sipped some more port； flopped her handkerchief about and grunted。
〃Why were you curious； Mrs。 Murdock？〃 I asked； just to be saying something。
〃If the man was a dealer of any repute； he would know that the coin was not for sale。 My husband； Jasper Murdock； provided in his will that no part of his collection might be sold； loaned or hypothecated during my lifetime。 Nor removed from this house； except in case of damage to the house necessitating removal； and then only by action of the trustees。 My husband〃 she smiled grimly 〃seemed to feel that I ought to have taken more interest in his little pieces of metal while he was alive。〃
It was a nice day outside； the sun shining； the flowers blooming； the birds singing。 Cars went by on the street with a distant fortable sound。 In the dim room with the hardfaced woman and the winy smell everything seemed a little unreal。 I tossed my foot up and down over my knee and waited。
〃I spoke to Mr。 Morningstar。 His full name is Elisha Morningstar and he has offices in the Belfont Building on Ninth Street in downtown Los Angeles。 I told him the Murdock collection was not for sale； never had been； and； so far as I was concerned； never would be； and that I was surprised that he didn't know that。 He hemmed and hawed and then asked me if he might examine the coin。 I said certainly not。 He thanked me rather dryly and hung up。 He sounded like an old man。 So I went upstairs to examine the coin myself； something I had not done in a year。 It was gone from its place in one of the locked fireproof cases。〃
I said nothing。 She refilled her glass and played a tattoo with her thick fingers on the arm of the chaise longue。 〃What I thought then you can probably guess。〃
I said： 〃The part about Mr。 Morningstar； maybe。 Somebody had offered the coin to him for sale and he had known or suspected where it came from。 The coin must be very rare。〃
〃What they call a mint specimen is very rare indeed。 Yes； I had the same idea。〃
〃How would it be stolen？〃 I asked。
〃By anyone in this house； very easily。 The keys are in my bag； and my bag lies around here and there。 It would be a very simple matter to get hold of the keys long enough to unlock a door and a cabinet and then return the keys。 Difficult for an outsider； but anybody in the house could have stolen it。〃
〃I see。 How do you establish that your daughter…in…law took it； Mrs。 Murdock？〃
〃I don'tin a strictly evidential sense。 But I'm quite sure of it。 The servants are three women who have been here many； many yearslong before I married Mr。 Murdock； which was only seven years ago。 The gardener never es in the house。 I have no chauffeur； because either my son or my secretary drives me。 My son didn't take it； first because he is not the kind of fool that steals from his mother； and secondly； if he had taken it； he could easily have prevented me from speaking to the coin dealer； Morningstar。 Miss Davisridiculous。 Just not the type at all。 Too mousy。 No； Mr。 Marlowe； Linda is the sort of lady who might do it just for spite； if nothing else。 And you know what these night club people are。〃
〃All sorts of peoplelike the rest of us；〃 I said。 〃No signs of a burglar； I suppose？ It would take a pretty smooth worker to lift just one valuable coin； so there wouldn't be。 Maybe I had better look the room over； though。〃
She pushed her jaw at me and muscles in her neck made hard lumps。 〃I have just told you； Mr。 Marlowe； that Mrs。 Leslie Murdock； my daughter…in…law； took the Brasher Doubloon。〃
I stared at her and she stared back。 Her eyes were as hard as the bricks in her front walk。 I shrugged the stare off and said：
〃Assuming that is so； Mrs。 Murdock； just what do you want done？〃
〃In the first place I want the coin back。 In the second place I want an uncontested divorce for my son。 And I don't intend to buy it。 I daresay you know how these things are arranged。〃
She finished the current instalment of port and laughed rudely。
〃I may have heard；〃 I said。 〃You say the lady left no forwarding address。 Does that mean you have no idea at all where she went？〃
〃Exactly that。〃
〃A disappearance then。 Your son might have some ideas he hasn't passed along to you。 I'll have to see him。〃
The big gray face hardened into even ruggeder lines。 〃My son knows nothing。 He doesn't even know the doubloon has been stolen。 I don't want him to know anything。 When the time es I'll handle him。 Until then I want him left alone。 He will do exactly what I want him to。〃
〃He hasn't always；〃 I said。
〃His marriage；〃 she said nastily； 〃was a momentary impulse。 Afterwards he tried to act like a gentleman。 I have no such scruples。〃
〃It takes three days to have that kind of momentary impulse in California； Mrs。 Murdock。〃
〃Young man； do you want this job or don't you？〃
〃I want it if I'm told the facts and allowed to handle the case as I see fit。 I don't want it if you're going to make a lot of rules and regulations for me to trip over。〃
She laughed harshly。 〃This is a delicate family matter； Mr。 Marlowe。 And it must be handled with delicacy。〃
〃If you hire me； you'll get all the delicacy I have。 If I don't have enough delicacy； maybe you'd better not hire me。 For instance； I take it you don't want your daughter…in…law framed。 I'm not delicate enough for that。〃
She turned the color of a cold boiled beet and opened her mouth to yell。 Then she thought better of it； lifted her port glass and tucked away some more of her medicine。
〃You'll do；〃 she said dryly； 〃I wish I had met you two years ago； before he married her。〃
I didn't know exactly what this last meant； so I let it ride。 She bent over sideways and fumbled with the key on a house telephone and growled into it when she was answered。
There were steps and the little copper…blond came tripping into the room with her chin low； as if somebody might be going to take a swing at her。
〃Make this man a check for two hundred and fifty dollars；〃 the old dragon snarled at her。 〃And keep your mouth shut about it。〃
The little girl flushed all the way to her neck。 〃You know I never talk about your affairs； Mrs。 Murdock；〃 she bleated。 〃You know I don't。 I wouldn't dream of it； I〃
She turned with her head down and ran out of the room。 As she closed the door I looked out at her。 Her little lip was trembling but her eyes were mad。
〃I'll need a photo of the lady and some information；〃 I said when the door was shut again。
〃Look in the desk drawer。〃 Her rings flashed in the dimness as her thick gray finger pointed。
I went over and opened the single drawer of the reed desk and took out the photo that lay all alone in the bottom of the drawer； face up； looking at me with cool dark eyes。 I sat down again with the photo and looked it over。 Dark hair parted loosely in the middle and drawn back loosely over a solid piece of forehead。 A wide cool go…to…hell mouth with very kissable lips。 Nice nose； not too small； not too large。 Good bone all over the face。 The expression of the face lacked something。 Once the something might have been called breeding； but these days I didn't know what to call it。 The face looked too wise and too guarded for its age。 Too many passes had been made at it and it had grown a little too smart in dodging them。 And behind this expression of wiseness there was the look of simplicity of the little girl who still believes in Santa Claus。
I nodded over the photo and slipped it into my pocket。 thinking I was getting too much out of it to get out of a mere photo； and in a very poor light at that。
The door opened and the little girl in the linen dress came in with a three…decker check book and a fountain pen and made a desk of her arm for Mrs。 Murdock to sign。 She straightened up with a strained smile and Mrs。 Murdock made a sharp gesture towards me and the little girl tore the check out and gave it to me。 She hovered inside the door； waiting。 Nothing was said to her； so she went out softly again and closed the door。
I shook the check dry； folded it and sat holding it。 〃What can you tell me about Linda？〃
〃Practically nothing。 Before she married my son she shared an apartment with a girl named Lois Magiccharming names these people choose for themselveswho is an entertainer of some sort。 They worked at a place called the Idle Valley Club； out Ventura Boulevard way。 My son Leslie knows it far too well。 I know nothing about Linda's family or origins。 She said once she was born in Sioux Falls。 I suppose she had parents。 I was not interested enough to find out。〃
Like hell she wasn't。 I could see her digging with both hands； digging hard； and getting herself a double handful of gravel。
〃You don't know Miss Magic's address？〃
〃No。 I never did know。〃
〃Would your son be likely to knowor Miss Davis？〃
〃I'll ask my son when he es in。 I don't think so。 You can ask Miss Davis。 I'm sure she doesn'