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te stranger to him； just a name on a card handed to him by some unknown party； said by him to be a mutual friend。 Then at the last minute Marriott decides to have you carry the money and do the talking while he hides in the car。 You say that was your idea； but he may have been hoping you would suggest it； and if you didn't suggest it； he would have had the idea himself。〃
〃He didn't like the idea at first；〃 I said。
Randall shrugged again。 〃He pretended not to like the idea…but he gave in。 So finally he gets a call and off you go to the place he describes。 All this is ing from Marriott。 None of it is known to you independently。 When you get there； there seems to be nobody about。 You are supposed to drive down into that hollow； but it doesn't look to be room enough for the big car。 It wasn't； as a matter of fact； because the car was pretty badly scratched on the left side。 So you get out and walk down into the hollow； see and hear nothing； wait a few minutes； e back to the car and then somebody in the car socks you on the back of the head。 Now suppose Marriott wanted that money and wanted to make you the fall guy…wouldn't he have acted just the way he did？〃
〃It's a swell theory；〃 I said。 〃Marriott socked me； took the money； then he got sorry and beat his brains out； after first burying the money under a bush。〃
Randall looked at me woodenly。 〃He had an acplice of course。 Both of you were supposed to be knocked out； and the acplice would beat it with the money。 Only the acplice double…crossed Marriott by killing him。 He didn't have to kill you because you didn't know him。〃
I looked at him with admiration and ground out my cigarette stub in a wooden tray that had once had a glass lining in it but hadn't any more。
〃It fits the facts…so far as we know them；〃 Randall said calmly。 〃It's no sillier than any other theory we could think up at the moment。〃
〃It doesn't fit one fact…that I was socked from the car； does it？ That would make me suspect Marriott of having socked me…other things being equal。 Although I didn't suspect him after he was killed。〃
〃The way you were socked fits best of all；〃 Randall said。 〃You didn't tell Marriott you had a gun； but he may have seen the bulge under your arm or at least suspected you had a gun。 In that case he would want to hit you when you suspected nothing。 And you wouldn't suspect anything from the back of the car。〃
〃Okey；〃 I said。 〃You win。 It's a good theory； always supposing the money was not Marriott's and that he wanted to steal it and that he had an acplice。 So his plan is that we both wake up with bumps on our heads and the money is gone and we say so sorry and I go home and forget all about it。 Is that how it ends？ I mean is that how he expected it to end？ It had to look good to him too； didn't it？〃
Randall smiled wryly。 〃I don't like it myself。 I was just trying it out。 It fits the facts…as far as I know them； which is not far。〃
〃We don't know enough to even start theorizing；〃 I said。 〃Why not assume he was telling the truth and that he perhaps recognized one of the stick…up men？〃
〃You say you heard no struggle； no cry？〃
〃No。 But he could have been grabbed quickly； by the throat。 Or he could have been too scared to cry out when they jumped him。 Say they were watching from the bushes and saw me go down the hill。 I went some distance； you know。 A good hundred feet。 They go over to look into the car and see Marriott。 Somebody sticks a gun in his face and makes him get out…quietly。 Then he's sapped down。 But something he says； or some way he looks； makes them think he has recognized somebody。〃
〃In the dark？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃It must have been something like that。 Some voices stay in your mind。 Even in the dark people are recognized。〃
Randall shook his head。 〃If this was an organized gang of jewel thieves； they wouldn't kill without a lot of provocation。〃 He stopped suddenly and his eyes got a glazed look。 He closed his mouth very slowly； very tight。 He had an idea。 〃Hijack；〃 he said。
I nodded。 〃I think that's an idea。〃
〃There's another thing；〃 he said。 〃How did you get here？〃
〃I drove my car。〃
〃Where was your car？〃
〃Down at Montemar Vista； in the parking lot by the sidewalk cafe。〃
He looked at me very thoughtfully。 The dicks behind him looked at me suspiciously。 The drunk in the cells tried to yodel； but his voice cracked and that discouraged him。 He began to cry。
〃I walked back to the highway；〃 I said。 〃I flagged a car。 A girl was driving it alone。 She stopped and took me down。〃。
〃Some girl；〃 Randall said。 〃It was late at night； on a lonely road； and she stopped。〃
〃Yeah。 Some of them will do that。 I didn't get to know her； but she seemed nice。〃 I stared at them； knowing they didn't believe me and wondering why I was lying about it。
〃It was a small car；〃 I said。 〃A Chevvy coupe。 I didn't get the license number。〃
〃Haw； he didn't get the license number；〃 one of the dicks said and spat into the wastebasket again。
Randall leaned forward and stared at me carefully。 〃If you're holding anything back with the idea of working on this case yourself to make yourself a little publicity； I'd forget it； Marlowe。 I don't like all the points in your story and I'm going to give you the night to think it over。 Tomorrow I'll probably ask you for a sworn statement。 In the meantime let me give you a tip。 This is a murder and a police job and we wouldn't want your help； even if it was good。 All we want from you is facts。 Get me？〃
〃Sure。 Can I go home now？ I don't feel any too well。〃
〃You can go home now。〃 His eyes were icy。
I got up and started towards the door in a dead silence。 When I had gone four steps Randall cleared his throat and said carelessly：
〃Oh； one small point。 Did you notice what kind of cigarettes Marriott smoked？〃
I turned。 〃Yes。 Brown ones。 South American； in a French enamel case。〃
He leaned forward and pushed the embroidered silk case out of the pile of junk on the table and then pulled it towards him。
〃Ever see this one before？〃
〃Sure。 I was just looking at it。〃
〃I mean； earlier this evening。〃
〃I believe I did；〃 I said。 〃Lying around somewhere。 Why？〃
〃You didn't search the body？〃
〃Okey；〃 I said。 〃Yes； I looked through his pockets。 That was in one of them。 I'm sorry。 Just professional curiosity。 I didn't disturb anything。 After all he was my client。〃
Randall took hold of the embroidered case with both hands and opened it。 He sat looking into it。 It was empty。 The three cigarettes were gone。
I bit hard on my teeth and kept the tired look on my face。 It was not easy。
〃Did you see him smoke a cigarette out of this？〃
〃No。〃
Randall nodded coolly。 〃It's empty as you see。 But it was in his pocket just the same。 There's a little dust in it。 I'm going to have it examined under a microscope。 I'm not sure； but I have an idea it's marihuana。〃
I said： 〃If he had any of those； I should think he would have smoked a couple tonight。 He needed something to cheer him up。〃
Randall closed the case carefully and pushed it away。
〃That's all；〃 he said。 〃And keep your nose clean。〃
I went out。
The fog had cleared off outside and the stars were as bright as artificial stars of chromium on a sky of black velvet。 I drove