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she shrugged and let go of her lip and smiled at me candidly。
〃Oh I know I'm just a damned inquisitive wench。 But there's a strain of bloodhound in me。 My father was a cop。 His name was Cliff Riordan and he was police chief of Bay City for seven years。 I suppose that's what's the matter。〃
〃I seem to remember。 What happened to him？〃
〃He was fired。 It broke his heart。 A mob of gamblers headed by a man named Laird Brunette elected themselves a mayor。 So they put Dad in charge of the Bureau of Records and Identification； which in Bay City is about the size of a tea…bag。 So Dad quit and pottered around for a couple of years and then died。 And Mother died soon after him。 So I've been alone for two years。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 I said。
She ground out her cigarette。 It had no lipstick on it。 〃The only reason I'm boring you with this is that it makes it easy for me to get along with policemen。 I suppose I ought to have told you last night。 So this morning I found out who had charge of the case and went to see him。 He was a little sore at you at first。〃
〃That's all right；〃 I said。 〃If I had told him the truth on all points； he still wouldn't have believed me。 All he will do is chew one of my ears off。〃
She looked hurt。 I got up and opened the other window。 The noise of the traffic from the boulevard came in in waves； like nausea。 I felt lousy。 I opened the deep drawer of the desk and got the office bottle out and poured myself a drink。
Miss Riordan watched me with disapproval。 I was no longer a solid man。 She didn't say anything。 I drank the drink and put the bottle away again and sat down。
〃You didn't offer me one；〃 she said coolly。
〃Sorry。 It's only eleven o'clock or less。 I didn't think you looked the type。〃
Her eyes crinkled at the corners。 〃Is that a pliment？〃
〃In my circle； yes。〃
She thought that over。 It didn't mean anything to her。 It didn't mean anything to me either when I thought it over。 But the drink made me feel a lot better。
She leaned forward and scraped her gloves slowly across the glass of the desk。 〃You wouldn't want to hire an assistant； would you？ Not if it only cost you a kind word now and then？〃
〃No。〃
She nodded。 〃I thought probably you wouldn't。 I'd better just give you my information and go on home。〃
I didn't say anything。 I lit my pipe again。 It makes you look thoughtful when you are not thinking。
〃First of all； it occurred to me that a jade necklace like that would be a museum piece and would be well known；〃 she said。
I held the match in the air； still burning and watching the flame crawl close to my fingers。 Then I blew it out softly and dropped it in the tray and said：
〃I didn't say anything to you about a jade necklace。〃
〃No； but Lieutenant Randall did。〃
〃Somebody ought to sew buttons on his face。〃
〃He knew my father。 I promised not to tell。〃
〃You're telling me。〃
〃You knew already； silly。〃
Her hand suddenly flew up as if it was going to fly to her mouth； but it only rose halfway and then fell back slowly and her eyes widened。 It was a good act； but I knew something else about her that spoiled it。
〃You did know； didn't you？〃 She breathed the words； hushedly。
〃I thought it was diamonds。 A bracelet； a pair of earrings； a pendant； three rings； one of the rings with emeralds too。〃
〃Not funny；〃 she said。 〃Not even fast。〃
〃Fei Tsui jade。 Very rare。 Carved beads about six carats apiece； sixty of them。 Worth eighty thousand dollars。〃
〃You have such nice brown eyes；〃 she said。 〃And you think you're tough。〃
〃Well； who does it belong to and how did you find out？〃
〃I found out very simply。 I thought the best jeweler in town would probably know； so I went and asked the manager of Block's。 I told him I was a writer and wanted to do an article on rare jade…you know the line。〃
〃So he believed your red hair and your beautiful figure。〃 She flushed clear to the temples。 〃Well； he told me anyway。 It belongs to a rich lady who lives in Bay City； in an estate on the canyon。 Mrs。 Lewin Lockridge Grayle。 Her husband is an investment banker or something； enormously rich； worth about twenty millions。 He used to own a radio station in Beverly Hills； Station KFDK； and Mrs。 Grayle used to work there。 He married her five years ago。 She's a ravishing blonde。 Mr。 Grayle is elderly； liverish； stays home and takes calomel while Mrs。 Grayle goes places and has a good time。〃
〃This manager of Block's；〃 I said。 〃He's a fellow that gets around。〃
〃Oh； I didn't get all that from him； silly。 Just about the necklace。 The rest I got from Giddy Gertie Arbogast。〃
I reached into the deep drawer and brought the office bottle up again。
〃You're not going to turn out to be one of those drunken detectives； are you？〃 she asked anxiously。
〃Why not？ They always solve their cases and they never even sweat。 Get on with the story。〃
〃Giddy Gertie is the society editor of the Chronicle。 I've known him for years。 He weighs two hundred and wears a Hitler mustache。 He got out his morgue file on the Grayles。 Look。〃
She reached into her bag and slid a photograph across the desk； a five…by…three glazed still。
It was a blonde。 A blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained glass window。 She was wearing street clothes that looked black and white； and a hat to match and she was a little haughty； but not too much。 Whatever you needed； wherever you happened to be…she had it。 About thirty years old。
I poured a fast drink and burned my throat getting it down。 〃Take it away；〃 I said。 〃I'll start jumping。〃
〃Why； I got it for you。 You'll want to see her； won't you？〃
I looked at it again。 Then I slid it under the blotter。 〃How about tonight at eleven？〃
〃Listen； this isn't just a bunch of gag lines； Mr。 Marlowe。 I called her up。 She'll see you。 On business。〃
〃It may start out that way。〃
She made an impatient gesture； so I stopped fooling around and got my battle…scarred frown back on my face。 〃What will she see me about？〃
〃Her necklace； of course。 It was like this。 I called her up and had a lot of trouble getting to talk to her； of course； but finally I did。 Then I gave her the song and dance I had given the nice man at Block's and it didn't take。 She sounded as if she had a hangover。 She said something about talking to her secretary； but I managed to keep her on the phone and ask her if it was true she had a Fei Tsui jade necklace。 After a while she said； yes。 I asked if I might see it。 She said； what for？ I said my piece over again and it didn't take any better than the first time。 I could hear her yawning and bawling somebody outside the mouthpiece for putting me on。 Then I said I was working for Philip Marlowe。 She said 'So what？' Just like that。〃
〃Incredible。 But all the society dames talk like tramps nowadays。〃
〃I wouldn't know；〃 Miss Riordan said sweetly。 〃Probably some of them are tramps。 So I asked her if she had a phone with no extension and she said what business was it of mine。 But the funny thing was she hadn't hung up on me。〃
〃She had the jade on her mind and she didn't know what you were leading up to。 And she may have heard from Randall already。〃
Miss Riordan shook her head。 〃No； I called him later and he didn't know who owned the necklace until I to