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〃I don't know very much about it really；〃 I said。
〃Oh； I hope you can。〃 She gave me a smile I could feel in my hip pocket。
I drank the other half of my drink。 I began to feel rested。 Mrs。 Grayle rang a bell set into the arm of the leather chesterfield and a footman came in。 She half pointed to the tray。 He looked around and mixed two drinks。 Miss Riordan was still playing cute with the same one and apparently Mr。 Grayle didn't drink。 The footman went out。
Mrs。 Grayle and I held our glasses。 Mrs。 Grayle crossed her legs； a little carelessly。
〃I don't know whether I can do anything；〃 I said。 〃I doubt it。 What is there to go on？〃
〃I'm sure you can。〃 She gave me another smile。 〃How far did Lin Marriott take you into his confidence？〃
She looked sideways at Miss Riordan。 Miss Riordan just couldn't catch the look。 She kept right on sitting。 She looked sideways the other way。 Mrs。 Grayle looked at her husband。 〃Do you have to bother with this； honey？〃
Mr。 Grayle stood up and said he was very glad to have met me and that he would go and lie down for a while。 He didn't feel very well。 He hoped I would excuse him。 He was so polite I wanted to carry him out of the room just to show my appreciation。
He left。 He closed the door softly； as if he was afraid to wake a sleeper。 Mrs。 Grayle looked at the door for a moment and then put the smile back on her face and looked at me。
〃Miss Riordan is in your plete confidence； of course。〃
〃Nobody's In my plete confidence； Mrs。 Grayle。 She happens to know about this case…what there is to know。〃
〃Yes。〃 She drank a sip or two； then finished her glass at a swallow and set it aside。
〃To hell with this polite drinking；〃 she said suddenly。 〃Let's get together on this。 You're a very good…looking man to be in your sort of racket。〃
〃It's a smelly business；〃 I said。
〃I didn't quite mean that。 Is there any money in it…or is that impertinent？〃
〃There's not much money in it。 There's a lot of grief。 But there's a lot of fun too。 And there's always a chance of a big case。〃
〃How does one get to be a private detective？ You don't mind my sizing you up a little？ And push that table over here； will you？ So I can reach the drinks。〃
I got up and pushed the huge silver tray on a stand across the glossy floor to her side。 She made two more drinks。 I still had half of my second。
〃Most of us are ex…cops；〃 I said。 〃I worked for the D。A。 for a while。 I got fired。〃
She smiled nicely。 〃Not for inpetence； I'm sure。〃
〃No； for talking back。 Have you had any more phone calls？〃
〃Well…〃 She looked at Anne Riordan。 She waited。 Her look said things。
Anne Riordan stood up。 She carried her glass； still full； over to the tray and set it down。 〃You probably won't run short；〃 she said。 〃But if you do…and thanks very much for talking to me； Mrs。 Grayle。 I won't use anything。 You have my word for it。〃
〃Heavens； you're not leaving；〃 Mrs。 Grayle said with a smile。
Anne Riordan took her lower lip between her teeth and held it there for a moment as if making up her mind whether to bite it off and spit it out or leave it on a while longer。
〃Sorry； afraid I'll have to。 I don't work for Mr。 Marlowe； you know。 Just a friend。 Good…by； Mrs。 Grayle。〃
The blonde gleamed at her。 〃I hope you'll drop in again soon。 Any time。〃 She pressed the bell twice。 That got the butler。 He held the door open。
Miss Riordan went out quickly and the door closed。 For quite a while after it closed； Mrs。 Grayle stared at it with a faint smile。 〃It's much better this way； don't you think？〃 she said after an interval of silence。
I nodded。 〃You're probably wondering how she knows so much if she's just a friend；〃 I said。 〃She's a curious little girl。 Some of it she dug out herself； like who you were and who owned the jade necklace。 Some of it just happened。 She came by last night to that dell where Marriott was killed。 She was out riding。 She happened to see a light and came down there。〃
〃Oh。〃 Mrs。 Grayle lifted a glass quickly and made a face。 〃It's horrible to think of。 Poor Lin。 He was rather a heel。 Most of one's friends are。 But to die like that is awful。〃 She shuddered。 Her eyes got large and dark。
〃So it's all right about Miss Riordan。 She won't talk。 Her father was chief of police here for a long time；〃 I said。
〃Yes。 So she told me。 You're not drinking。〃
〃I'm doing what I call drinking。〃
〃You and I should get along。 Did Lin…Mr。 Marriott…tell you how the hold…up happened？〃
〃Between here and the Trocadero somewhere。 He didn't say exactly。 Three or four men。〃
She nodded her golden gleaming head。 〃Yes。 You know there was something rather funny about that holdup。 They gave me back one of my rings； rather a nice one； too。〃
〃He told me that。〃
〃Then again I hardly ever wore the jade。 After all； it's a museum piece； probably not many like it in the world； a very rare type of jade。 Yet they snapped at it。 I wouldn't expect them to think it had any value much； would you？〃
〃They'd know you wouldn't wear it otherwise。 Who knew about its value？〃
She thought。 It was nice to watch her thinking。 She still had her legs crossed； and still carelessly。
〃All sorts of people； I suppose。〃
〃But they didn't know you would be wearing it that night？ Who knew that？〃
She shrugged her pale blue shoulders。 I tried to keep my eyes where they belonged。
〃My maid。 But she's had a hundred chances。 And I trust her…〃
〃Why？〃
〃I don't know。 I just trust some people。 I trust you。〃
〃Did you trust Marriott？〃
Her face got a little hard。 Her eyes a little watchful。 〃Not in some things。 In others； yes。 There are degrees。〃 She had a nice way of talking； cool； half…cynical； and yet not hardboiled。 She rounded her words well。
〃All right…besides the maid。 The chauffeur？〃
She shook her head； no。 〃Lin drove me that night； in his own car。 I don't think George was around at all。 Wasn't it Thursday？〃
〃I wasn't there。 Marriott said four or five days before in telling me about it。 Thursday would have been an even week from last night。〃
〃Well； it was Thursday。〃 She reached for my glass and her fingers touched mine a little； and were soft to the touch。 〃George gets Thursday evening off。 That's the usual day； you know。〃 She poured a fat slug of mellow…looking Scotch into my glass and squirted in some fizz…water。 It was the kind of liquor you think you can drink forever； and all you do is get reckless。 She gave herself the same treatment。
〃Lin told you my name？〃 she asked softly； the eyes still watchful。
〃He was careful not to。〃
〃Then he probably misled you a little about the time。 Let's see what we have。 Maid and chauffeur out。 Out of consideration as acplices； I mean。〃
〃They're not out by me。〃
〃Well； at least I'm trying；〃 she laughed。 〃Then there's Newton； the butler。 He might have seen it on my neck that night。 But it hangs down rather low and I was wearing a white fox evening wrap； no； I don't think he could have seen it。〃
〃I bet you looked like a dream；〃 I said。
〃You're not getting a little tight； are you？〃
〃I've been known to be soberer。〃
She put her head back and went off into a peal of laughter。 I have only known four women in my life who could do that and still look beautiful。 She was one of them。
〃Ne