Chapter 2 Chapter 2 The Police Approach
Louise walked over and held out her hand to him. "But it's not your fault, they can't—"
"You don't understand." His voice remained flat.He turned and walked away from her to the door, walking mechanically. "That's how they put me in the last time. It was in the tavern, everybody got drunk, there was a scuffle, the floor was a mess, there were wine bottles everywhere. A guy died, and I couldn't say They were wrong to blame me." He opened the door, pretended to look out unconsciously, closed it again, and walked back towards her.
"That was a massacre. And this time if that Conroy guy dies, they'll call it a murder. Get it? I'm a convicted murderer." He puts a hand up to his chin." It was seamless."
"No, no." She moved closer to him and took his hand. "It was an accident. He hit his head on the fireplace. I can tell them. I can tell them how it happened. They can't— —”
Laughing with bitter self-deprecation, he quotes Grant: "Bitches and criminals are the same thing, and deserve to be believed?"
She flinched and withdrew her hand.
"That's what they're going to do to me," he said, now less flatly. "If Conroy dies, I don't stand a chance. If he doesn't die, they'll get me too. No bail until they figure out a way to charge me with voluntary wounding or murder. What use is your testimony to me? Robson's lover left him for me? Tell the truth and things will change Worse. They're going to put me—" His voice rose, "I can't go to prison anymore!" His eyes jerked to the door, then he looked up, the air scraping against his throat, making a harsh sound the sound of.He may be laughing. "Let's get out of here. I'm going to go crazy if I stay in this house tonight."
"Okay." She said eagerly, putting her hand on his shoulder, looking at his face with half-frightened and half-pity eyes, "Let's go now."
"You need a coat." He walked back to the bedroom.
She found her shoe and put on the right one.When he turned back, she handed him the left shoe. "Can you break the heel off my shoe?"
He draped the crudely made brown coat over her shoulders, took the shoe, and snapped the heel off with a twist of his wrist.He stood by the gate waiting for her to put on her left shoe.
She took a quick look around the house, then followed him out.
She opened her eyes and found that it was broad daylight.The rain had stopped splashing on the windows and windshield of the coupe, and the automatic wipers had stopped.She didn't move, just looked at Brashear.He sat loosely next to her, his body sunk in the seat, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding a cigarette on his lap.His sallow face was calm, without a trace of worry, and his eyes were fixed on the road ahead. "Did I sleep long?" she asked. He smiles at her. "Slept for an hour. Feeling better?" He raised his cigarette-trapped hand to turn off the headlights. "Yeah." She sat up a little and yawned, "Will it be a long time?" "About an hour." He reached into his pocket and handed her a cigarette. She took one and leaned over to light it with the electronic igniter on the dashboard. "What are you going to do?" she asked as the cigarette butt burned. "Hide first, wait until I figure out the situation." She looked sideways at his calm face and said, "You look much better, too." He grinned a little ashamedly. "Well, I was in a daze." She patted the back of his hand, gently, and they held each other's hands for a moment of silence.Then she asked, "Are we going to those friends you mentioned?" "yes." Two uniformed officers brushed past them in a black coupe, and the woman turned her head sharply to look at Brashear, but he was unmoved. She touched his hand again in appreciation. "I'm fine outside the house," he explained. "It's the walls that make me abnormal." She turned her head and looked back.The police car was out of sight. "Two cops don't mean anything," Brashear said, rolling down the window on his side of the car and throwing the cigarette out.The air from outside rushed in, fresh and humid. "Want to stop for a cup of coffee?" "Is it better for us to do this?" A car overtook them, squeezed them to the edge of the road as it overtook them, and then shot forward like bullets.It was a black coupe going over sixty-five miles.There were four men in the car, one of whom glanced back at Brashear's car. Brashear said, "Maybe it's safer if we get to the hiding place as soon as possible, but if you're hungry—" "No, I also think we should hurry." The black car disappeared into the curve ahead. "If the police found you, would you—" she hesitated, "would you resist?" "I don't know," he said gloomily. "That's my problem. I never know in advance what I'm going to do." His melancholy face recovered a bit. "It's no use worrying. I won't Something happened." They came to a residential area with more than a dozen houses, drove through an intersection in the community, bumped and drove across the train tracks, and then turned onto a long straight road parallel to the railway.On a road parallel to them, the black car that had just passed them was parked motionless on the curb.A police officer stood next to the car, with his own motorcycle on the other side.The policeman was writing something on a small notepad with a straight face, while the man holding the steering wheel in the car was gesturing excitedly and talking non-stop. Louise Fischer breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Well, it turns out they're not the police." Brashear grinned. Neither of them spoke again.It wasn't until the car pulled into a suburban street that she said, "Would they—your friends—wouldn't like it if we just came to the door like this?" "No," he answered blithely. "It happened to them themselves." The farther they went, the cheaper and dilapidated the houses on both sides of the suburban streets became.Before long, they were in a run-down city street lined with squalid factories and warehouses.The ordinary homes sandwiched between them are equally grimy, with “For Rent” signs in the windows.After a while, Brashear pulled into a street that was a little cleaner, but with almost as many rental signs. He parked in front of a four-story red-brick building with cracked brownstone steps. "Here we are." He said as he opened the car door. She sat in the car, staring at the unattractive appearance of the house, until he came around and opened the car door for her.Her expression was unfathomable.As she followed Brashear up the worn steps, three dirty children dropped the ribs of an umbrella they were playing with and stared at her blankly. He turned the knob on the door, and the street door swung open.They entered a musty hallway, dimly lit to reveal the once vividly beautiful but now stained wallpaper, the tattered carpet, and the battered brass-clad staircase. "Go up one more floor." He said, let her go up the stairs first, and he followed behind. At the top of the stairs was a newly painted brown wooden door that didn't look like any known wood.Brashear went to the door and rang the bell four times—long, short, long, short.The bell rang loudly behind the door. After a while of silence, there were faint rustling footsteps approaching the door, followed by a cautious man's voice: "Who?" Brashear moved his head closer to the door, and replied in a low voice, "Brashear." The hasp of the door came loose, and a small but wiry white man opened the door.He was about forty years old and wore a crumpled green cotton pajamas. He was barefoot, with a sincere smile on his sunken cheeks and deep-lined face, and his voice was equally earnest. "Come in, boy," he said, "Come in." He stepped back to let the two of them out of the way.His small pale eyes surveyed Louise Fischer from head to toe. Brashear took the woman's arm with one hand, urged her to come forward and said, "Miss Fischer, this is Mr. Link." Link said, "Nice to meet you." After speaking, he closed the door behind him. Louise Fischer bowed. Link slapped Brashear on the shoulder. "It's good to see you, boy, we've been wondering what happened to you. Come on in." He led them into a living room that needed to be ventilated.Clothes were scattered here and there, newspapers were also scattered here and there, there were a few half-dried glasses and coffee cups, and cigarette butts all over the floor.Link picked up a vest from a chair, threw it on the back of another chair, and said, "Put this thing down, sit down, Miss Fischer." A buxom woman in her late thirties emerged from the doorway, exclaiming, "Look who's here!" lips.She has fair skin, a pink silk nightgown covered with a coat of the same color, and a pair of slippers trimmed with yellow fur on her feet. Brashear said, "Hello, Van." He put his arms around her, and then turned to Louise Fischer, who was taking off his coat, and introduced, "Van, this is Miss Fischer. This is Lin Mrs. Ke." Van held out his hand to Louise Fischer. "Nice to meet you," she said, shaking her hand warmly, "You look exhausted, both of you. Sit down, and I'll get you some breakfast. Wait until Donny gets dressed." , he'll get you a drink." Louise Fischer said, "It's very kind of you." She sat down. Link said, "Should be, should be." Saying that, he walked out. Fan asked, "Have you not slept all night?" "Yes," Brashear said, "drove most of the night." He sat on the couch. She looked at him sharply. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me?" He nodded. "That's what we're here for." Link is now in his bathrobe and slippers.He came in with a bottle of whiskey and some glasses. "Here's the thing, last night I knocked a guy over and he didn't get back up," Brashear said. "Seriously hurt?" Brashir smiled wryly, "Maybe he's about to die." Link whistled and said, "When you beat people, boy, they're the only ones to get beaten." "He banged his own head on the fireplace," Brashear explained.He frowned at Link. Fan said, "Okay, there's no need to worry now. What you need to do is fill your stomach with food and take a good rest. Come on, Donny, get some strong drinks and let everyone relax. She smiled at Fischer, "Just sit down, I'll make breakfast soon." After speaking, she left in a hurry. Link poured some whiskey and asked, "Did anyone see it?" Brashear nodded. "Uh... uh, someone who shouldn't be seen." He sighed wearily, "I want to avoid the limelight, Donnie, I'll wait until I see how things turn out." "This garbage dump is your home." Link said.He handed Louise Fischer and Brashear a glass of whiskey each.When the woman wasn't looking at him, he was looking at her. Brashear drank the entire glass in one gulp. Louise Fischer took a sip and coughed. "Want a hangover drink?" Link asked. "No, thank you," she said. "The wine is very good. I just caught a little rain and a little cold." She kept holding the glass, but didn't drink any more. "I parked the car at the gate. I have to go hide it," Brashear said. "I'll just go, kid." Link promised. "I'd also like someone to go down to Mile Vale and see how things are going over there." Link nodded. "Harry Cross will take care of it. I'll call him." "Also, we both need some clothes." Louise Fischer spoke up: "I have to sell these rings first." Link's pale eyes lit up.He licked his lips and said, "I know there's—" "It can wait," Brashear said. "The ring is not hot, Donnie. You won't have to go through a lot." Donnie looked disappointed. The woman said, "But I don't have money for clothes unless—" "We have enough money to buy clothes," Brashear said. Donnie looked at the woman and said to Brashear, "And you know I can always get you some money, boy." "Thank you, we'll talk about that later." Brashear handed the empty glass to Downey.Donnie filled him up, and he said, "Go hide the car, Donnie." "Don't worry." The blond man went to the alcove to make a phone call and dialed a number. Brashear drank his wine. "Tired?" he asked. She got up and went to him, took the empty whiskey glass from him, and put it on the table with her own.Her glass was barely touched. He laughed softly and asked, "I saw too many drunks last night, so you don't want to drink?" "Yes." She replied, but without smiling, she walked back to her chair and sat down. Downey was on the phone: "Hi, is that 'Duke'? ... Oh, I'm Downey, I have a car parked downstairs." He described Brashear's coupe, "Can you Hide it for me?...Yes...it's better to change the license plate too...yes, just now, okay?...OK." He hung up the phone and came back and said to the other two, " Done." "Donnie!" Van's voice came from somewhere outside the room. "Here we come!" He responded. Brashear leaned over Louise Fischer and said in a low voice, "Don't give him the ring." She stared at him in surprise. "But why?" "He'll trick you into hell and run away." "You mean he's going to lie to me?" He nodded and grinned. "But you said he was your friend, and you believed him so much just now." "As far as taking me in, he is very good and will help." He comforted her, "He never betrays others. But when it comes to money, it's another matter. Anyway, even if he didn't intend to lie to you, The buyers he is looking for will definitely think it is stolen goods, and they will not even give half of the price." "That means he's a—" She hesitated. "Liar. We were once roommates in prison." She frowned and said, "I don't like that." Fan came to the door, smiled and said, "Breakfast is ready." When passing through the corridor, Brashear turned around, hesitated, and wanted to flee towards the door, but when he met Louise Fischer's gaze, he controlled himself and grinned a little embarrassedly , followed her and the blonde woman into the restaurant. Van didn't sit down with them. "I can't eat so early," she told Louise Fischer, "I'll get you hot water for your bath and make your bed, because I know you're exhausted. When you're done eating, I'll It's all done." She walked out, ignoring Louise Fischer's polite refusal. Donny picked up a small piece of sausage with his fork and said, "Now let's talk about the rings. I can—" "That's no hurry," said Brashear. "We've got money for a while." "Maybe, but it's better to run away with money in hand, in case something happens." Donnie put the sausage in his mouth, "The more the better." Donnie chewed hard. "Well, for example, let's take 'Cripple' Ben Deppelin. You remember Ben? The one who worked in the carpenter's room when he was in jail, remember? The tall guy with one leg .” "I remember," replied Brashear without enthusiasm. Donnie pokes at another sausage. "Well, Ben used to be in a place called 'Good Paradise' and he—" "When we knew him, he was in a cage," Brashear said. "Yes, that's what I'm going to tell you, and it's all because I thought—" Then Van came in. "It's all set," she told Louise Fischer. Louise Fischer put down her coffee cup and stood up. "It's a great breakfast," she said, "but I'm too tired to eat much." As soon as she left the room, Donnie continued, "It's because—" Van took Louise to a room at the end of the apartment.There was a wide wooden bed, the glossy white coverlet had been pulled back.A white nightgown and red bathrobe lay on the bed, and a pair of slippers lay on the floor.The blond woman stopped at the door, stretched out a pink hand for a gesture, and said, "If you need anything else, just call. The bathroom is at the other end of the corridor, and I've already filled the water." "Thank you," said Louise Fischer, "it's very kind of you, I've troubled you so much—" Van patted her on the shoulder. "My dear, as long as you're Brashear's friend, it's no trouble to me. Now, hurry up and have a bath and a good night's sleep. If you want anything, just call. ' She went out and closed the door. Louise Fischer stood just inside the door, surveying the cheaply furnished room slowly and carefully, then went to the bed and began to undress.She put on a red bathrobe and slippers, rolled her nightgown over her arm, and walked down the corridor to the bathroom.The bathroom is filled with warm steam.She ran cold water into the tub and began removing the bandages from her knees and ankles. After the shower, she found new bandages in the small cupboard above the washbasin and rewrapped her knees, but not her ankles.Then she put on her pajamas, bathrobe and slippers and went back to her bedroom.Brashear was already there, standing with his back to her, looking out the window. He didn't turn around, and the smoke from the cigarette rose above his head and drifted behind him. She closed the door slowly, leaning her back against the door panel, with a barely perceptible arrogant smile on the corners of her flexible lips. He didn't move his body. She walked slowly to the bed and sat on the side farthest from him.She didn't look at him again, just staring at a picture of a horse on the wall, her expression cold and proud."I'm still me, but I'll pay what I owe," she said, at which point the calculated calm in her voice turned into arrogance, "I got you in this trouble. Well, Now, use me however you want—" She shrugged. He turned around from the window at a leisurely pace, with no emotion in his bronze eyes and face.He said, "Okay." He put the cigarette in the ashtray on the dresser, snuffed it out, and walked around the bed to her. She stood up, straightened her back, raised her head and waited for him. He stood close to her for a moment, looking at her, measuring her beauty impersonally, as if she were not a living person.Then, he rudely pushed her head back and kissed her. She didn't move, didn't make any sound, she gave herself completely to him and let him touch her.When he let her go and took a step back, she was just like him, unmoved, as if wearing a mask. He shook his head slowly. "No, you didn't do your job well." Suddenly, his eyes burned and he took her into his arms.As he kissed her lips, cheeks, eyes and forehead, she clung to him, a soft laugh in her throat. Donnie opened the door and came in.He squinted knowingly at the separated two, and said, "I just called Klaus. He said he'd be here as soon as he finished breakfast." "Okay," said Brashear. While looking sideways at the two of them, Downey backed out and closed the door. "Who is this Klaus?" Louise Fischer asked. "Lawyer," replied Brashear absently.He frowned thoughtfully and looked at the floor. "I think he's our best bet, although I've heard about him—" He cut off impatiently, "Anyway, when you're cornered, you have to take some risks." His frown deepened "You better plan for the worst." She took his hand and said eagerly, "Let's get out of here. I don't like these people. I don't trust them." His face turned from cloudy to sunny, and he put his arm around her shoulder again.But the sudden ringing of the doorbell behind the door diverted his attention. There was a moment of silence outside the door, and then they heard Downey's alert voice asking, "Who is it?" They could not hear the answer. Downey raised his voice: "Who?" There was another brief silence, and nothing could be heard.A creaking sound from the floor outside the door broke the silence between them.When Downey opened the door, his facial features were all shrunk together, and an exaggerated warning expression appeared on his face. "Miaozi," he whispered, "go through the window." His whole body was filled with a cautious look. Brashear turned to look at Louise Fischer. "Go!" she called out, pushing him toward the window. "I'll be fine." "Of course," Donnie said, "Me and Van will take care of her. Run, kid, get out and send us a message. Do you have enough money?" "Yeah." Brashear kissed Louise Fischer. "Go, go!" she gasped. His sallow face was still so cold and calm, and his words were still so concise."We'll see you soon," he said, and rushed to the window.When the window was fully opened, he had just stepped out of the window sill, and the other foot immediately followed.Then he turned, leaned down, and grinned cheerfully at Louis Fischer.In the next moment, he jumped out of their sight. She ran to the window and looked down. He had emerged from the weeds of the untended backyard.He turned his head quickly from side to side, and his movements were neat, without seeming to hesitate at all.He ran to the fence on the left, jumped over it, and jumped into the backyard of the neighbor's next door. Donnie took her arm and pulled her back from the window. "Don't lean against the window, you'll give him away. He'll be all right, though Jesus always blesses the policemen who stand in his way—if they're anywhere near." There was an extremely heavy knock on the door panel of the apartment's first-floor door.A loud and majestic voice came: "Open the door!" Downey squinted in the direction of the door. "I figured I'd better let them in, or they'd tear my gate down into toothpicks." He seemed quite amused. She stared at him blankly. He looked at her, looked downstairs, looked back at her, and argued, "Listen—I love that kid, I love him!" The banging on the door grew louder. "I think I'd better open the door." Donnie said and walked out. There was a shot from the open window.She ran to the window, put her hand on the window sill, and leaned out. Fifty feet to the left, where the long fence ended, Brashear crouched motionless.The fence surrounded the backyards of several nearby houses, and at the end was a small alley.Louise Fischer was watching when another shot was heard, and Brashear fell in the alley beyond the fence, never to be seen again.She whimpered and forgot to breathe. The knocking on the door stopped abruptly, she retracted her head out of the window, and withdrew her hand holding the window sill, with a blank expression, like a robot.She pulled down the window, not knowing what she was doing.She was standing in the middle of the room, looking critically at her fingernails when a large man with a tired face and rumpled clothes appeared in the doorway. The man asked, "Where is the other person?" She raised her head, her eyes fell on him from her nails, her eyes were still so critical: "Who are you talking about?" The man sighed worriedly: "Brashear." He walked to the closet and opened the door, "Are you the woman named Fischer?" He closed the door, walked to the window, looked around the room, but didn't look at it. She doesn't seem to be interested in her. "I'm Louise Fischer," she said into his back. He opened the window and leaned out. "How's it going, Tom?" he called to someone below.Whatever answer he heard, no one in the room could hear. When he turned back to look at her, Louise Fischer had stopped concentrating on her fingernails. "I haven't had breakfast yet," he said. Donnie's voice came from the doorway on the other side of the apartment: "I said I didn't know where he was. He threw this woman at me and ran like hell. He didn't tell anything. He and I--" "I bet you know!" said an unpleasant metallic voice, followed by the sound of a hard blow. Downey shouted: "Even if I know, I won't tell you, you bastard, you dare to hit me again." "As you wish," said the metallic voice, followed by another thump. Fan's voice was sharp and full of anger.She screamed, "Stop it, you—" but the voice stopped abruptly. The big man came to the door and yelled toward the apartment door, "Leave them alone, Ray." He turned to Louise Fischer and said, "Put on some clothes." "Why?" she asked coldly. "They want you back to Meyervale." "What are you going back for?" She didn't seem to believe his words. "I don't know," he murmured impatiently, "that's none of my business. We'll just help them get you back. It seems to have something to do with some kind of ring. Someone's mother's ring was lost at home, and you happened to be Disappeared from that house." She raised her palm and gazed at the ring on her finger. "But it's not his mother's ring. He bought it for me in Paris, and—" The big man frowned impatiently. "Well, don't argue with me about this. What does it matter to me? When that Brashear boy ran away, did he mention where he was going?" "I don't know." She took a step forward, stretched out her hands, and made a pleading gesture, "He—" "Nobody knows what's going on," he grumbled, ignoring the interrupted question, "Put on your clothes." He held out a hand to her, "I'd better keep the rags. " She hesitated for a moment, then took off the rings on her fingers and put them in his palm. "You hurry up," he said, "I haven't had breakfast yet." He went out and closed the door behind him. She hastily put on the clothes she had just taken off, but the silk stockings she had worn when she came from Brashear's.After she got dressed, she glanced back at the closed door, walked silently to the window, and pushed the window up very carefully and slowly. A large man with a tired face opened the door. "I just peeked something good through the keyhole." He said leisurely, "Okay, let's go." Fan came in behind him, his face flushed and his voice shrill. "Where are you taking her?" she demanded. "She's done nothing. Why don't you—" "Stop it, stop it." The big man begged, his impatience seemed to have become unbearable, "I'm just a policeman, and my superiors asked me to take her back as a robbery suspect. I'm with this It's okay, I don't know anything." "It's all right, Mrs. Link," Louise Fischer said proudly, "I'll be all right." "But how can you just go out like this?" Van protested, turning to the big man and saying, "You have to ask her to change into some decent clothes." He sighed and nodded. "It's up to you, as long as you move quickly and don't quarrel with me forever." Van hurried out. Louise Fischer asks the big man: "Is he also a burglary suspect?" He sighed, and said listlessly: "Maybe it's this crime, maybe it's something else." "He didn't do anything," she said. "Well, I didn't do anything either," he complained. Van came in with some clothes.There is a blue suit and hat, black loafers, stockings and a white shirt. "Just leave the door open," said the big man.He walked out of the room and leaned against the opposite wall so he could see the windows in the room. Louise Fischer gets dressed with Van's help.The two of them hid in the corner of the room to avoid being seen by him. "Did they catch him?" Van asked softly. "I have no idea." "I don't believe they can catch him." "hope so." Van knelt in front of Louise Fischer and helped her pull on her stockings. "Don't let them tell you anything until you see Harry Cross," she whispered quickly. "You tell them he's your lawyer and you want to see him first. We'll have him out right away." Go. He'll get you out." She jerked her head back. "You didn't do it, did you?" "Stealing the ring?" Louise Fischer asked in surprise. "I don't think you'd do anything like that," said the blond woman, "so you don't have to—" The impatient voice of the big man came: "Hurry up—stop nagging, and get dressed quickly." Fan said: "If you are in such a hurry, you should go first." Louise Fischer took her borrowed hat and put it on in front of the full-length mirror, smoothed off the long dress on her body, and looked at her own figure in the mirror. The clothes didn't suit her as much as she thought. Fan said, "You are so beautiful." The man outside the door said, "Hurry up." Louise Fischer turned to Van and said, "Goodbye, I—" The blond woman hugged her. "Don't say anything. You'll be back here in two hours. Harry will show these idiots that there's no way they're going to force something like this on you." The big man said again, "Hurry up." Louise Fischer walked over and walked with him to the gate. As they passed the living room door, Downey got up from the couch and called out with ease, "Don't let them scare you, baby. We'll—" A tall man in brown clothes slapped Donnie on the face and pushed him back to the sofa. Louise Fischer went out with the big man.A police car is now parked in front of the gate where Brashear used to park.More than a dozen young and old gathered around here, watching the door she walked out of very seriously. A uniformed officer pushed some of them out of the way to make way for her and the larger man, and led them into a car behind the crowd. "Take her away, Tom," he called to the driver, and the car drove away. The big man closed his eyes and groaned softly. "God, I'm exhausted." The car traveled seven blocks and stopped in front of a boxy red brick building on the corner.The big man helped the woman out of the car and led her into the building between two giant frosted globes.They entered a room with a fat, bald policeman in uniform sitting behind a tall desk. The big man said, "This is Louise Fischer that they want over at Mile Vale." He reached into his pocket and threw her ring on the desk, "I think that's probably what they want thing." The bald man said, "Good job. Got that guy?" "In the hospital, I suppose." Louise Fischer turned to look at him. "Is he—was he badly hurt?" The big man complained: "How would I know. Can't I just guess?" The bald man yelled, "Luke!" A thin policeman with a white mustache walked in. The fat man said, "Take her to the royal suite." Louise Fischer said: "I want to see my lawyer." The three policemen watched her without blinking. "His name is Harry Cross," she said, "and I want to see him." Luke said, "Go this way." She followed him down a corridor that was empty of anything.At the end, Luke opened a door and sideways let her in first.Inside the door is a small room containing a camp bed, a table, two chairs, and a few magazines.The windows were quite large, but they were fitted with thick iron bars. She stood in the middle of the room, turned around and said again: "I want to see my lawyer." The man with the white mustache slammed the door, and she could still hear the door lock. Two hours later, he returned with a plate of food.On the plate was a bowl of soup, some slices of cold meat and a slice of bread, plus a cup of coffee. She was lying on the cot, staring at the ceiling.She sat up and looked at him arrogantly. "I want to see—" "Don't come again," he said impatiently. "We have nothing to do with you. You can talk to those fellows from Mile Vale when they come." He put the food on the table and left.She ate up the food he brought. It wasn't until late in the evening that the door opened again. "I'll give you the one you want." The man with the white mustache said, standing aside to let his companion in.There came two men, both of medium height, dressed in somber shades.One of them was muscular and ruddy; the other was a little thinner and older. The ruddy one looked Louise Fischer up and down and grinned at her with satisfaction.另一个说道：“我们希望你跟我们一起回迈尔谷，菲舍尔小姐。” 她从椅子里起身，戴上帽子，披上外套。 “就是这样，”年纪大的那个说道，“你不给我们惹麻烦，我们自然也对你客客气气。” 她好奇地看着他。 他们来到街边，上了一辆灰扑扑的蓝色轿车。胸肌发达的男人在前面开车，路易丝·菲舍尔坐在他后头，旁边是年纪大的那个。他们走了一遍她和布拉希尔今天早上走过的路。 在离城之前，她说了一次话。她说：“我要见我的律师。他叫哈利·克劳斯。” 坐她身旁的那个男人正在嚼口香糖，嘴唇咂吧了半天，然后才非常有礼貌地告诉她：“我们现在不能停车。” 她还来不及回答，握方向盘的那个男人头也不回地开口了。“布拉希尔到底是怎么打死他的？” 路易丝立刻说道：“那不是他的错，他是——” 年纪大的那个瞧了一眼开车的男人，打断她：“别管了，皮特，让检察官自己去查。” 皮特说道：“好吧。” 这个女人转头看向身边的警察：“他——布拉希尔他受伤了吗？” 他久久审视着她的脸，才轻轻一点头。“我听说他吃了颗子弹。” 她睁大眼睛。“他挨枪了？” 他再次点头。 她伸出双手拉住他的前臂。“有多严重？” He shook his head. "I have no idea." 她的指甲掐进了他胳膊里。“他们逮捕了他吗？” “我不能告诉你，小姐。我想地区检察官不喜欢我这么做。”他又咂吧着嘴，嚼他的口香糖。 “但是，拜托你告诉我。”她不肯放弃，“我必须得知道。” 他再次摇头。“我们没拿一堆问题来烦你，你也别来烦我们。”
She opened her eyes and found that it was broad daylight.The rain had stopped splashing on the windows and windshield of the coupe, and the automatic wipers had stopped.She didn't move, just looked at Brashear.He sat loosely next to her, his body sunk in the seat, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding a cigarette on his lap.His sallow face was calm, without a trace of worry, and his eyes were fixed on the road ahead. "Did I sleep long?" she asked. He smiles at her. "Slept for an hour. Feeling better?" He raised his cigarette-trapped hand to turn off the headlights. "Yeah." She sat up a little and yawned, "Will it be a long time?" "About an hour." He reached into his pocket and handed her a cigarette. She took one and leaned over to light it with the electronic igniter on the dashboard. "What are you going to do?" she asked as the cigarette butt burned. "Hide first, wait until I figure out the situation." She looked sideways at his calm face and said, "You look much better, too." He grinned a little ashamedly. "Well, I was in a daze." She patted the back of his hand, gently, and they held each other's hands for a moment of silence.Then she asked, "Are we going to those friends you mentioned?" "yes." Two uniformed officers brushed past them in a black coupe, and the woman turned her head sharply to look at Brashear, but he was unmoved. She touched his hand again in appreciation. "I'm fine outside the house," he explained. "It's the walls that make me abnormal." She turned her head and looked back.The police car was out of sight. "Two cops don't mean anything," Brashear said, rolling down the window on his side of the car and throwing the cigarette out.The air from outside rushed in, fresh and humid. "Want to stop for a cup of coffee?" "Is it better for us to do this?" A car overtook them, squeezed them to the edge of the road as it overtook them, and then shot forward like bullets.It was a black coupe going over sixty-five miles.There were four men in the car, one of whom glanced back at Brashear's car. Brashear said, "Maybe it's safer if we get to the hiding place as soon as possible, but if you're hungry—" "No, I also think we should hurry." The black car disappeared into the curve ahead. "If the police found you, would you—" she hesitated, "would you resist?" "I don't know," he said gloomily. "That's my problem. I never know in advance what I'm going to do." His melancholy face recovered a bit. "It's no use worrying. I won't Something happened." They came to a residential area with more than a dozen houses, drove through an intersection in the community, bumped and drove across the train tracks, and then turned onto a long straight road parallel to the railway.On a road parallel to them, the black car that had just passed them was parked motionless on the curb.A police officer stood next to the car, with his own motorcycle on the other side.The policeman was writing something on a small notepad with a straight face, while the man holding the steering wheel in the car was gesturing excitedly and talking non-stop. Louise Fischer breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Well, it turns out they're not the police." Brashear grinned. Neither of them spoke again.It wasn't until the car pulled into a suburban street that she said, "Would they—your friends—wouldn't like it if we just came to the door like this?" "No," he answered blithely. "It happened to them themselves." The farther they went, the cheaper and dilapidated the houses on both sides of the suburban streets became.Before long, they were in a run-down city street lined with squalid factories and warehouses.The ordinary homes sandwiched between them are equally grimy, with “For Rent” signs in the windows.After a while, Brashear pulled into a street that was a little cleaner, but with almost as many rental signs. He parked in front of a four-story red-brick building with cracked brownstone steps. "Here we are." He said as he opened the car door. She sat in the car, staring at the unattractive appearance of the house, until he came around and opened the car door for her.Her expression was unfathomable.As she followed Brashear up the worn steps, three dirty children dropped the ribs of an umbrella they were playing with and stared at her blankly. He turned the knob on the door, and the street door swung open.They entered a musty hallway, dimly lit to reveal the once vividly beautiful but now stained wallpaper, the tattered carpet, and the battered brass-clad staircase. "Go up one more floor." He said, let her go up the stairs first, and he followed behind. At the top of the stairs was a newly painted brown wooden door that didn't look like any known wood.Brashear went to the door and rang the bell four times—long, short, long, short.The bell rang loudly behind the door. After a while of silence, there were faint rustling footsteps approaching the door, followed by a cautious man's voice: "Who?" Brashear moved his head closer to the door, and replied in a low voice, "Brashear." The hasp of the door came loose, and a small but wiry white man opened the door.He was about forty years old and wore a crumpled green cotton pajamas. He was barefoot, with a sincere smile on his sunken cheeks and deep-lined face, and his voice was equally earnest. "Come in, boy," he said, "Come in." He stepped back to let the two of them out of the way.His small pale eyes surveyed Louise Fischer from head to toe. Brashear took the woman's arm with one hand, urged her to come forward and said, "Miss Fischer, this is Mr. Link." Link said, "Nice to meet you." After speaking, he closed the door behind him. Louise Fischer bowed. Link slapped Brashear on the shoulder. "It's good to see you, boy, we've been wondering what happened to you. Come on in." He led them into a living room that needed to be ventilated.Clothes were scattered here and there, newspapers were also scattered here and there, there were a few half-dried glasses and coffee cups, and cigarette butts all over the floor.Link picked up a vest from a chair, threw it on the back of another chair, and said, "Put this thing down, sit down, Miss Fischer." A buxom woman in her late thirties emerged from the doorway, exclaiming, "Look who's here!" lips.She has fair skin, a pink silk nightgown covered with a coat of the same color, and a pair of slippers trimmed with yellow fur on her feet. Brashear said, "Hello, Van." He put his arms around her, and then turned to Louise Fischer, who was taking off his coat, and introduced, "Van, this is Miss Fischer. This is Lin Mrs. Ke." Van held out his hand to Louise Fischer. "Nice to meet you," she said, shaking her hand warmly, "You look exhausted, both of you. Sit down, and I'll get you some breakfast. Wait until Donny gets dressed." , he'll get you a drink." Louise Fischer said, "It's very kind of you." She sat down. Link said, "Should be, should be." Saying that, he walked out. Fan asked, "Have you not slept all night?" "Yes," Brashear said, "drove most of the night." He sat on the couch. She looked at him sharply. "Is there anything you'd like to tell me?" He nodded. "That's what we're here for." Link is now in his bathrobe and slippers.He came in with a bottle of whiskey and some glasses. "Here's the thing, last night I knocked a guy over and he didn't get back up," Brashear said. "Seriously hurt?" Brashir smiled wryly, "Maybe he's about to die." Link whistled and said, "When you beat people, boy, they're the only ones to get beaten." "He banged his own head on the fireplace," Brashear explained.He frowned at Link. Fan said, "Okay, there's no need to worry now. What you need to do is fill your stomach with food and take a good rest. Come on, Donny, get some strong drinks and let everyone relax. She smiled at Fischer, "Just sit down, I'll make breakfast soon." After speaking, she left in a hurry. Link poured some whiskey and asked, "Did anyone see it?" Brashear nodded. "Uh... uh, someone who shouldn't be seen." He sighed wearily, "I want to avoid the limelight, Donnie, I'll wait until I see how things turn out." "This garbage dump is your home." Link said.He handed Louise Fischer and Brashear a glass of whiskey each.When the woman wasn't looking at him, he was looking at her. Brashear drank the entire glass in one gulp. Louise Fischer took a sip and coughed. "Want a hangover drink?" Link asked. "No, thank you," she said. "The wine is very good. I just caught a little rain and a little cold." She kept holding the glass, but didn't drink any more. "I parked the car at the gate. I have to go hide it," Brashear said. "I'll just go, kid." Link promised. "I'd also like someone to go down to Mile Vale and see how things are going over there." Link nodded. "Harry Cross will take care of it. I'll call him." "Also, we both need some clothes." Louise Fischer spoke up: "I have to sell these rings first." Link's pale eyes lit up.He licked his lips and said, "I know there's—" "It can wait," Brashear said. "The ring is not hot, Donnie. You won't have to go through a lot." Donnie looked disappointed. The woman said, "But I don't have money for clothes unless—" "We have enough money to buy clothes," Brashear said. Donnie looked at the woman and said to Brashear, "And you know I can always get you some money, boy." "Thank you, we'll talk about that later." Brashear handed the empty glass to Downey.Donnie filled him up, and he said, "Go hide the car, Donnie." "Don't worry." The blond man went to the alcove to make a phone call and dialed a number. Brashear drank his wine. "Tired?" he asked. She got up and went to him, took the empty whiskey glass from him, and put it on the table with her own.Her glass was barely touched. He laughed softly and asked, "I saw too many drunks last night, so you don't want to drink?" "Yes." She replied, but without smiling, she walked back to her chair and sat down. Downey was on the phone: "Hi, is that 'Duke'? ... Oh, I'm Downey, I have a car parked downstairs." He described Brashear's coupe, "Can you Hide it for me?...Yes...it's better to change the license plate too...yes, just now, okay?...OK." He hung up the phone and came back and said to the other two, " Done." "Donnie!" Van's voice came from somewhere outside the room. "Here we come!" He responded. Brashear leaned over Louise Fischer and said in a low voice, "Don't give him the ring." She stared at him in surprise. "But why?" "He'll trick you into hell and run away." "You mean he's going to lie to me?" He nodded and grinned. "But you said he was your friend, and you believed him so much just now." "As far as taking me in, he is very good and will help." He comforted her, "He never betrays others. But when it comes to money, it's another matter. Anyway, even if he didn't intend to lie to you, The buyers he is looking for will definitely think it is stolen goods, and they will not even give half of the price." "That means he's a—" She hesitated. "Liar. We were once roommates in prison." She frowned and said, "I don't like that." Fan came to the door, smiled and said, "Breakfast is ready." When passing through the corridor, Brashear turned around, hesitated, and wanted to flee towards the door, but when he met Louise Fischer's gaze, he controlled himself and grinned a little embarrassedly , followed her and the blonde woman into the restaurant. Van didn't sit down with them. "I can't eat so early," she told Louise Fischer, "I'll get you hot water for your bath and make your bed, because I know you're exhausted. When you're done eating, I'll It's all done." She walked out, ignoring Louise Fischer's polite refusal. Donny picked up a small piece of sausage with his fork and said, "Now let's talk about the rings. I can—" "That's no hurry," said Brashear. "We've got money for a while." "Maybe, but it's better to run away with money in hand, in case something happens." Donnie put the sausage in his mouth, "The more the better." Donnie chewed hard. "Well, for example, let's take 'Cripple' Ben Deppelin. You remember Ben? The one who worked in the carpenter's room when he was in jail, remember? The tall guy with one leg .” "I remember," replied Brashear without enthusiasm. Donnie pokes at another sausage. "Well, Ben used to be in a place called 'Good Paradise' and he—" "When we knew him, he was in a cage," Brashear said. "Yes, that's what I'm going to tell you, and it's all because I thought—" Then Van came in. "It's all set," she told Louise Fischer. Louise Fischer put down her coffee cup and stood up. "It's a great breakfast," she said, "but I'm too tired to eat much." As soon as she left the room, Donnie continued, "It's because—" Van took Louise to a room at the end of the apartment.There was a wide wooden bed, the glossy white coverlet had been pulled back.A white nightgown and red bathrobe lay on the bed, and a pair of slippers lay on the floor.The blond woman stopped at the door, stretched out a pink hand for a gesture, and said, "If you need anything else, just call. The bathroom is at the other end of the corridor, and I've already filled the water." "Thank you," said Louise Fischer, "it's very kind of you, I've troubled you so much—" Van patted her on the shoulder. "My dear, as long as you're Brashear's friend, it's no trouble to me. Now, hurry up and have a bath and a good night's sleep. If you want anything, just call. ' She went out and closed the door. Louise Fischer stood just inside the door, surveying the cheaply furnished room slowly and carefully, then went to the bed and began to undress.She put on a red bathrobe and slippers, rolled her nightgown over her arm, and walked down the corridor to the bathroom.The bathroom is filled with warm steam.She ran cold water into the tub and began removing the bandages from her knees and ankles. After the shower, she found new bandages in the small cupboard above the washbasin and rewrapped her knees, but not her ankles.Then she put on her pajamas, bathrobe and slippers and went back to her bedroom.Brashear was already there, standing with his back to her, looking out the window. He didn't turn around, and the smoke from the cigarette rose above his head and drifted behind him. She closed the door slowly, leaning her back against the door panel, with a barely perceptible arrogant smile on the corners of her flexible lips. He didn't move his body. She walked slowly to the bed and sat on the side farthest from him.She didn't look at him again, just staring at a picture of a horse on the wall, her expression cold and proud."I'm still me, but I'll pay what I owe," she said, at which point the calculated calm in her voice turned into arrogance, "I got you in this trouble. Well, Now, use me however you want—" She shrugged. He turned around from the window at a leisurely pace, with no emotion in his bronze eyes and face.He said, "Okay." He put the cigarette in the ashtray on the dresser, snuffed it out, and walked around the bed to her. She stood up, straightened her back, raised her head and waited for him. He stood close to her for a moment, looking at her, measuring her beauty impersonally, as if she were not a living person.Then, he rudely pushed her head back and kissed her. She didn't move, didn't make any sound, she gave herself completely to him and let him touch her.When he let her go and took a step back, she was just like him, unmoved, as if wearing a mask. He shook his head slowly. "No, you didn't do your job well." Suddenly, his eyes burned and he took her into his arms.As he kissed her lips, cheeks, eyes and forehead, she clung to him, a soft laugh in her throat. Donnie opened the door and came in.He squinted knowingly at the separated two, and said, "I just called Klaus. He said he'd be here as soon as he finished breakfast." "Okay," said Brashear. While looking sideways at the two of them, Downey backed out and closed the door. "Who is this Klaus?" Louise Fischer asked. "Lawyer," replied Brashear absently.He frowned thoughtfully and looked at the floor. "I think he's our best bet, although I've heard about him—" He cut off impatiently, "Anyway, when you're cornered, you have to take some risks." His frown deepened "You better plan for the worst." She took his hand and said eagerly, "Let's get out of here. I don't like these people. I don't trust them." His face turned from cloudy to sunny, and he put his arm around her shoulder again.But the sudden ringing of the doorbell behind the door diverted his attention. There was a moment of silence outside the door, and then they heard Downey's alert voice asking, "Who is it?" They could not hear the answer. Downey raised his voice: "Who?" There was another brief silence, and nothing could be heard.A creaking sound from the floor outside the door broke the silence between them.When Downey opened the door, his facial features were all shrunk together, and an exaggerated warning expression appeared on his face. "Miaozi," he whispered, "go through the window." His whole body was filled with a cautious look. Brashear turned to look at Louise Fischer. "Go!" she called out, pushing him toward the window. "I'll be fine." "Of course," Donnie said, "Me and Van will take care of her. Run, kid, get out and send us a message. Do you have enough money?" "Yeah." Brashear kissed Louise Fischer. "Go, go!" she gasped. His sallow face was still so cold and calm, and his words were still so concise."We'll see you soon," he said, and rushed to the window.When the window was fully opened, he had just stepped out of the window sill, and the other foot immediately followed.Then he turned, leaned down, and grinned cheerfully at Louis Fischer.In the next moment, he jumped out of their sight. She ran to the window and looked down. He had emerged from the weeds of the untended backyard.He turned his head quickly from side to side, and his movements were neat, without seeming to hesitate at all.He ran to the fence on the left, jumped over it, and jumped into the backyard of the neighbor's next door. Donnie took her arm and pulled her back from the window. "Don't lean against the window, you'll give him away. He'll be all right, though Jesus always blesses the policemen who stand in his way—if they're anywhere near." There was an extremely heavy knock on the door panel of the apartment's first-floor door.A loud and majestic voice came: "Open the door!" Downey squinted in the direction of the door. "I figured I'd better let them in, or they'd tear my gate down into toothpicks." He seemed quite amused. She stared at him blankly. He looked at her, looked downstairs, looked back at her, and argued, "Listen—I love that kid, I love him!" The banging on the door grew louder. "I think I'd better open the door." Donnie said and walked out. There was a shot from the open window.She ran to the window, put her hand on the window sill, and leaned out. Fifty feet to the left, where the long fence ended, Brashear crouched motionless.The fence surrounded the backyards of several nearby houses, and at the end was a small alley.Louise Fischer was watching when another shot was heard, and Brashear fell in the alley beyond the fence, never to be seen again.She whimpered and forgot to breathe. The knocking on the door stopped abruptly, she retracted her head out of the window, and withdrew her hand holding the window sill, with a blank expression, like a robot.She pulled down the window, not knowing what she was doing.She was standing in the middle of the room, looking critically at her fingernails when a large man with a tired face and rumpled clothes appeared in the doorway. The man asked, "Where is the other person?" She raised her head, her eyes fell on him from her nails, her eyes were still so critical: "Who are you talking about?" The man sighed worriedly: "Brashear." He walked to the closet and opened the door, "Are you the woman named Fischer?" He closed the door, walked to the window, looked around the room, but didn't look at it. She doesn't seem to be interested in her. "I'm Louise Fischer," she said into his back. He opened the window and leaned out. "How's it going, Tom?" he called to someone below.Whatever answer he heard, no one in the room could hear. When he turned back to look at her, Louise Fischer had stopped concentrating on her fingernails. "I haven't had breakfast yet," he said. Donnie's voice came from the doorway on the other side of the apartment: "I said I didn't know where he was. He threw this woman at me and ran like hell. He didn't tell anything. He and I--" "I bet you know!" said an unpleasant metallic voice, followed by the sound of a hard blow. Downey shouted: "Even if I know, I won't tell you, you bastard, you dare to hit me again." "As you wish," said the metallic voice, followed by another thump. Fan's voice was sharp and full of anger.She screamed, "Stop it, you—" but the voice stopped abruptly. The big man came to the door and yelled toward the apartment door, "Leave them alone, Ray." He turned to Louise Fischer and said, "Put on some clothes." "Why?" she asked coldly. "They want you back to Meyervale." "What are you going back for?" She didn't seem to believe his words. "I don't know," he murmured impatiently, "that's none of my business. We'll just help them get you back. It seems to have something to do with some kind of ring. Someone's mother's ring was lost at home, and you happened to be Disappeared from that house." She raised her palm and gazed at the ring on her finger. "But it's not his mother's ring. He bought it for me in Paris, and—" The big man frowned impatiently. "Well, don't argue with me about this. What does it matter to me? When that Brashear boy ran away, did he mention where he was going?" "I don't know." She took a step forward, stretched out her hands, and made a pleading gesture, "He—" "Nobody knows what's going on," he grumbled, ignoring the interrupted question, "Put on your clothes." He held out a hand to her, "I'd better keep the rags. " She hesitated for a moment, then took off the rings on her fingers and put them in his palm. "You hurry up," he said, "I haven't had breakfast yet." He went out and closed the door behind him. She hastily put on the clothes she had just taken off, but the silk stockings she had worn when she came from Brashear's.After she got dressed, she glanced back at the closed door, walked silently to the window, and pushed the window up very carefully and slowly. A large man with a tired face opened the door. "I just peeked something good through the keyhole." He said leisurely, "Okay, let's go." Fan came in behind him, his face flushed and his voice shrill. "Where are you taking her?" she demanded. "She's done nothing. Why don't you—" "Stop it, stop it." The big man begged, his impatience seemed to have become unbearable, "I'm just a policeman, and my superiors asked me to take her back as a robbery suspect. I'm with this It's okay, I don't know anything." "It's all right, Mrs. Link," Louise Fischer said proudly, "I'll be all right." "But how can you just go out like this?" Van protested, turning to the big man and saying, "You have to ask her to change into some decent clothes." He sighed and nodded. "It's up to you, as long as you move quickly and don't quarrel with me forever." Van hurried out. Louise Fischer asks the big man: "Is he also a burglary suspect?" He sighed, and said listlessly: "Maybe it's this crime, maybe it's something else." "He didn't do anything," she said. "Well, I didn't do anything either," he complained. Van came in with some clothes.There is a blue suit and hat, black loafers, stockings and a white shirt. "Just leave the door open," said the big man.He walked out of the room and leaned against the opposite wall so he could see the windows in the room. Louise Fischer gets dressed with Van's help.The two of them hid in the corner of the room to avoid being seen by him. "Did they catch him?" Van asked softly. "I have no idea." "I don't believe they can catch him." "hope so." Van knelt in front of Louise Fischer and helped her pull on her stockings. "Don't let them tell you anything until you see Harry Cross," she whispered quickly. "You tell them he's your lawyer and you want to see him first. We'll have him out right away." Go. He'll get you out." She jerked her head back. "You didn't do it, did you?" "Stealing the ring?" Louise Fischer asked in surprise. "I don't think you'd do anything like that," said the blond woman, "so you don't have to—" The impatient voice of the big man came: "Hurry up—stop nagging, and get dressed quickly." Fan said: "If you are in such a hurry, you should go first." Louise Fischer took her borrowed hat and put it on in front of the full-length mirror, smoothed off the long dress on her body, and looked at her own figure in the mirror. The clothes didn't suit her as much as she thought. Fan said, "You are so beautiful." The man outside the door said, "Hurry up." Louise Fischer turned to Van and said, "Goodbye, I—" The blond woman hugged her. "Don't say anything. You'll be back here in two hours. Harry will show these idiots that there's no way they're going to force something like this on you." The big man said again, "Hurry up." Louise Fischer walked over and walked with him to the gate. As they passed the living room door, Downey got up from the couch and called out with ease, "Don't let them scare you, baby. We'll—" A tall man in brown clothes slapped Donnie on the face and pushed him back to the sofa. Louise Fischer went out with the big man.A police car is now parked in front of the gate where Brashear used to park.More than a dozen young and old gathered around here, watching the door she walked out of very seriously. A uniformed officer pushed some of them out of the way to make way for her and the larger man, and led them into a car behind the crowd. "Take her away, Tom," he called to the driver, and the car drove away. The big man closed his eyes and groaned softly. "God, I'm exhausted." The car traveled seven blocks and stopped in front of a boxy red brick building on the corner.The big man helped the woman out of the car and led her into the building between two giant frosted globes.They entered a room with a fat, bald policeman in uniform sitting behind a tall desk. The big man said, "This is Louise Fischer that they want over at Mile Vale." He reached into his pocket and threw her ring on the desk, "I think that's probably what they want thing." The bald man said, "Good job. Got that guy?" "In the hospital, I suppose." Louise Fischer turned to look at him. "Is he—was he badly hurt?" The big man complained: "How would I know. Can't I just guess?" The bald man yelled, "Luke!" A thin policeman with a white mustache walked in. The fat man said, "Take her to the royal suite." Louise Fischer said: "I want to see my lawyer." The three policemen watched her without blinking. "His name is Harry Cross," she said, "and I want to see him." Luke said, "Go this way." She followed him down a corridor that was empty of anything.At the end, Luke opened a door and sideways let her in first.Inside the door is a small room containing a camp bed, a table, two chairs, and a few magazines.The windows were quite large, but they were fitted with thick iron bars. She stood in the middle of the room, turned around and said again: "I want to see my lawyer." The man with the white mustache slammed the door, and she could still hear the door lock. Two hours later, he returned with a plate of food.On the plate was a bowl of soup, some slices of cold meat and a slice of bread, plus a cup of coffee. She was lying on the cot, staring at the ceiling.She sat up and looked at him arrogantly. "I want to see—" "Don't come again," he said impatiently. "We have nothing to do with you. You can talk to those fellows from Mile Vale when they come." He put the food on the table and left.She ate up the food he brought. It wasn't until late in the evening that the door opened again. "I'll give you the one you want." The man with the white mustache said, standing aside to let his companion in.There came two men, both of medium height, dressed in somber shades.One of them was muscular and ruddy; the other was a little thinner and older. The ruddy one looked Louise Fischer up and down and grinned at her with satisfaction.另一个说道：“我们希望你跟我们一起回迈尔谷，菲舍尔小姐。” 她从椅子里起身，戴上帽子，披上外套。 “就是这样，”年纪大的那个说道，“你不给我们惹麻烦，我们自然也对你客客气气。” 她好奇地看着他。 他们来到街边，上了一辆灰扑扑的蓝色轿车。胸肌发达的男人在前面开车，路易丝·菲舍尔坐在他后头，旁边是年纪大的那个。他们走了一遍她和布拉希尔今天早上走过的路。 在离城之前，她说了一次话。她说：“我要见我的律师。他叫哈利·克劳斯。” 坐她身旁的那个男人正在嚼口香糖，嘴唇咂吧了半天，然后才非常有礼貌地告诉她：“我们现在不能停车。” 她还来不及回答，握方向盘的那个男人头也不回地开口了。“布拉希尔到底是怎么打死他的？” 路易丝立刻说道：“那不是他的错，他是——” 年纪大的那个瞧了一眼开车的男人，打断她：“别管了，皮特，让检察官自己去查。” 皮特说道：“好吧。” 这个女人转头看向身边的警察：“他——布拉希尔他受伤了吗？” 他久久审视着她的脸，才轻轻一点头。“我听说他吃了颗子弹。” 她睁大眼睛。“他挨枪了？” 他再次点头。 她伸出双手拉住他的前臂。“有多严重？” He shook his head. "I have no idea." 她的指甲掐进了他胳膊里。“他们逮捕了他吗？” “我不能告诉你，小姐。我想地区检察官不喜欢我这么做。”他又咂吧着嘴，嚼他的口香糖。 “但是，拜托你告诉我。”她不肯放弃，“我必须得知道。” 他再次摇头。“我们没拿一堆问题来烦你，你也别来烦我们。”