Chapter 10 Chapter 10 The Broken Key

Ned Beaumont came home, drank coffee, smoked a cigarette, read a newspaper, a magazine, and half a book.Every now and then he stopped reading and got up fidgeting and paced around the room.His doorbell didn't ring, nor did his phone. At eight o'clock in the morning he took a shower, shaved, changed his clothes, and ordered breakfast. At nine o'clock he picked up the phone, dialed Janet Henry's number, and asked her to answer. "Morning... yes, that's fine, thanks... well, we gotta get ready to light the cannons... well... if your father is there, maybe we can get him in too... good, but before I get there Don't start...I'm going as fast as I can. I'm leaving right now...yes. See you later."

He stood up from the phone, stared blankly into the air, clapped his hands loudly, and rubbed them together.His lips were drawn into a sullen line under his moustache, and his brown eyes burned.He went to the wardrobe, quickly put on his coat and hat, whistled "Miss Lost" and left the room, striding out into the street. "Miss Henry is waiting for me." He said to the maid who opened the door of Henry's house. "Yes, sir," she said, leading him into a sunny room with bright wallpaper, where the Senator and his daughter were having breakfast. Janet Henry immediately jumped up and walked in front of him, stretched out both hands, and exclaimed excitedly, "Good morning!"

The Senator stood up too, more deliberately, looked at his daughter in polite surprise, and held out his hand to Ned Beaumont. "Good morning, Mr. Beaumont. Nice to see you, would you--" "Thank you, don't bother, I've had breakfast." Janet Henry was shaking, her face was pale with excitement, her eyes had darkened, and she looked as if she had taken a drug. "We have something to tell you, Father," her voice was tense and unsteady, "about—" She turned suddenly to Ned Beaumont. "Tell him! Tell him!" Ned Beaumont squinted at her, frowned, then looked directly at her father.The senator remained in his seat at the table.Ned Beaumont said: "We have very strong evidence - including a confession - that Paul Mazvi killed the son."

The senator's eyes narrowed, and he rested one hand on the table in front of him. "What is this very strong evidence?" he asked. "Oh, sir, of course, mainly a confession. He says that your son ran out after him that night and tried to hit him with a rough brown cane. He accidentally hit your son with it as he snatched it away. He said he took the cane and burned it, but Ling--" He bowed slightly to Janet Henry, "she said the cane was still here." "That's right," she said. "The one that Major Sobridge gave you." The Senator's face was hard and pale as marble. "Go on," he said.

Ned Beaumont made a small gesture with one hand. "Sir, that destroys his claim that it was an accident or self-defense—your son wasn't wearing a cane at all." He shrugged slightly, "I told Farr about this yesterday, and he's obviously afraid to act rashly. —you know the man—but I reckon he's going to get Paul today." Janet frowned at Ned Beaumont, obviously confused about something, and was about to speak, but her lips were tightly shut. Senator Henry pressed the napkin to his lips with his left hand, threw the napkin on the table, and asked, "Is there—er, any other evidence?"

Ned Beaumont responded with another casual question: "Isn't that enough?" "But we have more evidence, don't we?" Janet asked. "Just some supporting evidence," said Ned Beaumont indifferently.He turned to the Senator. "I could tell you more details, but you've got the gist of the situation for now. That's enough, isn't it?" "Enough," said the Senator.He put one hand on his forehead. "I can't believe it, but it's true. If you would just give me a moment—" He turned to his daughter, "You too, honey, I need to be alone, to think, to adjust—no, no, You stay, I want to go to my room." He leaned forward gracefully. "Please stay here, Mr. Beaumont. I won't be away for long—just a moment—I'll need some time to accept this. The people I work with are the murderers of my son."

He bowed again, and stepped out, straight and stiff. Ned Beaumont held Janet Henry's wrist and asked in a low voice, "Do you think he might explode suddenly?" She looked at him in surprise. "Is it possible that he will run to Paul to settle accounts?" He explained, "We don't want that to happen, and it goes without saying what the consequences will be." "I don't know," she said. He scrunches impatiently. "We can't let him do that. Is there somewhere close to the door to hide? If he wants to go out, we can stop him." "Yes." She was frightened.

She led him towards the front of the house, into a small dark room.Thick curtains covered the windows, and the door was only a few feet from the main entrance.They stood close together in the dark little room, near the door, which was open about six inches.Both trembled, and Janet Henry tried to whisper into Ned Beaumont's ear, but he hissed her to be quiet. They didn't wait long when they heard light footsteps on the corridor carpet.Senator Henry was fully dressed and hurried to the door. Ned Beaumont stepped up and said, "Wait a minute, Senator Henry." The senator turned away.His face was stern and cold, and his eyes were haughty. "Give me my leave," he said, "I must go out."

"It's not good," said Ned Beaumont, approaching the senator. "It's only going to cause more trouble." Janet Henry walked up to her father. "Don't go, papa," she begged, "listen to Mr. Beaumont." "I've heard him," said the Senator, "and if he has anything else to say, I'd love to hear it. Otherwise I'll have to ask you to let me go." He gave Ned Beaumont a smile. , "My current behavior is due to what you told me." Ned Beaumont looked straight at him steadily. "I don't think you should go to him," he said.

The Senator looked haughtily at Ned Beaumont. Janet said, "But, Father..." His eyes stopped her. Ned Beaumont cleared his throat, flecks of red appeared on his cheeks.He reached out with his left hand and reached quickly into the right pocket of the senator's coat. Senator Henry stepped back angrily. Ned nodded to himself. "It's not good at all," he said gravely, looking at Janet Henry. "He's got a gun in his pocket." "Father!" she yelled, covering her mouth. Ned Beaumont's lips twisted. "Well," he told the senator, "it's clear now that we can't let you walk out of here with a gun in your pocket."

"Don't let him go, Ned," said Janet Henry. The senator looked at them with contemptuous eyes. "I think you've all forgotten your identities," he said. "Janet, please go to your rooms." Reluctantly, she took two steps back, then stopped, and cried, "No! I can't let you go! Don't let him go, Ned." Ned Beaumont licked his lips. "I won't let him go," he promised. The Senator watched them impassively, with his right hand resting on the knob of the gate. Ned Beaumont leaned forward and put a hand on the Senator's. "Sir," he said respectfully, "I won't let you go. It's not just a casual talk." He let go of the Senator, reached into the inside pocket of his coat, and produced a folded piece of paper. , looking worn, wrinkled, and dirty, "Here is my commission as a special agent for the District Attorney's Office last month." He held out the paper to the senator, "As far as I know, The mandate is still valid, so—" He shrugged, "I'm not going to let you go out and shoot anybody." The senator ignored the paper and said haughtily, "You want to save the life of your murderous friend." "You know that's not the case." The senator stepped back. "Enough," he said, and turned the knob. "If you step on the sidewalk with that gun in your pocket, I'll arrest you," said Ned Beaumont. "Oh! Father!" cried Janet Henry. The Senator and Ned Beaumont stood staring at each other, breathing heavily. The senator spoke first.He said to his daughter, "My dear, would you please go away for a few minutes? I have something I want to talk to Mr. Beaumont." She looked questioningly at Ned Beaumont, who nodded. "Okay," she told her father, "you can't walk away while I'm gone." He smiled and said, "No." The two men watched her walk down the hall, glanced back at them as they turned left, and disappeared down the corridor. "I'm afraid you have no good influence on my daughter," said the Senator bitterly. "She is seldom so—so obstinate." Ned Beaumont smiled apologetically, but said nothing. "How long has this been going on?" asked the Senator. "You mean we're involved in this murder? I've only been investigating for a day or two, and she's been investigating since the beginning. She always thought it was Paul." "What?" the senator gaped. "She always thought it was Paul who did it, don't you understand? She hated him to the bone—always did." "Hate him?" the Senator gasped. "Jesus, no!" Ned Beaumont nodded, smiling curiously at the Senator, who was standing behind the door. "Don't you know?" The Senator took a sharp breath. "Come here," he said, leading the way into the dark little room where Ned Beaumont and Janet Henry had just taken refuge.The Senator turned on the light while Ned Beaumont closed the door, and they stood facing each other. "I'd like to have a man-to-man conversation with you, Mr. Beaumont," began the Senator. "We can forget about your—" he smiled. "Official status, right?" Ned Beaumont nodded. "Okay, Farr might have forgotten too." "That's right. Now, Mr. Beaumont, I'm not a bloodthirsty man, but if I know that the murderer of my son is at large with impunity, then I shall die—" "I told you they were going to arrest him. There was no way they would let him go. The evidence is too strong, and everyone knows it." The Senator smiled icily. "You're not going to tell me, sounding like a seasoned politician, that in this city Paul Mazvi will be punished for what he's done?" "That's what I was going to tell you. Paul's done. They've abandoned him. The only thing holding them back is that they're so used to obeying him that it takes time to work up their courage." Senator Henry smiled and shook his head. "Given that I've been in politics a few years longer than you, may I rebut that?" "certainly." "Then I assure you, no matter how much time is given to them, they will never be able to muster up enough courage. Paul is their boss, and even if there may be temporary resistance, he is still their master." "Looks like we can't come to an agreement," said Ned Beaumont. "Paul's gone." He frowned. "Now let's talk about the gun. It's not good for you to have a gun with you. You'd better leave it to me." He said reach out. The Senator put his right hand into his coat pocket. Ned Beaumont approached the Senator and put his left hand on the Senator's wrist. "Give me." The senator looked at him angrily. "Well," said Ned Beaumont, "I'll just have to do it." Then, after a brief struggle and overturning a chair, he seized the Senator's weapon, an old-fashioned revolver Pistols.Janet Henry was slipping the revolver into the back pocket of his trousers when Janet Henry walked in, wide-eyed and pale. "What's going on here?" she cried. "He won't listen to me," complained Ned Beaumont, "and I'd have to take his gun away." The senator's face twitched, and he gasped hoarsely, and took a step toward Ned Beaumont. "Get out of my house," he ordered. "I'm not going," said Ned Beaumont.He pursed his lips, eyes burning with anger, and reached out a hand to gently touch Janet Henry's arm, "Sit down and listen to me. This is what you asked for, and you'll get it soon ’” he said again to the senator, “I have a lot to say, and perhaps you’d better sit down too.” Neither Janet Henry nor her father sat down.Her eyes were wide in panic, her father's were alert.Both of them had similar paleness on their faces. "You killed your own son," Ned Beaumont said to the Senator. The senator's expression did not change, he remained motionless. For a moment, Janet was as still as her father, and then a look of utter horror came over her face.She sat slowly on the floor—not falling down, but slowly bent her knees and knelt heavily on the floor, her body leaning to the right, her right hand propping up the floor.Her terrified face looked up at her father and Beaumont. Neither of the men looked at her. Ned Beaumont to the senator: "You want to kill Paul now so you can claim he killed your son. You know you can kill him without consequences - old gallant gentleman thing - Just fool the world with the tricks you're trying to fool us with." The senator said nothing. Ned Beaumont went on: "You know if he gets arrested, he'll never hide it for you again. Because he wouldn't want Janet to think he killed her brother if he could." He smiled bitterly, "It was a nasty joke on him!" He ran his fingers through his hair. "It went something like this...Taylor heard Paul kiss Janet, and he ran after him, hat on, hand in his hand. Clutching the cane—although that's not so important. When you think about what may happen next that will affect your chances of re-election—" The Senator cut him off, growling angrily: "Nonsense! My daughter won't believe—" Ned smiled cruelly. "Nonsense, of course," he said, "and you brought home the cane that killed him, and you wore his hat, because you chased him out without it. That's nonsense, too, but it's Nonsense can crucify you." The senator whispered contemptuously, "What about Paul's confession?" Ned Beaumont laughed. "That's easy," he said, "and I'll tell you what we're going to do. Janet, you call and tell him to come right away, and then we'll tell him about his father coming to him with a gun, and see what he says. .” Janet moved, but did not stand up.There was a blank look on her face. Her father spoke up: "That's ridiculous. We wouldn't do it." "Call him, Janet," said Ned Beaumont brusquely. She stood up, still looking blank.The Senator brusquely yelled "Janet!" and she ignored it and walked out. The Senator changed his tone, then said again: "Wait a minute, dear," he said to her, and then to Ned Beaumont, "I want to speak to you alone again." "Okay," Ned Beaumont replied, turning to look at the hesitant girl at the door. Before he could speak, she said stubbornly, "I want to hear it, and I have the right to hear it." He nodded, looked at her father again, and said, "She does." "Janet, dear," said the Senator, "I was trying to keep you out of it, and I—" "I don't need it," she whispered quietly, "I want to know the truth." The senator spread his hands in a gesture of defiance. "Then I won't say anything." "Janet, go call Paul," Ned Beaumont said. Before she moved, the senator said, "No, that will make it harder for me, but—" He took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands, "I will tell you the truth of the matter, and then I have to ask you to do me a favor." Busy, I don't think you will refuse. Anyway—" He stopped and looked at his daughter, "Come in, dear, and close the door if you must listen." She closed the door, sat on a chair by the door, leaned forward stiffly, with a serious expression on her face. The Senator, hands behind his back, still holding the handkerchief, looked at Ned Beaumont without hostility, and said: "I followed Taylor out that night because I didn't want to lose Paul's friendship because of my son's violent temper. I caught up with them in Chinatown, Paul had already snatched the cane, and they—at least Tyler himself—was arguing a lot. I asked Paul to leave and let me talk to my son, which he did, handing the cane to Me.Tyler was talking to me like a son talking to his father and trying to push me away and keep going to Paul.I'm not sure how it all happened...the time I tapped him... But it did happen, he fell to the ground and hit his head on the pavement. Then Paul came back - he didn't go very far - and we found Taylor dead on the spot. Paul insisted that we should leave him there and not admit to His death was involved. He said that no matter how extenuating the circumstances, it would turn into a big scandal in the election. So, uh... I was convinced by him. He took Taylor's hat and made me wear it Going home - I went out without my hat on. He promised that if the police got to us he would stop him. Then - last week actually - I started hearing rumors that he had killed Tyler and ran to find He, asked if we'd better be honest. He laughed at my fears and assured me he could handle this." He left his hands behind his back, wiped his face with a handkerchief, and said, "That's how it goes. " "Just let him lie there like that, on the road!" His daughter cried out in a choked voice. He flinched, but said nothing. Ned Beaumont frowned and was silent for a moment, then said, "Sounds like a campaign speech—just a little more truth." He grimaced, "You said you wanted us to do you a favour. .” The Senator looked down at the floor, then looked up at Beaumont again. "I can only tell you about this." Ned Beaumont said, "No." "Forgive me, my dear," the Senator said to his daughter, and then turned to Beaumont, "I have told you the truth, but I fully understand what I have gotten myself into. What I want from you is to turn the revolver Give me back the pistol, and five more minutes—one minute—in this room alone." "No," said Beaumont. The senator put his hand on his chest, and the handkerchief fell from his hand. Ned Beaumont said, "You've got to face what's coming." Ned Beaumont accompanied Farr, his gray-haired stenographer, the two detectives, and the Senator to the door. "Aren't you coming together?" Farr asked. "No, but I'll find you again." Farr nodded vigorously. "Come early and often, Ned," said he. "You've played me a trick, but I won't blame you when you know how it turns out." Ned Beaumont smiled at him, nodded to the detectives, bowed to the stenographer, and closed the door.He went upstairs to the white-walled room with the piano.Janet Henry got up from the wrap-around sofa as she entered. "They're gone," he said in a deliberately matter-of-fact tone. "He—they—" "They asked him the details of the process — more details than what they told us." "Will you tell me the truth?" "Yes." He agreed. "He—" she stopped, "what will they do to him, Ned?" "Probably not too serious. His age and status and stuff work in his favour. He'll probably be convicted of manslaughter and get probation." "Do you think it was an accident?" Ned Beaumont shook his head.His eyes were indifferent, and his tone was very frank: "I guess he thought his son would hinder his re-election, and he was mad by this idea, so he beat him." She didn't object, put her hands together, and asked the next question with difficulty. "Is he going--going to shoot Paul?" "Yes. He could say that he wanted to avenge his son, using the 'old man demand blood for blood' argument to get himself off. He knew that once Paul was arrested, he would not be willing to take the blame for him. Paul was willing before, so he Same as backing your dad for re-election for the same reason he wants to marry you. He can't pretend he killed your brother in the hope of getting you. He doesn't care what other people think but he doesn't know you think he's a murderer. If he knew , he will clarify for himself immediately." She nodded sadly. "I hate him," she said. "I misunderstood him, but I still hate him." She sobbed. "Why is that, Ned?" He waved an impatient gesture. "Don't ask me to guess riddles." "And you," she said, "you made a fool of me and made me suffer, and I don't hate you." "That's even more mysterious," he said. "How long, Ned?" she asked. "How long have you known that the murderer was . . . my father?" "I don't know. I've had this idea in my head for a long time, and it's probably the only possibility that explains Paul's stupidity. If he killed Taylor, he would have told me, and there's no reason to keep it from me. But if your father killed Yes, he has a reason to hide it from me. He knows that I don't like your father. I made it obvious. He doesn't believe that I will let your father go, but he knows that I will let him go. So when I When I told him that no matter who killed the person, I had to find out, he lied to me that he killed it, so as to prevent me from investigating." She asked, "Why don't you like my father?" "Because," he said angrily, "I don't like pimps." She blushed and looked embarrassed.Then she lowered her voice and asked dryly: "Then you don't like me because—" He didn't speak. She bit her lip, and cried, "Answer me!" "You're all right," he said, "just not for Paul. You'll play him, you two are poison to him. I tried to tell him that you and your father thought he was a low creature, Play him as much as you want. I also tried to tell him that my father has won battles all his life without any effort. If things don't go well, he will lose his mind or become violent. However, he is in love with you, so-" He closed his mouth , to the piano. "You despise me," she whispered firmly. "You think I'm a whore." "I didn't look down on you," he said hastily, without turning his face to look at her. "No matter what you did, you paid the price and got your reward. It's the same with all of us." Silence spread between them, until she said again: "Now you and Paul are friends again." He moved away from the piano, in a gesture that seemed to turn his head to look at the watch on his wrist. "Now I have to say goodbye." She stared in surprise. "Aren't you going to leave?" He nodded. "I have to catch the four-thirty car." "Are you leaving to avoid the limelight?" "I don't think it's too bad a thing if I can get out of the way and not get caught and come back for these trials." She stretched out her hands impulsively. "Take me with you." He winked at her. "Do you really want to leave, or are you just out of control?" Her face turned even redder.Before she could speak, he said, "It doesn't make any difference. If you want to leave, I'll take you away." He frowned, "But all of this—" He waved his finger at the house, "Who will manage it?" "I don't care, creditors," she said bitterly. "There is one more thing you need to think about." He said slowly, "Everyone will say that when you saw your father was in trouble, you abandoned him." "I'm just going to dump him," she said, "and I want people to think so. I don't care what they say—as long as you take me." She sobbed, "If—if he didn't keep Tad Lying alone in that dark street and walking away is not something I would do." Ned Beaumont said bluntly: "Don't think about that now. Go and pack quickly. You can only take two bags. You may come back to get the others later." She let out an unnatural high-pitched laugh, and ran out the door.He lit his cigar and sat at the piano, playing softly before she returned.She had put on a black hat, a black overcoat, and was carrying two travel bags. They took a taxi to his place and spent most of the journey in silence.Suddenly she said: "In that dream—I never told you—the key was made of glass. As soon as we opened the door, the key broke in our hands, because the lock was so tight that we had to force it .” He turned to look at her and asked, "And then?" She trembled. "We couldn't keep the snakes in so they all came out and wrapped themselves around us and I woke up screaming." "It was just a dream," he said. "Forget it." He smiled without joy. "You threw my trout back into the water—in my dream." The taxi stopped in front of his residence.They went upstairs and into his house.She wanted to help with the packing, but he said, "No, I'll do it myself. You sit down and rest. The train won't leave for another hour." She is sitting on a red chair. "Where are you going - where are we going?" she asked timidly. "New York, anyway, go there first." He hadn't packed a duffel bag until the doorbell rang. "You'd better go into the bedroom," he told her, helping to carry her luggage in and closing the door on his way out. He went to the front door and opened it. "I'm here to tell you that you were right and I see it now," said Paul Mazvi. "You didn't come last night." "Yes, I didn't understand at the time. I was home as soon as you left." Ned Beaumont nodded. "Come in," he said, moving away from the door. Mazvi walked into the living room.He saw the duffel bag immediately, but looked around the room before asking, "Are you leaving?" "right." Mazvi sat down in the chair Janet Henry had just sat in.The traces of the years were revealed on his face, and his figure was tired and depressed. "How's Opal?" Ned Beaumont asked. "She's all right, poor child. She should be all right now." "You did it." "I know, Ned. God, I know!" Mazvi stretched out his legs and looked at the shoes on his feet. "I hope you don't think I'm very proud of myself." After a pause, Mazvi Added, "I think—I know Opal would like to see you before you go." "You'll have to say good-bye to her and Ma for me. I'm leaving at four-thirty." Mazvi raised his eyes, blue eyes clouded with pain. "You're right, of course, Ned," he said hoarsely, "but—well—God only knows you're right!" He looked down at his shoes again. "What do you do with the less loyal crew? Get rid of them, or let them go?" asked Ned Beaumont. "You mean Farr and the rats?" "Ok." "I'm going to teach them a lesson." Mazvi said decisively, but there was no heat in his voice, his eyes were still fixed on the shoes, "It will take four years, but I can use these four years to clean up the house and organize another A solid group of people." Ned Beaumont raised his eyebrows. "You're going to kill them at the election?" "Kill 'em, fuck 'em, blow them all up! Shad's dead, I'm going to put his men in power for four years. None of them can make it big, I don't have to worry about it. Next time I'll take this city back , before that, I will clean the portal." "You can win this time," said Ned Beaumont. "True, but I don't want to win with these bastards." Ned Beaumont nodded. "It takes patience and courage, but it's the best way, I think it is." "I've only got these idiots," Mazvi said sadly, "I'll never find anyone with a brain." The focus of his eyes shifted from his feet to the fireplace. "Must you go, Ned?" His The sound was barely audible. "I have to go." Mazvi cleared his throat vigorously. "I don't want to sound like a goddamned fool, but I like to think that you'll have nothing against me whether you go or stay, Ned." "I won't fight you, Paul." Mazvi looked up quickly. "Then shake my hand?" "certainly." Mazvi jumped up, grabbed Ned Beaumont's hand, and squeezed it tightly. "Don't go, Ned, stay with me. God knows, I need you now. And if I don't—I'll do all I can to make it up." Ned Beaumont shook his head. "You don't need to compensate me for anything." "Then you'd like to—" Ned Beaumont shook his head again. "I can't. I have to go." Mazvi let go of his hand, sat down again, and said darkly, "Well, I deserve it." Ned Beaumont gestured impatiently. "Don't talk like that," he paused, bit his lip, and said harshly, "Janet's here." Mazvi glared at him. Janet Henry opened the bedroom door and walked into the living room.She was pale and frowning, but her face was held high.She went straight up to Paul Mazvi and said, "I've done a lot to hurt you, Paul. I—" His face became as pale as hers, and then turned red all of a sudden. "Come on, Janet," he said hoarsely, "there's nothing you can do..." The rest of the words were inaudible murmurs. She flinched back. "Janet is coming with me," said Ned Beaumont. Mazvi opened his mouth and stared blankly at Ned Beaumont, the red tide receding from his face again.When his face was almost pale, he muttered something, only the word "luck" could be heard clearly.Then he turned awkwardly, walked to the door, opened it, and went out without closing the door behind him. Janet Henry looked at Ned Beaumont.He stared fixedly at the door.